Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I want to associate my remarks with the gentleman who just finished.

I rise in support of this bill. Among the many critical measures included are ones that support extreme weather resiliency, public transit, as well as provide funding for highway construction and clean energy.

If each of us had written this bill, we would have had that many bills before us. It is not a perfect bill, but I would ask my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the amendment.

International students and researchers provide enormous benefits for American competitiveness and prosperity. As of 2018, immigrants founded 50 of the 91 privately held billion-dollar startup tech companies in the United States. A quarter of those founders came to the U.S. as international students. These companies created an average of 1,200 jobs each, and have a collective value of $250 billion. International students and researchers bring fresh perspectives, diverse experiences, expertise, energy, and creativity to the U.S. research enterprise.

The global competition to attract top science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medical talent is intensifying. And attracting talent is just half the battle. Restrictive immigration policies and xenophobic rhetoric, restrictions due to the pandemic, and concerted efforts by other countries to attract talent, have given talented international STEM students good reason to consider opportunities outside of the U.S. We must take bold action now to ensure the U.S. can continue to attract and retain global STEM talent.

This amendment creates a new pathway to permanent residency for a small number of outstanding students and professionals engaged in critical fields that are vital to achieving the goals of the National Defense Strategy and National Defense Science and Technology Strategy. While modest in scope, the amendment would help advance areas of innovation that are critical to our national security and economic competitiveness.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Madam Speaker, 20 years ago, our country was shaken to its core during the terrorist attacks of September 11th.

9/11 was an attack on the very idea of America--on our freedoms, on our beliefs, and on our very way life. The response required courage, strength, and a sense of togetherness, and President Bush displayed that by going to a Mosque after these attacks as a message of peace and tolerance.

Sadly, these attacks also led to a new type of terror for thousands of Arabs, South Asians, Muslims, Sikhs, and individuals from other regions and religions. These individuals were targeted by violence and hatred because they were Muslim, or perceived to be Muslim. Twenty years ago, shortly after the attacks, a gas station in my district was the site of one of these hate crimes. A white supremacist walked into a Texaco Gas Station in Pleasant Grove, asked the clerk where he was from, and shot him in the face.

Rais Bhuiyan survived the attack but was left sightless in one eye. Unlike his attacker, Mr. Bhuiyan showed courage following the attack. He forgave his attacker and did all he could to prevent his execution, he even sued the state of Texas to prevent the loss of another life.

While we remember our friends, family, and neighbors who lost their lives on 9/11, we must also not forget the victims of hate crimes that also resulted from that attack.

This is why I introduced a resolution yesterday recognizing the 20th Anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and honoring the victims of the hate crimes that followed. If we ever want to live in a world without hate, we must show tolerance, courage, and understanding rather than blind discrimination. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring these victims so that we can look forward to a more peaceful and tolerant world.

Madam Speaker, I'd like to thank Chairwoman Beatty and the Congressional Black Caucus for hosting this Special Order Hour on our priorities in the budget reconciliation and infrastructure negotiation processes, and thank Congresswoman Jackson Lee and Congressman Torres for facilitating it.

First, let me be very clear: I am certainly no fan of the partisanship and complexity associated with the reconciliation process. In an ideal world, in a perfect situation, this process would be defined by bipartisan agreements and give-and-take, and would be negotiated in a gradual, more transparent manner. But we do not live in an ideal world, nor is this a perfect situation. Right now, as we stand here today, millions of Americans are suffering, our infrastructure is crumbling, and our planet is quite literally on fire.

Now, Madam Speaker, I have served in this body for nearly 30 years-- but I find myself struggling to recall a time when the cost of inaction was as high and as dangerous as it is in this moment. That's why the Black Caucus, under the leadership of Chairwoman Beatty, has fought to include vital provisions in the Build Back Better Act that would transform our economy and infrastructure, provide relief from Americans still reeling from the effects of COVID-19, and form a blueprint for a more equitable, just society.

It's why I, as a Senior Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, voted to pass the portion of the Build Back Better Act dealing with investments in our nation's transportation and infrastructure systems. The most salient, underlying themes contained in the bill include investments in a race equitable transportation system, climate resiliency, transit programs targeted to residents in disadvantaged communities, resources for railroads, port infrastructure and supply chain resilience, and our water infrastructure, to name a few.

