Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, nearly 80 percent of our traded goods rely on American ports, harbors, and inland waterways to reach consumers.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to support our waterways and ecosystems, improve our defenses against floods and extreme weather, and create good-paying jobs along the way--and that's what the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA) will do.

Specifically, this bill authorizes the construction of 16 new projects and 72 feasibility studies approved by the Corps of Engineers and expedites the completion of 15 ongoing investigations. The bill also includes a water resource initiative that is very important to my constituents and the many residents of North Texas.

The White Rock Lake is a 1,015-acre city lake located outside of Dallas. The lake is one of the most heavily-used parks in the Dallas Parks system. It is home to the Dallas Arboretum, the White Rock Lake Museum, the Bath House Cultural Center, a large boat ramp and fishing pier, over nine miles of hiking and biking trails, a dog park, a picnic area, and pavilions. White Rock Lake has experienced an accumulation of sediment since it was last dredged in 1998, reducing the overall capacity of the lake, with reductions in both its water quality and recreational use. And with the pandemic increasing the already heavy usage rate of the lake, the need to dredge it has never been more urgent.

The goals of the White Rock Lake dredging project included in the WRDA are to remove sediment from the shoreline to improve maintenance, improve water quality to minimize negative impacts to aquatic habitat and other environmentally sensitive areas, and restore the depth of the lake to enhance watersport recreation.

The bill also authorizes $19.2 billion in funding to restore and protect Texas' coastline. The project is one of the largest in the history of the Corps of Engineers and includes improvements that reduce risks to public health and the economy, restore critical ecosystems, advance coastal resiliency, and help prepare the state for future damaging weather events.

I want to commend Chairman DeFazio and Subcommittee Chairwoman Napolitano for their perseverance in developing this bipartisan bill and getting it to the House floor for a vote.

I strongly support the passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 and encourage my colleagues to pass a bill that is essential to America's economic competitiveness and helps improve the quality of our waterways for all our constituents.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1437, the ``Providing Research and Estimates of Changes in Precipitation'', or ``PRECIP Act''. I also rise in support of H.R. 5324, the ``NWR Modernization Act of 2021''.

I am proud to be an original cosponsor of Representative Sherrill's bipartisan PRECIP Act. As Chairwoman of the Science Committee's Environment Subcommittee, Ms. Sherrill has been a leader in improving our understanding how to plan for excess precipitation, which can often lead to severe flooding in inland areas. This bipartisan bill is a direct result of significant stakeholder engagement to understand the needs of local governments, dam safety officials, floodplain managers, and more, who use precipitation estimates regularly. Precipitation estimates are critical for life-and-death decisions, like whether to issue an evacuation order, and also inform flood maps and zoning restrictions.

Current estimates for precipitation frequency, or precipitation atlas, and PMPs are outdated, inconsistent across the country, and infrequently updated. The PRECIP Act directs NOAA to update precipitation estimates on a regular basis, and to ensure these estimates consider the effects of future climate change.

In order to address this knowledge gap, this bill directs the NOAA Administrator to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a consensus study on best practices for estimating precipitation. These best practices will be useful for updating Probable Maximum Precipitation, or PMP, estimates.

This bill also directs NOAA to update precipitation frequency estimates, including PMP estimates, no less than every 10 years, but we encourage them to consider more frequent updates when feasible. NOAA is also required to develop a National Guidance Document for precipitation methodologies. While the results of the Academies' study should inform the development of this National Guidance Document, we encourage NOAA not to delay any updates to PMPs, and the creation of a National Guidance Document for the final study, and to undertake these activities concurrently upon enactment of this bill.

