Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Castro and Representative Kim for their leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4490, the PARTNER Act. This legislation represents an important step forward in our country's ability to collaborate with our international partners. In particular, this legislation contains the text of our Strengthening Science Through Diplomacy Act which simplifies our scientific collaboration with CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.

As a physicist, I spent more than two decades working with colleagues from around the globe at Fermilab in Illinois where international scientific collaboration allowed us to better understand each other and the universe that we are embedded in.

CERN already partners with several of our national laboratories, including Argonne National Lab and Fermi National Lab in the 11th District of Illinois that I represent.

In particular, this bill will allow for closer collaboration with CERN on the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, also known as DUNE, an international flagship experiment.

DUNE will help us to discover more about the nature of subatomic particles known as neutrinos, which could help us understand fundamental questions about the origins of matter and the beginnings of the universe. It will also search for previously undetected modes of proton decay, the subject for which I received my Ph.D. thesis many moons ago.

This legislation will allow CERN to send its scientists who have been working on the DUNE project to assist in person as these experiments come online.

One of the most exciting things about the DUNE project is we don't know what it will discover. When we built our proton decay detector many moons ago, we did not know that 160,000 years ago a star blew up, one supernova, in the greater Magellanic cloud, and for 160,000 years the flash of light from that stellar explosion and the burst of neutrinos traveled toward the Earth. It arrived in 1987 when the astronomers saw the flash of light and we saw the burst of neutrinos in our underground detector, so we learned an incredible thing about these stellar explosions.

It is this sort of thing that brings you, me, and other young people into science. I thank Ranking Member Castro, as well as Representative Dusty Johnson of the great State of South Dakota, who worked with me over the last few years to ensure the success of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, this bipartisan effort is an important step in solidifying our partnership with CERN and maintaining our Nation's role as a leader in scientific research.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for holding this Special Hour to discuss the dangers of nuclear weapons.

Mr. Speaker, when I first entered Congress, I was the third Ph.D. physicist elected to this body. We had at the time Vern Ehlers, a nuclear physicist and a conservative, religious Republican representing western Michigan.

We had Rush Holt, a plasma fusion physicist, a progressive Democrat representing Princeton.

We had me, a sort of garden-variety Democrat who spent the last 25 years smashing protons and antiprotons together to make particles that have not been around since the big bang.

Although our politics were quite different, we were united by a special responsibility to join the discussion about nuclear weapons and ask what we could do to strengthen global nuclear security and maintain U.S. leadership in trying to prevent nuclear war.

One area where we were always in violent agreement was to stop wasting money on Star Wars, which was then rebranded as the SDI, the Strategic Defense Initiative, and has now been rebranded Golden Dome.

For more than 45 years, scientists have been patiently explaining to policymakers that this is never going to work. It is easy to overwhelm with a trivial response to it.

We have spent over $200 billion on it. We have never tested it once against the kind of countermeasures that we know any competent opponent would deploy. Even if we succeed at stopping ballistic missiles, there are, unfortunately, many other ways to deliver nuclear weapons that we can never stop.

This thing is deeply--I guess ``stupid'' is not too strong a word. We explain something to someone in a variety of terms again and again, and they don't want to hear it because they think it messages so well.

Wouldn't it be great if we had this magic Golden Dome, or whatever we want to call it, to stop nuclear weapons? Yeah, it would be great.

If it is an impossibility to do the fundamental physics of it, then we should stop talking about it, and we should certainly stop wasting money on it.

Another place where we were always in strong agreement was how we should be strengthening the nonproliferation efforts at our national laboratories.

Our national labs create an underlying foundation for all of our nuclear security efforts including the nonproliferation and national security priorities that we are talking about here today. In order to ensure that current and future arms control efforts are properly fulfilling their mission, we have to invest in our scientific workforce to maintain our leadership and verification efforts.

It is certainly not well-known among Members of Congress, but when the IAEA sends inspectors into Iran and into countries of concern, those have been largely trained by the national labs in the United States. When we gut the nonproliferation capacities of our national labs or simply allow them to retire, as has been happening, we risk putting aside one of the most powerful tools we have to actually enforce any deal that we may get.

The President is very fond of talking about this deal he is going to get on Iran nuclear. We listened to him talk about how he was going to get North Korea. I support efforts to try to do that.

