COPS Counseling Act

Sadly, though, this is called the CHIPS and Science Act, it left out the calculation of math for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle.

America is applauding. For once they will not be stopped and stymied by a supply chain that says: no technology, no cars, stay forever without wheels when you have a driving business.

This bill is expected to create 100,000 jobs. I am excited, in particular, about the addition of NASA's reauthorization and to specifically note that NASA's Johnson Space Center will be doing the Orion program funded, Gateway program funded, Extravehicular Activity in Human Surface Mobility funded. Orion, Gateway and EHP funded. These are individual programs that we funded for one of the most prominent centers there.

In addition, we are going to move to manufacturing chips in this Nation, including Houston.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has precious metals. Where do they want to send them?

To the United States of America.

They want us to produce. They want us to be able to transport.

Out of this bill with the amazing amount of research coming forward in science it is going to be a testimony.

I want to pay tribute to Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, the chairwoman who guided this with the kind of calm and expertise that has brought us to this point.

Texas is proud, the Nation is proud, and 100,000 jobs and over $3 billion that will be provided in energy alone, $10.9 billion for the Office of Science, $7.5 billion for FY22, a 6 percent annual increase.

This is a jobs bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4346, the CHIPS and Science Act, which comes as a result of bipartisan bicameral work following the passage of the Competes Act and the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021.

CHIPS' authorization was part of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. Which authorized the Department of Commerce (DOC), Department of Defense (DoD), and Department of State (DOS) to engage in activities to develop onshore domestic manufacturing of semiconductors critical to U.S. competitiveness and national security.

This bill is expected to create nearly 100,000 new American jobs.

And provisions in the Bill are reflecting my legislation.

I am proud to say that many of those jobs would be housed in Texas.

Currently, more than 30,000 Texans work in the manufacturing of semiconductor chips. In fact, for the last 11 years, my state has been the country's number one top exporter of this product.

There are opportunities in addressing the necessity of finding and refining of rare earth-critical mineral elements that are needed to manufacture technology in every aspect of the economy.

I will be hosting a major energy discussion and a series of meetings in September and October to focus on closing the gap between U.S. demand for these materials and the supply available to us in the global marketplace.

I believe that our nation's independence and competitiveness is on the line if we do not solve this problem.

On September 12, 1962, President Kennedy gave a speech at Rice University that outlined the task he was given to the nation's best and brightest scientists by saying:

``We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard. Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills because that challenge is one that we're willing to accept. One we are unwilling to postpone.''

Our nation has never measured itself by the progress of other nations, but by the boundlessness of our imagination that we work to make real.

Before the race to the moon, the United States had conquered other science, engineering, and technological challenges like the building of the Panama Canal and human flight.

We know the fruit of this labor is greater knowledge, innovations, the unlocking of new knowledge, and the dispelling or confirmation of scientific proofs.

As a member of the Bipartisan Space and Aeronautics Caucus, I am in support of the NASA Authorization that is included in this bill.

I am a sponsor H.R. 5260, the Advancing Human Spaceflight Act of 2021, a bill establishing programs and policies pertaining to human presence in space.

This bill would establish a program to develop next-generation space suits and associated technologies, establish an outpost in orbit around the Moon as described in this bill, and submit a plan for achieving a power supply on the Moon.

The bill declares that it is U.S. policy to continuously maintain the capability for a continuous human presence in low-Earth orbit through and beyond the useful life of the International Space Station (ISS) and that such capability shall maintain U.S. global leadership and relations with partners and allies, contribute to the general welfare of the United States, and leverage commercial capabilities to promote affordability so as not to preclude a robust portfolio of other human space exploration activities.

I am also a cosponsor of H.R. 869, the Research Investment to Spark the Economy Act of 2021 or the RISE Act of 2021, a bill that authorizes the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, the Interior, Health and Human Services, and Transportation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation, and Environmental Protection Agency to provide support for research regarding COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) or research disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bill provides supplemental funding to extend the duration of a grant to a research institution, national laboratory, or individual that was awarded prior to the enactment of this bill, or to expand the purposes of such a grant as specified; issue awards to research the effects of the current pandemic and potential future pandemics; and provide flexibility on awards to account for facility closures or other limitations during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

H.R. 4346, the CHIPS and Science Act bill before us today, includes National Aeronautics and Space Administration authorization for the:

Artemis Moon Program;

Moon-to-Mars Exploration Campaign, including the Artemis program to return America to the Moon;

Maintenance of the International Space Station.

Extension of authorization for the International Space Station through 2030 and establishes priorities for research, as required to bring Americans to Mars;

Extend NASA Enhanced Use Lease Authority. Enables NASA to lease underutilized;

Prioritization through 2032, and to use lease revenues to address facility maintenance while reducing taxpayer costs;

goal of including Earth science observations and the search for life beyond Earth;

Advancement of U.S. Aeronautics Leadership

Enhancement of NASA Technology, Infrastructure, and Workforce; and

Focused attention that ensures Planetary Defense against meteors and large asteroids.

I have long held an intense interest in the Nation's premier space exploration agency, first as a member of the House Science Committee and now as a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security.

From space exploration to climate change the work of Congress is needed now more than ever before.

I have for several Congresses offered an amendment to the NDAA to provide Congress with a report on the issue of space debris, which jeopardizes human space exploration.

These objects are a product of earlier space exploration when there were only a few nations capable of low earth orbit space flight.

Today, public-private partnerships and collaboration is bringing the commercial sector into space exploration.

The space debris amendment brings valuable insight into the challenges, dangers, and opportunities present by addressing space debris moving over 17,000 miles an hour and the real changes of debris disabling or damaging manmade space exploration or development efforts.

President Kennedy knew what was on the line if our nation did not dominate the space race.

Because he understood what was at stake he set the nation's sights on people walking on the surface of the moon, and to safely return home required technology, materials, metals, food preservation, clothing, and instruments that had not been invented at the time of his speech this was a monumental challenge that captivated and motivated Americans--All Americans to find within themselves the talent, courage, and fortitude needed to make his words our nation's greatest scientific accomplishment.

He said his challenge was an act of faith and vision because no one know what would come from the effort of accomplishing the challenge of conquering space.

The speech at Rice University is located in the city of Houston because of the concentration of engineering, researchers, and academic institutions doing cutting-edge work in the energy sector of the economy.

First established as the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) in 1961, it was later named the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in honor of the late President.

The JSC is responsible for the design, development, and operation of human space flight.

For more than four decades, JSC has been the world leader in human space flight operations for NASA.

The critical thing to understand about what JSC means to human space flight is to understand the importance of a critical mass of experts that are working collaboratively from the training of astronauts to all aspects of the support during missions.

The Center's famed Mission Control Center, or MCC, has been the operational hub of every American human space mission for over 40 years since Gemini IV.

The MCC manages all activity onboard the space station and directs all space shuttle missions, including station assembly flights and Hubble Space Telescope servicing. Construction of the control center began in late 1962.

In addition to conducting mission simulations and operations with flight controllers, space was allocated for key NASA engineering and scientific personnel along with representatives of the major contractors to support each mission.

This increased presence strengthened the problem-solving capabilities of the MCC team.

Today, JCS is comprised of a complex of 100 buildings constructed on 1,620 acres that is known as Space City.

Houston is where the Johnson Space Center was born and remains to this day--a place of boundless imagination in the pursuit of new horizons in space exploration.