Changes in precipitation are already being felt across the country, and it is critical for our local decision makers to have the most accurate information on hand to protect our communities. The activities authorized in the PRECIP Act will take a big step forward in doing this. I want to thank Representative Sherrill for her work on this thoughtful, bipartisan, legislation and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

I also rise in support of the bipartisan NWR Modernization Act of 2021 led by Representatives Bice and Sherrill, the Ranking Member and Chairwoman of the Environment Subcommittee on House Science. NOAA Weather Radio, or NWR, is a critical lifeline for Americans across the country. It provides continuous coverage of weather information and broadcasts National Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts. It also provides information after natural disasters and other hazardous events.

This important bill will expand NOAA Weather Radio coverage by directing NOAA to acquire additional transmitters. It will ensure that underserved communities are within range to receive the important alerts. The bill will also update telecommunications infrastructure and software that are critical to the system. I want to thank Representatives Bice and Sherrill for their bipartisan work on this bill that will bring the NOAA Weather Radio into the 21st century.

Both of these bipartisan bills will provide benefits to Americans across the country, and are the product of good bipartisan work by Members of the Science Committee. I urge my colleagues to support their passage.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 66, the South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act of 2021.

South Florida suffers from blooms of harmful algae in both its marine and freshwater systems that have led to worsening ecologic and economic impacts. This region is impacted by toxic red tide and massive freshwater blue-green algae blooms which can choke waterways and coastlines. Red tide and other types of HABs also pose health risks to humans from direct exposure and from eating infected seafood. When these algae die and sink to the bottom of water bodies and decay, it creates low oxygen conditions known as hypoxia.

This bill is largely similar to what we passed out of the House last Congress on a bipartisan basis. It would authorize a scientific assessment and action plan to help address the problem of HABs and hypoxia in South Florida. This assessment and action plan will help identify research gaps, and detail methods for mitigating and controlling HABs and hypoxia in South Florida.

This bill takes an important step in helping address the HABs and hypoxia issue in South Florida, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Madam Speaker, today is a solemn day.

Today, in the National Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol, we paid tribute to the Dean of the House of Representatives, the late Congressman Don Young. And how fitting is it for Congressman Young to lie in state in National Statuary Hall. Much like this hall, Don Young is an icon--a pillar--in the history of the House of Representatives.

Longevity as an elected official isn't a given--it has to be earned. And for 49 straight years, Don Young earned the honor of representing Alaska in Congress, which he considered the privilege of a lifetime. Congressman Young loved Alaska, and Alaska loved him. By the end of his tenure, not only was he the longest-serving politician in Alaska's history, but also the longest-serving Republican Member of the House of Representatives in U.S. history.

Now, you may not think that a nurse from Texas and a frontiersman from Alaska would have a lot in common. And for the most part, you'd be right. But that never stopped us from working together when it meant the betterment of our constituents. We partnered on legislation that provided Pell Grants to Gold Star Families. We led an annual letter advocating for increased funding for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) program. We spent long days and late nights together in the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee hearings. The list goes on and on.

We also had the opportunity to travel the world together on CODELs. He sponsored valuable and worthwhile trips that I never hesitated to sign up for. And the farther away we got from Washington, the closer we became.

My thoughts and prayers are with his beloved wife, Anne, with whom I had the pleasure of getting to know over the years, as well as his children, grandchildren, and all those who loved him. He will be dearly missed.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in solemn remembrance of the Sherman Riot of 1930. Many may be unfamiliar with the Sherman Riot, as it is all too often overlooked in the teaching of Texas history.

The violence began at the Grayson County Courthouse in Sherman, Texas on May 9, 1930 and spread throughout the town, devastating the Black community. The riot began in response to the trial of George Hughes, a Black farm laborer, accused of allegedly assaulting his white employer's wife. In the middle of Hughes' trial, a white mob gathered and attempted to take over the county courthouse. The crowd eventually made its way into the courtroom, forcing law enforcement to relocate Hughes to a vault in order to protect him from the mob. However, protesters set the courthouse on fire and, despite efforts to rescue Hughes, it burned to the ground with Hughes still inside. After the fire was put out, Hughes' corpse was pulled from the rubble and dragged by automobile to the center of Sherman's Black business district where it was mutilated, then hanged from a tree, and a fire was subsequently set beneath it. The rioting continued and culminated in the burning and looting of many Black-owned businesses. The Sherman Black community was terrorized by angry white mobs. The National Guard was deployed and ultimately martial law was declared by the Texas Governor. Among those victimized included noted civil rights lawyer William J. Durham, whose office was destroyed. Despite the attack, Durham would go on to work with Thurgood Marshall on the cases that led to the integration of the University of Texas School of Law and the end of white primaries in the State of Texas, and ultimately throughout our Nation.