If we ever succeed in getting one of these deals, for sure we are going to need to have experts we trust that can go in there and make sure nobody is cheating. Unfortunately, what we are seeing is the gutting of those budgets in that capacity. I guess it doesn't satisfy the MAGA worldview.

Over the years, I have focused my attention on a few specific areas to strengthen our nuclear security architecture. One of them is what is called nuclear--well, it has a number of names. If for some reason a nuclear weapon is detonated somewhere in the United States or anywhere around the world, the President will come under huge pressure to say: Who did that? Whose weapon was it?

There is a lot of very detailed knowledge that we have had in the past in our national labs to be able to go in there and do what is called nuclear forensics and find out whether that was a bomb from X, Y, or Z. That capacity has been under duress for a long time. It seems like it is every single time the appropriations budgets come up, we end up having to try to defend that.

That is something that is completely irrelevant until it is the most important question in the world. Who did that? Who let off this nuclear weapon? How do we make sure we don't retaliate against the wrong person or entity that did that?

There are a number of other things I have been working on. First and foremost is H. Res. 100. It is a resolution I introduced in the House with 19 other Members. It supports arms control and condemns Russia's purported suspension of its participation in the New START Treaty.

The current extension of the New START Treaty is set to expire in under a year, and anyone who remembers previous arms control negotiations will know that there is almost no time left to negotiate a subsequent treaty.

Additionally, any negotiations, whether with Russia, China, or any other country, will require partners who are willing to have discussions on arms control, which is something that is far easier said than done.

This is not something where the two great men leading great nations can come together and strike a deal. The details matter. We have to have technical experts that we trust to go deep down into the weeds to have an agreement so they can come back and say this is a solid agreement we can trust.

It is a time when traditional channels of dialogue on arms control and strategic stability have been closed or quiet, and we are going to rely more than ever on keeping alternative channels open and keeping the expertise in place. Then when the time comes for these agreements, we have people we trust who can carry them out.

Mr. Speaker, nongovernmental organizations, scientists, and research institutions have kept this dialogue open even during the worst parts of the Cold War, and we are going to need to rely on them to fulfill these roles again.

Another crucial institution that we must continue to support in these times is the IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency. We have already seen the incredibly hard work that Director General Grossi and his staff are putting in to responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine with its many nuclear reactors and the myriad of other crises on their doorstep.

Mr. Speaker, that brings us to Iran. One of the proudest moments in my career was standing alongside Dr. Richard Garwin, who, as Representative McGovern mentioned, was often pointed to as the father of the hydrogen bomb and a strong advocate for nuclear nonproliferation. He stood by my side, along with Energy Secretary Dr. Ernest Moniz, as I announced my support for the Iran nuclear deal.

One of the tragedies of the recent past has been this President's abandonment of the Iran nuclear deal, which has gotten us into a heck of a pickle, as predicted by the people who actually understood what our true options were in that negotiation.

After the U.S. bombing of Iran, there has been an immense amount of debate about whether or not Iran's nuclear program was set back by a certain amount of time, whether it is years or whatever. The level of technical ignorance that has been displayed by this administration is, frankly, frightening. They have access to the best weapons designers in the world, and they are either not listening to them or not asking questions.

When you hear Secretary Rubio, for example, saying not to worry about their 60 percent enriched uranium inventory because they are going to have to convert it to metal and that will take years, anyone with knowledge of the history of the Manhattan Project knows that is not a major activity. Iran has done it for a long time. They know how to do it.

If you are only interested in converting from uranium hexafluoride to metal, a few tens of kilograms, which is what you need for your first set of weapons, this happens in a laboratory. It can happen in a congressional office. You don't need a big space for this.

The conversion of the uranium hexafluoride to what is called green salt, and the green salt to metal, is something that happens in a small industrial building. It can happen anywhere in any city in Iran, and it will be really hard to tell. We have not prevented them from doing what they have to do.

The enrichment level is another thing where we are seeing, frankly, technically ignorant statements made. We have three levels of uranium. Less than 20 percent is generally regarded as relatively safe and can be used in reactors without a lot of safeguards. When you get about 90 percent enriched uranium, that is the good stuff for really high- performance weapons.

