Rush Delivers Remarks at Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Energy Summit

WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Energy Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, delivered the following remarks today at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Energy Summit.

Rush Remarks as Prepared for Delivery:

"Friends, it is my great honor to be here today speaking to you at the 2018 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Energy Summit. 

"First, I would like to thank Domenika Lynch, President and CEO of the CHCI, for inviting me to participate in this important summit.

"I must also acknowledge my esteemed colleague and fellow member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Dr. Raul Ruiz, a bright, young, rising star within the Democratic Caucus, who will be moderating the next panel. 

"Now for the reason why we are all here: Friends, it is my distinct pleasure to welcome you all to the next panel entitled Latinos in Energy & STEM: Preparing the Next Generation of the Energy Workforce for New and Innovative Job Opportunities in the Energy Sector.

"Friends, as the Ranking Member of the Energy Subcommittee since 2011, I can assure you that there is no issue that I have been more involved with than trying to increase the participation of minorities within all sectors of the lucrative energy industry. 

"Today, I want to spend less time talking about the tremendous opportunities available for minority candidates, which you will hear all about, and instead focus my remarks on some of the taxpayer-funded resources that we must make sure are accessible to our communities. 

"Specifically, I want to discuss resources available through the $30 billion Department of Energy and also the 17 internationally-acclaimed National Laboratories located throughout the country.

"In 2013, through a collaboration with my office and then-Secretary Moniz, DOE established the Minorities in Energy Initiative, an agency-wide program designed to increase outreach to and partnerships with underserved communities.

"In order to codify the work of the MIE Initiative, I also introduced the 21st Century Workforce Bill, HR 338, that directs the Secretary of Energy to prioritize the training of underrepresented groups, including minorities, women, and veterans, in order to increase the number of skilled candidates trained to work in these related fields. 

"This bill would strengthen and more fully engage DOE programs and national laboratories in order to carry out the Department’s STEM and workforce development initiatives.

"The legislation would also help increase outreach to minority-serving educational institutions to ensure that the wealth of existing resources at DOE and the national labs are made available to these worthy establishments, through STEM grants, training opportunities, apprenticeships and internships, to name a few examples.

"In addition to workforce training and development, it is also important to remember that there are other business and entrepreneurial opportunities available within both DOE and the national labs in regards to vending and contracting opportunities. 

"In fact, DOE and the labs dole out millions of taxpayer dollars annually, and we must work together to break the good ole boys network and make sure that people who look like us are privy to some of those contracts. 

"Friends, it is important to remember that regardless of who occupies the White House, we have strength in numbers if we choose to work together and demand that taxpayer funded resources are used to benefit all communities. 

"So, once again, I want to thank you for allowing me to participate in this critical meeting of the minds.

"I urge all of you here to work with my office, as well as likeminded Members of Congress, agency officials, and other stakeholders, to keep the heat on leaders throughout the US government and ensure that our communities are also able to reap the benefits from federally-funded agencies, institutions, and resources. 

"We must speak up in order to make sure that our voices are heard!

"Thank you all and I look forward to continuing our work together."

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