It's why I, as Chair of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, presided

over a markup of the portion of the Build Back Better Act dealing with the issues and agencies under our jurisdiction. We targeted giving our nation's scientists and engineers 21st century facilities to conduct research by investing billions of dollars into research infrastructure at the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These vital investments will also lead to good, high- paying jobs. We also invested billions of dollars into our innovation pipeline at our premier research agencies to power our research and development and our advanced manufacturing programs. This includes significant investments in minority-serving institutions and diversity programs at NSF and DOE. Finally, we funded billions of dollars to better understand and respond to the climate crisis. Included in this is vital funding to improve our understanding of climate-associated natural disasters like hurricanes, flooding, and wildfires.

Madam Speaker, I would urge all of my colleagues--Republican and Democrat, progressive and conservative, and everyone in between--to support these critical, much-needed investments in our constituents, in our districts, and in our country as a whole.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to rise today in support of H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. I'd like to thank Congresswoman Sewell, a daughter of Selma, for introducing this bill and for being a fierce and relentless advocate of the right to vote.

How wonderful is it, Madam Speaker, that this bill bears the name of our late colleague, one of the greatest Americans to ever walk these halls, Congressman John Lewis. His legacy--and the legacies of other civil rights leaders who dedicated their lives to ensuring free, fair, and equitable access to the polls--lives on through this legislation.

For Texans, this fight for voting rights is personal. We have witnessed, over the past several months, a systematic and antiquated effort to strip the right to vote away from millions across the state. This effort is built upon the decades and decades of unfair voting practices in the history of Texas. In fact, I remember having to pay a poll tax when I voted in my first election in Dallas. And although these new efforts are not as blatant as a poll tax, they are equally as obstructive.

Texas is Just one of many states battling waves of restrictive voting legislation spurred by Republican majorities at the local level. These attempts at our rights are not new--and neither is the vigorous, concerted opposition to them. From Martin Luther King, Jr. and John Lewis's march on Bloody Sunday to the Texas Democrats risking arrest to filibuster the passage of these laws, there are always people who are willing to fight. And as long as there are generations of people who are willing to fight, our cause will never perish.

But now, Madam Speaker, it's time for Congress to meet the moment. We must pass H.R. 4--not only because it would prohibit the implementation of strict voter requirements and reductions in polling locations and hours; not only because it would restore the originals provisions and intent of the Voting Rights Act; but because it is also fundamentally the right thing to do in our democracy.

As a proud cosponsor of H.R. 4, I would urge all of my colleagues, Democrat and Republican, to support this legislation and, in doing so, express your support of the right to vote for all Americans.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Texas, the Honorable Jake Ellzey, be permitted to take the oath of office today.

His certificate of election has not arrived, but there is no contest and no question has been raised with regard to his election.

Madam Speaker, as dean of the Texas delegation, it is my honor to welcome to the U.S. House of Representatives Congressman Jake Ellzey, who will represent Texas' Sixth Congressional District.

Now, I know that he has only been a Congressman for a few seconds, but I am sure that he is already behind on his schedule, so I will be very brief.

Madam Speaker, our beliefs may differ, and our votes may contrast, but I do not doubt for a moment that we share the same commitment to public service and the same sentiment that what we need is consensus builders, people willing to work together, regardless of party, for the good of their constituents. Given that our two districts are next to each other, I look forward to having a strong working relationship with Congressman Ellzey, like I had with his two predecessors, Congressman Joe Barton and the late Congressman Ron Wright.

Again, on behalf of the Texas delegation, welcome to the House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ellzey).

Madam Speaker, the right to vote free from intimidation or obstacle is the most precious right of any American citizen, a pillar of our democratic system. And when that right, that pillar, is threatened for anyone, it is a threat to us all--to our democracy and to our very way of life.

For Texans, this fight is personal. Earlier this year, Republican lawmakers in the Texas Legislature introduced a series of new voting laws, yet antiquated in thought, that would restrict access to the polls for people across the state. Unfortunately, we are all too familiar with these types of efforts to strip our right to vote here in Texas. In fact, I remember having to pay a poll tax when I voted in my first election in Dallas. And although these new efforts are not as blatant as a poll tax, they are equally as confining.