What about in between? They have 60 percent uranium. Guess what? That is not weapons-grade, but it is weapons-usable. For example, the Hiroshima bomb was made with a mixture of 50 percent enriched uranium and higher enriched uranium.

The 60 percent enriched uranium that Iran has a significant inventory of is perfectly usable even for a simple Hiroshima-style gun-type device. Our leadership speaks in apparent ignorance of that fact, beating their chest and saying we set them back by decades, when that is not the case.

Just to give a sense of the scale, the 400 kilograms of uranium hexafluoride that the IAEA watched them enrich to 60 percent is stored conventionally in the United States in about 25 scuba tank-sized pressurized containers. Any five of those containers have enough uranium to make a Hiroshima-style nuclear weapon.

These things are not hard to smuggle. We will have a hard time convincing ourselves, in fact, that the Iranians haven't already done it.

Pretending like Iran does not have a credible threat and has no leverage is a dangerous and ignorant position for our government to be taking and one of the scariest things about the many threats that we face right now.

Those who don't know should go look at the Wikipedia article on the Hiroshima Little Boy bomb and the references in it. It is, unfortunately, very well-documented over the years because it is not the best weapon you can make, by far. You can make much more complex and efficient weapons, but the Iranians don't have to do that.

If they simply want to replicate what was done, they would get an old 155-millimeter howitzer, replace the explosive shell with some enriched--60 percent enriched will work just fine--uranium, shoot it into the right-shaped target, and they have something that is as effective as the Hiroshima weapon.

This is not a trivial risk. The only answer to this is negotiations, and we have to get very serious about that.

It is not something that the Iranians even have to test. We did not test the Hiroshima weapon. It was obviously going to work. The physics hasn't changed in the 80 years since then, so we are at a very uncertain position on that, and we shouldn't pretend otherwise.

We have also recently been hearing a lot of calls about the resumption of nuclear testing. This is particularly worrying because the move away from nuclear testing has been really one of the cornerstone successes of nonproliferation and nuclear security.

Just think of all the attention Donald Trump could get by giving the order that he wants to blow up a nuclear weapon just to make sure it works, or whatever it is. Yes, he would get a lot of attention that way.

Our country has a tremendous amount to lose if everyone begins nuclear testing again. The U.S., during the Cold War, conducted over 1,000 nuclear tests, far more than any other country, and we had much better instrumentation, knowing exactly what happened in those explosions.

The knowledge that we gained has allowed our Nation to maintain the safety, security, and effectiveness of our nuclear stockpile without any further testing. If we were to resume testing, the rest of the world would resume testing. I am sure they all have bomb designers that are just champing at the bit to get more data on exactly what happens if they explode one of their untested weapons.

If we do this, we would be giving away the most significant strategic advantage that our country has, which is this huge database of exactly what works and what does not work in detailed and very technologically aggressive designs for our nuclear weapons.

If we open that Pandora's box, every country that is nuclear-capable will say this is their opportunity to become coequal with the United States in knowledge of nuclear weapons. That will be yet another disaster for the proliferation regime.

The next few years are going to be crucial to making sure that the world we live in remains safe from the threat of nuclear weapons.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative McGovern for bringing us together to discuss this.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the CLARITY Act, which claims to bring digital assets under a regulatory umbrella but fails in two major areas.

First, it fails because it has no KYC--know your customer-- requirements for self-hosted wallets. It allows anonymous trading on DeFi exchanges and the dark web, which means there is no way to prevent wash trading, front running, corruption, ransomware, extortion and kidnapping payoffs, and all the parade of horribles that unregulated crypto has unleashed upon the world.

This legislation simply applies a patina of regulation while codifying loopholes that leave large parts of the industry, including the President's own meme coin schemes, completely unregulated.

Secondly, the CLARITY Act also lacks the basic investor protections present in the securities laws. For example, firms are not required to serve the best interests of their investors or to separate critical market functions and many other basic protections.

Now, I am not ideologically opposed to crypto, and both of these flaws are fixable, but in CLARITY they have not been fixed.

Mr. Speaker, I oppose this bill, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District as they celebrate their 100th anniversary, marking a century of wastewater management and environmental stewardship.

Founded in 1925 in Aurora, Illinois as the Aurora Sanitary District, this institution was established to protect public health and preserve the natural beauty of the Fox River from disease and pollution.

