That is the creation of wealth. Some time ago i was visiting one of the wineries in my district in california and i was talking about this make it in america agenda in manufacturing. And finally the owner got up from behind the desk and he said, come, i want to talk to you. He said, we walked outside, out to his winery, and he said, you know what this is . I said, yeah, its a winery. He said, no, this is a manufacturing facility. I take grapes and i turn them into some of the finest wine in the world. So when you talk about make it in america, guess what, im making it in america. So it includes all of these things. Putting a tomato into a can, into a bottle of ketch up. Or what were going to talk about tonight is something far more than that. I want to really not so much talk about these gentlemen and ladies, but to use them as an example of what america used to make. These gentlemen, three of them, are world war ii merchant mariners. This was an effort we had now under way to provide these mariners who had the highest death rate of any unit in the Armed Services during world war ii. To get them a gold medal. A congressional gold medal. We now have nearly 300 members of this house that are signed on to that so that theyll get a congressional gold medal. But this is not about their gold medal. Its about what they were able to do. America during the world war ii period was the Manufacturing Center of the world. And we made ships. Literally thousands and thousands of ships that these gentlemen and so many like them sailed the oceans, provided the material, the personnel to fight that war. When we met and took this , why is hey asked me it that america doesnt build ships anymore . And i said, oh, but we build anywayville ships, we mr. Aircraft naval ships we build aircraft carriers, we build destroyers, we build many kinds of naval ships. They said, no, thats not what were talking about. Were talking about the ships that sail the high seas. Why doesnt america make those ships . D i said, we can we can. If we write the laws in the proper way. To encourage the ship building industry, and just as important, the cargo, toorg on those ships. Now, to go on those ships. Now it happens that america is in the midst of a great energy revolution. The green energy, no doubt about it. Were talking about every kind of green energy from wind to solar, biofuel and biomass and on and on. And were doing that. But simultaneously america over the last decade has become a major developer and supplier of petroleum products. Oil, as a result of fracking, and the balkan area, and texas, california, onshore, offshore. We are a major oil producer. And simultaneously were also a major producer of natural gas. All of these energy supplies, whether they are the green energy or the petroleum energy, are a Strategic National asset. And as these gentlemen told me, they said, our ships during world war ii were a Strategic National asset. We had oil tankers, we had cargo vessels. All of them built in america. And with american mariners. We, the mariners, we were a strategic asset. And a lot of us died. Our ships were a strategic asset. And the oil that we sent around the world was also a strategic asset. So where are we today . Are we making ships . Nope. Were not. But we could. Senator s last week, wicker, my colleague on the senate, a republican from the gulf coast, and i introduced for the Second Congress the energizing the American Ship building act. Taking a Strategic National asset, petroleum and lick which natural gas, and welding it together with the ship building industry. Which gives us this strategic the strategic ships that we need to move our military around the world and to provide the energy that they need. So the energizing the American Ship building act is now introduced in the senate for the second session. Last year and again this time around with the new session of congress. And what we will do is to this problem. We could buy ships that are made in china, japan and korea. Or we can make them in america. If we make the ships in america, we will provide thousands of jobs. Not only in the shipyards and the Steel Industry and the aluminum industry, but also the maritime suppliers, the men, the factories here in the United States that build the pumps, build the engines, the electrical engines, the big diesel engines that are in these ships or the other engines that are in these ships and all of the electronics. That entire array of equipment that goes into a ship could be built in america if the energizing the American Ship building act were to become law. So how does it work . Pretty simple it. Simply requires that our strategic simple. It simply requires that our rategic asset be exported on american built ships with american mariners. Not all of it. Just a small percentage of it. 10 of the oil and 15 of the oiand 10 of the Natural Gas Oil and 10 of the natural gas. Which will be liquefied natural gas on american built ships. What does that mean . That means that American Shipyards that are now producing and commercial oil tankers zero l. N. G. Carriers would over the next 13 to 15 years build upwards of 40 ships. 