Randy Weber: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment. We have heard the same…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment. We have heard the same sensible logic from our side of the aisle countless times over the past 24 hours as we have debated this bill and these amendments. The package is over-funded, incorrectly prioritized, and a partisan process nightmare. So in a way, I guess it is fitting that this is the only standalone amendment we will consider today. It is one that is seeking even more funding for one of this bill's most misguided priorities. {time} 1230 The United States Chamber of Commerce said it best when they penned that this bill needed to avoid ``contentious and extraneous issues'' for this bill to be supported. Let me tell you, the Democrats' unyielding focus on massive increases to applied energy and, in particular, for the DOE's already well-funded Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is the most contentious issue here. By now, I am sure you can all say it along with me, but I cannot stress it enough: It is basic research, not applied energy, that will put us in the best global position to develop the long-term clean energy solutions to address our changing climate and, yes, lay the foundation for our clean and affordable energy future for generations to come. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has grown considerably, starting with what was supposed to be a temporary recovery in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.…”