By 1929, this vision became a reality with the construction of a wastewater treatment plant and supporting infrastructure. Over the past century, Fox Metro WRD has been a model of sustainability, fiscal responsibility, and environmental stewardship. The Fox Metro WRD has continually invested in innovation from solar power and nutrient reduction to recycling biosolids, restoring native landscapes, reusing treated effluent, and recovering methane gas for campus and public use.

Fox Metro WRD now serves over 304,000 people across 90 square miles, operating twelve pump stations and more than 100 miles of intersecting sanitary sewers, They manage an 150-acre treatment facility where an average of 36 million gallons of wastewater is treated daily, ensuring the health and environmental protection of the Fox Valley region.

For 100 years, the dedicated public servants of Fox Metro WRD have safeguarded public health, supported local economies, and helped eradicate deadly diseases.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District's century of service, and I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating their remarkable contributions and continued commitment to protecting public health and our environment. I commend their vital contributions and congratulate them on a century of service to our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Batavia Depot Museum, a prominent landmark and vibrant cultural institution that celebrates the town's history and community. Since its opening, the Batavia Depot Museum has served as a repository of local history, preserving and sharing the stories that have shaped the community for over a century.

Founded in 1975 by the Batavia Historical Society, the museum occupies the former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Depot, a building that itself is a testament to the city's rich history as a transportation hub.

Over the past five decades, the museum has grown into a focal point for residents and visitors alike. With over 4,000 visitors annually, the museum offers exhibits that showcase the rich heritage of Batavia, many of which were donated by the residents themselves. These artifacts help tell the story of Batavia's development, its railroad history, and the contributions of those who shaped the city into what it is today.

In addition to its historical exhibits, the Batavia Depot Museum has become an educational center, providing programs that engage young minds in the exploration of history, science, and culture. Whether hosting school field trips, community events, or seasonal celebrations, the museum plays an important role in fostering a deep sense of pride and connection to the past for Batavia's residents.

As we commemorate this incredible milestone, it is important to recognize the dedicated staff, volunteers, historians, and local leaders who have worked tirelessly to ensure the museum's success and its continued relevance in the community. Their stewardship of Batavia's legacy--through exhibits like the Gunzenhauser Gazebo, the Coffin Bank, and the Gustafson Research Center--ensures that future generations will continue to learn from and appreciate the city's rich history.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have the Batavia Depot Museum in my district, and I invite my colleagues to join me in recognizing them on their 50th anniversary and expressing gratitude to Kate Garrett, the current museum director, along with the many families, businesses, and organizations that have contributed to its growth and development. May it continue to be a beacon of history and collective community pride for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Dr. Richard Garwin, known to all as Dick Garwin, a physicist whose intellect shaped the modern world and whose conscience helped protect it.

Dick was the principal designer of the first hydrogen bomb, a pioneer in national security and arms control, and a trusted adviser to Presidents spanning from Eisenhower to Obama. He authored over 500 scientific papers, held dozens of patents, and was a relentless advocate for using science in service of humanity.

When I announced my support for the Iran nuclear deal, I was deeply honored to have Dick Garwin standing by my side. His presence carried immense weight, not just because of his expertise in nuclear weapons, but because of his lifelong commitment to reducing their threat.

Dick's genius was matched only by his humility. He never sought fame, only progress.

Mr. Speaker, may we carry forward his legacy with the same courage and moral clarity that defined his life.

The Neighbor Project

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize The Neighbor Project, an exceptional partner in expanding access to homeownership in Aurora, Illinois, and in surrounding communities led by my friend, Rick Guzman.

Since 2018, The Neighbor Project has empowered Aurora families to lower debt, build credit, and achieve homeownership. Through down- payment assistance and financial education, they have helped generate millions in savings for Illinoisans.

Their work is more critical than ever as Trump's on-again, off-again tariff policies threaten to drive up construction costs and exacerbate the housing affordability crisis. To make matters worse, Trump and Republicans' big, ugly bill would strip away healthcare and food assistance during a time when families are already struggling to afford housing costs.

While Republicans continue to push policies that drive up the cost- of-living and deepen inequality, organizations like The Neighbor Project are fighting to close the gap.

I am proud to recognize their work and will continue fighting alongside them to make the dream of homeownership accessible for Illinois families.

