Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2200, the ``National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 2018''. This bill also reauthorizes the ``Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act,'' as introduced by Senator Nelson and my colleague on the Science Committee, Ms. Bonamici. Both of these existing programs have years of successful accomplishments, and their reauthorization ensures that NOAA will be able to continue supporting communities that are dealing with the impacts of drought and toxic freshwater and marine harmful algal blooms and hypoxia events.

The Weather Research and Forecasting and Innovation Act that the House passed in a bipartisan fashion last year was a great accomplishment for the Science Committee, and I am happy to see the existing weather laboratories, cooperative institutes, joint technology

transfer initiative and research programs within NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research will be reauthorized with this bill.

As Congresswoman Bonamici mentioned earlier, this bill reauthorizes critical programs at NOAA that benefit countless Americans, which I fully support.

However, I am disappointed in the process used to bring NIDIS, HABHRCA, and the Weather Act to the floor today for reauthorization. The brand-new language in this bill related to NOAA's Earth Prediction Innovation Center, computing resources, and our next-generation satellite architecture has never gone through the standard committee process in either the House or the Senate. By not providing an opportunity for hearings, markups, or any debate on these key pieces of legislation we rob our colleagues of the opportunity to advocate for their constituents, and do not do justice to the importance of these provisions. I hope we will do better to abide by regular order next Congress, and it is my intention to do that on the Science Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6227, the National Quantum Initiative Act, and I thank Chairman Smith and our colleagues in the Senate, Senators Thune, Nelson, Murkowski, and Cantwell, for their leadership on this bill.

This is a good, bipartisan bill, and I am happy that we will be voting today to enact this bill into law before the Congress expires. H.R. 6227 is the product of extensive formal and informal engagement with key stakeholders in industry, academia, and the Federal Government.

The Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a hearing late in 2017 in which we heard from Federal agency, university, and industry representatives about ongoing research and future opportunities in quantum sensing, quantum communication, and quantum computing. We also heard about investments in quantum research across our agencies and the need for a strategic and coordinated approach going forward. In addition to the hearing, committee staff held numerous bipartisan meetings and roundtables to inform the development of this committee.

Quantum sensors are already beginning to enter the marketplace, with potential applications across all sectors--from environmental sensing, to biomedical imaging, to the military battlefield. The race is on to lead the world on long-range quantum communications, which, in theory, at least, would be unhackable.

Quantum communications is the area of quantum technology development where the U.S. is most at risk in ceding its leadership. Our R&D investments pale in comparison to the scale of investments being made in China and elsewhere.

Many believe quantum computing technology has the potential to accelerate progress on some of our most pressing challenges, including how to address climate change and understand complex diseases like cancer.

It is truly an exciting time for this field and for the broad spectrum of innovators that are planning to take advantage of these breakthrough capabilities. It is also a time of increasing international competition, and the stakes are high.

Global leadership in quantum computing brings with it a military and intelligence edge, as well as a competitive advantage in what many expect to be a massive industry for decades to come. We must invest more in research. We must also ensure that we are educating and training the next generation of top quantum scientists and engineers.

Our Nation's progress in advancing research in quantum science and capitalizing on these investments to develop real-world technologies will depend on partnerships among our Federal agencies, universities, and the private sector. The National Quantum Initiative Act will set us on the right path

H.R. 6227 directs the President to establish a 10-year National Quantum Initiative Program, with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy playing leading roles. Through the establishment of a national coordination office, an outside advisory committee, and an interagency working group, the program will take a whole-of-government approach to accelerating progress in quantum research and technology development and building a strong quantum science and engineering workforce.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no requests for time. I urge passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Dallas Chapter of the Girl Friends, Incorporated. On September 12, 1975, I invited a few close friends with similar ideas and dreams to my home to discuss how we could make an impact on the Dallas community.

As we began to meet and brainstorm, the St. Louis Chapter of Girl Friends took us under their wing and encouraged us to create our own chapter.

