Marana Weekly News, Dec 1, 2009
BY: Chuck Barth

MARANA — The Town of Marana and Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ offices combined to raise 1,465 pounds of food for the Marana Community Food Bank in a one-week period last week.

Giffords’ office challenged Marana Mayor Ed Honea and the town to see who could collect the largest amount of food from Nov. 18-24.

While Giffords’ office outdid the town 984 pounds to 481, it was the Marana Community Food Bank that came out the biggest winner as it prepares for the holiday season rush.

“Donors to the food bank a year ago are walking in the front door today,” said Giffords “Obviously we had a little fun competition, but also it’s letting folks know that while we’re celebrating with our families there’s a lot of folks who don’t have enough right now.”

Explorer News, December 2, 2009

A U.S. flag is going to fly outside the new Wheeler Taft Abbett Sr., Library in Marana, thanks to the determined efforts of a Vietnam War veteran.

Dick Jarenski, who flies the U.S. Flag and a Prisoner of War remembrance flag outside his Marana home, wants to see the U.S. flag fly in public places such as the county-operated library off Silverbell in Marana.

In October, during a presentation at the library, Jarenski was puzzled why the library had no flags. He learned there wasn’t money in the county library budget for flags.

Jarenski wrote many letters, contacted the offices of elected and appointed officials, and notified the media.

Then, at an event Nov. 24, Jarenski accepted a flag from U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. In turn, Jarenski has given the flag to the county library. Marana Mayor Ed Honea said a flag pole would be installed outside the new library.

Giffords thanked Jarenski for his service, “and for your commitment to the flag and all that it represents.

“When I have visited our Armed Forces here and overseas, our flag is proudly flown over bases and outposts wherever our troops are stationed,” Giffords said. “It represents to all of us and to people around the world the liberties and freedoms that make our country so great.”

The flag Giffords presented has flown over the U.S. Capitol. She added to the library’s collection with a presentation of the weighty volume “Women in Congress, 1917-2006,” to Sharla Darby, library manager.

Jarenski learned Giffords rides a Harley-Davidson, and he gave Giffords an associate membership in the Submarine Veterans Motorycycle Club.

Willcox Range News – November 11, 2009

By U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords/For the Range News

When our nation asked Raymond Federico to serve, he answered the call.

Raymond joined the U.S. Navy and served in Southeast Asia, seeing combat from the decks of troop transports and other ships. He manned a .50-caliber machine gun on boats patrolling the rivers of Vietnam.

Patriots such as Raymond are at the forefront of our minds as we mark Veterans’ Day. But honoring the service of veterans like him must go beyond mere words. Deeds are required and Raymond is among the many veterans who know just how serious that requirement is.

After firing the big guns with no ear protection for almost four years, Raymond developed tinnitus and hearing loss and filed for a service-related disability. Earlier this year, Raymond was working for a Tucson automobile dealer, but lost his job and had trouble making his mortgage payments when the business closed.

Things became a little easier for Raymond and his wife when Congress passed the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act.

Like many bills concerning our veterans, this one had strong bipartisan support. It increased the annual compensation rate for disabled veterans and their dependent survivors by the same cost-of-living adjustment payable to Social Security recipients.

“It certainly helped so we didn’t get behind in our bills,” Raymond said.

On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind. As a nation, we must pledge that when service members such as Raymond return home, we leave no veteran behind.

To help fulfill this solemn commitment, I am proposing needed changes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which went into effect in August. This bill restores the promise of a full, four-year college education for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

These benefits will be available to 2.1 million veterans and to all children of fallen soldiers since 9/11. This is an excellent bill, but I want to make it better.

Some retired veterans eligible for education benefits are unlikely to use them, because they have degrees or went on to careers. I have proposed that eligible veterans who retired before Aug. 1, 2009 have the right to transfer those benefits to other family members.

I also am proposing that housing allowances under the bill be available to veterans who take classes online. And I am asking that veterans who received benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill also be eligible, under some circumstances, for benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, up to a maximum total of 48 months of benefits.

This year Congress has passed numerous bills to improve the lives of the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Each bill will benefit our nation’s heroes, past and present, and the military families who support them.

Among those bills was the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act, which will provide better healthcare services for the 1.8 million women veterans.

We also passed the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, which authorizes Congress to approve Veterans Affairs medical care appropriations one year in advance. This will help assure that veterans’ medical care will be delivered quickly and will end a cycle of late payments by Congress to the VA.