In February of 2022, the Texas Historical Commission approved plans to place a State of Texas Historical Marker on the grounds of the current Grayson County Courthouse to finally commemorate the riot, with an expected unveiling date of May 9, 2023.

Madam Speaker, tragically the lynching of George Hughes was only one of many incidents like these that occurred in Texas and throughout the South during the Great Depression era. Now, nearly 92 years later, the fight for equality continues. Today, we remember and reflect upon the heinous violence of the Sherman Riot. Americans everywhere must remain vigilant in our efforts to combat racism and hatred everywhere it may occur.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 70, which condemns any and all threats of violence against HBCUs and expresses our support for their staff, faculty, and students.

Over the past few weeks, several HBCUs across the country were subjected to anonymous, unacceptable threats of violence on their campuses. These threats disrupted campus, obstructed classes, and struck fear into the HBCU community.

HBCUs were originally established to offer Black students an equal opportunity for higher education, free from racial discrimination and intimidation. Now, these institutions offer among the most competitive educations in the country and have produced some of our brightest leaders. This growth is certainly a sign of progress--but the prevalence of these threats is a solemn reminder that we still have work to do.

Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 881, which condemns the recent terrorist attack on Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas.

And I want to thank my colleague from North Texas, Congresswoman Van Duyne, for introducing this legislation.

Just two months ago, an armed and dangerous terrorist entered the Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue and took Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker and three other members hostage. An eleven-hour standoff ensued, but thanks to the leadership of Rabbi Cytron-Walker and the bravery of law enforcement on the ground, everyone was able to escape without physical harm.

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, tragedies like this are becoming all too common. Jewish Americans make up about 2 percent of our country's population, but hate crimes against them make up 55 percent of anti- religious hate crimes.

Congress must do more, and we must do it urgently. That's why I was proud to sign on to a letter to the House Appropriations Committee that supports funding for FEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant Program. This program provides critical assistance to communities of faith in order to secure and shield their places of worship from attacks.

But beyond any legislative action, we must also come together to condemn the hateful and divisive rhetoric that inspires these types of attacks. We all deserve the right to worship freely and safely, without fear of violence or retribution.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution and, in doing so, reaffirm our deep and unwavering support for the Jewish community.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman so very much for her comments. I am truly proud to stand tonight with our leader of this hour, as well as the leader of our Caucus to pay tribute to Shirley Chisholm.

Just a little over 50 years ago today, in a 1972 speech announcing her candidacy for President, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm said:

I am not the candidate of Black America, although I am

Black and proud.

I am not the candidate of the women's movement of this

country, although I am a woman, and I am equally proud of

that.

I am the candidate of the people of America and my presence

before you now symbolizes a new era in American political

history.

Here was a Black woman from Brooklyn, New York, of Guyanese and Bajan descent, born to a burlap worker and a seamstress, boldly declaring a new era in American politics.

But despite her best efforts, Congresswoman Chisholm knew that the outcome of her candidacy was preordained.

At the time, our country was still learning to accept Black people and women as equal citizens--that is the year I was first elected to my first elected office--much less electing them as President of the United States.

Nevertheless, she persisted.

She held an unwavering faith in our common humanity, even when our common humanity did not hold the same faith in her. It was that same faith that drove her campaign.

She transcended political norms by bringing the issues of gender and racial equity to the national stage.

