On the recordJune 7, 2018
The Beyer-Eshoo-Esty amendment simply restores funding to the Advanced Research Project-Energy, ARPA-E, to the FY18 enacted level that was already approved by this Congress earlier this year. ARPA-E was created to replicate the successful DARPA model by incentivizing researchers to develop promising research into game- changing technologies that can meet our future energy needs. Mr. Chairman, despite the huge payoff, the private sector does not often and cannot invest efficiently in kind of high-risk, high-reward energy research. ARPA-E has already demonstrated incredible success in advancing energy technology solutions that neither the public nor the private sector has been willing or able to support in the past. Since 2009, 136 of these projects have attracted more than $2.6 billion in private sector follow-on funding. And please note, the amendment does not cut fossil energy research. It simply reduces the plus-up for the account. The Fossil Energy R&D will still receive $30 million more than last year and 50 percent more than President Trump's FY19 request level. I urge my colleagues to support the Beyer-Eshoo-Esty amendment to make ARPA-E whole. ARPA-E is a smart bet on America's proven ability to turn creative ideas into market-creating, job-growing businesses. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