Legislation, though, is only half the battle. This is why I am urging the Veterans Department to establish a much-needed Vet Center in Cochise County. And this is why I and other members of Congress successfully persuaded the VA to change a policy that required Southern Arizona veterans to travel to Phoenix to collect emergency education benefits.

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee who represents a district with two military installations and a large number of veterans, I know how important it is to keep our promises to the courageous men and women who served in our armed forces. I also know that I am far from alone.

By U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords
SPECIAL TO THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR, November 6, 2009

It was 45 years ago that Congress passed the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 — a historic measure that for the first time outlawed all racial segregation in schools, public places and employment. We are poised to make another historic decision that for the first time would guarantee access to health care for all Americans.

I will vote for the Affordable Health Care for America Act on Saturday because it represents a much-needed first step in reforming our nation’s inadequate health-insurance system.

Make no mistake, this is not a perfect bill. But the town halls I recently held throughout Arizona’s 8th Congressional District made clear to me that we cannot let our efforts to confront this crisis get lost amid partisan bickering.

Families and businesses in Southeastern Arizona know reform is necessary and so do I. Here are eight primary reasons why I support this bill:

• It will not add to our nation’s debt and deficit. In fact, the bill is estimated to lower the deficit by up to $100 billion over 10 years.

• Individuals with pre-existing health conditions will no longer be denied coverage.

• 135,000 Medicare recipients in my district will benefit from lower drug costs through the closing of the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole” and allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug makers for lower drug prices.

• 400,000 Southeastern Arizonans who currently receive health-care coverage from their employers will be able to keep their existing insurance coverage.

• 46,000 people in my district who are currently uninsured will be able to obtain insurance at a reasonable cost.

• It includes tort reform initiatives that offer incentives to states that implement changes to traditional medical-malpractice laws.

• More than 13,000 small businesses in my district will be able to receive tax credits to provide health insurance for their employees.

• States will be able to enter into agreements allowing the sale of insurance across state lines, which will expand choice and promote competition.

These are among the reasons the bill is supported by the AARP and the American Medical Association.

As we debate the details of health-insurance reform in the coming weeks, we must not forget this underlying and undeniable fact: Our health-care system is failing us.

If we don’t act, health-care costs will increase $1,800 each year for the average family. Care and medication — already postponed by more than half of all Americans — will become more unaffordable and Americans will face a 50-50 chance of losing their insurance in the next 10 years. Inaction is not an option.

I don’t want insurance companies denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions. I don’t want Arizonans who lose their jobs to lose their insurance.

High health-care costs drove about 900 households in my district to file for bankruptcy last year. This bill addresses that crisis by capping annual out-of-pocket health-care costs at $5,000 for singles and $10,000 for couples and eliminates lifetime limits on insurance coverage.

Since elected to Congress in 2006, I have voted on thousands of bills. Most have been easy, some have been hard. Providing affordable, quality health care to all American citizens without adding a dime to the deficit will be one of the most historic actions Congress has taken.

Like the Civil Rights Act of a generation ago, the Affordable Health Care for America Act has ignited passionate debate in Arizona and across the country. It is a debate worth having. But like the debate of 45 years ago, I believe this will be a defining moment of equality in America.

The Arizona Republic, Oct. 29, 2009

If you want to be sure of reaching a destination, you need a map. It’s the same with an ambitious goal like ramping up solar energy in America.

Last Thursday, the U.S. House approved a bill to create a “Solar Technology Roadmap” that would provide much-needed focus and resources.

A committee, including representatives of the solar-power industry, would lay out the research-and-development needs for the next 15 years. The roadmap would be updated and revised regularly. The bill would authorize funding for R&D and demonstration projects, ramping up from $350 million in fiscal 2011 to $550 million in 2015.

For Arizona, solar power is a double economic opportunity: developing a solar industry and diversifying our power sources with a clean source of electricity. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, a second-term Democrat who is a champion of solar power in southern Arizona, sponsored the bill, HR 3585.

Other countries have sped ahead of the United States in developing solar power, and China is making a major push. If we don’t adopt better policies and support innovation, Giffords warns, America will go from importing foreign oil to importing solar panels.

This isn’t an easy time to argue for spending more money. But the bill picked up bipartisan support for a reason.

Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, a Maryland Republican who describes himself as a fiscal conservative, a scientist and an engineer, argues that the bill would not use too much money. The funding level, he explains, “only begins to reverse 20 years of underinvestment in solar power.”

The solar roadmap is modeled on a previous effort to develop semiconductors, which spurred two decades of technological advances. The bill still needs a sponsor in the Senate. It would be a real stretch for Sen. Jon Kyl or John McCain to back a bill that was opposed by Arizona’s three Republicans in the House. But they should take a look.

Benson News Sun – Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Gabrielle Giffords/U.S. Rep. Congressional District 8

They are a political dynasty with roots stretching back to Arizona’s rough-and-tumble territorial days. Some have referred to them as the Kennedys of the West.

Whatever you call the Udalls, there’s no denying the pivotal role this storied family has played in shaping our state and nation. They have been a fixture of the political landscape for more than a century.

This is why I was honored recently to vote with a majority of my colleagues in the House of Representatives to change the name of Tucson’s Morris K. Udall Foundation to the Morris K. and Stewart L. Udall Foundation.

A simple name change might seem insignificant. It isn’t. This is a fitting tribute to the lasting legacy of a pair of true environmental pioneers – brothers who worked together over decades to raise awareness of our fragile surroundings and expand our national parks system.

Their contributions were featured prominently in Ken Burns’ recent PBS television series, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” It is at the Udall Foundation, though, where the ideals of the Udalls are passed on to the next generation of environmental champions.

The Udall Foundation has many valuable programs that – like the Udall brothers – have a direct and positive impact on our lives. It annually awards about 80 scholarships of up to $5,000 each to college students committed to careers related to the environment, tribal public policy or Native American health care.

It also funds 12 Native Americans or Alaska Natives each summer for a 10-week internship in Washington, D.C. and, in partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson, takes 12 middle school students every summer to explore Arizona’s natural wonders. The foundation includes the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution that provides mediation and other services and training to help parties resolve environmental conflicts.

The foundation, which is headquartered in downtown Tucson, was established in 1992 to honor Morris Udall’s 30 years of service representing Southern Arizona in the House. Known affectionately as “Mo,” his love of the environment resulted in numerous pieces of sweeping legislation, including the Alaska Lands Act of 1980, which doubled the size of the national park system and tripled the size of the national wilderness system.

Morris Udall was appointed to the House in 1961 when his older brother, Stewart, was named secretary of the interior by President John F. Kennedy. Stewart Udall’s environmental sum is no less impressive than his brother’s.

In 1963, Stewart Udall authored the landmark environmental book, “The Quiet Crisis,” in which he told of those who fought tirelessly against the industrial fouling of air, water and land, the widespread destruction of beauty and the encroachment on open space.

During his eight years as head of the Department of Interior, Stewart Udall oversaw the creation of four national parks, six national monuments, eight national seashores and lakeshores, nine recreation areas, 20 historic sites and 56 wildlife refuges.

The contributions of the Udall brothers stretch across our nation – literally. The easternmost and westernmost points in the United States are named in their honor. Point Udall at the east end of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands honors Stewart, while Udall Point at the west end of Guam honors Morris.

Morris Udall died in 1998. Stewart Udall is 89 and lives in New Mexico. Their sons Mark and Tom continue the Udall legacy today. Each served in the House for a decade – Mark from Colorado and Tom from New Mexico – before they were elected to the Senate last November.

Legislation to change the name of the foundation was introduced by U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva and I am an original co-sponsor. Together, our districts encompass much of the same region that Mo and Stewart represented in the House.

Terry Bracy, chairman of the foundation’s board of trustees, has said the Udall legacy is really a shared legacy and that renaming the foundation to also honor Stewart is an appropriate way to honor his vision and leadership. I agree.

The combined contributions of Morris and Stewart Udall are like the rugged and wild lands they dedicated their lives to preserving: They will endure through the ages.

KGUN9.com, October 7, 2009
Written by: Marcy Jones

WASHINGTON -The Solar Technology Roadmap Act , headed by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is currently on its way to the full House, after earning powerful  bipartisan support today from her colleagues on the Science and Technology Committee.

The voice-vote approval of the bill was held this afternoon and was eagerly welcomed by one of Arizona’s finest solar energy researchers, Dr. Roger Angel.

Angel who is currently a professor of astronomy and optical sciences at the University of Arizona, said “The United States has the potential to produce much of its electricity from solar energy in Arizona and the deserts of the Southwest.”