She highlighted and reinforced the importance of diversity at the table of public discourse.

And she shattered any preconceived notions about Black women in public service, particularly in politics.

Building on her work as the first Black woman elected to Congress, she blazed the trail and the torch of progress for many of us who have followed.

Today, the Congressional Black Caucus, which she helped establish, has 27 women from districts across the country. I think I speak on behalf of all of us when I say that we would not be here today if not for her life and legacy.

So as we celebrate Black History Month and the 50th anniversary of her Presidential campaign and the 51st anniversary of the Congressional Black Caucus, let Congresswoman Chisholm's story serve as a reminder that equality and justice are the responsibility of every generation, and it is our turn.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the Congressional Black Caucus and our distinguished leader, Barbara Lee, for offering us this opportunity.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record these exchanges of letters between the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Agriculture, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce, respectively.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the colleague's concern about the impact of inflation on our constituents, especially those who are already living on the margins. If anything, this should be a wake-up call to us how far too many Americans are living on the margins.

But I will not digress further. This amendment, while well- intentioned, I am sure, is misplaced.

Without question, NSF funds important economic research. In fact, they have funded nearly all recipients in the history of the Nobel Prize in economics. So, surely, there are NSF-funded economists who study some of these questions.

However, this amendment is highly flawed. If the intent is for NSF to fund researchers through the traditional grant-making process, this amendment circumvents NSF's gold standard merit-review process. In that process, the researchers themselves propose the important questions, which are then reviewed by their peers.

If the intent, on the other hand, is for NSF to commission the National Academies or some other organization to carry out this study, the focus is entirely inappropriate.

NSF, and sometimes Congress, do call on the National Academies, or another respected organization, to carry out studies on particular topics, but those studies are notable for some key criteria.

First, they are not carrying out original research or data analysis. They are summarizing the current scientific understanding, as published in the peer-reviewed literature.

And second, they are providing recommendations that guide NSF's own decisionmaking in what research topics are highest priority to advance to the frontiers of science, and the mechanisms to facilitate that research.

This study meets neither of those essential criteria, not even close. Perhaps the Bureau of Economic Analysis has some of these data already and can brief the gentlewoman.

But this is simply inappropriate for the National Science Foundation, and I must oppose this amendment.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 900, I call up the bill (H.R. 4521) to provide for a coordinated Federal research initiative to ensure continued United States leadership in engineering biology, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to stand before this body today to speak in support of H.R. 4521, the America COMPETES Act of 2022.

I am very proud to be the sponsor of this bill, and as chairwoman of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I am especially proud of the strong bipartisan bills from my committee that are included in this package.

It is a privilege to be able to come together in the House this week to consider this consequential piece of legislation. It is legislation that is critical to the future health of our American science and innovation enterprise and our Nation's competitiveness.

The United States has long been a beacon of excellence in science and innovation. However, we cannot rest on our laurels. It is time for us to revitalize Federal support for the kinds of research and development initiatives that enabled us to achieve that excellence in the first place.

We need to take a holistic approach that encompasses everything from the state-of-the-art research and development taking place at our national labs

to advanced manufacturing facilities that employ and support communities across the Nation.

It is not an understatement to say that we can usher in an exciting and prosperous future for American competitiveness with the suite of provisions contained in Divisions A and B of the America COMPETES Act. These include transformative support for the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy's Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

In addition, the provisions in this act will enable us to create a strong and diverse STEM workforce, one that is ready to address the great societal and scientific challenges we face as a nation.

One of many STEM provisions included in the America COMPETES Act is the STEM Opportunities Act. This is an initiative I have been working to make law for 15 years and which is needed now more than ever.

With this legislation, we are making investments to build clean energy solutions, address the climate crisis, reinforce our national security, enhance our semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, and so much more.

In short, we are acting to address the critical needs identified by the scientific community, industry, academia, and other stakeholders as what they need most to succeed in the 21st century.

