Recognizing the accomplishments of Roger D. Kornberg, Andrew Fire, Craig Mello, John C. Mather, and George F. Smoot for being awarded Nobel Prizes in the fields of chemistry, physiology or medicine, and physics.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 316) recognizing the accomplishments of Roger D. Kornberg, Andrew Fire, Craig Mello, John C. Mather, and George F. Smoot for being awarded Nobel Prizes in the fields of chemistry, physiology or medicine, and physics.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Res. 316, the resolution now under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall for their support of this resolution and working so quickly to ensure that we recognize a very deserving group of scientists on their important achievements.

The scientists will be honored tomorrow at a luncheon here in Washington, so the timing of this bill is perfect. I appreciate the opportunity to describe this legislation that highlights the contributions of American scientists.

H. Res. 316 is significant not only because it applauds the breakthroughs of scientific work, but the bill also draws attention to many issues that we frequently work on in the Science and Technology Committee, putting a spotlight on scientific discovery as a way to get young people interested in fields they might otherwise ignore.

For the first time in more than 20 years, U.S. researchers have swept the scientific categories of the Nobel Prize by winning the awards for chemistry, physiology and medicine, and physics. It is fitting that we recognize the contributions of these individuals, and I am pleased we are doing so here today.

In December of last year, the Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded to Roger Kornberg from Stanford University in my home State of California; the physiology prize went to Andrew Fire, who also works at Stanford in the School of Medicine; and the physics award went to John Mather from NASA's Goddard Space Center and to George Smoot from the University of California at Berkeley. Mr. Smoot also has the distinction of adding his name to the list of more than 170 grantees from the National Science Foundation who have been granted the Nobel Prizes over the years.

I am sure that with the improvements we will be making in the NSF program tomorrow and the Congress' dedication to expanding education opportunities, Mr. Smoot will certainly not be the last recipient of NSF funding to receive the Nobel Prize.

H. Res. 316 officially recognizes the accomplishments of these scientists and their contributions to improving society.

Madam Speaker, I can't think of a better way to honor these individuals, and I commend them for helping the U.S. sweep the Nobel Prizes in science for the first time in 30 years.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise to add my whole-hearted thanks and admiration for the skill

and effort shown by the five individuals we are honoring here today. Since 1901, the Nobel Prize has recognized the world's finest minds in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology and medicine, literature and peace. In 2006, five American scientists were chosen for this prestigious award. These five men join 763 previous men and women and 19 organizations recognized at the pinnacle of their fields.

Roger Kornberg received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for his studies on transcription, a fundamental cellular process that uses information encoded in genes to produce proteins. Dr. Kornberg's award comes 47 years after his father, Arthur Kornberg, received the 1959 Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine. In 2006 that prize was awarded to Andrew Fire and Craig Mello for their influential work on RNA interference, a process that uses RNA to control the production of proteins.

John Mather and George Smoot share the Nobel Prize in physics for their pioneering work in cosmology, discovering fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background that help explain the formation of galaxies, stars, and the Earth itself.

Drs. Roger Kornberg, Andrew Fire, Craig Mello, John Mather, and George Smoot deserve our thanks and sincere appreciation for their efforts supporting the greatest innovation economy in the world. Without men and women like them committed to the often arduous task of scientific discovery, we would not enjoy the economic prosperity that has graced our Nation.

This resolution signals this body's commitment to supporting and strengthening the scientific enterprise. While this resolution, unfortunately, does not match the $10 million prize awarded to these Nobel Laureates, we can do better by ensuring that we support funding for the science and technology efforts of the Federal Government.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 316.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.