25 to 30 l. N. G. Tankers and 10 to 15 oil tankers. Thousands of jobs would be created in American Shipyards and that Strategic National asset, the shipyards themselves, would be able to continue to operate here in the United States, they would continue to be able to have the skilled work force and, simultaneously, be better prepared to compete for the u. S. Naval ships, giving the american taxpayer a strategic advantage. More competition in the shipyards, more competition when it comes time to build our naval vessels. Theres another aspect of this that i want to bring to your attention. Beyond the ship building and the energizing the American Ship building act, there is the rest of the manufacturing here in the United States. About eight years ago, when i first came to congress, we were looking at this issue based upon my time in california and we decided, together with steny hoyer, who is now our majority leader, that we should establish the make it in america program. Weve been working on this for eight years now. And were looking at different pieces of legislation over time to encourage the manufacturing here in the United States. One of the ways we can do this, and were not going to go into the president s tariffs right now, but were going to go at it a little different way. Heres just an example of about what happened almost a decade ago. In california, it was time to build the new San Francisco bay bridge. The bid went out, state of california went out to bid on this thing for the steel and the bridge. And at that time a Chinese Company decided that they wanted to enter the market. Very specialized steel in this bridge in the San Francisco area. So they wanted to enter the market and they produced a bid that was 10 lower than an American Steel company. China got the bid. What did they get . Not only did they get the job, they got a new steel mill, one of the most advanced in the rld, and they also had some, over 3,000 jobs in china. At the very tame time, new york was building at the very same time, new york was building a bridge. They said, no, were only going to buy American Steel. So they did. Total cost, 3. 9 billion. In california, total cost, 3. 9 billion. Over the estimated billion over the estimated cost. Why . Because the chinese steel had problems. The welds and other problems with the steel. Not in new york. They came in on the bid and there was 7,700 american jobs in the Steel Industry and in the manufacturing and engineering. Just an example, not current today, it was certainly current nearly a decade ago. But this is what happens when our laws or our governments decide that were going to make it in america. Were going to produce the steel, were going to build the bridges here in the United States. And so, building on this idea, weve now introduced, in both the senate and the house, another major it make it in america piece of legislation. This legislation is authored in the senate by senator a. M. T. Y baldwin and here in the house Tammy Baldwin and here in the house by myself and it basically says that all of this talk about infrastructure, which is critically important, that that infrastructure, if its an american taxpayer dollars thats being used to build that infrastructure dollar thats being used to build that infrastructure, whether its a power line or a highway or a sanitation system or a water system or an airport, that if theres a federal dollar involved, that we make it in america. It simply applies to all types of infrastructure when american taxpayer dollars are being used, that that infrastructure, the steel, the pipe, the electronics, the other elements that are in that infrastructure, that they be made in america. So its part of our make it in america agenda that weve been working on all these years. Were going to apply it wherever we see an opportunity. If its in the Steel Industry for bridges, and infrastructure, you bet. You bet. Were going to make sure that its made in america. Many of these laws already exist. A couple years ago we were able to raise the percentage of american content by a couple of percentage to about, if i recall, 65 on certain infrastructure projects. But we want to extend that beyond. And why not go the whole way . Lets make it all in america. If its a taxpayer dollar, 100 American Made. Thats our goal. And so our make it in america agenda goes forward from here. And im going to end with putting this one back up again. Because this has an opportunity to be a very, very important part. The steel in the ships, the pumps, the pipes, the electronics, the propelers, the drive shafts, the engines. All of those things can be made in america. If we have a National Policy that simply says, the export of a Strategic National asset, oil and gas, that that be on american built ships. Not all of it. 10 , 15 , 40 ships over the next 15 years or so, when the energizing American Ship building act becomes law. So were looking for support. We have broad support right now. Both republican, senator wicker on the senate side, senator kasey, the democrat from pennsylvania on this side, about 30 of my colleagues, democrat and republican, have signed up in support of this legislation. So it has Great Potential. It has Great Potential for these not so much for these mariners. Theyre all in their 90s right now. And hopefully well be able to get them a congressional gold medal. But for tomorrows mariners. For those men and women that will be on the ships, that will supply the necessary material and