WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), released the following statement on the testimony of Wyoming Infrastructure Authority’s Executive Director Jason Begger before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Begger was testifying in support of the Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies (USE IT) Act, legislation Barrasso has introduced in the Senate.
“Jason Begger’s expertise in carbon capture research makes him an excellent choice to testify before the House of Representatives,” said Barrasso. “Jason testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in 2017. His testimony helped to lay the framework for the USE IT Act. The bipartisan legislation will support the development of carbon capture technologies and research facilities, like the one Jason manages in Wyoming at the Integrated Test Center. The House of Representatives should pass this important bipartisan legislation as soon as possible.”
The USE IT Act would support carbon utilization and direct air capture research. This type of research is already taking place at research facilities like the Integrated Test Center outside of Gillette, Wyoming. Begger serves as executive director of the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority, which manages the center. The bill would also support federal, state, and non-governmental collaboration in the construction and development of carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS) facilities and carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines. The USE IT Act has already passed the Senate and is awaiting action in the House of Representatives.
Background Information
On June 27, 2019, the USE IT Act passed the full Senate as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
On April 10, 2019, the EPW Committee unanimously passed the USE IT Act at an EPW Committee business meeting.
On February 27, 2019, the EPW Committee held a legislative hearing on S. 383. All three witnesses testified in support of the bill: Paul Sukut, General Manager & CEO, Basin Electric Power Cooperative; Steve Oldham, CEO, Carbon Engineering; and Kurt Waltzer, Managing Director, Clean Air Task Force.
On February 7, 2019, Barrasso joined with Whitehouse to introduce the USE IT Act. Capito, Carper, Duckworth, Cramer, Smith, Manchin, and Enzi also joined as original cosponsors.
The USE IT Act was first introduced during the 115th Congress. The EPW Committee also advanced the legislation unanimously in 2018.
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