Adding that “Congresswoman Giffords’ Solar Technology Roadmap Act will help turn this dream into reality with the creation of a plan to guide solar energy research. Among the many beneficiaries of this plan would be the University of Arizona, where we are already working to develop sustainable photovoltaic technology optimized for very large scale production.”

Giffords’ legislation requires that the U.S. Department of Energy to appoint a group of experts to create long-term tactics to “guide solar energy research and its transition into commercial uses”.

The group would not only identify specific research and development that is needed to enhance the performance and consistency of solar technologies, but also decrease cost, reduce water use, and mitigate any negative environmental impacts.

The group’s itinerary would consequently be subject to a comprehensive revision every three years to keep it current.
In part, the legislation also authorizes a budget of $2.25 billion for solar research, to be used over the next five years.

In observations of the committee before today’s vote, Giffords compared the nation’s solar industry today, with our semiconductor industry of the 1980s.

“Twenty years ago, the U.S. was in danger of losing its semiconductor industry to Japan,” the congresswoman said.

“In response, the industry created the Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors. The focus of this initiative was creating a roadmap to guide research and development efforts across the industry. By increasing communication between the diverse members of the supply chain, the U.S. semiconductor industry was able to develop standards and avoid the duplication of research efforts. These organized coordination efforts gave rise to U.S. semiconductor giants such as Intel and AMD, and the U.S. continues to lead the world in semiconductor development.”

Also stating that “Today, solar researchers in the U.S. are in a similar situation,” she said. “To maintain a competitive advantage they must come together to meet their common, precompetitive goals – whether in simulation, developing new materials, energy storage, power and grid management, mounting, or even weather forecasting.”

Giffords then noted that her bill would require the Department of Energy to engage more diverse stakeholders in the solar community and work across programs to create a comprehensive plan, “a roadmap”  in which to guide funding for the research needed to make the U.S. the global center for solar innovation.

“The roadmap would be required to identify short-, medium- and long-term goals and make recommendations for how to channel research and development resources to meet those goals,” she said. “It will make the Department of Energy more responsive to our solar industry’s needs and encourage increased collaboration and communication across technologies with well-vetted strategies” Giffords concluded.

Azdailysun.com, October 04, 2009

GREEN VALLEY (AP) — Southern Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords toured sites in Tucson, Amado and Green Valley to see firsthand how stimulus dollars are changing lives.

Giffords said $300,000 in stimulus funds given to the Amado Community Food Bank will help meet needs throughout the community that never existed before.

At a pediatric facility in Green Valley, the Democratic lawmaker got a glimpse of its nearly completed expansion and a tour of a dental RV that will cater to children in underserved areas.

In Tucson, Giffords attended a briefing at Tucson International Airport. It received $1.8 million to strengthen security.

The money is part of about $7 million in federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

By U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords

SPECIAL TO THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR,  October 12, 2009

American and British forces launched the war in Afghanistan with an intense nighttime bombing raid on Oct. 7, 2001. Most Americans — and much of the world — had no doubt that the mission was justified.
Less than a month earlier, al-Qaida terrorists had launched surprise attacks against the United States — attacks that seared the date Sept. 11 into the American consciousness and permanently altered the way we view the world.
This was a war worth fighting eight years ago and it remains so today.
The terrorists who engineered those attacks were hosted and protected by the Taliban-led government of Afghanistan. Our military goal was — and is — clear: Remove the Taliban from power, track down al-Qaida and other terrorists, and allow the people of Afghanistan to run their own country.
Last week, as we marked the eighth anniversary of the start of the war, a stable Afghanistan remained very much a work in progress. I witnessed this for myself recently on a congressional delegation trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan with two fellow members of the House Armed Services Committee.
Among the top officials we met with was Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. McChrystal’s assessment of the war is under review by President Obama.
In Afghanistan today, the Taliban no longer call the shots in Kabul, but they remain a potent force throughout much of the countryside. Al-Qaida no longer enjoys the safe haven it once did, but the terrorist who ordered the 9/11 attacks — Osama bin Laden — remains out of our grasp.
And while the people of Afghanistan recently selected a leader, widespread allegations of fraud marred the election and government corruption remains rampant.
The future of peace and stability in Afghanistan is inexorably linked to security in Pakistan. During my visit, it was encouraging to see the important gains being made in the training of Pakistani special forces by American counterterrorism experts.
There also have been steps forward in Afghanistan. Residents of Kabul now have electricity all day instead of sporadically. The pay of police officers has been increased to be competitive with that of soldiers. And more women soldiers and police officers are being trained to search female insurgents for hidden explosives and weapons.
Still, the challenges the world faces in Afghanistan cannot be understated. It is an agrarian, largely tribal society with little respect for the central government. The continued scourge of drugs adds to the difficulties. The untold number of poppy fields remains a stumbling block to true reform and is a large source of revenue for the Taliban.
American drug agents working with Afghan soldiers and police have wiped out poppy cultivation in 20 of the country’s 34 provinces. But poppy cultivation is deeply ingrained in Afghan history and tradition.
Despite substantive gains, the question I had for officials I met with was “Where do we go from here?”
Like so much about Afghanistan, the answer to this question is not easy. Complicating matters is the mounting toll this conflict is taking on our armed forces. In the first nine months of this year, 222 U.S. troops were killed.
Since our initial commitment to Afghanistan in 2001, that war of necessity became secondary to a war of choice in Iraq. As we took our eye off the ball in Afghanistan, our strategies and goals became less clear and the Taliban insurgency was allowed to regroup and plot its return. It must not be allowed to succeed.
Today, President Obama is faced with the challenge of rallying public and congressional support for the mission in Afghanistan. As commander in chief, he must set goals and establish metrics for success.
It must be the goal of our nation to ensure that we never repeat the same errors of indifference that preceded 9/11, and we never again allow terrorists to seek safe haven in Afghanistan.

