Rick Larsen: “There is a race on. There is a race on aviation, a race to implement and use new fuels that are more efficient and that…”

“There is a race on. There is a race on aviation, a race to implement and use new fuels that are more efficient and that are also cleaner. There is a race on, and other countries and regions of the world are investing in that race, putting their companies at a competitive advantage over the U.S.-based companies. The CLEEN Program is one of our tools to participate in that race. The CLEEN Program also helps us invest in fuel efficiency. The fuel efficiency of aviation has helped reduce aviation fuel burn in this country. There is a direct relationship between the goodness of the taxpayer investment in the CLEEN Program to the new fuel-efficient airplanes that we see being used today and the fuel-efficient engines that we see being used today. The next version of that, the next step of that race is sustainable aviation fuel. It is in electric propulsion, and in the future it is hydrogen propulsion. There is quite a bit of private-sector investment going on in the use of hydrogen as a fuel to move things, including airplanes. Now, we are not quite there yet in this country in the private sector, but no one else is either. I want to win that race, and part of winning that race is ensuring that the Federal Government is a partner in winning that race. Winning that race in aviation is ensuring that FAA has tools like CLEEN to be sure that it is a partner with airlines, with entrepreneurs, and with innovators who want us to participate in this race. Mr.…”