Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my good friend, Dr. Herbert Kik Ming Yee, for being honored posthumously with the dedication of the Chinese Railroad Workers' Experience exhibit by the California State Railroad Museum. This underscores the positive impact he has made in California and the Nation.

A descendant of Gold Rush pioneers, Herbert was born in Toishan, in the Guangdong Province of China in 1924. At age 6, he immigrated to the United States on the SS President Cleveland through Angel Island. In 1943 while attending Stanford University, he met the love of his life, Inez Fong, and together raised 4 sons, who all entered the dental and medical profession. In 1948, Herbert graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in San Francisco as a dental surgeon. He spent over half a century in the dental profession, including as the dentist for California Governors Pat Brown and Ronald Reagan, who both appointed him to the California State Board of Dental Examiners.

A man for all seasons, Herbert's influence spanned numerous fields. In dentistry, he served as the head of the California State Board of Dental Examiners, the American Dental Association Council on Dental Education, and the International College of Dentists (ICD). In banking, he served as Chairman of the Board of Sacramento Valley Bank and on other boards. In education, he served as a Regent of the University of the Pacific (UOP). In civic and veteran organizations, he served as the leader of the Sacramento American Cancer Society, Sacramento Pioneer Association, and the Sacramento Chinese Benevolent Association. In government, he had enduring friendships with California Secretary of State March Fong Eu, United States Senator Hiram Fong, and President Ronald Reagan.

A philanthropist and committed community member, Herbert has funded numerous major projects across the Sacramento region. At the UOP School of Dentistry, he endowed a scholarship. Through the Herbert K. Yee and Inez F. Yee Foundation, he sent gifts to the Asian Community Center, California Museum, and the California State Railroad Museum Foundation, among others. He also built a school, cultural center, and library near his village in Toishan. Recognized with distinction, Herbert has been inducted into the California School Board Foundation Hall of Fame, named the California Dental Association's Humanitarian of the Year, received the President's Volunteer Service Award, and received the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation's highest civilian award. A trailblazer with an extraordinary life, he paved the way for future generations and exemplified the American dream.

On behalf of the constituents of California's Seventh Congressional District, I would like to congratulate Dr. Herbert K. Yee and his family for its generations of service to the people of California.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate GeminiBio's Reed Facility Grand Opening. I ask my colleagues to rise and join me in celebration of this new facility. Gemini Bio-Products LLC is an FDA- registered provider of biological products and chemical reagents to the global cell culture community.

Founded in 1985, GeminiBio serves the global biotechnology industry, from basic research to commercial production, with a focus on helping customers accelerate the development of life enhancing biotherapeutics by streamlining and improving their cell culture and process liquid manufacturing workflows. The company's products are organized into two core verticals--Cell Culture Solutions and Process Liquid Solutions.

Located in West Sacramento, California, GeminiBio has invested in three distinct expansion projects starting in 2019 and now has 57,000 square feet of cGMP manufacturing space segregated between animal origin-free and animal component manufacturing. In Q1 of 2023, GeminiBio finished its 25,000 square foot cGMP facility that is dedicated to upstream and downstream media and buffer manufacturing. In May of 2023, GeminiBio opened their new 32,000 square foot fully validated cGMP facility--warehouse and manufacturing space. GeminiBio is an ISO 13485 certified, FDA registered Class 1 Medical Device Manufacturer, aligned with 21 CFR Part 820.

Throughout its growth, GeminiBio has maintained the personalized service on which its reputation was built. GeminiBio is committed to manufacturing and providing customers with products that consistently' meet or exceed all industry and regulatory requirements or expectations.

Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to continue to advocate for Greater Sacramento region's growing biotech and cell and gene therapy industries and we celebrate the Grand Opening of GeminiBio's Reed Ave. Facility. I thank all those involved for investing in our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Ronald G. Jan as he retires as Medical Director from Paul Hom Asian Clinic in Sacramento, California. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Dr. Jan for his passion, unconditional commitment and enduring dedicated service to Paul Hom Asian Clinic in Sacramento, California.

Dr. Jan is board certified in vascular surgery. He attended George Washington University School of Medicine, completed his residency at University School of Medicine in Irvine and his internship was at San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. Jan is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Mercy San Juan Medical Center and Sutter Medical Center. He has been in practice for more than fifty years.