National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call out the Trump administration for yet another reckless assault on science and education.

Recently, the Trump administration slashed over 1,000 fellowships from the National Science Foundation's graduate research fellowship program, cutting financial support from graduate student researchers in STEM fields.

This competitive program has long been a pillar of American innovation. Nobel Prize winners, tech entrepreneurs, and national security experts have all gotten their start through this program.

These cuts are only part of the administration's broader antiscience agenda. Trump is pushing a 55 percent budget reduction for the National Science Foundation at a time when the agency is already issuing new grants at the slowest rate in more than three decades. This isn't just about education for graduate students or line items on a spreadsheet. It is about our future competitiveness, our economy, and our national security.

At a time when countries like China are doubling down on scientific investment, the Trump administration chose to pull the plug on our pipeline of talent, undermining their future in science.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand up for science, for students, and for America's future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to stand up for the community of Crystal Lake, Illinois, which, along with over 100 communities nationwide, just had a $5.6 million student mental health program abruptly canceled by the Trump administration.

This funding, which passed with support of both Republicans and Democrats under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, was created in response to the Uvalde school shooting to address the growing youth mental health crisis.

I think we all remember the Republican talking point at the time that we don't have a gun problem. We have a mental health problem. Well, fine. With this grant, the Crystal Lake District 47 was able to hire trained mental health professionals and give 7,100 students access to mental health care.

Canceling this grant will disrupt critical mental health care for students who are already receiving support, weaken the district's ability to identify and intervene in early warning signs of distress, trauma, or potential violence. It undermines years of progress made in breaking the stigma around mental health.

With suicide being the second leading cause of death for children aged 10-14, gutting this funding will be life-threatening. Our kids' safety and well-being should not be a partisan issue. I urge the administration to reverse these harmful cuts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the free people of South Korea for their commitment to democracy following today's election of Lee Jae-myung.

Like us, the people of South Korea have witnessed the mortal danger to democracy posed by lies, by corruption, and by illegal actions directed by those at the very top.

The Korean people responded with courage and defended their democracy through peaceful civil disobedience, through lawful impeachment, and, now, through a free and fair election.

They have shown strength, unity, and a dedication to the rule of law in a way that the rest of the world could do well to emulate.

Mr. Speaker, I say to the citizens of South Korea, the people of the free world salute you.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Stevens and Congressman Subramanyam for organizing this on such an important topic.

As Congress' sole Ph.D. physicist, I spent 25 years of my life, before coming to Congress, working at the Department of Energy Office of Science supported laboratory. We were smashing protons and antiprotons together to make particles that have not been around since the big bang. I am proud to have been on the team that discovered the top quark, the heaviest known

form of matter. We worked with scientists from all over the world who came to America because we had the best equipment, the best experiments, and the best scientists, and they wanted to collaborate. All of this is at risk.

Amidst the Republican assault on science, I am going to focus my remarks tonight mainly on the NSF.

On May 10, we celebrated the 75th anniversary of the National Science Foundation. Today, together with my fellow Representatives Don Beyer, Dr. Scott Franklin, and Haley Stevens, we introduced a House resolution to celebrate that anniversary.

The resolution highlights the importance of the NSF for our Nation's research enterprise and the workforce it supports, totaling roughly 350,000 students, teachers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and researchers, including 268 Nobel Prize winners to date.

The NSF is a cornerstone of American innovation and is foundational for continuing basic research discoveries. We hope this work continues for many decades to come.

Support for Federal science agencies like the NSF have led to new and unexpected research directions that would not have been possible without Federal funding.

That is why it is important that we recognize the role that NSF- funded basic research plays in the discoveries driving the next generation of science.

This includes funding for AI, for cybersecurity, for supercomputers, fusion energy, space, ocean exploration, black holes, semiconductors, and, last but not least, the internet.

In addition to basic research, the NSF also funds many educational programs supporting the next generation of scientists. Perhaps in the fullness of time that is its most crucial mission because it enables the careers to move forward in science of these young people who have shared my fascination with science.

Over the past 75 years, the NSF has stayed true to its mission to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure the national defense.

Underpinning this has been its commitment to a merit-based and peer- reviewed grant process that has ensured that good science is consistently prioritized and free from political interference.

The NSF has had an exemplary 75 years, and I look forward to its progress in the next 75.

