Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. FOUSHEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1534, the bipartisan Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies Act, or the IMPACT Act, which will strengthen the competitiveness of American manufacturing through innovation and development of technologies to decarbonize and improve the efficiency of cement, concrete, and asphalt production.

U.S. producers are leading the way in the innovation of critical building materials production, and we have a real opportunity in front of us to bolster our Nation's infrastructure while making significant strides to reduce global emissions.

The climate crisis remains one of the most pressing issues of our lifetime, and it is vital that we take action now by investing in clean technologies and creating pathways here at home to accelerate and commercialize these new opportunities to reduce harmful emissions.

Globally, cement manufacturing accounts for nearly 8 percent of all carbon emissions, and we have a unique opportunity to reduce pollution in industrial emissions by creating new manufacturing opportunities here at home that can take the place of aging processes based on fossil fuels.

This bill will enable partnerships between industry, innovators, and the U.S. Government that will enhance existing production methods, unlock new and innovative techniques, and offer technical assistance to entities seeking to promote the application of low-emission cement, concrete, and asphalt.

Together, the IMPACT Act--alongside IMPACT Act 2.0, introduced in the House earlier this month by Congressman Miller and me, and the Senate's Concrete and Asphalt Innovation Act, led by Senators Coons and Tillis-- will bolster U.S.-led efforts to deploy clean technologies in the industrial sector while enhancing the global competitiveness of American innovation.

The United States is leading the way into the 21st century, and this can be seen in my own district, North Carolina's Fourth, where local startup Biomason is revolutionizing the cement industry through its use of biotechnology to manufacture low-carbon concrete.

With global demand for building materials set to rise through this century, we must prioritize investments in advanced materials science and scale-up domestic manufacturing by fostering an innovation pipeline that creates jobs and enhances our competitiveness on the world stage. This bill does just that.

With this commonsense piece of legislation, everyone wins. It will help us achieve measurable and meaningful emissions reductions, modernize manufacturing, and improve workers' health and public health, all while creating good-paying jobs across America.

I am proud to join Representative Max Miller in introducing the IMPACT Act, which passed the House last Congress and through the House Science Committee unanimously. It has received strong and bicameral support from industry and industry partners, innovators, climate organizations, manufacturing, and trade associations nationwide.

I encourage my colleagues to support this bipartisan and commonsense legislation, which will unlock innovation and clean manufacturing in the United States, create domestic job opportunities, and protect our planet.

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