Executive Session

Floor Speech

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Mr. PETERS. Madam President, transportation is responsible for roughly two-thirds of our national consumption of petroleum and one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. But imagine a future where we could produce low-cost, secure clean energy technologies to move people and goods easily across our Nation. Imagine if we could then sell our advanced American technology and products to the rest of the world.

Well, that is a future, by working together, we can indeed achieve. There is no question that the cars and trucks of the future can be equipped with technology to make them safer and more fuel efficient while also saving consumers money.

Rapidly emerging technology has the potential not only to reduce air emissions, but their development could also create jobs in Michigan and across the Nation, and these are jobs that cannot be outsourced. We must ensure that the United States leads the way in developing these innovations. That is why I reintroduced the bipartisan Vehicle Innovation Act with my colleagues Senator Alexander and Senator Stabenow.

The Vehicle Innovation Act promotes research and development investments in clean vehicle and advanced safety technologies. The bill also modernizes the Vehicle Technologies Office within the Department of Energy, which exists to help create and sustain American leadership in the transition to a global clean energy economy.

This office's leadership has already led to improvements in engine efficiency through vehicle weight reductions and reduced fuel production costs, and the Vehicle Innovation Act will help ensure that these continued innovations move forward.

I am proud to again partner on this bill with Senator Alexander and fellow Michigander, Senator Debbie Stabenow. In the last Congress, we were able to pass the Vehicle Innovation Act through the Senate. Now, with fellow Michigan delegation Members, Congresswomen Debbie Dingell and Haley Stevens, leading this bill in the House, there is no reason this legislation should not be enacted into law.

The bill is supported by labor, by industry, and by conservation groups, including the United Auto Workers, the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association, the Auto Alliance, the BlueGreen Alliance, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

America should lead the world in clean energy advancements, and I urge my colleagues to support the Vehicle Innovation Act.

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