So, how are Republicans celebrating this anniversary?

By slashing the budget by a factor of two and muzzling the science.

Unfortunately, the Trump administration has failed to see the importance of this Federal investment in science for our country's future.

The President's fiscal year 2026 budget proposes cutting the NSF budget by 55 percent, including fundamental research, education, and broadening participation efforts.

Other agencies have been impacted by the funding cuts, including NIH by 37 percent, NOAA by 24 percent, the EPA by 54 percent, NASA's science arm by 46 percent, and the Department of Energy Office of Science by 14 percent, among many others.

Long term, these cuts will have detrimental impacts on scientific and technological innovation and cause irreparable damage to our global competitiveness. So this discussion could not come at a more important time.

As a result of Trump's directives, all grant funding at the NSF is now halted, and the existing grants are under review for termination.

I led over 100 of my fellow Members in a letter to the administration opposing this unconstitutional grant freeze, which is in direct opposition to Congress' appropriations.

This measure comes after canceling over 1,000 NSF active research grants last month, with another 344 more grants canceled recently in the third consecutive round of Friday terminations.

Why Friday?

It is because Friday traditionally is the time that they reveal actions that they are ashamed of. I wonder why they put it on Friday.

In addition to freezing all grants at the NSF, the agency instituted a 15 percent cap on indirect cost rates for colleges and universities where many of our future scientists receive training and participate in research experiences early in life that spark their curiosity.

Many of these grants across many agencies are impacting STEM education across the career pipeline. In addition to stopping research discoveries, these cuts will lead to the loss of STEM talent, which places the United States at a permanent competitive disadvantage.

President Trump's budget also proposes eliminating NASA's Office of STEM Engagement, which will significantly deter young talent from participating in STEM programming and impair our Nation's ability to lead in scientific fields.

In another Republican assault on STEM education, which seems to be a theme of their cuts, at the U.S. Geological Survey, the Federal hiring freeze led to the termination of a summer internship program for undergraduate students. The National Association of Geoscience Teachers-USGS Cooperative Summer Fellowship program had been running since 1965, matching undergraduate students with mentors and projects at the agency.

Through this program, talented student interns benefit from working with well-established scientists and gain valuable research experience at a well-known science agency. This experience can spark their curiosity in science and may set them up for long-term research careers, assuming, of course, the budget is not slashed there as well.

Altogether, since 1965, around 3,000 interns have contributed to scientific projects in research areas of importance to USGS and NAGT to promote high-quality Earth education.

Programs like this allow students to contribute to our country's scientific achievements, energy resource development, and economic prosperity. However, this year, 39 promising young geoscientists will not have this opportunity.

So what does this mean for the scientific workforce?

The recent departure of the NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan, known to all of us as ``Dr. Panch,'' from the NSF was a really notable negative milestone for this administration's actions.

It is a significant loss when we lose such dedicated and talented public servants. They are leaving the Federal Government workforce not as happy campers, and everybody knows it.

This follows workers like Dr. Peter Marks, who is one of the heroes of Operation Warp Speed and one of the lead scientists at the FDA. There are hundreds of others, unfortunately, following in their footsteps.

To shed light on this issue, for example, this last March, together with my colleague, Don Beyer, I led 37 House Members in a letter to the Trump administration expressing our strong support for the agency and grave concerns with the firing of 168 workers at the NSF.

Unfortunately, the DOGEs in the Trump administration have ignored this sort of appeal completely.

This letter highlighted the importance of NSF funding to our country's leadership in cancer research, energy, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. None of this work would be possible without program managers and experts who play central roles in grant funding decisions at the agency.

A negative consequence of these actions for our country is that we will not only miss out on scientific breakthroughs that drive our country forward, but lose an entire generation of scientists who cannot complete their NSF-supported training and will abandon research careers altogether, or perhaps, as was mentioned, simply depart for countries abroad.

So I want to assure NSF-funded researchers and staff that we are on their side, and we are supporting them. They should keep coming to Congress to tell us about the direct impacts, and that goes for scientists in all fields throughout this country.

It is our duty to ensure that, regardless of the political climate, science remains at the forefront of our Nation's progress and innovation.

So, Mr. Speaker, I urge my sensible colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support efforts that increase the resiliency of our Federal science agencies in the face of these growing threats from the administration, and to continue supporting the U.S. research workforce.

