Subcommittee Hears Familiar Arguments for Taxpayer-Funded Oil and Gas Research

(Washington, DC) – Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Energy and Environment held the latest in a series of hearings on unconventional oil and gas research and development titled, “Tapping America’s Energy Potential Through Research and Development.” The purpose of the hearing was to discuss research needs related to unconventional oil and natural gas resources, as well as to receive testimony on H.R. 6603, the “Tapping America’s Energy Potential Through Research and Development Act of 2012.”

Ranking Member Brad Miller (D-NC) said in his opening statement, “The lesson for today’s hearing is from the Book of Matthew: ‘For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have in abundance, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’ Or as many Americans put it more colloquially, ‘them that has, gets’…so for emerging technologies that have not the economic and political power of incumbent fossil-fuel and nuclear technologies, even what they have will be taken away. But incumbent technologies, which are already enormously profitable, will be given more, and will have in abundance, with none of the navel-gazing discussion about picking winners and losers or inappropriate interventions in the market.”

Democrats highlighted what they considered to be the conflicting position held by the Republicans who frequently argue that government funding for clean energy research is an inappropriate intrusion in the free market, but then introduce legislation to increase funding for a range of commercially-focused research and demonstration activities for the very profitable and mature oil and gas industry.  While not opposing the bill or fossil energy R&D, generally, Ranking Member Miller urged the Majority to demonstrate a more consistent approach when considering the appropriate role of government in funding energy research and technology development. 

Ranking Member Miller said, “Our efforts to assist emerging energy technologies like solar, geothermal, wind, and technologies to make our energy use more efficient are considered “green pork” by House Republicans. They have opposed efforts by the Department of Energy to promote research, demonstration projects, and commercialization of emerging technologies, considering it to be the government picking winners and losers.” 

He went on to draw a distinction between the government’s long-standing financial support for the fossil fuel industry and the relatively recent, and considerably smaller, investment in the next generation of clean, renewable energy technologies.  “The industries and yes, the specific ‘individual firms’ that will benefit most directly from this legislation, already have far more investment in applied research and commercialization of technologies than do firms developing alternative energy technologies. Even more important, continued support in abundance for incumbent technologies, often to the exclusion of alternative technologies, continues to base our energy future almost exclusively on hunting fossil fuels to extinction, leaving us woefully unprepared for our longer-term energy needs.”