These new waves of voter restriction efforts are not new--and neither is the opposition to them. From our late colleague Congressman John Lewis marching across the Edmund Pettis Bridge in 1965, to the extension of the Voting Rights Act in 2006, to the Texas Democrats breaking quorum to prevent the passage of restrictive voting laws this month. It is incumbent upon us to keep alive that opposition to similar efforts, and to inform and inspire the next generation to do the same.

It is in that spirit that I, once again, call on the Senate to pass H.R. 1, the For the People Act. We can no longer afford the cost of inaction on this issue. This fight is about the future of Texas, it's about the future of the United States, and it's about the future of democracy.

Mr. Speaker, as the senior Texas Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I strongly support House passage of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act. I inserted numerous provisions into the bill, including one to establish a grants program in the Department of Transportation to develop transportation workforce training programs for workers adversely affected by industry automation, and another to assist communities to retrofit transportation infrastructure that creates obstacles to their mobility and employment opportunities to provide greater transportation equity.

The INVEST in America Act authorizes a tremendous funding boost to our nation's surface transportation and infrastructure system, providing just under $550 billion over five years and bringing over $27 billion to my state of Texas. In addition to highways, roads and bridges, the bill makes a substantive investment in our nation's transit system as well as our passenger and freight rail system, and makes great strides to improve environmentally friendly policies by encouraging and funding alternative modes of transportation and decreasing traffic congestion to reduce carbon emissions and the harmful effects of climate change. Moreover, according to the Council of Economic Advisors, for every $1 billion in Federal highway and transit investment, approximately 13,000 well-paying domestic jobs are supported for one year.

With respect to funding for passenger and freight rail, the bill provides a total of $95 billion in authorized funding, while specifically:

Tripling funding for Amtrak to $32 billion.

Providing funding for corridor planning and development of high-speed rail projects such as the Texas Central project, a proposed high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston.

Improving rail safety by addressing highway-rail grade crossings needs, requiring additional rail safety inspectors, addressing trespasser and suicide fatalities, and eliminating gaps in railroad safety.

My congressional district, Texas' 30th, includes the International Inland Port of Dallas (IIPOD), an intermodal and logistics district that encompasses 7,500 acres and five municipalities while supporting over 17,000 jobs. The Dallas Inland Port is also supported by Union Pacific, who added an intermodal terminal nearly 20 years ago to increase Class I's Dallas/Ft. Worth container capacity. The Union Pacific Dallas Intermodal Terminal also provides intermodal access to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

The freight railroads invest $25 billion per year of their own private money into their networks and are critical partners in efforts to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. Given the importance of freight rail, not only to the Inland Port of Dallas but to ports nationwide, I encourage the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to continue to work with the freight railroad industry as the INVEST Act advances towards a House-Senate conference committee.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman DeFazio for his leadership in bringing this bill to the floor.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act. This bill authorizes a tremendous funding boost to our Nation's surface transportation and infrastructure system, including a significant amount for my State of Texas. Failing to invest now will cost much more later.

The INVEST in America Act also makes significant investments in transportation research, development, and demonstration to support of safer and more resilient, equitable, and sustainable transportation future.

I am pleased to have inserted numerous provisions in the bill before us today, including one to establish a grants program in the Department of Transportation to develop transportation workforce training programs for workers adversely affected by industry automation; a sense of Congress to emphasize that contractors participating in a federally funded transportation contract with a minority-owned business must ensure that it is fulfilled.

As well as an amendment to require the GAO to analyze the DOT's performance of key DBE objectives, and a provision to assist communities to retrofit transportation infrastructure.

Nothing in this bill is intended to build a wall in Texas, and I look forward to supporting this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2225) to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 for the National Science Foundation, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 2025, the bill now under consideration.

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

I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2225, the National Science Foundation for the Future Act.

The United States has long been a beacon of excellence in science and engineering. We are at a time of markedly increased global competition in research and development. However, while we should be cognizant of our increasing global competition, we must not be constrained by it. To continue to lead, we must chart our own course.

First and foremost, we must significantly boost funding for science. For years, we have allowed billions of dollars of excellent research to go unfunded.