U.S. REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS ADDRESSES SOLAR ECONOMICS FORUM
Arizona lawmaker says solar can help meet our energy needs

Wilcox Range News – September 16, 2009

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords this week outlined the future of solar power and its potential for growth, telling a conference in the nation’s capital that energy from the sun is becoming cost-competitive with traditional energy sources.
Giffords spoke Thursday at the Solar Economics Forum USA. The event, held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, was an opportunity for policymakers, investors, utilities and solar companies to explore the economics and debate the viability of solar power as part of the U.S. energy mix.
Giffords, a member of the House Science and Technology Committee, told the forum that solar power has made tremendous strides in recent years – even recent months. But she pointed out that most people, including many of her colleagues in Congress, are unaware of solar’s exciting recent advances.
The Arizona lawmaker said the biggest hurdle now facing the solar industry is not so much technological as psychological. She said the solar industry needs to do a better job of telling its story so more people understand how it can make a serious contribution to meeting our nation’s energy challenges.
The text of Giffords’ prepared remarks is below.

Solar Economics Forum – “Telling the Solar Story”
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, September 10, 2009

Good morning everyone. It’s great to be with you all today to take part in this important discussion on the future of solar energy.
As many of you may know, I’m relatively new to Washington. I was first elected to Congress in 2006 and I am now serving my second term. I’m proud to say that I have been a strong supporter of solar power since the day I arrived, and it is one of my highest policy priorities.
As a member of the House Science and Technology Committee, I have had an especially good position to advocate for increased solar research and development. In fact, I am working with the committee right now on a bill to reauthorize the solar R&D program at the Department of Energy.
I have been a strong advocate for other pro-solar policies as well, including the investment tax credit, a renewable electricity standard, a manufacturing tax credit, loan guarantees, and workforce development programs. I have also been promoting solar in my other committees, especially the Armed Services Committee, where I have been an outspoken supporter of renewable energy leadership by our military.
People sometimes ask me why I’m such a big fan of solar power. Well, there’s no doubt that it helps to represent a district in Arizona, a state with some of the highest solar potential in the world. In my hometown of Tucson we are blessed with over 300 days of sunshine every year and solar power is very popular with my constituents.
But the fact is that our entire country has great solar potential, not just the desert Southwest. Anyone who has ever seen a map showing the solar energy levels received by different areas of the U.S. knows that our entire nation can make effective use of solar power.
So there’s lots of solar potential out there. Does that mean tapping it is necessarily a good thing to do? I firmly believe the answer is ‘yes’, and I’ll tell you why.
Since I became a member of Congress, I wake up every morning, and I go to bed each night, thinking about the major issues confronting our nation. Among the largest challenges we face are:
· How do we create good jobs and get our economy moving again?
· How do we ensure our national security in a dangerous world? and
· How do we protect our natural environment – especially from the threat of catastrophic climate change?
Ultimately, the reason I get so excited about solar power is that it offers a viable solution – at least in part – to all of these major challenges. Economic competitiveness, energy independence, and climate protection: solar is truly a win-win-win.
As I was preparing for today and looking through the brochure for the conference, a few lines of text caught my eye. I’d like to read them to you:
“The U.S. solar industry could become the largest solar market in the world and solar can play a significant role in the U.S. energy mix, providing a viable option that addresses environmental and security issues.”
That’s a true statement, of course, and it’s not really surprising to find it on a brochure for a solar conference. But it is exciting: “solar can play a significant role in the U.S. energy mix…” In my experience, most people simply don’t know this!
Over the past several years I’ve had the privilege of speaking with scores of people working on solar power: researchers, manufacturers, investors, project developers, people from private industry, the Department of Energy, the military, and the non-profit sector. Their message to me has been clear: Solar technology works, it is rapidly getting even better, and it can contribute significantly to meeting our energy needs.
Given what I was saying earlier, about solar’s potential to help address some of our most serious challenges, that is fantastic news. There’s just one problem: many of my colleagues in Congress don’t believe it!