Congratulations, again, to the NSF on celebrating 75 years. We will continue to fight for the agency's viability

and for our Nation's competitiveness by supporting all of our Federal science agencies.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Rhienna McClain for receiving the ATHENA International Leadership Award. This award celebrates the leadership of women who create opportunities for other women. Ms. McClain exemplifies these qualities through her entrepreneurial vision and commitment to her community.

As the owner of the 1776 Restaurant in Crystal Lake, Ms. McClain has established a fine dining experience that prioritizes high-quality, gluten-free, and allergy-safe cuisine. Through her leadership, she has strengthened the local economy by fostering partnerships with local businesses and sourcing ingredients from Illinois farms. Her restaurant not only offers an upscale dining experience but also serves as a community space that brings people together.

In addition to her entrepreneurial accomplishments, Ms. McClain is deeply committed to her community. She previously served as the chairperson of Big Brothers Big Sisters of McHenry County, an organization that provides critical mentorship services to children, helping them develop the confidence they need to succeed. Since 2018, she has been a passionate advocate for the organization, opening doors of opportunity for countless young people. Furthermore, Ms. McClain has dedicated her time and expertise to various community development efforts, including serving on the Economic Development Committee of Crystal Lake, the McHenry County Department of Health, and the Gavers Community Cancer Foundation.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent Rhienna McClain, whose exceptional contributions have made a lasting impact on McHenry County. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating her on receiving the ATHENA International Leadership Award, a recognition that is truly well-deserved.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Crystal Lake Strikers for receiving the Carl E. Wehde Award. This award honors the late Carl E. Wehde and celebrates outstanding contributions that enhance the quality of life for the people of Crystal Lake.

The Crystal Lake Strikers are a drumline that seamlessly integrates the arts and education. They perform year-round and offer a wide range of programs in percussion, color guard, and other performing arts disciplines. Their mission is twofold: to provide high-quality entertainment to the community and to build confidence in students. By expanding upon lessons taught in local schools, the Strikers meet the educational needs of Crystal Lake, offering percussion experiences for children at all grade levels through six distinct groups.

In recognition of their impact, the Strikers were previously honored with the Illinois Park and Recreation Association's Outstanding Program and Special Event Award for the creation of the Kingpins drumline, an educational program designed specifically for children with special needs.

The Strikers' commitment to serving the Crystal Lake community extends beyond the classroom. They actively support aspiring performers through college scholarships, fundraisers, and by providing a platform for young talent in the perfomning arts.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent the Crystal Lake Strikers, whose contributions to the arts and education have had a profound and lasting impact on the city. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Strikers on receiving this well-deserved award and for continuing to inspire the next generation of performers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Nancy Merkling for receiving the Robert O. Covey Business of the Year Award. This award pays tribute to the late Robert O. Covey and celebrates businesses in the Crystal Lake area that have demonstrated outstanding success and community involvement.

As the owner and producer of Nancy Merkling Productions, Ms. Merkling offers professional photography and mentorship services, inspiring and guiding others who are pursuing careers in the field. Her vision and artistry distinguish her work in family portraits, headshots, and commercial photography.

Ms. Merkling has long demonstrated a deep commitment to the arts. She previously served as the Co-Executive Director of the Lakeside Legacy Foundation, an organization dedicated to preserving The Dole, a historic mansion in Crystal Lake, for the community to enjoy.

Since 2011, Ms. Merkling has been the driving force behind the 4th Fridays Art Event at The Dole, which brings together photography, art, and music to enrich the local cultural landscape. Held ten times a year, this program fosters collaboration among a diverse range of artists and provides a vibrant social space that celebrates creative expression. Through her vision, Ms. Merkling has significantly contributed to the cultural vitality of Crystal Lake, creating valuable opportunities for artists to share their work with the community.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent Nancy Merkling, whose dedication as both an artist and a mentor has made a lasting impact on our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Ms. Merkling on receiving this well-deserved recognition.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to yet another decision by the Trump administration that puts Americans' lives at risk.

On April 1, 2025, almost the entire Division of Blood Disorders and Public Health Genomics, a department of the CDC established to combat blood infections in the wake of the AIDS epidemic, was placed on administrative leave.