The Paul Hom Asian Clinic was founded in 1971 by Paul Hom and a group of UC Davis medical students and a group of students from California State University, Sacramento, the clinic is committed to the underserved and uninsured Asian populations. Dr. Lindy Kumagai became the medical director of the clinic, and it became an elective course for medical and undergraduate students at the UC Davis Department of Community Health.

Primary Care Services are offered every Saturday and includes Diagnosis and Treatment of Illnesses, Physical Examinations, Blood Pressure Checks, and Lab tests, Specialty clinics include Musculoskeletal clinic,

Psychiatry clinic, Dermatology, Ophthalmology clinic, Cardiopulmonary clinic, and liver clinic. Services offered are cancer screening, women's health, health education & preventive medicine, hypertension workshops, nutrition counseling, and a health fair. Vaccination services, referrals, and translation services are also available. Healthcare at the clinic is free.

Mr. Speaker, today we honor Dr. Ronald Jan as he retires. Dr. Jan has worked tirelessly training students and serving the clinic. His dedication and commitment to the Sacramento area is boundless. I ask all my colleagues to join me as the community celebrates Dr. Jan's leadership and legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the International World Peace Rose Gardens and the founders--TJ ``The Rose Man'' David and Sylvia Villalobos--as they celebrate with community members at the 20th anniversary of the California State Capitol World Peace Rose Garden, located on the grounds of the California State Capitol. I would like to also recognize the 31st anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. ``I Have a Dream'' World Peace Rose Garden that TJ David and Sylvia Villalobos will be attending on May 11th this year, along with members of the National Park Service and the Atlanta community

Founded in 1988, the Sacramento-based non-profit organization celebrated in 1992 the first garden, the Martin Luther King, Jr. ``I Have a Dream'' World Peace Rose Garden, at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta, Georgia. The organization now has ten World Peace Rose Gardens around the world, including the California State Capitol World Peace Rose Garden in Sacramento. TJ David and Sylvia Villalobos have been strong advocates in raising awareness of important national leaders and causes. They continue to provide inspiration for all. Through the Inspirational Messages of Peace Contest, youth in grades K-11th are invited to write about an aspect of peace they believe in.

Established in 2003, the California State Capitol World Peace Rose Garden in Sacramento is dedicated to peace for women, children, and families. Featuring more than 650 roses with hundreds of varieties, the garden serves as a public monument for international, intercultural, and interfaith understanding. This garden is the symbolic center for global programs that nurture creative expressions of peace by students. Forty-four plaques bearing messages of peace from children around the world are displayed throughout the garden, inspiring visitors as they relax or explore. The garden is one of the rare and few honored to display All American Rose Selections, featuring new types of roses never-before seen by the public. The garden also honors veterans, with a dedicated section of roses named after wars, honor medals, and veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in thanking TJ ``The Rose Man'' David and Sylvia Villalobos for making their vision a reality by creating International World Peace Rose Gardens, spreading the message of peace and harmony through the beauty of roses.

Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I rise to honor the life of my good friend, Jane Dallen Hagedorn, who passed away on March 14, 2023, in Sacramento, California. Jane was not only a close friend of mine, and someone I knew for many years, but she was a friend to Sacramento--someone who spent her life dedicated to enriching our community. Jane was committed to public service and championed healthcare and the environment.

Jane was born in 1943 in Marion, Virginia and raised in Port Clinton, Ohio by her parents, John and Helen Dallen, an engineer and a schoolteacher. Jane's love of family, community, books, and the environment followed her through life. Jane attended Lake Erie College in Ohio, University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and earned a Master's degree in Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. While in Washington D.C., she met James Hagedorn, with whom she lovingly shared 56 years of marriage. After living in San Francisco, they moved to Sacramento where they raised their family.

Jane, a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, is survived by husband James C. (Sacramento), children James A. (Anissa) and Jennifer K. Mikacich (Jared) of Sacramento, and delightful grandchildren Matthew, Julia and John Charles Hagedorn and Jared and Kevan Mikacich. Also survived by brother John Dallen (Frances) and sister Peggy Mekemson (Curtis) along with numerous nieces and nephews and extended family. She spent quality time with her grandchildren-- traveling, reading, playing, teaching--enriching their lives as they enriched hers.