The Charter members of the Dallas Chapter of the Girl Friends include Velma Bedford, Dorothy Chambers, Jennifer Clark, Doloroes Craig, Earlene Deere, Roslyn Fitch, Joan Sessoms Ford, Veronica Marshall Frazier, Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson, Marvinell Johnson, Cheryl Malone, Dr. Vivienne Malone Mayes, Millie Montgomery, Hazel Moore, Faye Powell, Sandra Sutton, Mary Lois Sweatt, Marye Thomas, Mildred W. Thomas, and Marquerite Williams.

The chapter upholds the ideal that education is important and since its inception, has regularly supported female college students with scholarship funds that can be used for books, transportation and other personal needs. Our most recent scholarship recipient, and HBCU student, was also awarded an academic scholarship from The Girl Friends Fund, Inc.

The chapter has supported the NAACP project, Black Arts and History, African American Museum, Black Dallas Remembered, YWCA, Aging for Black Women's Conference Politics and Health Symposiums, Austin Street Shelter Ministries, Vogel Alcove, The Family Place, Letot Girl's Residential Center, The Agape Clinic, The Dallas Life Foundation and West Dallas Community Center.

As I reflect on the great milestones and paths that The Girl Friends have created within the past thirty-five years, I am honored and proud of all we have accomplished and the positive impact it has had on our community. It is with great admiration that I congratulate The Dallas Chapter of the Girl Friends on achieving this wonderful milestone, and wish them the best on all future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1052 which affirms cooperation on space research, exploration, and utilization between the United States and its great ally, Australia.

On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the landing of Apollo 11 on the Moon, it is fitting that we acknowledge the contribution of NASA's tracking station located at Honeysuckle Creek in Australia and Australia's Parkes radio telescope to the success of the Apollo 11 mission.

Indeed, Neil Armstrong's famous words announcing humankind's first step on the Moon were first received by those facilities located in Australia before being relayed to the rest of the world.

Australia has been a crucial partner to the U.S. space program ever since.

For example, scientists and engineers from the Australian Space Agency worked with NASA at the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex to support communications for the landing of rovers on Mars, the arrival of New Horizons to Pluto, and the entry of Juno into orbit around Jupiter.

And NASA will build on its experience conducting sounding rocket launch operations at Australia's Woomera Test Range by using the Equatorial Launch Australia launch range for several Astrophysics missions that are scheduled for 2019.

As Ranking Member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I have been engaged in ensuring that NASA establish the requisite building blocks to ensure the success of the Nation's space exploration program.

One of those building blocks will be international cooperation and partnerships.

The National Academies' Committee on Human Spaceflight recommended in its 2014 ``Pathways to Exploration'' report that NASA, among other recommendations, ``vigorously pursue opportunities for international and commercial collaboration in order to leverage financial resources and capabilities of other nations and commercial entities''.

Peaceful international cooperation has been a hallmark of NASA's approach since its inception. House Resolution 1052 resolution affirms the need for such cooperation and partnership with Australia.

I urge my fellow Members to pass this Resolution.

Mr. Speaker, today I am joined by 31 of my colleagues in introducing the Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2018. The nation at large is beginning to reckon with the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and its impact on the lives and careers of women, including in academia.

The academic workplace, when compared to the military, private sector, and government, has the second-highest rate of sexual harassment, with 58% of women in academia experiencing sexual harassment. This behavior undermines career advancement for women in critical STEM fields, and many women report leaving promising careers in academic research due to sexual harassment. Women of color are even more likely to experience sexual harassment and to feel unsafe at work. We cannot afford--morally, scientifically, or economically--to continue to lose these skilled scientists and engineers, particularly from groups that are already underrepresented in STEM.

As recommended in a recent report by the National Academies, this bill establishes a National Science Foundation program to support research into the factors contributing to sexual harassment in the scientific workforce, as well as the collection of data on the prevalence of sexual harassment in STEM. Furthermore, this bill directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy to issue uniform policy guidelines to Federal science agencies to ensure every agency has clear policies and dedicated resources to prevent and respond to incidents of sexual harassment at academic institutions receiving federal research funding. It also creates an interagency working group to improve coordination and communication among agencies.