There are approximately 3,200 civil servants, including 110 astronauts, employed at Johnson Space Center, and a contract workforce of over 15,000 are the people who prepare people for space missions.

This bill is a matter of national pride, national economic innovation, and most importantly, national security.

I want to note for Congress and the nation that the JSC with continuing to serve a vital role in the next chapter of space exploration for our nation.

Several essential NASA programs are authorized and fully funded separately under this authorization bill.

The bill provides funding for each of the essential tasks that NASA has for the JSC:

the Orion Gateway Program is funded separately,

Extravehicular Activity is funded separately, and

Human Surface Mobility (EHP) Program is funded separately.

The authorization language in this bill makes clear that the Orion Gateway Program, Extravehicular Activity, and Human Surface Mobility (EHP) Program are assigned to the Johnson Space Center.

Language in this bill also provides clarity that all new lunar and Mars samples are under the purview of the JSC.

This is a wise decision given that the JSC maintains over 5 decades of experience and expertise in the stewardship and curation of all current collections of NASA-held Astro-materials.

All U.S. government or U.S. government contracted services involving extraterrestrial material or Astro-materials such as, but not limited to rocks, dust, minerals, meteorites, regolith, ices, organic matter, gasses, and atoms, and including samples collected in space, on other solar system bodies, and on earth will be curated and managed by Johnson Space Center.

NASA's Johnson Space Center shall curate and manage all NASA-held Astro-material sample collections, including providing loans of Astro- material specimens, review of the proposed use, approval of research investigations, education, and public display.

These are NASA Johnson Space Center Human Exploration Programs that are a part of Moon to Mars or Artemis, all funded separately in this bill. They are:

Orion Program;

Gateway Program--Referred to in the bill as ``an outpost in orbit around the moon'';

Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility (EHP) Program--in the bill ``Spacesuits'' are called out and state any other elements needed to meet the requirement of the Moon to Mars Program; and

Orion, Gateway, and EHP (suits and Mobile systems, rovers), all are critical Programs.

Just as the moon project was a massive endeavor that would touch nearly every aspect of our nation's scientific community and efforts so will the work outlined by this legislation.

The CHIPS Act would invest $52 billion in domestic semiconductor chip manufacturing, and various vital science initiatives to return the United States to its role as the preeminent leader in science and modernization.

These initiatives include efforts to expand diversity and equity in STEM fields by combatting sexual harassment in science workplaces, investing in minority-serving institutions, and expanding fellowship and scholarship opportunities for women in STEM.

It would also focus on scientific initiatives for biological and environmental research that would accelerate the growth of clean energy commercialization and development across the country.

Everything from helium conservation to nuclear physics, to biological threat preparedness, is included in this bill.

Additionally, the CHIPS and Science Act are authorizations for incredibly important innovations happening at NASA.

It would authorize the Artemis Moon Program to work towards the goal of returning American astronauts to the moon, including sending the first woman and person of color.

In addition to resuming goals of lunar landings, the CHIPS and Science Act would prioritize the research necessary to continue the Orion program and bring Americans to Mars.

Several essential NASA programs are authorized and fully funded separately under this authorization bill.

The Orion Program gateway program is funded separately; Extravehicular Activity is funded separately and Human Surface Mobility (EHP) Program is funded separately. The authorization language in this bill makes clear that the Orion Gateway Program, Extravehicular Activity, and Human Surface Mobility (EHP) Program are assigned to the Johnson Space Center.

Language in this bill also provides clarification that all new lunar and Mars samples are the responsibility of the Johnson Space Center.

The other priority I believe should have been included in this bill is a clarification that NASA's Johnson Space Center with over 5 decades of experience and expertise in the stewardship and curation of all current collections of NASA-held Astro-materials should continue in this role for the materials that will be brought back from the moon and Mars to earth for study.

Further, it would have served the mission to make sure that all U.S. government or U.S. government contracted services involving extraterrestrial material or Astro-materials such as but not limited to rocks, dust, minerals, meteorites, regolith, ices, organic matter, gasses, and atoms and including samples collected in space, on other solar systems bodies and earth should be curated and managed by Johnson Space Center.

NASA's Johnson Space Center should be charged with the management of all NASA-held Astro-material sample collections, including providing loans of Astro-material specimens, review of the proposed use, approval of research investigations, education, and public display.

I will support the bill, and pledge to continue to work with my colleagues in the House and Members of the Senate to make sure that the JSC's role in the next chapter of our nation's space exploration includes management of materials returned to earth for study.

In addition to its many improvements to STEM workforce growth and scientific research and development, this bill has a particular focus on America's need for a robust push in semiconductor chip manufacturing.

Much of the funding in H.R. 4346 would be dedicated to building the capacity of the American semiconductor chip industry.

This bill would set aside resources designed to incentivize the construction of potentially 7 to 10 domestic semiconductor fabrication plants.

These plants would be responsible for manufacturing the core of all our modern electronics.

Cars, cell phones, air conditioning units, microwave ovens, medical tools, and laptops all rely on semiconductor chips to transport, connect, feed, and support the American public.

The CHIPS Act would ensure that American consumers retain access to these products during times of international instability.

The United States' ability to manufacture semiconductor chips has been on a steady decline for decades.

In 1990, the U.S. met roughly 40 percent of the world's semiconductor chip capacity.

In 2020, that fell to just 12 percent.

East Asian countries like China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan are now home to nearly 80 percent of global chip fabrication.

Some of America's largest tech firms, including Google, Apple, and Amazon, rely on a single Taiwanese manufacturer, TSMC, for nearly 90 percent of their chip production.

I have long advanced that chip manufacturing should be domestic because of the critical importance to telecommunication, medical, transportation, national defense, industrial control systems, and financial systems.

The COVID-19 pandemic made evident the limitations of domestic manufacturing capacity in the United States and vulnerabilities in global supply chains.

During the pandemic, our healthcare centers, schools, and other vital industries struggled to import the technological goods they needed to battle the virus, educate our children, and keep our economy running.

Thousands of American people died in hospital beds while hospitals struggled to obtain additional ventilators, oxygen monitors and other necessary medical equipment--medical equipment that rely on semiconductor chips to work.

Delays in supply chains and manufacturing capabilities undoubtedly wasted time and cost countless lives.

This cannot happen again.

The 21st-century world is only able to stay upright through a careful scaffolding of electronic and computer products.

There are some products that we must maintain the ability to produce upon demand to meet domestic need.

With Russia at war with Ukraine and an uncertain future for Chinese and Taiwanese relations, it is more imperative than ever that the manufacturing of semiconductor chips returns to American soil, American businesses, and American control.

With the passage of the CHIPS Act, the United States would rise again to its status as a world leader in the manufacturing of semiconductor chips.

Doing so is an economic and national security necessity.

For years, the United States has neglected to invest in semiconductor manufacturing. Meanwhile, China has invested $150 billion to build its domestic capacity.

If we do not invest in the future of American innovation and excellence now, we are sure to fall behind our East Asian competitors in the future--at the expense of the American people.

In addition to the provision of funding for manufacturing facilities, the CHIPS Act includes about $100 billion for the research and development of secure semiconductors and secure microelectronic supply chains.

This would include the creation of a Subcommittee on Microelectronics Leadership which would be tasked with developing a national strategy for the creation of a robust microelectronics industry in the United States and setting priorities for the maintenance of American leadership in advanced chip design and production.