Jane spent 32 years as the Founder and CEO of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails Lung Association (now Breathe California). During her time, she was a leader of clean air for all and increased education for all things related to healthy lungs. The successful effort to pass Prop 99 allowed for programs to reduce smoking, to provide health care services to indigents, to support tobacco-related research, and to fund resource programs for the environment.

Jane was a founder of the Sacramento Tree Foundation, the California Oaks Fund and the Sacramento Tomorrow Coalition. Jane was the first female Sacramento County Planning Commissioner and recognized by the Sacramento Bee as one of the Most Influential Women in Sacramento County. Always a leader, Jane was a board member of the Tahoe Regional Planning Authority, Arden Park Recreation District, California Planning and Conservation League, Sacramento Symphony, Friends of Light Rail, and Valley Vision; she was also an American Leadership Foundation Fellow. Jane was an author and a volunteer with the Arden-Dimick Friends of the Library.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Jane Hagedorn--someone who dedicated her life to giving back to our community. Without a doubt, Jane was one of the most generous, intelligent, and thoughtful women I have ever had the privilege to know. Jane provided so much love and kindness to those of us who had the honor to share in her life. Jane's legacy of her impact on people's lives and encouraging others to do better will last for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, it is with delight that I rise to honor the 50th anniversary of Sacramento Regional Transit District, also known as SacRT. SacRT is a mass public transportation agency and is the largest regional transit provider in the Sacramento region and the capital of California.

In the past 50 years, SacRT has grown to operate 37 fixed routes, 23 commuter routes, 16 seasonal routes, nine SmaRT Ride on-demand micro- transit service zones, the SacRT GO ADA paratransit service, Airport Express bus service, and the Causeway Connection between Davis and Sacramento. SacRT operates 44 miles of light rail that covers a 440 square-mile service area throughout Sacramento County, which services the cities of Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom and Rancho Cordova. SacRT's more than 1,300 employees consistently perform to exceedingly high standards of safety, service, efficiency, and operational excellence.

SacRT is a recognized leader in reducing air pollution and the emissions that contribute to global climate change, operating 97 electric light rail vehicles, 186 buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), 12 zero emission electric buses, 26 shuttle buses powered by CNG, and nine zero emission electric shuttle buses. SacRT has embarked on a program to upgrade its light rail vehicles, convert to a modern zero-emission bus fleet, and expand service and ridership as part of a regional effort to comply with statewide climate mandates.

Most notably, SacRT has earned numerous prestigious awards, including the 2022 Federal Transportation Security Administration's Gold Standard Award for System Security, the 2021 American Public Transportation Association's Outstanding Public Transportation System of the Year, and the 2020 Caltrans Excellence in Transportation Award-winning project.

Mr. Speaker, today we celebrate the 50th anniversary of SacRT for always dedicated to providing reliable and inexpensive mobility options in my district and is an integral part of the Sacramento region's community fabric.

Mr. Speaker, as family, friends, and the community gather to celebrate the life of the Honorable Joseph ``Joe'' L. Russell, Retired Attorney at Law and College Professor, former Military Judge and California Administrative Law Judge, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering this extraordinary and generous businessman, community and civic leader throughout the County of Sacramento and the State of California.

Mr. Russell entered eternal rest on Monday, March 13, 2023 at the age of 80 with wife and family at his side. Today he is being celebrated at the historical landmark Shiloh Baptist Church in Sacramento, California, the Reverend Anthony R. Sadler Pastor presiding.

Born November 17, 1942, in Birmingham, Alabama to Arlee and Eva Lou Russell where he attended; was ranked high in his class and graduated from Parker High School. Joe earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Government at Howard University, in Washington DC. Joe earned his Jurist Doctorate Degree at Howard's School of Law. Upon graduating, he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force where he was promoted to the rank of Captain prior to completing his tour of duty in the service of our country.