Well, that’s not quite true. It’s not so much that they don’t believe it as they just don’t know it. They don’t know what solar is capable of.
Most of my colleagues haven’t spent as much time as I have keeping up with this industry. They are not aware of the amazing strides solar technology has made in recent years. As a result, their view of solar power and its potential is several years behind the curve.
Many policymakers still see solar as a niche technology, suitable for limited applications. They view it as expensive and unreliable. As for making a “significant contribution to our energy mix,” most don’t view solar as up to the task. They talk about solar being great sometime in the distant future. But right now? No way. They just don’t think today’s solar has the muscle to power our industrial economy. They don’t see solar power as serious energy.
This view is mistaken. Solar is very serious. Between solar hot water, concentrating solar power, and photovoltaics, solar technologies have the potential to make a dramatic contribution to our energy challenges right now. What’s more, many countries in Europe and Asia see solar technology as a great emerging industry in its own right.
But as they say in politics, perception is reality. That, in my view, is the number one challenge facing the solar industry in the United States.
The inaccurate perception of solar power’s capabilities can have serious repercussions for U.S. energy policy. Let me give you just one recent example. You all know the House passed a large energy bill at the end of June: the American Clean Energy & Security Act. Among the primary goals of this bill was to establish a program to mitigate climate change. Given that one of the major benefits of solar power is emissions-free electricity, one might think it should figure prominently in the bill.
To be fair, there is significant support for renewables and energy efficiency in general, including a Renewable Electricity Standard and funding for states to implement efficiency and renewable projects. If we use EPA estimates for the value of emissions allowances, the bill would generate about 90 billion dollars between 2012 and 2050 for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. Unfortunately, none of that is specifically dedicated to solar – or any other renewable for that matter. But given that solar is not the least-cost renewable, there are some concerns about how much of that support solar will ultimately get.
By contrast, the bill provides up to 60 billion dollars specifically for the development of “clean coal”- a technology that even its supporters concede will not be ready for at least a decade, if ever. Now I’m not opposed to providing some R&D support for coal, but what I find stunning is the difference in levels of assured support.
On the one hand we have solar, a proven suite of technologies built by an emerging industry; on the other hand we have “clean coal,” an unproven technology supported by a mature industry. To deploy either one will require building new infrastructure, so coal offers no particular benefit in that respect. As for prices, the trend for solar is consistently down, while the trend for coal is persistently up. Despite these circumstances coal received tens of billions in assured support. Solar, meanwhile, is eligible for funding, but received no explicit assurances of any deployment support at all.
We are in a race – actually two races – against time. One is to firmly establish the United States as a solar industry leader before other countries open up an unbeatable lead. The other race is to transform our energy system and reduce emissions soon enough to prevent the worst effects of climate change. In these two races, where time is of the essence and financial resources are finite, our lopsided energy policy threatens to have significant consequences.
There are reasons, of course, for why the bill contains such different levels of assured support, and the differences come as no surprise to veteran Hill watchers. We all understand the role of lobbying in our political system. The coal industry has deep pockets and significant resources to get its message out. That probably helps explain their success in this bill.
The solar community, by contrast, is not protecting the status quo – it is selling a vision of the future. It is painting a picture of something that could be, but isn’t yet. As such, its resources and its base of support are much smaller.
But I believe the biggest problem solar has is one of perception. It is too easy to marginalize solar because not enough people take it seriously yet. Many people believe what they’ve been told: coal is up to the task of powering our country and renewables are not. In my opinion, solar will never receive the support it needs to achieve its full potential until the conventional wisdom changes about what it can do.
If lawmakers understood that solar offers a serious energy solution, its political support would increase substantially. Solar would cease to be a side project and would become a strategic investment. Policymakers would be more likely to discuss the full suite of policies necessary to ensure solar can meet its potential.
