Lipinski's H-Prize Act Passes House
Bill Helps Development of Hydrogen as Clean Alternative to Gasoline

[WASHINGTON, DC]  Today, Vice Chairman Dan Lipinski's H-Prize Act of 2007, H.R. 632, passed the U.S. House of Representatives in a vote of 408-8.  Approved on a bipartisan basis last month by the House Science and Technology Committee, this bill seeks to lessen America's dependence on fossil fuels by developing hydrogen as a viable energy source, especially as a substitute for gasoline.

"Today the House took a major step forward in helping America find a solution to one of the greatest challenges of our time, finding a clean, alternative energy source," said Lipinski.  "American families are struggling with high gas prices, our national security is threatened by our addiction to foreign oil, and the environment is suffering from the burning of fossil fuels.  Hydrogen has great potential to solve these problems by providing a clean, domestic fuel source."

The H-Prize Act, introduced earlier this year by Rep. Lipinski along with Rep. Bob Inglis of South Carolina, establishes competitively awarded cash prizes for breakthroughs in the use of hydrogen as an energy source for transportation.  With clean water vapor as its only emission, hydrogen holds great promise as a clean fuel that will lessen our need for increasingly expensive fossil fuels that are imported from unstable parts of the world.  Hydrogen-powered cars already exist, but further research and development is needed before they are commercially viable.

"As Chicago area drivers face some of the highest gas prices in the country, I have worked to pass legislation to combat price gouging at the pump and to investigate gasoline shortages," stated Lipinski.  "But the federal government also must do more to encourage innovation, tap into America's creativity and imagination, and produce a long-term solution.  The H-Prize Act will do just that."

The H-Prize Act of 2007 would establish competitively awarded cash prizes to spur innovation in hydrogen energy technologies and advance the use of hydrogen as a fuel for transportation.  Every two years, four $1 million prizes would be given for advances in the production, storage, distribution, and utilization of hydrogen, and one $4 million prize would be awarded for advances in prototype hydrogen vehicles.  And at the end of ten years, one grand prize of $10 million would be given for a transformational advance in hydrogen energy technology.

The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.