Joe met Ida P. Avant in 1963. They were married in 1966 while she was completing her undergraduate degree at Howard University, and he was completing his first year of law school. After concluding his tour of duty with the Air Force, the young couple relocated to Sacramento, California in 1972 to join fellow law school graduate, the late Judge Jimmy Long. They have resided in Sacramento since relocating to the City where they raised their two sons: Joseph Russell, Jr. and Michael Russell.

Joe was licensed and admitted to practice law before the following courts: United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, United States District Court--Eastern District, United States District Court-- Northern District, United States Military Court (Attorney and Judge); United States Military Court of Appeals, Alabama State Bar Court, and the California State Bar Court.

He has served the Sacramento Community, State of California and the United States of America as: a well-respected and beloved Military Judge, California Administrative Law Judge, Professor of law courses at California State University, Sacramento for more than 35 years, Attorney at Law, par excellence, for more than 40 years including private practice and as a Senior Deputy City Attorney/City Prosecutor for the City of Sacramento, Civil Leader, Deacon of Shiloh Baptist Church where he has been a very active member and faithful servant of the Lord for nearly 50 years. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, brother, uncle, mentor and friend to a multitude and with wife Ida, he was a world traveler.

A partial list of Joe's community and civic service to our community include the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, the Sacramento Urban League, Sacramento Big Brothers and Sisters, the Brotherhood and Deacon Board of the Shiloh Baptist Church, and so many more. Many of Joe's contributions to make a safer and better place in which to live, work, recreate and worship freely are unknown to the public heretofore because he was such a humble person. Joe's passing is a great lost to the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to stand with me today to honor the Honorable Joseph L. Russell for his life legacy and contribution to the Sacramento community.

Madam Chair, I rise today to reaffirm my commitment and that of my Democratic colleagues to reducing energy costs for the American people.

Last Congress, we delivered a historic bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, that will save Americans money and make transformative investments to fight climate change.

The High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program, in particular, gives Americans up to $14,000 to electrify their homes and improve energy efficiency. It covers up to 100 percent of electrification project costs for low-income households, who often bear the brunt of both high-energy costs and extreme weather.

I know this program will save lives and money because the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, or as we call it SMUD, is doing this in my district. Last November, I visited a constituent, a retired nurse whose home had been fully electrified and weatherized by SMUD. This includes a heat pump, water heater, induction stove, ceiling fans, energy- efficient refrigerator, and insulation.

The Inflation Reduction Act would allow SMUD to significantly expand this program, which would positively impact my constituents.

H.R. 1 would repeal the home rebate program. This legislation would repeal a program that could save Americans up to $14,000. This is nothing more than a shameless giveaway to Big Oil when we need to be accelerating the clean energy transition.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Sojourner Truth African American Heritage Museum for contributing to Sacramento's rich history. Since 1996, the museum has served as an institution dedicated to community education, and the celebration of African American art, history, and culture.

The Sojourner Truth African American Heritage Museum honors the legacy of Sojourner Truth, not only by dedicating exhibits to her life and work, but also by enriching and empowering community members in the spirit of her activism. The Museum showcases a timeline of African American history, spanning across thousands of years from 14th century African kings to modern day icons. Exhibitions also honor innovators and their contributions to American culture by exploring topics such as Black Cowboys, Black Inventors, the Harlem Renaissance, and Black Millionaires. Sacramento's history is brilliantly displayed and highlights the reconstruction of Dunlap's Dining Room, Sacramento's first African American-owned restaurant and the Dana Maeshia Wall Library and Media Station, commemorating local hero Dana Maeshia, who served her community in life with literacy programs for African American children.

The Museum also hosts a variety of programs and workshops that invite community members to explore artistic interests and engage in skill development. Some of these programs foster youth personal and professional development, such as the After-School Mentorship Program and the Youth Entrepreneurial Development Program. The Youth Docent Program, a recent 2021 addition, hosts seven students in paid positions, offering them the opportunity to foster community outreach and visitor engagement skills.