If we are to continue to lead and be able to compete on a global scale, we must chart our own course. The United States has endless potential to lead the world in innovation and competitiveness, and the America COMPETES Act can supply the driving force to get us there.

Before I close, I would like to thank Speaker Pelosi and my colleagues on and off the Science, Space, and Technology Committee for their work in getting us to this point.

I would also like to thank Ranking Member Lucas for being a constructive partner with me to ensure that we passed bipartisan bills that incorporated the good ideas put forth by Members on both sides of the aisle in our committee.

Finally, I would like to thank the staff of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee for the hard work, dedication, and long hours that they have put in throughout this process. I deeply appreciate what they have done.

This is a strong package, one that was put together with the needs of each and every American, especially those in historically underserved communities, in mind.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the America COMPETES Act of 2022, and I look forward to its swift passage.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the outstanding gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal).

Madam Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Wild).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell).

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks), who is the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Casten).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. Bourdeaux).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo).

Madam Speaker, how much time remains?

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Garcia).

Madam Speaker, how much time is remaining?

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Speier).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Madam Speaker, how much time remains?

Madam Speaker, we have no further requests for time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 900, I offer amendments en bloc.

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

We have examined all of the amendments. I support them all, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, right now, our Nation is at a crossroads.

As we speak, the sacred right to vote--the fundamental pillar on which our Nation was built on--is under attack.

That's why I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5746, the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. This bill--itself a result of prolonged and spirited deliberation between the House and the Senate--will if enacted serve as a safeguard for our democracy for generations to come.

Let me be clear: every American must have the opportunity to make their voices heard and their votes counted. This is an issue with no middle ground--when the voice or the vote of one is suppressed, so be it for us all.

We have seen no better example of the attack on voting rights than in my home state of Texas. Initiatives like SB. I have sought to undermine the right to vote freely, fairly, and safely for people across the state--especially those in minority and underserved communities. We have and must continue to fight these archaic and discriminatory laws, and today is a step in the right direction.

I would also be remiss if I didn't point out that we are using a bill from the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, which I chair, to advance this legislation. Our Committee has traditionally focused on the issues of the future--items such as scientific research, space exploration, and technological innovations. That is why it is fitting that the House Leadership chose one of our bills to guarantee that the United States Senate would debate the future of our democracy.

Madam Speaker, simply put, we can no longer afford the cost of inaction on this issue. I urge my colleagues in both the House and Senate to support this legislation so that we can meet the urgency of the moment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5746, the ``NASA Enhanced Use Lease Extension Act of 2021''.

I want to thank Chairman Beyer of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics for introducing this bipartisan bill, along with Subcommittee Rankin Member Babin, Representative Troy Carter, and Representative Young Kim , as original cosponsors.

As Chair of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I've had the privilege over the years to visit many NASA Field Centers and witness the extensive infrastructure required to support our nation's inspiring space program.

Some of those properties are underutilized and many are aging. Therefore, they can fall into disrepair.

NASA facilities, properties, and infrastructure comprise over 5,000 buildings and structures, including those at its field centers, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The extension of enhanced use leasing authority in this bill helps NASA manage the agency's real property, including the preservation of underutilized or unique, historic properties.

As Chairman Beyer noted, enhanced use leasing, or ``EUL'', allows NASA to enter into agreements with state and local governments, academia, private sector entities, and other Federal government agencies to lease non-excess and underutilized properties at NASA.

EUL authority allows the agency to accept lease revenues, in turn helping NASA to reduce operating costs and make repairs and improvements to facility systems.

According to NASA, in Fiscal Year 2019, five NASA Centers used enhanced use leasing resulting in a total of over $10 million in net revenue for the agency.

Congress first granted NASA authority to demonstrate enhanced use leasing at two NASA Field Centers as part the Fiscal Year 2003 Consolidated Appropriations Resolution.

The Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act expanded the authority to agency-wide use.

Since then, the authority has been amended in 2008, and further amended in 2012 to allow NASA to accept in-kind considerations for leases for the purpose of developing renewable energy production facilities.

The most recent extension of EUL authority was in the Fiscal Year 2020 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, where the authority was extended for 2 years, until December 31, 2021, the end of this year. The bill we are considering today provides a clean ten-year extension until December 31, 2031.

This longer term extension provides consistency and certainty to NASA and tenants, allowing NASA to continue existing EUL arrangements and make progress on developing new arrangements that are currently underway.

Enhanced use leasing is an important, well-used authority that benefits NASA and the many institutions that enter into EUL leases. We must act now to extend it.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote yes and pass H.R. 5746, the bipartisan ``NASA Enhanced Use Lease Extension Act of 2021.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the underlying bill, the Build Back Better Act, and in favor of this rule.

As chairperson of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and a Member of this body, I am steadfastly committed to ensuring that our country has a bright future. This bill provides the resources to help accomplish just that.

The underlying bill we will pass, hopefully tonight, will make critical investments that ensure that we are able to address the challenges we face. These resources will help us address the climate crisis, rebuild after the pandemic, and renew and repair our research infrastructure. This bill and funding will strengthen our competitiveness and bolster our position as a global leader in science and technology.

I thank my colleagues for their work on this bill. Investments in research and development now will pay untold dividends for the future health and prosperity of our country.

I am proud to stand in support of the Build Back Better plan, and I urge that we pass this bill swiftly, as soon as we can pass this rule, and thoughtfully for the good of the American people today as well as future generations who will benefit from these investments.

Mr. Speaker, let me begin by thanking my good friend and Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Beatty, for hosting this Special Order Hour and to Congresswoman Jackson Lee and Congressman Torres for anchoring it.

Mr. Speaker, this is a consequential moment in our nation's history.

On the tail end of a once-in-a-century pandemic--one that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, record unemployment rates, and that has left our economy counting the costs--we are in desperate need of substantive relief in all aspects of our society. We need bold action, from bold leadership, in order to deliver bold results--and that's what we have in President Biden's Build Back Better agenda. This agenda is a real opportunity to make historic, transformative investments in projects and programs that are supported by an overwhelming majority of the American people.

As a Senior Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I fought to include several provisions in this agenda through the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act that would greatly benefit communities not only in my district, but across the country. These include funding for a program that provides federal dollars to reconnect and revitalize communities historically harmed and marginalized by the construction of the Interstate Highway System; language to ensure prompt payment and sufficient payments to minority and disadvantaged subcontractors; and legislation to establish an electric grid resilience program for states like Texas to weatherize their power grids. Each of these measures--though different in nature and purpose--will collectively contribute to the rebuilding of our economy by creating more good-paying, equitable job opportunities.

And as Chairwoman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I am steadfastly committed to strengthening our nation's research and innovation capabilities through the Build Back Better Act--both to ensure our continued international competitiveness and the wellbeing of our citizens here at home. I believe that investments in research and development now will pay untold dividends for the future health and prosperity of our nation, which is why we put resources in this bill that will help us address the climate crisis, rebuild after this pandemic, promote innovation, and renew and repair our research infrastructure. It also makes an unprecedented investment in the National Science Foundation, tapping into the diverse talent and institutions from across our nation. We need a STEM workforce that represents the rich diversity of America--because we cannot continue to lead in science and technology if we do not tap into all the brainpower our nation has to offer. To make sure of this, we included a provision that provides resources to support research capacity building at our nation's minority-serving institutions and invests in research, scholarships, and fellowships across all STEM disciplines.

Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Black Caucus has been and will continue to be at the forefront of these negotiations. Fifty-seven members--and six committee chairs--strong, our presence at the table, on behalf of our diverse constituencies, remains steadfast and will ultimately serve as the driving force behind our work For the People.