oil, gas, whatever, for our military around the world, and participate in the annual commerce of goods and services that are being transported in and out of america, that the next generation of mariners will have the ships, theyll have the jobs, and theyll have the cargo. So for the people, for the people once again, we are constantly looking for different law, different ways in which we can advance the well being of the american public. If its health care, were looking to lower costs. If its education, were we want to make sure that the cost of College Education is affordable. If it has to do with jobs, were looking for ways to make that happen. By requiring that your tax dollars be spent on American Made equipment. By requiring that a small percentage of the export of a precious National Resource be on american built ships with american sailors. And so, i want all of us to keep in mind that there are things that Public Policy can do to improve the well being of every american. And so our for the people policy includes all of these elements and we draw your attention to that, looking at my colleagues for continued support on these two pieces of legislation that well be working on in this session. With that, madam speaker, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. Under the speakers announced policy of january 3, 2019, the gentleman from South Carolina, mr. Duncan is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. Mr. Duncan thank you, madam speaker. Were here tonight as the House Energy Action team to discuss the numerous economic, National Security and environmental benefits of the American Energy renaissance. The heat team will never be supportive of mollcies that increase electricity prices for consumers, favor foreignbased production over domestic and deter the development and construction of energy infrastructure. Ue to policies that prioritize this has given us thal to export energy to our friends, allies and countries who want to import u. S. Energy. Energy secretary rick perry recently said that the United States is not just exporting energy, were exporting freedom. I couldnt agree more. There is no National Security without Energy Security. We understand that in the House Energy Action team. If youll look at this graph in 2018, u. S. Crude Oil Production exceeded 11 Million Barrels a day, surpassing russia as the Worlds Largest crude oil producer. U. S. Produced 12. 16 Million Barrels a day of crude in april of 2019. I was just out in north dakota and i am amazed at the production going on in that Little Corner of the world. I say little, but its huge. Tremendous resource for the nation. In fact, were producing more oil and gas in that area in north dakota and montana than they are in the country of venezuela, known for its natural resources, known for its Oil Production, theyre produeting more here. Robust Domestic Energy production is essential to Global Leadership of the United States. According to information institute, natural gas and oil supplied about 2 3 of American Energy used in 2016. Oil and gas will continue to be a primary source of energy and the Energy Information institute believes it will account for nearly 70 of the countrys energy use by 2050. The goal should not be to produce, develop, or make fossil fuels available cleaner through private Sector Innovation, not regulation. That should be the coal. Private Sector Innovation. Not the heavy boot of government telling innovators what they should or should not do because innovateors are actually making things cleaner. Were producing a lot and were exporting a lot. One thing ill applaud President Trump for doing is challenging chancellor merkel and germany to lessen their dependence on a foreign source of energy, in this case not the arab state, saudi arabia or others, but lessen their dependence on russia. Because a lot of europe, Eastern Europe and western europe, get their energy from russia. Gazprom. Those support Vladimir Putin by lessening europes dependence on russia for energy, russia is no longer an influencer. They cant turn the spigot on and off and influence political policy in europe. Europe still has to meet their energy needs. Toy can do that looking west the United States. Through our export of l. N. G. , natural gas, lick fied, put on ships, offloaded to provide the natural gas and Energy Security for our friends and allies overseas to lessen their dependence on russia. Exports of u. S. L. N. G. Set to se 72 this year compared to 2018. Russia is just masquerading as a country, theyre providing natural gas to europe. They use their levers of influence turning that spigot on and off. Not only Eastern Europe but western europe. Those policies and those pipelines continue to be built and provide that natural gas. We need to provide that from this country. We have an abundance. Got an abundance of oil too. Were now an exporter of oil. If you look at what the u. S. Energy sector has been able to do during this American Energy renaissance it will show you that we are a leader in energy production, Energy Technology and we can help other countries around the globe with our technology to meet the energy needs as well. Weve got a great group of House Energy Action team members. They want to talk about whats going on, maybe in their states, maybe things they know about in this na