This is our opportunity to secure the economic and national security of our nation.

It is our opportunity to provide much-needed jobs and industry.

It is our opportunity to return the United States of America to its position of prominence and example as a world leader in innovation and manufacturing.

Made in America is good for business, it's good for security, and it's good for our people.

That is why I wholeheartedly support the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.

I include in the Record a list of NASA bills I have sponsored and cosponsored.

1. H.R. 5250--117th Congress (2021-2022) Advancing Human

Spaceflight Act of 2021 Sponsor: Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-

TX-29] (Introduced 09/14/2021) Cosponsors: (2) Committees:

House--Science, Space, and Technology Latest Action: House--

09/14/2021 Referred to the Subcommittee on Space and

Aeronautics.

2. H.R. 869--117th Congress (2021-2022) RISE Act of 2021

Sponsor: Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1] (Introduced 02/05/2021)

Cosponsors: (178) Committees: House--Science, Space, and

Technology; Agriculture; Armed Services; Education and Labor;

Energy and Commerce; Natural Resources; Transportation and

Infrastructure Latest Action: House--03/03/2021 Referred to

the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States.

3. H.R. 7308--116th Congress (2019-2020) RISE Act Sponsor:

Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1] (Introduced 06/24/2020)

Cosponsors: (147) Committees: House--Science, Space, and

Technology; Agriculture; Armed Services; Education and Labor;

Energy and Commerce; Natural Resources Latest Action: House--

08/13/2020 Referred to the Subcommittee on Biotechnology,

Horticulture, and Research.

4. H.R. 4304--116th Congress (2019-2020) NASA Enhanced Use

Lease Authority Act of 2019 Sponsor: Rep. Palazzo, Steven M.

[R-MS-4] (Introduced 09/12/2019) Cosponsors: (40) Committees:

House--Science, Space, and Technology Latest Action: House--

09/12/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space,

and Technology.

5. H.R. 1865--116th Congress (2019-2020) Further

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 Sponsor: Rep. Pascrell,

Bill, Jr. [D-NJ-9] (Introduced 03/25/2019) Cosponsors: (304)

Committees: House--Financial Services Committee Print: H.Prt.

116-44 Latest Action: 12/20/2019 Became Public Law No: 116-

94.

6. H.R. 1396--116th Congress (2019-2020) Hidden Figures

Congressional Gold Medal Act Sponsor: Rep. Johnson, Eddie

Bernice [D-TX-30] (Introduced 02/27/2019) Cosponsors: (314)

Committees: House--Financial Services; House Administration

Latest Action: 11/08/2019 Became Public Law No: 116-68.

7. H.R. 255--111th Congress (2009-2010) NASA 50th

Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee,

Sheila [D-TX-18] (Introduced 01/07/2009) Cosponsors: (2)

Committees: House--Financial Services Latest Action: House--

01/07/2009 Referred to the House Committee on Financial

Services.

8. H.R. 6455--110th Congress (2007-2008) NASA 50th

Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee,

Sheila [D-TX-18] (Introduced 07/10/2008) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House--Financial Services Latest Action: Senate--

07/16/2008 Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on

Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar

No. 885.

9. H. Res. 1315--110th Congress (2007-2008) Commemorating

the 50th Anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space

Administration. Sponsor: Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10]

(Introduced 06/26/2008) Cosponsors: (44) Committees: House--

Science and Technology Latest Action: House--07/10/2008

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without

objection.

10. H. Amdt. 1096--110th Congress (2007-2008) Description:

Amendment to clarify that the NASA Outreach and Technology

Assistance Program will include small, minority-owned, and

women-owned businesses. It would also give preference, in

selection for the program, to socially and economically

disadvantaged small business concerns, small business

concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans,

and HUBZone small business concerns. Amends Bill: H.R. 6063

Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] (Offered 06/12/

2008) Latest Action: 06/12/08 On agreeing to the Jackson-Lee

(TX) amendment (Ao12) Agreed to by voice vote.

11. H. Amdt. 691--110th Congress (2007-2008) Description:

Amendment to prohibit the funds made available in this Act

may be used in violation of Subtitle A of Title VIII

(International Space Station Independent Safety Taskforce) of

the NASA Authorization Act of 2005. Amends Bill: H.R. 3093

Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] (Offered 07/26/

2007) Latest Action: 07/26/07 On agreeing to the Jackson Lee

(TX) amendment (A049) Agreed to by voice vote.

12. H.R. 2750--110th Congress (2007-2008) NASA 50th

Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee,

Sheila [D-TX-18] (Introduced 06/15/2007) Cosponsors: (296)

Committees: House--Financial Services, Senate--Banking,

Housing, and Urban Affairs Latest

Action: Senate--08/03/2007 Read twice and referred to the

Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

13. H.R. 2500--110th Congress (2007-2008) NASA and JPL 50th

Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee,

Sheila [D-TX-18] (Introduced 05/24/2007) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House--Financial Services Latest Action: House--

05/24/2007 Referred to the House Committee on Financial

Services.

14. H. Res. 446--110th Congress (2007-2008) Honoring the

life and accomplishments of Astronaut Walter Marty Schirra

and expressing condolences on his passing. Sponsor: Rep.

Bilbray, Brian P. [R-CA-50] (Introduced 05/24/2007)

Cosponsors: (7) Committees: House--Science and Technology

Latest Action: House--06/06/2007 Motion to reconsider laid on

the table Agreed to without objection.

15. H. Res. 316--110th Congress (2007-2008) 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.

Sponsor: Rep. McNerney, Jerry [D-CA-11] (Introduced 04/18/

2007) Cosponsors: (9) Committees: House--Science and

Technology Latest Action: House--05/01/2007 Motion to

reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

16. H.R. 363--110th Congress (2007-2008) Sowing the Seeds

Through Science and Engineering Research Act Sponsor: Rep.

Gordon, Bart [D-TN-6] (Introduced 01/10/2007) Cosponsors:

(18) Committees: House--Science and Technology, Senate--

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Report: H.

Rept. 110-39 Latest Action: Senate--04/25/2007 Received in

the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

17. H. Con. Res. 448--109th Congress (2005-2006) Commending

the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on the

completion of the Space Shuttle's second Return-to-Flight

mission. Sponsor: Rep. Paul, Ron [R-TX-14] (Introduced 07/13/

2006) Cosponsors: (34) Committees: House--Science Latest

Action: Senate--07/21/2006 Message on Senate action sent to

the House.

18. H.R. 5356--109th Congress (2005-2006) Research for

Competitiveness Act Sponsor: Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-

10] (Introduced 05/11/2006) Cosponsors: (31) Committees:

House--Science Committee Report: H. Rept. 109-525 Latest

Action: House--06/22/2006 Placed on the Union Calendar,

Calendar No. 294.

19. H. Con. Res. 366--109th Congress (2005-2006) To

congratulate the National Aeronautics and Space

Administration on the 25th anniversary of the first flight of

the Space Transportation System, to honor Commander John

Young and the Pilot Robert Crippen, who flew Space Shuttle

Columbia on April 12-14, 1981, on its first orbital test

flight, and to commend the men and women of the National

Aeronautics and Space Administration and all those supporting

America's space program for their accomplishments and their

role in inspiring the American people. Sponsor: Rep. Calvert,

Ken [RCA-44] (Introduced 03/29/2006) Cosponsors: (52)

Committees: House--Science Latest Action: Senate--04/07/2006

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

20. H. Amdt. 512--109th Congress (2005-2006) Description:

Amendment requires the NASA Administrator to transmit to

Congress a plan describing steps to be taken by NASA to

protect the employment status of NASA employees who raise or

have raised concerns about a potentially catastrophic risk to

health or safety. Amends Bill: H.R. 3070 Sponsor: Rep.

Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] (Offered 07/22/2005) Latest

Action: 07/22/05 On agreeing to the Jackson Lee (TX)

amendment (A005) Agreed to by voice vote.

21. H. Amdt. 510--109th Congress (2005-2006) Amends Bill:

H.R. 3070 Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]

(Offered 07/22/2005) Latest Action: 07/22/05 By unanimous

consent, the Jackson Lee (TX) amendment was withdrawn.

22. H.R. 3250--109th Congress (2005-2006) National

Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of

2005 Sponsor: Rep. Gordon, Bart [D-TN-6] (Introduced 07/12/

2005) Cosponsors: (19) Committees: House--Science Latest

Action: House--07/27/2005 Referred to the Subcommittee on

Space and Aeronautics. Notes: For further action, see S.

1281, which became Public Law 109-155 on 12/30/2005.

23. H. Amdt. 284--109th Congress (2005-2006) Amends Bill:

H.R. 2862 Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]

(Offered 06/15/2005) Latest Action: 06/15/05 On agreeing to

the Jackson Lee (TX) amendment (A037) Agreed to by voice

vote.

24. H. Amdt. 254--109th Congress (2005-2006) Amends Bill:

H.R. 2862 Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]

(Offered 06/14/2005) Latest Action: 06/14/05 By unanimous

consent, the Jackson Lee (TX) amendment was withdrawn.

25. H.R. 68--109th Congress (2005-2006) NASA and JPL 50th

Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act Sponsor: Rep. Culberson,

John Abney [R-TX-7] (Introduced 01/04/2005) Cosponsors:

(290) Committees: House--Financial Services; Ways and

Means, Senate--Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Committee Report: H. Rept. 109-133 Latest Action: Senate--

07/13/2005 Received in the Senate and Read twice and

referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban

Affairs.

26. H.R. 4881--108th Congress (2003-2004) NASA and JPL 50th

Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act Sponsor: Rep. Culberson,

John Abney [R-TX-7] (Introduced 07/21/2004) Cosponsors: (347)

Committees: House--Financial Services Latest Action: House--

08/03/2004 Referred to the Subcommittee on Domestic and

International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology.

27. H. Res. 723--108th Congress (2003-2004) Recognizing the

35th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing, and for

other purposes. Sponsor: Rep. Hall, Ralph M. [R-TX-4]

(Introduced 07/19/2004) Cosponsors: (27) Committees: House--

Science Latest Action: House--07/21/2004 Motion to reconsider

laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

28. H.R. 4522--108th Congress (2003-2004) International

Space Station Independent Safety Commission Act of 2004

Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] (Introduced 06/

08/2004) Cosponsors: (0) Committees: House--Science Latest

Action: House--06/14/2004 Referred to the Subcommittee on

Space and Aeronautics.

29. H. Res. 550--108th Congress (2003-2004) Expressing the

sense of the House of Representatives relating to the

extraordinary contributions resulting from the Hubble Space

Telescope to scientific research and education, and to the

need to reconsider future service missions to the Hubble

Space Telescope. Sponsor: Rep. Udall, Mark [D-CO-2]

(Introduced 03/03/2004) Cosponsors: (77) Committees: House--

Science Latest Action: House--03/03/2004 Referred to the

House Committee on Science.

30. H. Res. 490--108th Congress (2003-2004) Recognizing and

commending the achievements of the National Aeronautics and

Space Administration, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and

Cornell University in conducting the Mars Exploration Rover

mission, and recognizing the importance of space exploration.

Sponsor: Rep. Dreier, David [R-CA-26] (Introduced 01/20/2004)

Cosponsors: (31) Committees: House--Science Latest Action:

House--01/21/2004 Motion to reconsider laid on the table

Agreed to without objection.)

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1502) to make Federal law enforcement officer peer support communications confidential, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 1502, the COPS Counseling Act, a bill that will encourage the adoption of law enforcement peer counseling programs across the country and protect the privacy of Federal officers as they seek mental health support.

It is important to all of us that we promote the mental health and well-being of our law enforcement officers, not only in order to help individual officers but also because it helps bolster the safety of our communities and the people our officers take a solemn oath to protect.

Law enforcement officers play a special role in our communities. They are specifically called upon to protect and serve. Often they see, encounter, and respond to horrendous situations that are both dangerous and stressful and often life-threatening.

I don't know how many times, Mr. Speaker, we have heard on the news where officers have said: I have never seen this in my lifetime. I have never seen this horrific scene. I have never seen a car crash. I have never seen the violence.

With the pandemic of COVID-19, we have seen officers coming to scenes that they expressed that they have never seen. That has an impact even though they must continue to rise the next day and serve.

They are indeed first responders, on the scene when unthinkable and tragic events take place, whether they be mass shootings, terrible incidents of domestic or sexual violence, and other horrific instances of victimization. Even after the incidents are over and the threats addressed, these situations can long remain with officers. As they seek to protect us, we must also seek to protect them when they are in need.

We have a hearing today on issues dealing with gun safety. That is not this bill. But what I will say is that the officers in times of crisis are always the first ones to come to school shootings, violent scenes where they see children who are wounded or tragically are dead. Imagine an officer having to pick him or herself up and carry on after you have seen, yes, little children--high school, middle school, elementary school--who have been fallen because of school shootings. That is a particularly unique circumstance. But there are many, many others.

That is why I support this bill which would help officers who seek counseling. The bill provides confidentiality to Federal law enforcement officers by restricting individuals who participate in a peer support counseling session from disclosing communications arising out of peer support counseling session.

In doing so, however, the bill defines clear and necessary exceptions to confidentiality in circumstances including explicit threats of suicide; any admission of criminal conduct; any explicit threat of imminent and serious physical harm or death to an individual; any information relating to the abuse or neglect of a child, older person, or vulnerable person; or any information that is required by law to be reported. That had to be clarified.

Additionally, this bill encourages implementation of peer counseling programs within the entire first responder community by requiring the Department of Justice to make best practices publicly available on its website. Information I have found has been the key in helping to restore the stability of these individuals who are needing the kind of counseling that we offer.

The Department of Justice is also required to provide a list of training programs for public safety officers to become peer support mentors. Always we have been told that to have a like fellow traveler, a like experienced person, a like person in your career or profession, Mr. Speaker, is sometimes the best medicine, the best cure, and the best direction toward treatment.

These are important steps that will help our officers and the communities they serve.

As we take action on this Senate-passed bill, I want to recognize our colleague from Maryland, Representative David Trone, for his work in introducing the House companion legislation. I thank the chairman of our committee, Mr. Nadler, for being focused on this legislation, and I am delighted that my subcommittee is also very interested in this kind of work.

Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill, I am proud to support it, and I ask my colleagues to do the same.

Today, I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting S. 1502, the ``COPS Counseling Act,'' a bill that will encourage the adoption of law enforcement peer counseling programs across the country and protect the privacy of federal officers as they seek mental health support.

