Opening Statement By Chairman Nick Lampson

I want to welcome members of the Subcommittee and our distinguished panelists to today’s hearing on hybrid technologies for medium-to-heavy duty commercial trucks.   

With concerns about our over-reliance on foreign oil, the skyrocketing costs of fuels, and the effects of our transportation sector on air quality and carbon emissions, technological strides in the commercial truck market stand to offer tremendous benefits to our economic and environmental health. 

Though it is easy to overlook, these vehicles are pervasive throughout our economy.  From school buses to trash collectors, utility trucks to delivery vans, long-haul tractor trailers to road work equipment, one would be hard pressed to identify an aspect of our daily life that did not at some point depend on medium-to-heavy duty trucks. 

They also represent a substantial portion of the U.S. fuel consumption and emissions.

The truck industry is due for a major technology shift.  But, advances in this sector don’t come easy, and there is no one-size-fits all solution.  The demands on these vehicles are as varied as their uses.  Consequently, there remains a need for a robust federal program to partner with industry and develop this wide range of hybrid platforms.

The focus for hybrid vehicle technology development has largely been on passenger vehicles.  Passenger vehicles have paved the way both in terms of advancing the technologies and expanding public awareness of the capabilities of hybrid systems.  You need only to visit your local dealership and see the waiting lists for hybrid models to know that the general public is serious about saving fuel and reducing emissions.  

But there is a larger market for hybrids beyond the family automobile.  Reducing fuel costs and meeting environmental regulations is vital to the bottom line of any company that relies on heavy trucks.  Yet, the Administration has chosen to shift resources to the passenger automobile and away from its 21^st Century Truck Program.  Given the significant gains to be made in the commercial truck sector, and its indispensable role in our economy, we should ensure that federal research and development programs continue to address the need to improve fuel efficiency of heavy-duty vehicles.

We are joined by our colleague Mr. Sensenbrenner, Ranking Republican Member of the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee, who will soon introduce legislation to enhance the federal role in the development of heavy hybrid vehicles.  I would like to thank him for elevating this subject to the level it deserves, and I look forward to the opportunity to consider his legislation. 

At this point I will turn to the distinguished Ranking Member of this Subcommittee, Mr. Inglis for his opening statement.