It is our hope that this legislation will build upon progress already made by the National Science Foundation through recent updates to its sexual harassment policy. It is vital that grantees, as stewards of Federal money, take seriously their responsibility to foster a healthy working environment as they train the next generation of scientists. It is encouraging that other agency heads have expressed intent to address sexual harassment in research. National Institutes of Health Director, Dr. Francis Collins, and nominee for Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier, have both made strong statements regarding their intent to tackle the problem of sexual harassment in STEM, and I look forward to seeing these intentions translate into meaningful actions. Our bill is just a starting point. Every agency has unique challenges and significant change will require creative solutions.

Scientific societies also play an important role in combating sexual harassment in the sciences. For example, the American Association for the Advancement of Science recently adopted a policy that allows the AAAS Council to revoke Fellow status for scientific misconduct, which includes sexual harassment.

I am pleased that my legislation is endorsed by numerous scientific societies. In developing this bill, feedback from university organizations and scientific societies has been invaluable, and it is encouraging that so many key players are committed to addressing sexual harassment in science.

This legislation has also been vetted by the National Science Foundation and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, who will be instrumental in carrying out its provisions, and the National Academies, whose recommendations we seek to codify. The result of this process is a bill that enables a coordinated approach to addressing the problem of sexual harassment at grant-receiving institutions and that funds research that will serve as the foundation for future initiatives in this area.

I thank all of the Members who have cosponsored this legislation, and I urge the rest of my colleagues to join us and help move this legislation forward into law.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today regarding the alarming rise in prescription drug costs in this country.

Earlier this year, the President claimed that drug companies would be announcing ``massive'' voluntary drug price cuts.

In fact, an Associated Press analysis of brand-name prescription drug prices shows it's been business as usual for drugmakers, with far more price hikes than cuts. The AP found that over the first seven months of the year, there were 96 price hikes for every price cut.

As the AP said in its story, drug pricing is far from transparent. Manufacturers typically set high list prices but then negotiate rebates and discounts with prescription benefit managers, to get preferential insurance coverage for their products.

Many consumers never see the list price, though rising drug prices generally put pressure on insurers to raise rates. Patients with high deductible or no insurance often get stuck being charged the full list price.

In addition, the Republican tax bill is being used by the big pharmaceutical companies to buy back shares in its companies to increase its stock prices. The tax bill is increasing our government debt, taking money from all Americans in order to enrich hedge funds, other Wall Street investors and top drug company executives, but not helping the patients that depend on those drugs.

We need to implement changes that will bring down drug prices.

One way is that prescription drugs that meet a test for an unconscionable price increase will be subject to new investigative and enforcement action by a new ``price gouging'' enforcer.

National spending on prescription drugs is on the rise. Prescription drug prices increased an average of 12.6 percent in 2014 and 10 percent in 2015. In 2015, 16.7 percent of health care spending in the U.S. went to prescription drugs.

The government needs to be given the authority to negotiate drug prices. Medicare is not allowed to negotiate with drug companies about their product. The government is the largest buyer of most products and the General Services Administration currently negotiates whenever the government is buying a product and puts it on the schedule for all government procurement officers to use. But not prescription drugs. This is a huge giveaway for the drug industry and that needs to end.

Now is not the time to line the pockets of pharmaceutical CEOs while Americans are suffering from high prescription drug costs. It is time to be innovative with our health care and support the working men and women who need the help to live a healthy life.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, I'd like to express my support of H.R. 302 the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2018.

Maintaining the safety of our national airspace is paramount, and I am pleased that the provision for Single-Piloted Commercial Cargo Aircraft was removed. Additionally, this bill also highlights a strong focus on airline passenger safety and consumer rights by emphasizing provisions such as minimum legroom, seat width and flight attendant rest mandates.