It is important to all of us that we promote the mental health and well--being of our law enforcement officers, not only in order to help individual officers but also because it helps bolster the safety of our communities and the people our officers take a solemn oath to protect.

Law enforcement officers play a special role in our communities, specifically called upon to protect and serve.

Often, they see, encounter, and respond to horrendous situations that are both dangerous and stressful, and often life-threatening.

They are indeed first responders, on the scene when unthinkable and tragic events take place, whether they be mass shootings, terrible incidents of domestic or sexual violence, and other horrific instances of victimization.

Even after the incidents are over and the threats addressed, these situations can long remain with officers. As they seek to protect us, we must also seek to help them when they are in need.

That is why I support this bill, which would help officers who seek counseling.

The bill provides confidentiality to federal law enforcement officers by restricting individuals who participate in a peer support counseling session from disclosing communications arising out of a peer support counseling session.

In doing so, however, the bill defines clear and necessary exceptions to confidentiality in circumstances including: explicit threats of suicide; any admission of criminal conduct; any explicit threat of imminent and serious physical harm or death to an individual; any information relating to the abuse or neglect of a child, older person or vulnerable person; or any information that is required by law to be reported.

Additionally, this bill encourages implementation of peer counseling programs within the entire first responder community by requiring the Department of Justice to make best practices publicly available on its website.

The Department of Justice is also required to provide a list of training programs for public safety officers to become peer support mentors.

These are important steps that will help our officers and the communities they serve.

As we take action on this Senate-passed bill, I want to recognize our colleague from Maryland, Representative David Trone, for his work in introducing the House companion legislation.

This is an important bill. I am proud to support it and ask that my colleagues do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want to again emphasize the massive number of law enforcement officers across the Nation. There are, first of all, 18,000 police departments of varying levels, meaning that we think of police, constables, or sheriffs, all of them law enforcement officers. And every day, as we speak, they are out on the front lines and, again, seeing enormous tragedy.

I really want to emphasize what it means to come upon a scene dealing with an injury to a child. Gun violence, car crashes, fires, police go to those scenes as well. For too long, we have not stopped for a moment to provide these resources and to provide these services.

I hope that, as we pass this legislation, this will be the catalyst for local entities to build on their mental health relief and that they will also focus on peer-directed mental health relief.

We can imagine, in the course of all the scenes that we have seen in this body, on this floor, in this year, starting with January 6, where police officers were involved, that there is no doubt that this legislation is crucial. But it works across the Nation, and it should be a tool for ensuring the strength and the stability of our officers who are out there, men and women, family members, every single day.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I am very glad that we are able to come together, recognizing that our law enforcement officers face dangers every day. When I look to the support for that community, I really look to the family of citizens, the family of the community, no matter where you are, and I think that should be the statement and the litmus test.

When you speak to community persons who generally go about their daily business, and local governments, you can be assured that there is an embodiment of support.

There is the sense of horror when we see circumstances that tragically hit this very Congress, this very House, on January 6, when that was not how brave law enforcement officers were treated. But we are well aware of the everyday work that is done.

Before I left to come to Washington, I had the tragic duty of going to the funeral of a fallen. What an amazing individual that Deputy Atkins was, and the outpouring of love and affection by the community reflected that.

To show the humanity of officers--they have moms and dads and wives and children--they read a letter from his mother. I just simply want to put this letter in from his mother.

``When I last saw you, before you said good-bye, I said the prayer I taught you, `As I lay me down to sleep.' Nadia heard me and told me you always said that prayer.'' Nadia was his wife.

``And that made me really feel good, Kareem. I love you so much and I will never stop loving you,'' the letter said.

A mother, a father, a fallen son. These are the true human aspects of service.

So this help to officers who have seen, or been engaged, or seen fellow officers lose their lives, or been wounded, or, again, come upon that scene that they will be interviewed, saying that they have never seen it before, never seen something so devastating like it before, this is an important step forward, as was the real justice bill for veterans, some of whom turn out to be police officers.

I think we are moving so much in the right direction to be effectively concerned about the whole person, and that is what this legislation, I believe, will move forward on.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an article from the Houston Chronicle.

[From the Houston Chronicle, Oct. 25, 2021]

Deputies Line Up by the Dozen To Honor Slain Pct. 4 Deputy Kareem

Atkins

Hundreds gathered at a north Houston church Monday

afternoon to pay their respects to Kareem Atkins, the

Precinct 4 deputy constable who was fatally shot while trying

to stop a robbery.

The day began with a private service for Atkins' family.

Officers lined up hours before the memorial service at

Champion Forest Baptist Church to take a last look at their

friend, removing their hats and saying a few words over the

flag-draped casket at the front of the massive church hall.

A slideshow played on screens next to the altar, with

images of Atkins cuddling with his wife, Nadia Aweineh, and

their young children, Adalynn, a toddler, and Aiden, a

newborn. In other photos, Atkins was pictured in uniform with

fellow deputies and posing for group shots while out on the

town with friends, a broad smile on his face.

While some attendees silently wiped away tears after

viewing Atkins' casket, others laughed and shared stories,

remembering Atkins as the ``loving, protective, funny, great

dancing (or at least so he thought), outgoing and flashy

guy'' described in the funeral's program.

``It seemed to me Kareem had many, many, best friends, and,

on a daily basis, I saw his co-workers routinely look to him

for guidance,'' Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said at the

memorial. ``Despite his young age, he was someone you could

count on to be calm, cool and collected. He had a unique

strength about him. He was the rock we all leaned on.''

``If I had 100 more Kareem Atkinses (in my department),

this boss would sleep much better at night,'' Herman said.

Atkins' godsister and former babysitter also spoke, sharing

a letter Atkins' mother, Celine Pemberton-Atkins, wrote to

her son after his death. In the letter, Pemberton-Atkins

reminisced about the times her son would surprise her with

visits home to New York City, where he was born, and about

the inside jokes they shared that would not make sense to

anyone else.

His mother noted in her letter that she'd just learned he

was planning to travel home and surprise her for

Thanksgiving.

``When I last saw you, before you said goodbye, I said the

prayer I taught you, `As I lay me down to sleep.' Nadia heard

me and told me you always said that prayer . . . and that

made me feel really good, Kareem. I love you so much and I

will never stop loving you,'' the letter said.

end of watch

After the service, attendees filed out of the church for a

color guard ceremony. The rows of friends, family and

officers sat in silence amid a few isolated sobs as

pallbearers wheeled Atkins' casket to the family. The color

guard folded the American flag that was covering the casket

and handed it to the constable, who gave it to Atkins' wife.

Police dispatchers declared the ``end of watch'' over the

air. A three-volley salute followed. Then Atkins' coffin was

placed in a hearse to be taken to Klein Memorial Park

Cemetery in Tomball.

The funeral came more than a week after Atkins was shot and

killed--and two other Precinct 4 deputies were wounded--while

attempting to arrest a robbery suspect at 45 Norte Sports

Bar, where they worked side jobs as security guards.

The shooter, who opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle,

wounded Deputies Darryl Garrett and Juqaim Barthen, according

to police. Garrett remained in the intensive care unit

Monday, while Barthen, who attended the service, is still

recovering.

On HoustonChronicle.com: `They were the 3 amigos,' fiancee

of wounded Precinct 4 deputy says after ambush in north

Houston.