This decision to eliminate this division was, of course, made by the Elon Musk Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

Now, people with blood disorders across the United States will have to worry about contaminated blood transfusions. They will also be left wondering whether critical research to prevent and treat their conditions will be abandoned, and they will have to reckon with the fact that the same government that swore to help them turned its back on them, all so Republicans can find more money to give billionaires new tax breaks.

Vital programs like the Division of Blood Disorders should not be subject to political games, and those suffering from blood disorders should not have to fear that a blood transfusion will kill them.

Defunding the CDC puts lives at risk, and staff put on administrative leave should be reinstated immediately.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the life of Delia ``Dee'' Nila Basile, whose spirit, energy and unwavering dedication to her family, community and heritage left an indelible mark on the City of Aurora.

Delia ``Dee'' Nila Basile was born on April 10, 1950, as a proud member of the Nila family, one of Aurora's earliest Mexican immigrant families. The Nila family arrived in the United States in 1923, and her great-grandfather, Augustine Nila, was among the first to settle in Aurora. Like many immigrants, the Nila family contributed to their new community through hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance. Dee carried that legacy forward with honor and joy, speaking often about her family's role in helping shape Aurora's identity and its immigrant communities.

Dee attended St. Nicholas Grade School and graduated from Madonna High School, both in Aurora. She later earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Northern Illinois University in 2011 at the age of 61--a testament to her determination and belief in lifelong learning.

Dee began her professional path in the hospitality industry, where her charisma made her a standout presence. She later went on to work at Aurora City Hall for 18 years, contributing to many roles and quickly becoming known as one of Aurora's most dedicated public servants. Her energy and presence made her a true ambassador for the city, welcoming all who lived, worked, and visited with her signature smile and enthusiasm.

After her retirement, Dee continued her service through the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce, where she championed local businesses and continued to work tirelessly to uplift Aurora's cultural vitality. She was a long-time board member of the Aurora Public Library Foundation, where she passionately supported educational access, literacy, and community programming. Throughout her lifetime, Dee volunteered thousands of hours to causes large and small. Whether it was a city celebration, nonprofit event, heritage initiative, or grassroots movement--if something meaningful was happening in Aurora, Dee was there.

Dee was a keeper of history; she worked closely on countless cultural initiatives, ensuring that traditions and stories of the past had a strong, visible place in the present. She was instrumental in founding Aurora's Annual Parade of Nations, a celebration of the city's multicultural identity. In recognition of her unwavering service, the Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board established the Delia Nila Basile Award, presented annually to a resident, organization, or business that exemplifies the leadership, dedication, and cultural pride that Dee personified.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent Aurora and grateful for Delia ``Dee'' Nila Basile's service to her community. Her presence lit up every room she entered, and her commitment to her city, her family, and her culture left a permanent mark on the people of Aurora. I extend my heartfelt condolences to her family and invite my colleagues to join me in celebrating her extraordinary life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Nokia Bell Labs as they celebrate their 100th anniversary, marking a century of transformative innovation and scientific achievement.

Since its founding in 1925, Bell Labs has been a leader in cutting- edge research, delivering innovative solutions to some of the most complex challenges in communications and computing. The technologies pioneered within their laboratories have fundamentally shaped the modern world, enabling the networks and digital tools we rely on every day.

Following World War II, researchers at Bell Labs invented the transistor, a discovery that revolutionized electronics and launched the era of modern computing. Bell Labs also played a pivotal role in the creation of Information Theory, which remains the foundation for virtually all modern communications systems. In the 1960s, Bell Labs introduced Telstar 1, the world's first communications satellite, making live global television broadcasts possible and ushering in a new era of global connectivity.

In addition to their achievements in hardware and communications. Bell Labs was responsible for developing the C programming language and the Unix operating system, both of which laid the groundwork for the digital age and the internet as we know it today.

As part of Nokia, Bell Labs continues to serve as a beacon of scientific excellence and future-focused research. Today, their work in 6G technology promises to revolutionize how we interact with both the digital and physical worlds. Their advancements in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other emerging technologies are poised to dramatically enhance our capabilities in sectors such as healthcare, transportation, energy, and science.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Nokia Bell Labs' accomplishments as one of our Nation's leading research laboratories, and I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating their 100 years of pioneering research and continued commitment to driving humanity forward.