Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I am honored to congratulate Bob and Jackie Hunt of Leesburg, Florida on their 70th anniversary of marriage.

Bob and Jackie are lifelong residents of Lake County Florida. Bob served in the Navy during World War II. After the war, Bob returned to Florida and joined the Citrus industry. Jackie was a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and working together, they raised and put their three children through college.

Marriage and strong families are indispensable contributors to the prosperity of our nation. Bob and Jackie, I am honored to recognize your loyalty and faithfulness to one another and your family. I offer my sincerest congratulations for 70 years of marriage. May God continue to bless them and their family in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding me time.

I rise today to support and ask my House colleagues to pass H.R. 539, the Innovators to Entrepreneurs Act.

I would like to issue a special thanks to my friend Dan Lipinski, who introduced this legislation, and he continues to serve as a champion for the time-proven I-Corps program.

The Innovation Core program was created by the National Science Foundation in 2011 to teach scientists and engineers how to turn their laboratory innovations into successful commercial products and services. I know engineers are lacking in that area. I am one. I think I invented, before I was 21 years old, about three or four, maybe five, things which were really awesome; but nobody bought them except me, and it wasn't good.

So this program assists scientists and engineers in the development of their academic research and equips them to bring research into a private market where jobs can be created and money can be won through that. We witnessed the wonderful success of this program in my home State of Florida, the University of Central Florida.

H.R. 539 expands the I-Corps program to create a new course in commercial-ready companies. Individuals who have completed an existing I-Corps course would be eligible for this new course which will help them create, market, and, eventually, expand their private-sector company.

This bill breaks down the barriers experienced by current scientists when attempting to bring their product to market. Through marketing, hiring, organizing, and attracting investors, these participants can have a better shot at not only success, but also increasing, dramatically, their business.

Additionally, H.R. 539 expands the number of groups eligible to apply to the I-Corps program and offers new options on how to initially pay for the course.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to thank Mr. Lipinski and the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee for their work on this bill, and I encourage all my House colleagues to join together to pass this commonsense piece of legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the successful career of Dr. G.P. ``Bud'' Peterson. On January 7, 2019, Dr. Peterson announced that he will be retiring from the role of President at the Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly known as Georgia Tech.

His retirement comes after eleven years of service to this great academic institution. Throughout those years, Bud demonstrated extraordinary leadership. A few examples include having the university accepted into the Association of American Universities, increasing enrollment while other academic institutions are struggling, expanding areas of research, and being named a top-10 public research university. As a graduate of Georgia Tech, I am proud of what this institution has accomplished. Thanks in part to the talented faculty and the direction President Peterson provided.

Dr. Peterson is truly leaving Georgia Tech a better place than when he arrived. Sandy and I wish him well and congratulate him on his wonderful career. I thank him for all he has done to make Georgia Tech a better place, and wish him good luck in all future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I am honored to recognize Phyllis Womack Webster on the occasion of her 90th birthday.

A lifelong resident of St. Albans, West Virginia, Phyllis is known for her joyful approach to life and compassionate and kind nature. A member of St. Albans Baptist Church for more than half a century, Phyllis has impacted many lives for the better through her ministry with her church and the American Baptist Association. She was recognized in 2010 for her dedicated involvement in her church with the American Heritage Award.

Her outreach to people extended beyond her church family. Her door has always been open to host family, friends or anyone in need of a good listening ear or warm meal. Thanks to her hospitable nature, I would not be surprised if, as Scripture says, she hosted Angels unaware.

She can, and has made everyone and anyone feel special. Her love for family and people and sharp mind, she can remember the names of every family member through multiple generations. Phyllis' life, efforts and love for others are an example for us all of a life well-lived serving others.

It is my pleasure to recognize my beloved Aunt Phyllis on this momentous occasion. I wish her a very happy 90th birthday and may God continue to bless her.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 770) to require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to disseminate resources to help reduce small business cybersecurity risks, and for other, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk as the designee of the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Frankel).