Finally, this legislation provides Hurricane Florence recovery funding, which emphasizes the importance of providing timely assistance to areas prone to natural disasters, similar to those in my home state of Texas.

Above all, this bill improves the airline passenger experience, provides long-term airport funding, improves disaster recovery, and ultimately strengthens the U.S. economy and aviation workforce.

Mr. Speaker, today we are considering three good bills from the Science Committee: H.R. 5509, the Innovation in Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships Act; H.R. 6229, the National Institute of Standards and Technology Reauthorization Act of 2018; and, H.R. 6398, the Department of Energy Veterans' Health Initiative Act. I support each of these bills, and look forward to their passage.

I want to thank Majority leader McCarthy for introducing H.R. 5509, the Innovations in Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships Act. This legislation directs the National Science Foundation to support research to improve STEM degree programs and apprenticeships in partnership with the private sector. H.R. 5509 also supports labor market research to draw upon lessons learned in countries already benefitting from an emphasis on apprenticeships and skilled-based learning. This is a good bill that will help to bring the education and training our students receive more in line with the skills employers value most. This will benefit those preparing to enter an ever-changing job market, employers seeking to innovate and increase production, and our economy as a whole. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this bill.

H.R. 6229, the National Institute of Standards and Technology Reauthorization Act of

2018, is a two-year, bipartisan reauthorization of programs and activities for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST. I am glad to see that this bill increases funding levels for the agency's laboratory programs and funds research and standards facilitation for important issues such as advanced communications, cybersecurity and privacy, internet of things, quantum information science, artificial intelligence research, and infrastructure resilience. I am glad to support this bill today, and furthermore, urge my colleagues to support increased funding in the future for crucial laboratory infrastructure enhancements on the NIST campuses.

H.R. 6398, The Department of Energy Veterans' Health Initiative Act, authorizes the Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct collaborative research with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in order to address complex, large data management challenges associated with veterans' health care issues. Specifically, it aims to leverage DOE's expertise in high performance computing in order to analyze VA-provided health and genomics data.

This bill also directs DOE to carry out a two-year research pilot program to advance research in artificial intelligence and data analytics for a broad range of potential applications. It provides the Secretary with the authority to establish user facilities capable of securely storing large data sets created by Federal agencies, academic institutions, or industry at DOE National Laboratories. I appreciate the need to utilize the entire resource base of the Federal government to address the needs of our veterans' health care. This bill provides an important tool to try and make our veterans lives better, and I strongly support the bill's passage.

Mr. Speaker, today I am joined by my good friend from Oklahoma, Representative Frank Lucas, in introducing the Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act. The contributions of women mathematicians and engineers to the warfighting effort during World War II and the nation's space program have for too long gone unrecognized. While hundreds of women helped bring about one of the nation's crowning technological achievements, landing the first man on the moon, their names are largely lost to history.

From the 1930s to the 1970s, women at NASA and its precursor organization, NACA, submitted their work anonymously, were paid less than their male peers, and had few opportunities for career advancement. In addition, women of color working in the West Area Computing Unit were initially subjected to the indignity of segregated bathrooms, dining facilities, and water fountains.

The popular book by Margot Lee Shetterly, entitled Hidden Figures, and the subsequent film adaptation, have finally helped bring their incredible and inspiring stories to light. Despite the numerous challenges they faced, women like Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Christine Darden persevered. Their accomplishments will, I hope, inspire young girls to consider careers in STEM fields. The positive attention being paid to their individual stories and the stories of the hundreds of women working alongside them is well deserved and long overdue.

This bill will bestow Congress's highest civilian honor in appreciation of the achievements of Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, Christine Darden, and all the women mathematicians and engineers at NACA and NASA who devoted their talents in service to the nation during this important time in our history.

I want to thank Senator Coons for his leadership in championing the effort to honor these women in the Senate with his legislation, S. 3321. Our bill builds on Senator Coons' bill by extending the honor to the hundreds of lesser-known women who worked alongside the four women made famous by the Hidden Figures book and movie.

