madam chairman , i yield myself such time as i may consume . 
once again the house is debating a `` comprehensive energy package. '' i do have to say that as far as the ways and means committee is concerned , it is just slightly less comprehensive than it has been in the past . 
but that is because we understand , having gone through a conference with the senate , the kind of package that will maximize our chances in producing a fair and balanced tax section . 
in discussing what we do in this particular bill , and i enjoy hearing people discuss it as though it is the conference report that is in front of us , it is in fact , and i will say it flatly , and in a negotiating position , before us to sit down and work with the senate . 
it does have renewable provisions in the tax package , but by a small amount . 
the majority focus is on the infrastructure of this country , the electric power lines , gas collecting lines , and supporting a structure which will be the backbone of our energy needs clearly for the next quarter of a century before any of the innovative approaches begin to carry a significant share of our energy needs . 
i might also caution members not to get too carried away looking at this particular piece of legislation under the heading of an energy bill and assume that we have done nothing since the conference report that was agreed upon between the house and senate was passed by the house and not the senate . 
i would ask you to go back and refer to legislation passed just a short time ago under the title of the working families tax relief act . 
in that bill we had incentives for wind , open biomass , electric cars , and alternative-fuel vehicles . 
in the american jobs creation act , we provided incentives for ethanol , biodiesel , geothermal , solar , open biomass , municipal solid mass , and refined coal . 
i know the other side is going to offer that constant lament , what have you done for me lately ? 
the answer is , let us get to conference , put together a package , once again come to the floor of the house with a conference agreement , we will pass that conference agreement , and the senate will pass that conference agreement . 
and i will conclude my opening remarks by saying , i was very pleased that on the ways to the means committee , five democrats understood , one , the strategy that we are undertaking , and , two , supported the content of that strategy by voting for the ways and means position . 
i know a number of people have a definition of bipartisan , but based upon the recent history of the ways and means committee , five democrats supporting a measure offered in that committee is unprecedented bipartisan support . 
and i was very pleased for it . 
madam chairman , i retain the balance of my time . 
