Dearborn, MI – Today Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) made the following remarks at “The Business of Plugging In” Conference in Detroit, where he spoke during the panel discussion, “Reshaping and Redefining an Industry.”  Prior to participating on the panel, Congressman Dingell had a media availability with battery business leaders Ann Marie Sastry, CEO and co-founder of Ann Arbor’s Sakti3, and Trevor Lauer, Vice President of Retail Marketing from DTE Energy.  In his speech, Dingell focused on his fight to bring advanced battery jobs to Michigan and the success Michigan has had in this effort, including bringing jobs to Michigan from Mexico.  Dingell also vowed to continue to fight for Michigan workers from unfair foreign competition, especially from China, and advocated for a more robust and clear national strategy for advanced technology vehicles.

“Let me starting by thanking all of you. While the general economy in Michigan is far from what we want it to be, you all are doing what you can to make it better.  Michigan is moving forward and now is not the time to turn away from the progress that we have made together.

“Just in my district alone, General Motors’ Brownstown factory will employ 120 workers building battery power packs for the Chevrolet Volt. 

“Ultimately, work on the Volt could create 40,000 additional jobs, and Ford’s Rawsonville plant is part of a $450 million investment in Michigan manufacturing that could create 1,000 new jobs by 2012. 

“Some of these jobs are actually coming BACK to Michigan FROM Mexico.  The potential here for Michigan is just tremendous.

“Ann Arbor advanced battery-maker A123 Systems is adding workers in Romulus and Livonia to power the electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles coming off assembly lines.

“Battery-maker Sakti3 – run by my friend Ann Marie Sastry – is a company whose goal is to create the next generation high capacity battery - is using a tax break to create 112 jobs at its Michigan headquarters.

“The question now is what more can we do to give the industry you have helped launch a surge?

“President Obama has promised to buy the first 100 plug-in hybrids that come off American assembly lines this year.  And he has also said he'd like to see one million hybrids on US roads by 2015.

“100 down, nine-hundred-ninety-nine thousand and nine-hundred more to go.

“There have been some very good things coming from this Administration.  For example, the national standard on fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions. 

“Let me borrow a line from a memo sent by The White House Office on Legislative Affairs this past May” "setting clear, achievable goals ensures certainty and predictability in the market, which will promote innovation in advanced vehicle technology, like plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and all-electric vehicles."

“I couldn't have put it any better myself.

“Also, the Recovery Act has put us on a path toward more fuel efficient vehicles.  There are at least a few of you here who benefited from that huge federal investment and it is creating American jobs.

“As Time Magazine reported this August, in 2009 there were only two U.S. factories that made advanced batteries for electric vehicles.

“Because of the Recovery Act, we will have created 30 more, expanding U.S. production capacity from 1% of the global market to 20%, supporting half a million plug-ins and hybrids.  That is a lot of jobs being added right here in the United State, and many of them here in Michigan.

“The Recovery Act will also increase the number of U.S. battery-charging stations by 3,200%.  I'll touch on that more a little later.

“But our work is not done.  I am battling in Washington to put even more muscle behind all of you. 

“We have a fight in the global marketplace.  I do believe we can cut the price of a hybrid plug-in battery, now between $10,000 and $12,000, in half in the next four years. 

“But countries around the world are trying to do the same thing.  You all can provide the ingenuity and know-how, but federal and state government need to provide the business climate you need to succeed.

“I don’t have to tell you that one of the problems we face in the country is our lack of a clear national strategy and federal investment on important research, development and deployment. 

“Every new Administration has to put their stamp on the type of advanced technology we invest in.  So, we go from plug in electrics to hydrogen and back to plug in electrics. 

“In the meantime, South Korea is investing $20 billion in its advanced battery industry. 

“It is time for this in and out like Murphy’s glass eye to change. 

“In order for the US to succeed, we need to invest in R & D and deployment in the same way other countries do.  We already have the best minds, the best scientists and the best workers in the world right here in the US, we just need the muscle of the federal government behind them.  

“Among the good things in the American Clean Energy and Security Act is a provision intended to support the use of plug in vehicles. 

“This includes allowances to be used for not only the states, tribes and local governments to purchase plug in electrics, but also to build the infrastructure. 

“As you know, we aren’t going to be able to sell the vehicles if the infrastructure isn’t there.  I worked hard on this provision and as you well know, we passed the bill in the House, but like so many other good pieces of legislation, it seems to have died in the Senate.  This doesn’t mean this issue is dead – it can’t be – it just means, no pun intended, we need to find another vehicle.    

“Along those same lines, I strongly support investment like the Michigan Public Service Commission’s $5 million grant from 2008 to DTE Energy, General Motors and the University of Michigan to educate the public on plug-ins and test the capacity of our infrastructure. 

“If we’re going to build ‘em, we should be able to drive them. 

“And GM, DTE and Consumers Energy are working to make that happen, teaming up to provide 5,300 electric vehicle chargers for all of us in Michigan.

“With those charging stations comes jobs of all kinds – and a real marketplace for the next generation of plug-ins coming off American assembly lines.

“The House has also passed the Advanced Vehicle Technology Act of 2009, which I worked on with the lead author, Michigan colleague and friend Gary Peters. 

“Language in this bill strengthens and reauthorizes the Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Program -- investing in a diverse range of near-term and long-term vehicle technologies that will improve fuel efficiency, support domestic research and manufacturing, and lead to greater consumer choice of vehicle technologies and fuels.

“My door is open to all of you when you need help on projects like this.  I know there will be adjustments to your plans as problems or opportunities arise. 

“You can count on me to provide more than just a friendly ear as new needs develop in this rapidly growing, changing industry.

“Last, but not least, we need to protect you. 

“More than a few of you might have noticed a little story on the front page of the Wall Street Journal a few weeks ago that said China may want our domestic companies to trade our innovations for access to their markets. 

“That story prompted some strong letters from my office to the Chinese Ambassador and our State Department – they call those Dingell-grams.

“Let me be clear, I will fight to protect your work, your creations, your genius with every bone I have!  When America has need solutions to national dilemmas, whether its bombers built at wartime to vaccines for crippling diseases, Michigan has provided them. 

“That is not going to change under my watch.”