While I am grateful that this book and movie have shone a light on these women and their experiences, I think it's important to acknowledge that the term Hidden Figures is a bit misleading. These women and their talents were never hidden from us. As is far too often the case when women--and especially women of color--are involved, we as a society chose to overlook them.

I urge my colleagues to join us in rectifying this oversight and help us give these women the recognition they deserve.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6227, the National Quantum Initiative Act.

I want to take a moment to thank Chairman Smith for introducing this good legislation, of which I am a proud original cosponsor. I also want to express my appreciation for the deliberative, bipartisan process by which this bill was developed over the past year.

H.R. 6227 is the product of engagement with key stakeholders in industry, academia, and the Federal Government.

The Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a hearing on quantum technology last October. At that hearing, we heard from agency, university, and industry representatives about the recent breakthroughs in quantum sensing, quantum communication, and quantum computing. We also heard about the priorities for Federal investment in quantum research and the need for a strategic and coordinated approach going forward.

In addition to the hearing, committee staff held numerous bipartisan meetings and roundtables to inform the development of this bill.

Quantum information science and technology promises to revolutionize the way we solve problems. Many believe that quantum computing technology has the potential to accelerate progress on some of the most pressing challenges, including how to address climate change and understand complex diseases like cancer.

While it is difficult to predict how far-ranging the societal and economic impacts of quantum computing will be, recent breakthroughs demonstrate that we are rapidly clearing the necessary engineering hurdles. It is truly an exciting time for this bill and for the wide range of innovators who are planning to take advantage of these new breakthrough capabilities.

The race is on to build the world's first quantum computer capable of solving problems that have long eluded conventional computers. Not unlike the space race in the 1960s, the stakes in today's quantum race are high. Global leadership in quantum computing brings with it a military and intelligence edge, as well as a competitive advantage in what many expect to be a massive industry in decades to come.

At this time, when China, Europe, and Russia are investing heavily in quantum research and technology development, it is imperative that we do everything we can to maintain our global standing as the leader in this area. We must invest more in research. We need to ensure that we are educating and training the next generation of top quantum scientists and engineers. And we should do more to encourage partnerships between academia, industry, and government.

The National Quantum Initiative Act will set us on the right path. H.R. 6227 directs the President to establish a 10-year National Quantum Initiative Program, with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy playing lead roles. Through the establishment of a national coordination office, an outside advisory committee, and an interagency working group, the program will take an integrated government approach to accelerating progress in quantum research and development.

I want to express my appreciation for the deliberative, bipartisan process by which we developed this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, so I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time.

I urge support of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the final passage of H.R. 589, the Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act, for which I am pleased to be a cosponsor.

The bill before us today is a result of constructive negotiations with our majority and with our colleagues in the Senate over the last 2 years. I am also pleased to note that many of the provisions in this bill actually were proposed first in the version of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, and that was sponsored by every Democratic member of the committee last Congress.

This bill includes what would be the first comprehensive authorization of the DOE Office of Science, which is the largest supporter of physical sciences research in the country. This is a $6.6 billion office that manages 10 of our national laboratories, often called the crown jewels of our national research infrastructure.

Yet, thus far, unlike NSF, NASA, and nearly every other major scientific research agency stewarded by the Federal Government, the Office of Science has not received the statutory guidance and support that its capabilities and mission warrant. So passing this portion of the bill into law alone would be a big step in the right direction.

The bill also includes a number of important technology transfer provisions that previously passed the House as part of a bipartisan bill that I and many of my colleagues on the committee cosponsored.

In addition, it would provide the first authorization of the promising Innovation Hub model for energy research, and it would enable greater private sector management of ARPA-E.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Smith and his staff for working closely with us and our Senate counterparts to find common ground in each of these areas, as I believe they will be critical to ensuring our Nation's competitiveness and our clean energy future.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support S. 97, the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act.