Police have not identified or apprehended any suspects in

the shooting. A reward for information leading to the

assailant's arrest and conviction was increased Wednesday to

$75,000.

making time fly on the shift

In comments during the funeral, Harris County Judge Lina

Hidalgo declared Oct. 25 ``Deputy Kareem Atkins Day'' in

Harris County from this year forward.

``When somebody ambushed Deputy Barthen, Deputy Garrett and

Deputy Atkins, that attack on our protectors, that attack on

you all, was an attack on our entire community,'' Hidalgo

said.

``They tried to tear down what makes our community great,

to tear down that spirit of service, to break that trust that

binds us, to bring fear, but we won't tolerate that. The way

we fight back against that, and honor Deputy Atkins' life, is

by living by the values he embodied,'' Hidalgo said.

Others attending the funeral remarked about Atkins' good

humor and generous spirit.

Indrani Boodram and her co-workers came to support Atkins'

father, who worked with them at a medical center in north

Cypress.

She remembered how the younger Atkins helped her move about

five years ago, despite never having met Boodram. ``He had

just moved here from New York and he knew no one. He even

bought pizza when he came and told me he would stay with me

until I was completely done.''

Canray Warren, who worked other security jobs with Atkins

at bars and clubs around the area, remembered the 30-year-old

as someone who made the time fly on nights when the staff

were tired and wanted to check out for the night. When it was

nearing time to start closing shop, the pair would simply

exchange looks and start cracking up.

``He kept us laughing and kept a smile on our face,'' he

said. ``We'd joke about telling the DJ to play boring songs

so everybody could move out of the club faster,'' Warren

said.

Warren explained he wouldn't want to take a shift if he

learned that Atkins wasn't working with him. And now, looking

forward, work won't be the same without him.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

As I indicated in my discussions, I think the idea of the COPS Counseling Act is a profound statement that we see the whole person in law enforcement. We don't just see the person's uniform externally, but we see the whole person.

The reading of the words of Deputy Atkins' mother was to indicate we see the family members, the children; we see the neighbors; we see the communities. In order to do that, we must then have a holistic approach to the service of these officers.

I can't help but think about officers coming upon an injury to a child in whatever form it is, and I have heard them speak of it. It is the worst investigation case to have. It is the worst scene that they have ever seen because it is a child.

The COPS Counseling Act will help our law enforcement officers and also the communities they serve. We can and must do both. When officers are in need of counseling, we should remove barriers and disincentives that are standing in the way.

Therefore, I ask my colleagues to see the whole person as they serve the community and the Nation, and join me in supporting this legislation so that the President can sign it into law.

Mr. Speaker, the COPS Counseling Act will help our law enforcement officers and also the communities they serve.

We can and must do both.

When officers are in need of counseling, we should remove barriers and disincentives standing in the way.

Therefore, I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting this legislation so that the President can sign it into law.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, just 24 hours ago, I expected my remarks on the CHIPS and Science Act to be very different.

I have worked on this bill for more than 3 years. When I first took leadership of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee as ranking member in 2019, developing legislation to strengthen American science and technology was my highest priority.

After extensive work, in January of 2020, I introduced a comprehensive bill that created a long-term strategy for investment in basic research and infrastructure to protect the economic and national security of the United States.

Our committee's chairwoman, Eddie Bernice Johnson, shared my desire to refocus, revitalize, and reinvest in American science, and so we worked together for 2 years, gathering extensive stakeholder feedback and technical advice, while holding multiple hearings with expert witnesses to chart a path forward.

This has been an exemplary bipartisan process. Chairwoman Johnson and her staff have put in countless hours of work with my staff to find strong, consensus policies to support Federal R&D. I thank the chairwoman for her partnership and leadership and her staff for their diligence.

I also thank my committee staff members, who have put in long hours and hard work to craft what I believe could be a transformational science policy. I particularly thank Jennifer Wickre, who led this process for us from the very beginning.

The Science, Space, and Technology Committee's efforts over the past few years and the bipartisan legislation we produced is truly an incredible example of what we can achieve when we work together as responsible legislators in regular order. Unfortunately, not everyone shares our commitment to that process.

Mr. Speaker, I was frustrated last year when Democratic leadership put off conferencing our competitiveness legislation with our colleagues across the Hill in favor of focusing on the doomed Build Back Better Act.

I was frustrated when the proposed funding for semiconductor manufacturing jumped from $24 billion to $52 billion with no explanation.

I was frustrated when, after finally starting on conference negotiations, the other body tied our research policy to reconciliation.

I was frustrated when negotiations were shut down, and I was even more frustrated when the House was shut out of discussions once they picked back up.

So maybe I shouldn't be surprised, but I am frankly, in all fairness, disgusted by the developments over the last 24 hours.

House Republicans have been working in good faith this entire time to come to consensus legislation that could be passed by both Chambers. But time and time again, we have been thwarted by Democratic leadership that has moved the goalposts, shut down the process, chosen their divisive partisan policies over a smart bipartisan bill that would benefit our country for generations.

I understand why people on my side of the room are furious. I share those concerns, and I have been around here long enough to know that this is not the way to do things. For better or for worse--and it is very clearly for the worse, I would note--the CHIPS and Science Act has been irrevocably tied to a massive tax hike and spending spree in reconciliation.

The decisions on how to pursue scientific policy are out of the hands of this committee, and at this point practically out of the hands of this Chamber.

Mr. Speaker, I remain incredibly proud of the good work we have done to strategically strengthen American research and development. And yet I cannot ignore the fact that the immense tax hikes and irresponsible spending in the expanded reconciliation package change the calculus when it comes to supporting spending bills, particularly a bill that has come to be tied to reconciliation.

This is one of those occasions that, as a statesman and responsible Member of Congress, I have to put aside my own pride in the Science, Space, and Technology Committee's work and cast a vote that represents the best interests of Americans, and particularly the good people of the Third District of Oklahoma.

So, regrettably--and it is more regrettably than you can possibly imagine--I will not be casting my vote for the CHIPS and Science Act today.

I emphasize that this is in no way a reflection of my feeling about the transformational research policies in this bill. I am grateful to Chairwoman Johnson for working with me every step of the way to create a strategic, bipartisan, forward-thinking policy.

I just wish other legislators in both Chambers would follow our example instead of forcing indefensible votes like we have today.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady), the ranking member of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers), the ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith), a member of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Hern).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly).

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close whenever it is appropriate, so I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

I continue to reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Higgins).

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers and I, too, am prepared to close. I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, as I said in my opening remarks, I am deeply disappointed by the process that led us here, especially over the last 24 hours. Had Democratic leadership acted in good faith, we would be having a very different discussion today.

I would prefer that our bipartisan strategic competitiveness policy had not been tied to the partisan and divisive reconciliation legislation. But it would be dishonest to pretend that that hasn't been the case.

And after long and careful thought for what reconciliation will mean to the economy, the expanded government, and the American people, I cannot, in good conscience, vote for the $52

billion in mandatory spending; while knowing that hundreds of billions in taxes and partisan spending are about to bulldoze us.

We know the numbers, but it is worth repeating them because they are more than numbers. As someone who studied economics, I am very cognizant that these are, in fact, a representation of the daily life for families across America.

Inflation has skyrocketed to 9.1 percent. Every dollar in your wallets, in your paycheck, in your retirement account, every dollar is now worth less.

