U.S. Rep. Inglis (R-SC) and U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) will re-file their H-Prize hydrogen incentive bill tomorrow after it passed with overwhelming bi-partisan support, 416-6, during the 109th Congress. It stalled last year in the Senate, therefore requiring it to be re-filed and passed in the new Congress.

The H-Prize Act of 2007 would provide incentives for breakthroughs in moving to a hydrogen economy. The grand prize is a total of $10 million in federal funds with up to $40 million to be raised in matching private capital for commercialization.

"Moving to a hydrogen economy is the ultimate triple play with perfect alignment between the local and national interest," Inglis said. "We can create jobs, clean up the air and make America more secure by breaking dependence on Middle Eastern oil."

The H-Prize Act is the kind of energy legislation the country needs because of its broad support, and its potential to attract the best and brightest entrepreneurial minds to hydrogen research, Inglis said.

"The goal of the prize is to develop the most non-governmental way to break through to a hydrogen economy," Inglis said. "We want to harness the power of the American 'can do' spirit and innate human competitive drive.

"Democrats are for alternative energy; Republicans are for alternative energy. The Congress is ready; the President is ready. So let's do it."

President Bush is expected to discuss alternative energy in tomorrow night's annual State of the Union address.

The H-Prize, inspired by the successful Ansari X Prize - which spurred the first privately funded suborbital human spaceflight last year - would help overcome technical challenges related to hydrogen by offering prizes in three categories:

Technological Advancements - Four prizes of up to $1 million awarded biennially in the categories of hydrogen Production, Storage, Distribution and Utilization;

Prototypes - One prize of up to $4 million awarded biennially that forces working hydrogen vehicle prototypes to meet ambitious performance goals; and

Transformational Technologies - One grand prize consisting of a $10 million cash award, funded in whole or in part by federal contribution. The goal of $40 million in additional matching funds could be awarded for development of wells-to-wheels breakthrough technologies.

The bill would authorize appropriations during fiscal years 2007 through 2016 totaling:

$20 million for the Technical Advancement prizes;

$20 million for the Prototypes prizes (awards in these two categories alternate each year);

$10 million for a single Transformational Technologies grand prize; and

$2 million annually for administrative and advertising costs.

Inglis and Lipinski will give a joint keynote address to the "Engines of the Future" seminar tomorrow at the Washington Auto Show. The speech will begin at 2:05 p.m. with media availability immediately afterwards.

What: 2007 Washington Auto Show Government Sneak Peek

When: Tuesday, January 23, 2:05 p.m. (EST)

Where: The Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place, NW)

Who: U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis (R-IL) & Dan Lipinski (D-IL)