Mr. Speaker, today we honor the Sojourner Truth African American Heritage Museum for educating and enriching the Sacramento community, and I thank Founder and Director, Shonna McDaniels, as well as the Museum's partners for making the continued success of this institution possible for the Sacramento region.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Antoinette R. Gant on her promotion to the rank of brigadier general in the United States Army. Brig. Gen. Gant is the first African American female, active-duty engineer to be promoted to the rank of general officer. She was officially promoted to the rank

in a traditional military ceremony at her alma mater, Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas on October 28, 2022. Vice Chief of Staff of the Anny, Gen. Randy George, conducted the promotion ceremony.

Gant assumed command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) South Pacific Division in July 2021. Established in 1888 and headquartered in San Francisco, the South Pacific Division is one of 9 USACE regional commands. The region encompasses all or part of 10 states with 4 operating districts headquartered in Albuquerque, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Francisco.

Gant is responsible for leading a workforce of more than 2,800 military and civilians, overseeing hundreds of water-resource development, military, interagency design, and construction projects valued at more than $16 billion in support of our communities, our Nation, and our warfighters.

A native of Port Gibson, Mississippi, Gant graduated from Prairie View A&M University in Texas as a Distinguished Military Graduate with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering and a commission in the Engineer Regiment. She holds a Master of Science in engineer management from Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, and a Master of Science in national resource strategy from the Dwight D. Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Washington, D.C. She is also a certified Project Management Professional.

Gant has served in a variety of command and staff positions for engineering units stateside and abroad. Prior to South Pacific Division, Gant was commander of the USACE South Pacific Border District from July 2020 to June 2021. Gant previously served as the combined joint engineer for the Resolute Support and OFS headquarters, Kabul, Afghanistan, military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Army- Civil Works, Washington, D.C., chief of operations for the engineer directorate, U.S. Army South, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, and the director for the Directorates of Public Works and Installation Support, ASG-Kuwait.

She has received several national and community awards, to include 2021 Black Engineer of the Year Conference Awards, Army Stars and Stripes Award recipient, the 2020 Women of Color Career Achievement in Government Award, the YWCA Women on the Move Award, Women of Influence in Government by Albuquerque Business First, BEYA Special Recognition Award, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., South Central Region Visionary Leader and Global Leader Awards.

I commend Brig. Gen. Gant on her historic achievements and thank her for her leadership and service to our country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Lisa Kaplan as she retires as a member of the Natomas Unified School District Board of Trustees. Since she was first elected in 2002, Lisa has been an invaluable member of our community, especially as schools faced unprecedented challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, I ask my colleagues to stand with me to honor her legacy.

Lisa grew up in a small town in Oregon and regularly offered help to those in need throughout her life. Lisa's long history of volunteer work includes assisting in the children's ward at UC Davis Medical Center while attending law school as well as helping in local Natomas schools while working in the state legislature. Since 2010, ACC continues to operate Sacramento County's Meals on Wheels program. Not only do they provide meal delivery, but they have partnered with local restaurants and food trucks throughout the years to make diverse meals more accessible to seniors in our community, serving 2,000 homebound seniors and older adults each week.

During Lisa's tenure, Natomas Unified School District showed an increase in test scores that significantly narrowed the achievement gap, passed four school bonds to upgrade existing facilities and provide new tools for 21st century learning, and obtained the highest graduation rates in the county.

Madam Speaker, today we honor Lisa Kaplan for her commitment and dedication to the students of Natomas Unified School District.

Madam Speaker, on the evening of Monday, November 14, 2022, I was unavoidably detained and failed to record my vote on Roll Call No. 478. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 478, on motion to suspend the rules and pass, as amended H.R. 5441--PAST Act of 2021.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Asian Community Center of Sacramento Valley (ACC) as they celebrate their 50th anniversary. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the hardworking staff, volunteers, and supporters of ACC, who have ensured that this valued organization has continued to provide valuable senior health and social services to Sacramento's seniors.

When the formation of the Asian Community Center originally began in 1972, it was known as the Japanese Community Center. In 1980, ACC decided to rely on community support to establish a facility that could properly care for their families with the support of countless key community members, including my late husband Robert Matsui, Jimmie Yee, Phil Isenberg, and many more. These incredible efforts led to the opening of the first ACC facility in 1987, called the Asian Nursing Home. Now, with four amazing facilities, ACC continues to offer an array of services and programs dedicated to improving the lives of Sacramento's seniors and their families.

