House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee Passes Matsui Clean Tech Export Promotion Legislation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
CONTACT: MARA LEE
(202) 225-7163
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee Passes Matsui Clean Tech Export Promotion Legislation
Bill Will Help Boost the Competitiveness of the U.S. Clean Tech Industry in the Global Energy Marketplace
Today, the House Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection (CTCP) Subcommittee unanimously passed H.R. 5156, the Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act, legislation introduced by Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) to boost the competiveness of the U.S. clean technology industry in both domestic and international markets. The bill is co-sponsored by CTCP Chairman Bobby Rush (D-IL), Energy and Commerce Chairman Emeritus John D. Dingell (D-MI), and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA). The bill now goes to the full Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration.
H.R. 5156 would create a $15 million Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Fund to support the development, implementation, and sustainability of a National Clean Energy Technology Export Strategy, and assist U.S. Clean Tech firms with export assistance by finding and navigating foreign markets to export their goods and services abroad. The Matsui legislation would help also strengthen America's domestic clean tech manufacturing industry by promoting policies that will reduce production costs and encourage innovation, investment, and productivity in the clean energy technology industry here at home.
Rep. Matsui's delivered the following statement at this morning's mark-up session:
Our nation is running a trade deficit in green technologies ranging in the billions and the U.S. clean tech industry is lagging behind many of its competitors in exports, including Germany and China. This is simply unacceptable.
We must not become a nation dependent on foreign clean energy products; we must be the nation that leads the world in manufacturing and exporting clean energy technologies.
H.R. 5156 will strengthen the U.S. clean energy industry. Specifically, the bill would require the Department of Commerce, in coordination with relevant agencies, to implement, develop and sustain a National Clean Energy Technology Export Strategy to provide U.S. Clean Tech firms with export assistance in finding and navigating foreign markets to sell their goods and services to new customers.
The President has laid out a laudable goal to double U.S. exports over the next five years. And this legislation will ensure clean energy exports are at the forefront of our national export strategy.
The bill will also help strengthen America's domestic clean tech manufacturing industry. Unlike big U.S. companies, small and medium sized firms simply do not have the resources and expertise to find and navigate foreign markets and are seeking assistance. In fact, according to the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, more than 30 percent of non-exporting small and medium sized companies would export if they had more access to market information, export opportunities, and the export process.
My home district of Sacramento is well-positioned to be a national leader in manufacturing clean energy technologies, with more than 110 small and medium sized clean energy companies in the region. Many of these companies have validated their clean energy technologies and are now looking to expand their businesses by exporting their goods and services to new foreign markets, but lack the resources to do so.
H.R. 5156 will provide the assistance many U.S. small businesses are seeking. H.R. 5156 will also enhance our standing in the race to be the global leader in clean energy.
The BP Oil spill only underscores the need for leadership in the clean energy market, and this bill will send a strong message that America is serious about being the leader in producing and exporting these technologies.
I am pleased that the Managers amendment includes many of the issued raised by my Republican colleagues during the CTCP markup on June 16th. I urge support for H.R. 5156, the Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance.
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