It is the Senate companion to H.R. 431, which I am very pleased to cosponsor. Today, nuclear power plays a vital role in providing our country with clean, reliable energy. I happen to be one of those who live in an area where we have nuclear energy.

Looking toward the future, one of my top priorities is preventing and mitigating the potentially devastating impacts of climate change. I believe that this clean energy resource can and should play a key role in our efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of our electricity sector. But there currently are technical, economic, and policy challenges that prevent nuclear energy from playing a larger role in enabling our clean energy future.

The Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act takes several positive steps to address these challenges. Implementing the provisions of this bill will help accelerate the development of advanced nuclear energy technologies that are safer, less expensive, more efficient, and produce less waste than the current generation of nuclear reactors.

I hope it will also help ensure a brighter future for the U.S. nuclear energy industry. I would like to express my appreciation for the process we followed to put this bill together. Majority and minority staff in both the House and Senate worked closely together, from engaging stakeholders, through crafting and incorporating suggested changes to the bill language.

This is a great example of what we can achieve when we leave politics at the door and look for common ground to address challenges facing our Nation's research enterprise.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my resolution in support of Balance Awareness Week and the related vestibular disorders.

The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain that process the sensory information involved with controlling balance and eye movements.

As many as 35 percent of adults aged 40 years or older in the United States--approximately 69 million Americans--have experienced some form of vestibular dysfunction. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), a further 4 percent (8 million) of American adults report a chronic problem with balance, while an additional 1.1 percent (2.4 million) report a chronic problem with dizziness. Eighty percent of people aged 65 years and older have experienced dizziness, and BPPV, the most common vestibular disorder, is the cause of approximately 50 percent of dizziness in older people. Overall, vertigo from a vestibular problem accounts for one third of all dizziness and vertigo symptoms reported to health care professionals.

The most commonly diagnosed vestibular disorders include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis, Meniere's disease, secondary endolymphatic hydrops, and perilymph fistula. Vestibular disorders also include superior canal dehiscence, acoustic neuroma, ototoxicity, enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome, and mal de debarquement. Other problems related to vestibular dysfunction include vestibular migraine and complications from autoimmune disorders and allergies.

There is no cure for this disorder. The form of treatment prescribed for vestibular disorders depends upon symptoms, medical history and general health, a physical examination by a qualified doctor, and diagnostic test results. Treatment can include: vestibular rehabilitation therapy, canalith repositioning maneuvers, home-based exercise, dietary adjustments, counseling, medication or surgery.

Because of difficulties posed by accurately diagnosing and reporting vestibular disorders, statistics estimating how common they are, how often they occur, and what social impacts they have range widely. Yet even the lowest estimates reflect the fact that vestibular disorders occur frequently and can affect people of any age.

Vestibular disorders not only profoundly affect adults, but also children. Once thought to be exceptionally rare, pediatric vestibular disorders are receiving increasing attention from clinicians as an overlooked problem. In addition to impairments of motor development and balance, vestibular deficits may cause poor gaze stability that inhibits children from learning to read. Despite new awareness of pediatric vestibular disorders, children are currently not typically screened for them, and as a result frequently fail to receive medical treatment for their symptoms.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to join me in supporting the third week of September as Balance Awareness Week.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute and to honor the legacy of my dear colleague, the Honorable Ronald V. Dellums. Although it saddens my heart to see that we have lost another great trailblazer, I would be remiss if I didn't take the time to honor his life and the change he brought to this great country.

Dellums was not only a patriarch for the Congressional Black Caucus, but he was trailblazer for change all around the world. With a political career of over forty years, he was determined to help those around him and provide hope for his community. As a former member of the Berkeley City Council, United States House of Representatives, and mayor of Oakland, Dellums always inspired to pave the way for the next generation to be advocates and a voice.