Today’s solar industry is populated mostly by small companies, each one engaged in a daily struggle to survive. New technologies are still emerging, and while there are some dominant players it is not clear whether they will stay on top. Everyone is busy jockeying for position and growing their own companies.
That’s fine. That’s capitalism. But we also need to create space for cooperation on a common message. Every solar company, big and small, is affected by the current policy bias toward traditional energy. Consequently, every solar company has a vested interest in updating the conventional wisdom regarding what solar can do.
This challenge is more fundamental than changing policy – it is about changing minds. Once the conventional wisdom changes, the policy will follow.
In short, the solar community must get better about telling its story. It must get into the offices on Capitol Hill and share the exciting news about the tremendous strides made in recent years, and what this industry has to offer America.
This will not be easy – there’s a lot of competition for Members’ attention on energy these days. But don’t get discouraged! Yes, solar is a young industry that can’t possibly match coal and oil dollar for dollar. But that just means other means of communication become more important. Individual companies need to establish close relationships with their Representatives in Congress. A visit from a constituent is almost always more effective than a lobbyist visit anyway. Visit often and keep Members and their staffs updated. Make sure they understand the benefits that solar has to offer their communities and their constituents.
Considering the limited financial resources, solar policy has made remarkable progress over the last year. The fact is, solar is popular.
But people need to know that solar is also practical, that it can meet multiple needs of individuals and society at a reasonable cost. I know the industry is working hard, but more effort is needed to spread this message.
Most solar companies tend to view their primary competition as other solar companies. They pour their efforts into developing the best technology. But when it comes to public policy, the entire industry is in the same boat; every solar company currently takes a back seat to fossil fuels. By joining together to get the word out, every solar company will ultimately benefit.
To finish up I’ll just share a little bit of what we are working on in my office to spread the word. As I mentioned before, solar is one of our top priorities, and our advocacy efforts extend well beyond introducing legislation.
On the education front, my district office delivers free “Solar 101″ seminars across Southern Arizona. These events are designed to help people understand how to go solar themselves, and they often draw standing room crowds. We have also helped organize day-long solar conferences in southern Arizona and in Phoenix.
Many of my recent efforts have involved working with the military on energy. The military is not only one of the largest landowners in the country, it is also one of the biggest energy consumers. So there is tremendous potential for the military to lead in the deployment of solar and other renewables. They are already doing great things and I like to encourage them to move even more aggressively. This will help create demand, drive down costs, and improve our national security in the process.
To improve communication in Arizona, I have recently begun a weekly call with solar leaders across our state. We call this our Solar Hot Team, and the regular communication has been invaluable. It is a great help to know what everyone is working on. Currently, the Hot Team is developing outreach initiatives to educate business and community leaders across the state in the possibilities of solar.
Finally, we are planning the launch of a monthly solar newsletter soon. If you’d like to receive it, I encourage you all to check my website. We will have a sign-up form there soon, and in the meantime you can see all of what we are working on. Just click on the link to “solar news.”
If the solar industry is to achieve its full potential in the U.S., good technology will not be enough; we must get the policy right as well. To do that, we must have broad support; and to get that support, people must understand what solar can do.
Solar technology, and the industry as a whole, has made tremendous strides in recent years. Prices continue to fall, performance continues to rise, and real progress is being made on storage. Challenges remain, but the fact is that solar is ready to start making a serious contribution to our nation’s energy needs right now. Policy makers need to know that solar is serious energy.
My mission as an elected official is to help move solar policy forward so this country can secure all the benefits solar energy has to offer. We can create good, domestic jobs and get our economy moving again; we can bolster our security and reduce our dependence on foreign energy; and we can protect our natural environment for our children and grandchildren. We can do these things, and we must. Solar makes it possible!
Thank you for being here today and thank you for all that you are doing to move solar forward. Our challenge now – for all of us – is to take our efforts to the next level. We must communicate what this industry is all about and what solar can do. I look forward to working with you!