Mr. Chair, I rise today on behalf of my colleague from Florida, Ms. Lois Frankel, to offer a nonpartisan amendment that Ms. Frankel and I have been working on for some time.

The amendment applies common sense to routine maintenance and dredging in the inland navigational channels. Specifically, this amendment would waive a duplicative requirement for routine maintenance dredging.

When a waterway is initially dredged, the project sponsor has to mitigate for the impact on aquatic vegetation like seagrass. In the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, seagrass grows like a weed and must be routinely dredged to keep it clear. Unfortunately, the project sponsor is required

to do costly environmental mitigation every time just to keep the waterway open and operating, instead of using the permit that has already been given and the mitigation that has already happened for that particular area. This additional round of mitigation is unnecessary, since seagrass removal has already been accounted for in the environmental review for the initial dredging.

Florida's Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway requires routine maintenance dredging akin to mowing your grass. The waterway annually transports tons of commercial cargo and is used by more than 500,000 recreational vehicles. It provides $30 billion in economic output, including $3 billion in wages, creates 155,000 jobs, and generates more than $540 million in tax revenues. Without regular maintenance dredging, this powerful economic driver is at risk.

This amendment itself is limited in scope and maintains an existing environmental protection while ensuring that the maintenance dredging mitigation requirements make sense.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I will say this. This is so duplicative and ridiculous. It is typical government regulation.

Here you have an inland waterway, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The seagrass removal has been already mitigated. That requires maintenance. As you do maintenance, you have to come back and do more mitigation on the exact same piece of property for the same seagrass.

It is ridiculous; it is duplicative; and I submit it is a good amendment.

I yield to the gentleman.

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

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to travel back to Washington due to illness. Had I been present, I would have

voted YEA on Roll Call No. 188, and YEA on Roll Call No. 189.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to travel back to Washington due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 181; YEA on Roll Call No. 182; and YEA on Roll Call No. 183.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to travel back to Washington due to illness.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 184, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 185, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 186, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 187.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5086) to require the Director of the National Science Foundation to develop an I-Corps course to support commercialization-ready innovation companies, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5086, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting the Innovators to Entrepreneurs Act, H.R. 5086.

I thank my friend Daniel Lipinski for introducing the legislation with me. He is a champion of the time-proven Innovation Corps program, better known as I-Corps.

This bipartisan piece of legislation is a result of the committee hearings on the I-Corps program. The Innovation Corps program was created by the National Science Foundation in 2011 to teach scientists and engineers how to

turn their laboratory innovations into successful commercial products and services.

This program assists scientists and engineers in the development of their academic research and equips them to bring that research into the private market. We have witnessed the wonderful successes of this program in my home State of Florida and across the Nation. H.R. 5086 expands the I-Corps program by creating a new course for commercialization-ready companies.

Following the completion of an I-Corps team course, individuals are eligible for this new course which will help them create, market, and eventually expand their private sector company. Through marketing, hiring, organizing, and attracting investors, these participants' success increases dramatically.

The bill breaks down the barriers experienced by current scientists when attempting to bring their product to market. Additionally, this bill expands the groups allowed to apply for the I-Corps program and offers new options for how to initially pay for the course.

Mr. Speaker, I would appreciate my colleagues' support in passing this commonsense piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith), the chairman of the Space, Science, and Technology Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Lipinski, Chairman Smith, and the entire House Science, Space, and Technology Committee for their support of this legislation. It is a good bill, and it will spur the creation of new businesses and new jobs.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize Wildwood Middle High School and their many accomplishments during the 2017-2018 school year.

Congratulations to the girls and boys basketball teams on winning the Class 1A state championship. This is the second consecutive state title for the girls basketball team and the first state title since 1953 for the boys basketball. I am happy to recognize the contribution of the coaches and players to this historic season. Principal and girls basketball coach Richard Hampton and boys basketball coach Von Moreland were both named Class 1A Coach of the Year. Kari Niblack and Darion Wilson were named Class 1A Player of the Year.