During his 14 years in the U.S. House of Representatives he became the first African American to chair the Armed Services Committee. Dellums used this platform not for his own benefit, but to create an agenda to ensure civil rights and programs for people ahead of weapons systems and warfare. He was also the antiwar activist to hold that post. As a Congresswoman who proudly stands in the gap for my constituents, I always admired how Congressman Dellums fought hard and served his constituents with distinction and treated his colleagues with the utmost respect. He was determined to share his light with the world.

As a dedicated leader in human rights and civil rights in America and around the world, Congressman Dellums worked tirelessly to pass anti- apartheid legislation against South Africa. After a 14-year campaign against apartheid in South Africa, he wrote the 1986 legislation that mandated trade embargoes and divestment by American companies and citizens of holdings in South Africa.

Congressman Dellums was not only a leader; he was a person of incredible intellect who possessed the ability to build alliances with people and groups from diverse backgrounds and varying interests. He was a co-founder of the Congressional Black Caucus, which he chaired from 1989-1991, and a co-founder of the Congressional Progressive Caucus in 1991. After retiring from Congress he remained involved and determined to be a light for his people. He worked in the private sector on global aids, healthcare and transportation. He returned then to his native Oakland, in 2006, and was elected Mayor, serving one term and retiring from elective office in 2011.

I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Congressman Dellums for his outstanding and dedicated service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise UT Southwestern Medical Center, which has retained its status as the top hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

U.S. News & World Report annually reviews the best hospitals in the U.S. The publication analyzes data from nearly 5,000 medical centers and survey responses from more than 30,000 physicians to rank hospitals in 16 adult specialties.

As UT Southwestern celebrates its 75th anniversary, they have been recognized as the top hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the second best in Texas and nationally ranked in seven specialties, including Geriatrics, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Nephrology, Urology, Pulmonology, and Orthopedics.

Nationally, only 158 hospitals ranked in at least one of the specialties in 2018-19.

U.S. News & World Report also gave UT Southwestern high-performing ratings in the areas of cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, gastroenterology and GI surgery, and ophthalmology, as well as for procedures for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, heart failure, colon cancer surgery, lung cancer surgery, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. UT Southwestern received excellent ratings for patient satisfaction for all nine categories of procedures reviewed.

Recognition comes as UT Southwestern continues to expand access to its distinctive academic medicine through new facilities and partnerships that find innovative approaches to improving efficiencies and lowering the overall costs of care.

UT Southwestern is expanding to meet the needs of North Texas by adding 300 new beds to the existing 460, making it among the largest medical facilities in the nation. In addition, scheduled to open in 2020, a 12-story, third tower will serve as a clinical home for neurological care, consolidated acute inpatient care services, additional operating rooms, interventional suites, expanded Emergency Department care, and two new parking structures.

Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report ranked UT Southwestern Medical School as one of the top 20 medical schools for primary care and the top 30 for research in the United States. Among medical specialties, UT Southwestern nationally ranked 14th among internal medicine programs and 18th among obstetrics and gynecology programs.

In addition, UT Southwestern's residency program for Internal Medicine was ranked 8th in the nation by Doximity's 2018-2019 Residency Navigator. UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences ranked 18th in the nation among graduate schools for biological sciences and 41st for chemistry, according to U.S. News & World Report. In Chemistry, UT Southwestern ranked 13th for biochemistry.

UT Southwestern ranked No. 1 in the world among peer institutions in the ``healthcare'' research category on the Nature Index 2018 Annual Tables, which evaluates publication of high-quality research. UT Southwestern also ranks fifth in the world in the number of published research articles cited as significant sources in third-party patent applications, used to evaluate an institution's impact and influence on industrial innovation--how a scientific discovery leads to, or plays a part in, the development and commercialization of new products and services.

UT Southwestern is one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation. The facility integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution's faculty has received six Nobel Prizes, and includes 22 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 16 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 15 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The faculty of more than 2,700 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in about 80 specialties to more than 100,000 hospitalized patients, 600,000 emergency room cases, and oversee approximately 2.2 million outpatient visits a year.

It is my honor to share the successes of UT Southwestern and my privilege to congratulate them on earning this prestigious recognition.