The next set of numbers is 1.6 and 0.9. Those are the most recent declines in our Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

While my friends on the other side of the aisle want to debate the definition of recession, let's put that nitpicking aside and step back for a moment and consider the big picture, what this means for Americans.

Our economic growth is slowing. Our inflation is rising. Our job growth is tapering off. Americans are unquestionably worse off now than they were a year ago; and that is what I have to consider when casting today's vote.

What we need right now is policy to make our economy stronger and more competitive; not backroom deals that increase taxes on businesses and raise government spending.

As I said at the start of this debate, I am incredibly proud of the work the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee has done to create thoughtful, strategic, sustainable science and technology policy. I am grateful to Chairwoman Johnson, to the Republican and Democrat members of the Science Committee, and to all the staffers who worked to advance this legislation.

While others may try to take credit, the truth is division B was primarily developed and written by our committee, which has been working on this issue for longer than anyone on the Hill.

I would like very much to cast my vote in support of our research and development policies, but I cannot ignore the consequences of doing so, alongside a deeply flawed reconciliation package. I owe it to my constituents to vote in their best interests. And today, that means voting against the legislation I have long supported.

I will conclude with this: I believe the bipartisan leadership of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee represents the best that Congress can be when we work together in a transparent fashion to come to agreements that serve the American people.

I believe that actions taken by Democratic leadership yesterday are a sad example of the dysfunction that plagues Congress when we ignore these details. I am deeply disappointed in this process.

Even with all my admiration for my chairwoman, and all the respect for our mutual members and our staffs, even with all that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I regret that we find ourselves in this position of being divided on this bill. This, like every piece of legislation we pass, is not perfect. And very frankly, if we made a judgment on every piece of legislation that we considered that I don't like some other bill, we would be in real trouble. And maybe we are in real trouble.

There was a manifesto put out by Xi and Putin when they met some months ago. Essentially what that manifesto said is the dictatorships, the authoritarian regimes are going to win because democracies cannot make decisions, they are too divided, they are too slow. This is what they were thinking about.

This is a good piece of legislation. It is not the piece of legislation that I would have written, but it is a good piece of legislation that does good things for America, and more importantly, good things for our competitive status in the world.

Mr. Speaker, the pandemic has taught us many lessons. One of those lessons, reinforced by Vladimir Putin's criminal war against Ukraine, is that we cannot and must not rely on the unreliable. Let me repeat that. America must not rely on the unreliable. We saw from the pandemic how reliable we were for so many things we needed to meet the crisis of the pandemic.

The minority leader, who told us all that he was going to urge all of his colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill, talked about inflation. One of the reasons we have inflation is because we have shortages. That is what drives prices up when demand is high and supply is low. You don't have to be an economist to get that lesson.

This bill seeks to address that issue because as we all know, chips are ubiquitous in almost everything that we have that has anything to do with electronics.

Every day, Americans see examples of why we must take steps to make our

supply chains more secure and more reliable. This deals with that. Yet my Republican friends urge a ``no'' vote, not because they think this bill is bad--they may--but because they don't like another bill. That is what Xi and Putin are counting on. That is what the autocrats and authoritarians around the world are counting on, that democracies come to a halt. Because as democracies they debate and they differ, and they can't make decisions even when a significant number of the minority party is for this bill. One-third of the United States Senate Republicans voted for this bill because they thought it was good for competition between us and China and between us and everybody else.

That is why it is so sad for me to come here seeing this division on a partisan basis because of another bill. And so America, if we don't prevail on this bill, will see our competitive edge squandered because as the Secretary of Commerce says, there are a lot of countries that are going to put money on the table and say come to me. I am ready. You build your factory here. You build your chips here. And if America needs chips, if our manufacturers need chips, well, they can come to us. Not good. Good for Putin. Good for Xi. Not for us.

We must not rely on hostile foreign competitors to supply critical components that sustain America's manufacturing base. Chips are at the heart of that. That is what this bill is about. That is why we bellied up to the bar. That is why we are putting a lot of money on the table.

This is not the reconciliation bill. This is about America. It is not about Republicans or Democrats. This is about America, American workers, American competitiveness, American manufacturers, American technology.

I thank the chair for the extraordinary investment she has led in making our research and development compete with China in a way that we will win. And if we win, our workers and our people will win.

Microchips. In 2022, microchips are in nearly every product, as I said, from phones to cars to children's toys. At the same time, advanced semiconductors are becoming more and more integral to high- tech, advanced manufacturing processes, making them critical to our economy.

Yes, we can wait, maybe until tomorrow, maybe until January when the minority party takes over--so they think. Maybe we will wait until then. Or maybe that won't happen, and we will wait 24 months and Xi and Putin will be saying, hey, yeah, you go to it. They are lobbying against this bill. They are lobbying, paying to defeat this bill. Do not be their handmaiden.

America needs a unified Congress if it is going to compete. Indivisible, one Nation.

One of the best ways for us to ease inflation and bring costs down for American workers and consumers is to remove these supply pressures by making more of these critical components here in our country instead of relying on importing them from abroad. That is what we heard over and over and over again from the United States Senate.

We are making materials here at home, creating jobs, and streamlining our supply chains with this bill. This bipartisan legislation--17 Republicans, one-third of the United States Senate Republicans voted for this bill.

This bipartisan legislation, the CHIPS and Science Act, which will always be for me the Make It in America Act, represents the most significant investment in easing inflation and promoting American manufacturing and innovation that we have seen in a generation. This is a Make It in America bill. Every time I say that to an audience, no matter how red or conservative or how blue or how liberal, they all shake their head, yes, we need to make it in America. That is what this bill is about.

While it is not as broad as I and others in the House had hoped for, the bill, nevertheless, achieves so many of our goals. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth and say no. It makes good on promises that our majority made to the American people to govern responsibly and build a post-pandemic economy that works better for more Americans. But this was a bill that was fashioned in a bipartisan way.

Nobody said at the time, well, it will be for this bill if we like every one of the bills you are supporting--what a negative way to perceive legislation to approach how you vote.

This legislation contains substantial new investment in science, research, and innovation--again, thank you, Eddie Bernice Johnson-- which will help us maintain our competitive edge, commercialize new discoveries, and train our workforce to succeed in the global economy.

The investments we are making in this legislation are not only a major victory for American businesses and workers; they achieve a big part of the Make It In America plan, which I have talked about since 2010. That is, making supply chains more resilient.

When we make microchips and semiconductors in America, more of our workers and entrepreneurs will surely ``make it'' in America.

Across America, we are now observing Made in America Week. Isn't that ironic? This is Made in America Week, yet we have a bill on the floor which invests in making it in America. The minority leader said on this floor: I am urging all of my Republican colleagues to vote ``no.'' Surely not because they are against making it in America but because they don't like some other bill, and they are going to stamp their feet and have a tantrum about the other bill.

This legislation now truly looks forward in ensuring that our workers and businesses will continue having opportunities to make it in America long into the future. This is not about today. It is not about tomorrow. It is about the next year, the next 10 years, the next generation. That is what this bill is about.

I plead with my colleagues, don't reject this bill based on a political perception of it.

Mr. Speaker, I again thank Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson for her leadership on the House's similar legislation, as well as all the Members who had policies that were incorporated into this bill.

Today, we have a chance to deliver our promise to enact a major priority from President Biden's economic agenda, and I would suggest a major economic agenda of Republicans in the United States Senate, as articulated by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. I hope some across the aisle will still vote for this bill as their Republican colleagues in the Senate did and as they had signaled they would do for a long time.

