Climate Action Now Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Chair, I yield myself 4 minutes, and I rise in support of my amendment.

Innovation drives the energy industry, and it is important that we continue to follow a technology-neutral approach that allows the best science to flourish and the best technologies to emerge.

When it comes to energy innovation, my home in Houston is its home. Houston, long known as the energy capital of the world, is the epicenter of our modern energy renaissance. Home to virtually every segment of the energy industry, including exploration, production, transmission, marketing, supply, and technology, we see opportunities for innovation in all sectors of the energy industry.

Over the last decade in particular, energy technology has enabled us to recover resources in new areas and new ways. Advances in technology that have transformed our energy economy have substantially reduced U.S. carbon emissions.

Replacing coal-fired plants with natural gas plants has led to the greatest reduction in carbon emissions in the last 30 years, and we are leading the way on new technologies critical to reaching our emissions reduction goals and combating climate change, like carbon capture technologies. Two plants are near my district in Houston.

We believe in an all-of-the-above approach to energy sources that reduces costs as well as emissions, and we see that in Texas' investment in wind energy.

In Texas, we have installed more wind power generation than any State, three times as much as the next leading State.

Houston is home to more than 100 solar-related companies.

These statistics may surprise some, but they should not because energy companies, whether renewable or hydrocarbon-based, are really technology companies that apply their technology to energy.

My amendment ensures that nothing in this act will favor one fuel source or one technology over another.

Climate change is a global threat. We need the input of a diverse and broad coalition of stakeholders that have the energy expertise we need to chart our path forward, and we need to encourage innovation and technology in every area.

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