Congratulations to the Wildcats football team on an undefeated season. Coach McKinley Rolle was named Class 1A Coach of the Year. Coach Rolle led the team to their first undefeated season since 1985.

Congratulations to Kylie Ondriezek on being named Sumter County Teacher of the Year. Ms. Ondriezek is a graduate of Wildwood Middle High School and returned to teach English.

Wildwood Middle High School's dedication to quality education and creating opportunities for success is evident from these recognitions. I am pleased to recognize Wildwood Middle High School and congratulate the students, teachers, and administrators for their hard work and outstanding accomplishments. May their example inspire many to follow in their footsteps.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Dr. Reynold G. Lemp on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

At the age of 13, Dr. Lemp preached his first sermon, ``Let Go and Let God,'' under the ministry of his grandfather, Rev. William Dunn. Before entering college, Dr. Lemp worked for Edison Electric Co. for one year while preaching at a mission and a church in Detroit, Michigan. Upon graduating from Bob Jones University in 1953, Dr. Lemp moved to Winter Garden, Florida and started Calvary Baptist Church on June 7, 1953.

Appointed in 1960, Pastor Lemp serves on the board of Bob Jones University. He started Calvary Christian School in 1976. During the 30th anniversary of Calvary Baptist Church, Dr. Bob Jones, Jr. presented Dr. Lemp with a Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa). Dr. Lemp retired from ministry in 2003 shortly before the 50th anniversary of Calvary Baptist Church. Many lives have been impacted through his ministry and that of the church.

It is my pleasure to recognize Dr. Lemp on this momentous occasion. I wish him a very happy 90th birthday and may God continue to bless Pastor Lemp and his family.

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to recognize Webster, Florida as a Purple Heart City and honor the men and women who have selflessly served our country in the United States Armed Forces. It is with deep respect that I pause today to honor the brave men and women who were wounded in combat or gave their last full measure and made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

Created by General George Washington on August 7, 1782 to recognize a soldier's meritorious action, the Purple Heart is our nation's oldest decoration. Every person that serves in the United States Armed Forces makes great sacrifices for our country and our freedoms. Many have endured combat wounds as they fought for the freedoms of complete strangers, for individuals they had never met.

We owe our veterans a debt that we can never repay. For more than two centuries the United States military has protected Americans against our enemies and the enemies of our friends. Throughout this time, the valor, dignity, and courage of our men and women in uniform has remained strong. It is due to countless lives selflessly lived and lost in defense of our country that we can stand today, free and grateful.

I congratulate Mayor Carrie Davis, Mayor Pro-Tem Michael T. Foote, Commissioners Bobby Yost, Ana Vigoa, and Mike Harris, and most of all, the men and women of Webster who have served our great nation. It is truly an honor to serve the residents of Webster.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Keiser University for their accomplishments and their example for how a private university should operate and serve their community. For 40 years, Keiser University has equipped thousands of students to achieve success in our ever-changing economy. It is through institutions like Keiser that students across America and around the world have access to a variety of educational choices ranging from associate to doctoral degree programs.

An overwhelming sixty-six percent of Keiser graduates complete their degrees in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). With unwavering persistence, I continue to support STEM, and am very pleased to celebrate the impressive milestone of this educational institution. In the past 10 years, Keiser University produced more than 33,800 graduates with associate degrees in a wide variety of in-demand working fields. With access to skilled workers on the decline, it is imperative that Congress works together with states to better prepare our workforce of tomorrow. I am pleased to witness Keiser's success, and wish them many more years of prosperity.

I applaud Keiser's faculty, staff, and students for their achievements and for their ongoing commitment to equipping our next generation to be leaders and achieve their dreams.

Mr. Speaker, I missed Thursday's votes to be back in Florida with my wife while she had surgery.

Had I been present, I would have voted: Nay on Roll Call No. 642; Yea on Roll Call No. 643; Yea on Roll Call No. 644; Yea on Roll Call No. 645; Nay on Roll Call No. 646; Nay on Roll Call No. 647; Yea on Roll Call No. 648; and Yea on Roll Call No. 649.