Since 2010, ACC continues to operate Sacramento County's Meals on Wheels program. Not only do they provide meal delivery, but they have partnered with local restaurants and food trucks throughout the years to make diverse meals more accessible to seniors in our community, serving 2,000 home-bound seniors and older adults each week.

In 2021, ACC established a senior escort program, available five days a week, in response to the rising anti-Asian hate crimes. They offer their services to all seniors in the Sacramento community, to make them feel comfortable in public when going to appointments, grocery stores, and even leisurely strolls.

Madam Speaker, today we honor ACC on its 50th Anniversary for their long-lasting commitment and contributions to the community and their continued tradition of supporting Sacramento's seniors and vulnerable citizens.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of patients across the United States and worldwide who rely upon medicines made from donated plasma. October 3-7 is International Plasma Awareness Week (IPAW), and this year, 2022 marks the 10th annual IPAW. The need for plasma donation remains ongoing coming out of the decline in donations seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and helps create lifesaving therapies to treat individuals living with rare diseases. This week, patients, plasma donors, and plasma collection centers will join together to observe IPAW via a range of events seeking to raise global awareness of the crucial need for plasma to create lifesaving therapies, recognize that plasma donors contribute greatly in saving and improving lives, and increase the understanding of the many rare diseases and plasma protein therapies that help to treat them.

Plasma-derived therapies and recombinant blood clotting factors, collectively known as plasma protein therapies, are unique biologic medicines that are either infused or injected to treat a variety of rare, life-threatening, chronic, and genetic diseases, including bleeding disorders, hereditary angioedema, immune deficiencies, pulmonary disorders, neurological disorders, and infectious diseases such as tetanus, hepatitis, and rabies. Hundreds of thousands people in the U.S. who live with these rare diseases, and countless others facing trauma and emergency medical needs every day, rely on plasma protein therapies that are only available because of the commitment of dedicated plasma donors.

Plasma protein therapies have significantly improved the quality of life, markedly improved patient outcomes, and extended the life expectancy of men, women, and children in every community across the country. Healthy, committed donors provide the plasma essential to manufacture these lifesaving therapies. There are now over 1,000 plasma collection centers in the U.S. that have demonstrated their commitment to plasma donor and patient safety and quality by earning International Quality Plasma Program (IQPP) certification. I ask that my colleagues in the House of Representatives join me and rise in commemoration of International Plasma Awareness Week, honoring those committed donors and collection centers who make and collect needed and lifesaving contributions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act.

Just over 2 years ago, I joined Congressman McCaul to introduce the CHIPS for America Act to reassert American leadership in the strategically important semiconductor industry.

I will admit, when Senator Cornyn, Senator Warner, Congressman McCaul, and I started this effort, a lot of Members would ask me: What are these semiconductors, and why are they so important?

Well, I think it is clear this bill answers that question. Semiconductors are fundamental building blocks of the 21st century economy, and we simply cannot live without them.

But since we started this effort, the global chip shortage has only grown more severe and the need for legislation more pressing. Thankfully, by passing the CHIPS bill today, we are sending a clear message: The United States is still the gold standard for innovation.

I am glad we are acting today because other countries aren't waiting. They are making aggressive investments to try to surpass us.

The European Chips Act sets a goal of reaching 20 percent of worldwide semiconductor production by 2030. In Asia, Korea and India offer 50 percent design credits, and Taiwan offers a 15 percent R&D credit. So, passing CHIPS gives us the tools we need to stay ahead of the pack.

Bringing manufacturing and research back to the United States will have positive benefits in the short and long term. As new fabs funded by the CHIPS Act come online, they hold the potential to anchor regional technology clusters, creating well-paying jobs and spreading out America's base of skilled workers.

This, in turn, can provide a more secure and resilient supply chain for the mission-critical components our national security apparatus needs to succeed. This makes America safer and more secure.

I am also thrilled to have helped author legislation included in this package that will supercharge American 5G networks with more resilient supply chains through Open RAN investments. This new technology will pave the way for American companies to enter the telecom market and compete.

As an author of both the CHIPS and Open RAN funding bills, I know these critical economic drivers will drive innovation and create American job opportunities for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the CHIPS and Science Act.