The politics changed, but the challenge we have has not, and the reality has not. Let us not lose this opportunity. It is disappointing that some in this House have decided to whip against this bill because of its leadership's opposition to the agreement announced yesterday in the Senate to move forward with the Inflation Reduction Act. Whether you like that bill or not, do not pay the price of this bill. Do not pay the price of setting our competition with others aside.

One would hope that all of us would be both for investment in American competitiveness and for reducing inflation and the deficit. Sadly, that seems not to be the case. Nevertheless, I hope we will have a bipartisan vote today on this bill.

Let's come together to make our supply chain stronger, protect our national security, invest in our innovation-driven economy, and advantage American workers so they can make it in America.

Mr. Speaker, I say to my colleagues: We talk about the loyal opposition. The loyal opposition need not be loyal to the other party. It does need to be loyal to the country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in praise of this legislation as the House prepares to pass the CHIPS and Science Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill that will well-equip our Nation to meet and beat the challenges of the 21st century.

With the monumental investments in this legislation, we take key steps to strengthen our families' and our Nation's economic future, remove roadblocks to developing scientific talent, and unleash research investment in every corner of America now and for generations to come.

Let us salute the outstanding leadership of the House negotiators who tirelessly fought for and secured many major victories for American families and the American economy in this package.

Thank you, in particular, to two terrific champions: Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Chairman Frank Pallone of the Energy and Commerce Committee, as well as other chairs who were involved in this legislation. I also acknowledge the leadership of the ranking member, Mr. Lucas. It was a joy and inspiring to behold Mr. Lucas' very informative and impressive presentation in favor of this legislation at the Rules Committee yesterday. In fact, half a dozen of the bills contained in this legislation are Republican bills.

I particularly join Mr. Lucas in commending the staff on this and pay special tribute to Jenn Wickre, who has been remarkable in building bipartisanship in this legislation. My understanding is that she is recovering at home. I send her best wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery, with deep gratitude for her bipartisanship in putting this legislation together, which you so eloquently supported in the Rules Committee yesterday.

For generations, America has offered a beacon of excellence in science, innovation, and engineering. Our research has generated ground-changing discoveries. Our industry has powered unprecedented prosperity. Our technology has altered the course of history. And our workforce has been the envy of the world. I am so happy that in this legislation up to 100,000 Davis-Bacon jobs will be created.

In recent years, many other nations have followed our blueprint, investing in R&D and manufacturing and education. Their rise not only threatens America's status as the world leader in innovation but also the economic security of America's families. That is why, with the landmark legislation that we

will pass today, we will put America back on the path to preeminence so that we can compete and win in the 21st century.

When I mention those 100,000 Davis-Bacon jobs, that means a prevailing wage for our workers. I salute Chairman Bobby Scott for his work in that regard.

It is called the CHIPS and Science Act, and I am so happy because a week ago I thought it was just going to be the CHIPS Act. But, fortunately, with the help of Mr. Lucas and the negotiations of our distinguished chair, Eddie Bernice Johnson, we were able to get it to be the CHIPS and Science Act.

The chips are for now, that is important, ``Make It In America,'' keep us preeminent. The science is about our ongoing preeminence, and we will talk some more about that.

Again, because of the persistent, patriotic negotiations, the Congress can take great pride in this result. Eddie Bernice Johnson has been a respected leader as chair now of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, respected in the science and research community for her ongoing commitment, her knowledge, her vision, her values about keeping America number one. I thank her.

The package includes more than $50 billion to bolster America's manufacturing of semiconductors, seizing the pivotal opportunity to restore our status as world leader in chips, make it in America, as Mr. Hoyer would say.

Doing so is an economic imperative, creating, again, nearly 100,000 good-paying union jobs and lowering costs for American consumers while producing a crucial component of nearly every major technology we enjoy, including the cars we drive: 1,000 in a car, 2,000 in an electric car.

It is also a national security necessity, reducing our dangerous dependence on foreign manufacturing, especially amid growing aggression from the Chinese Communist Party.

Crucially, the bill contains strong guardrails, ensuring these transformative investments go straight into the American economy, not into stock buybacks or dividends or into facilities overseas.

Mr. Speaker, just as importantly, this legislation will reinvigorate American innovation nationwide with robust investments in research and technology.

This bill takes a giant leap toward building a more diverse and inclusive STEM workforce so that our Nation's brightest minds--wherever they are in whatever communities ethnically, geographically, generationally--are solving problems with science and driving American entrepreneurship.

This bill delivers job-creating hubs in every corner across the country so that more communities can participate in research and development, and this bill empowers our Nation to push the boundaries of science with investments that power America's preeminence in both basic research and next-generation technologies.

In doing so, we ensure America's dominance in the industries of the future for decades to come.

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear: This legislation is a resounding victory for the American people. Indeed, the final package contains a number of key provisions from our America COMPETES Act, on the Democratic side, which were not included in the Senate bill.

It was House Democrats who secured ironclad guardrails on the chips investments so that the Federal funding benefits American workers and interests, not our competitors overseas.

It was House Democrats who delivered historic funding to transform our Nation's research capacity, powering decades of discovery at the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and National Institute of Standards and Technology.

It was House Democrats who won smart, strategic investments in our clean energy and industries of the future, supporting renewable energy, combating the climate crisis, and developing cutting-edge technologies.

It was House Democrats who fought to broaden participation in the innovation economy, building a STEM workforce that better reflects the beautiful diversity of our Nation while bringing RECOMPETE grants-- thank you, Mr. Kilmer--to persistently distressed communities across the Nation. I thank our distinguished chairwoman, Eddie Bernice Johnson, for making so much of that possible.

Throughout the process of crafting the CHIPS and Science Act, the Congress has approached this work with a proud bipartisan spirit, as was witnessed by Mr. Lucas' beautiful presentation to the Committee on Rules yesterday.

This legislation was assembled with input from negotiators from both sides of the aisle and both ends of the Capitol. It was the product of the committees. In the Senate, the bill earned 14 Republican Senators' votes for final passage.

Here in the House, the America COMPETES Act was rooted in bipartisan bills with broad support in the Congress and the country. As I mentioned, six intact Republican bills are part of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, this vital legislation will pass today. It will pass. It would be my hope that it will pass with the broad bipartisan vote that America needs and America deserves.

As we send this landmark legislation to President Biden's desk, we participate in a great American tradition. In one of his final speeches, President John Kennedy addressed the National Academy of Sciences, where he delivered a powerful case for science as our North Star. His words have stood the test of time. He said: ``I believe that the power of science and the responsibility of science have offered mankind a new opportunity not only for intellectual growth, but for moral discipline; not only for the acquisition of knowledge, but for the strengthening of our nerve and our will.''

He knew then, and we know now, science serves as our nerve and our will to boldly seize the opportunities and tackle the challenges of our time.

With this legislation, President Biden and the Democratic Congress-- and I would hope in a bipartisan way--proudly charge ahead in this all- American spirit with science, science, science, and science leading the way.

People say to me, ``Well, science or faith?'' I say I believe that science is an answer to our prayers.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a strong and bipartisan vote for the CHIPS and Science Act. I thank all who are involved in this, including Mr. Lucas and our distinguished chair, other chairs on both sides of the Capitol, and Members on both sides of the aisle. I urge an ``aye'' vote.