mr. chairman , i rise today to speak in support of h.r. 6 , the energy policy act of 2005 .  it 's a tremendous step in the right direction for this nation to achieve energy independence .  through a combined strategy of strong r & amp ; d , efficiency and incentives we can help ensure future generations of americans a vibrant and growing economy while not having to worry about the whims of foreign influence on our energy .  the bill also authorizes $ 200 million for the `` clean cities '' program , which will provide grants to state and local governments to acquire alternative fueled vehicles .  i have been working in central florida over the past several years to promote research into hydrogen-powered vehicles .  i applaud the white house for taking such a proactive stance on new technologies .  this bill promotes a cleaner environment by encouraging new innovations and the use of alternative power sources by launching a state-of-the-art program to enable hydrogen fuel cell cars to compete in the marketplace by 2020 .  under this bill , american consumers will have better product labeling for a number of commercial and household products so that they will be able to make more informed decisions when purchasing energy saving products .  h.r. 6 further decreases america 's dangerous dependence on foreign oil by expanding domestic production and authorizing expansion of the strategic petroleum reserve 's capacity to 1 billion barrels of oil .  america 's energy consumption is at an all-time high and rising , despite ongoing efficiency gains , with consumption projected to grow as our economy expands .  if our nation is to meet these needs in the coming decades , it will be in part due to continued advances in energy efficiency and conservation -- helping to reduce our demand on foreign supply and stimulating economic growth .  one goal is to save consumers and businesses ' money spent on energy , so they can invest , spend and grow the economy and improve our standard of living .  expanding our energy production capacity is a key to long-term economic growth and energy independence .  h.r. 6 encourages the great american tradition of technological innovation and creative problem solving .  it is america working at its best and this legislation is long overdue .  i stand in strong support of this legislation and look forward to seeing it enacted into law .  