Taking Fuel Cell Technology to DC
2 weeks back I wrote about Eric Massa’s tour of th GM Plant in Honeoye Falls. He said at that time that he would like to drive a Hydrogen powered car to DC for his swearing in. Looks like that will be happening. From Buffalo 14228:
Congressman-elect Massa decided to take a Fuel Cell vehicle from the 29th Congressional District all the way to Washington to highlight the values that he will fight for in his first term.
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Earlier this month, after Senators such as Bob Corker (R-TN) and Richard Shelby (R-AL) killed the bridge loan program for our auto manufacturers, Chrysler was forced to announce that it would have to shut down and effectively lay off all of its manufacturing workers for a month - right in the middle of the holiday season. Something is very wrong when hardworking Americans have to miss a paycheck during the Christmas season because a couple of D.C. insiders have forgotten who they serve.
Congressman-elect Massa knows that we need to protect these jobs and strengthen America’s middle-class families, but we must do it intelligently. This is why Massa does not support a bailout - rather he supports bridge loans which will be paid back to the American taxpayer with interest. However these loans must come with strings attached.
Rather than only investing in oil based technology, we must work to expand programs like Fuel Cell research and development. Additionally, we must provide economic incentives for auto manufactures to keep good jobs right here in Western New York and the United States. Conversely, we must cutoff subsidies to companies that outsource their jobs to foreign countries.
I’m still mystified by our government’s willingness to hand our tax dollars over to the banking industry without blinking an eye, but the auto industry which provides employment, and therefore income to over 230,000 people-people who are trying to pay off their mortgages so they don’t have their houses foreclosed on, is put through the gauntlet and threatened with bankruptcy. These innovative technologies will form the cornerstone to our failing economy and hope for our suffering environment. They must be invested in soundly.
I applaud Eric’s stance. May his voice be joined by a chorus of other like minded congress critters as America enjoys the change which it struggled so passionately to achieve through this election cycle.
Related posts:
- Massa opposes cut in funding for hydrogen fuel cell technology
- Keeping Fuel Cell Technology right here in Rochester
- How does a D&C Op-ed on GM Fuel Cell technology developed in Honeoye Falls not mention Eric Massa?
- Louise asking for Hydrogen Fuel Cell production to remain here
- Massa visits Honeoye Falls GM plant, where the future of clean transportation begins
What’s sad is that some of the local staff of Delphi doing fuel cell research lost their jobs here because those jobs were moved to Mexico.
Great message for the region that we support this technology and finally have a Congressman that understands the need to get off petroleum. About time the nation understands we have local technology that can help this critical national imperative. We need a comprehensive energy plan that includes hydrogen ASAP. Not to mention we are all pulling for GM to be successful, we need them to repay their loans….