Second, we must fully leverage our STEM talent. We need to empower more women, people of color, rural students, and other underrepresented groups to contribute.

Finally, we must ensure the benefits of science are widely shared. We are at a critical juncture in our Nation's history, and we need to be more focused on the role of science in our society.

Science and technology are powerful tools for helping solve society's most pressing challenges. But as this pandemic has demonstrated, some communities and their needs have long been overlooked. We must give voice to a wider range of stakeholders in guiding scientific research.

For more than seven decades, the National Science Foundation has played a critical role in supporting research. Many of the innovations that have fueled American prosperity and security would not have been possible without NSF-funded science.

As we look to the agency's future, we must seize this opportunity to build upon and leverage its strengths. I believe this legislation does just that.

After a decade of flat funding, H.R. 2225 provides a much-needed increase in funding. The bill sets NSF on a path for steady, sustainable growth. The bill addresses challenges at all levels of STEM education and training. It supports activities and partnerships to broaden participation in NSF-funded projects.

Finally, this bill establishes a new directorate to accelerate progress on emerging technologies and advanced research-driven solutions to societal challenges like climate change and inequality.

This bill is the result of over a year and a half of close, bipartisan collaboration. The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held multiple hearings and markups to inform its development. We incorporated feedback from dozens of stakeholder groups, policy experts, and thought leaders. And this is reflected in the fact that the bill has been endorsed by 50 scientific societies, universities, and industry associations.

I want to thank Ranking Member Lucas for his partnership in developing this legislation. I also want to thank his staff, in particular, Jennifer Wickre and Catherine Johnson, for their contributions.

And the Science Committee staff on the Democratic side, I would like to thank Dahlia Sokolov and Sara Barber for all of their hard work on this bill.

I also want to thank Speaker Pelosi's staff, Kenneth Russell DeGraff and Reva Price, for helping to get this bill to the floor today.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens), the chair of the Subcommittee on Research and Technology.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster).

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Ross).

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

Mr. Speaker, I simply urge all of my colleagues to support the National Science Foundation for the Future Act.

It is really time to acknowledge that we did have to do a lot of extra homework to come to the final portions of this bill, and we did it collaboratively. We involved the entire scientific community, and we believe we have done a great job.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3593) to provide guidance for and investment in the research and development activities of the Department of Energy Office of Science, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 3593, the bill now under consideration.

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

I am very pleased today that we are considering the Department of Energy Science for the Future Act.

This well-vetted, bipartisan bill will provide the first ever comprehensive authorization for the Department of Energy's Office of Science. This office accounts for over half of the Department's nondefense research and development budget and supports a wide range of research facilities and activities that are critical to the U.S. competitiveness and for enabling our clean energy future.

The Office of Science is the Nation's largest supporter of research in the physical sciences, and it is the lead Federal agency supporting scientific research for energy applications. H.R. 3593 authorizes significant, steady, and sustainable growth for the office's wide- ranging research from climate science to quantum science, and everything in between.

The bill also ensures the office's construction projects and upgrades to its world-class scientific user facility have the resources they need to be completed on time and on budget.

H.R. 3593 is a substantial effort in the fight against climate change. The bill authorizes research to advance the next generation of clean energy technologies to help us reach our shared goals of developing energy that is clean, sustainable, reliable, and affordable. In carrying out these activities, this bill also directs the office to support the development of a skilled, diverse, and inclusive workforce for clean energy researchers, scientists, and professionals.

That is why the bill has been endorsed by stakeholders in the business community, like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; the academic community, like the Association of American Universities; major scientific associations, like the American Physical and Chemical Societies; and significant environmental organizations like the Environmental Defense Fund.

This bill is another strong example of the collaborative bipartisan approach that our committee has taken. Ranking Member Lucas' collaborative approach has been crucial in getting us to where we are today.

Before I yield back, I would like to recognize the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology staff who worked on this bill, and in some cases for several years now: Adam Rosenberg, Alyse Huffman, Sangina Wright, and Bill Kallen. I also recognize the efforts of Ranking Member Lucas' staff in helping us to get where we are today, including Hillary O'Brien, Jenn Wickre, and Daniel Dziadon.

I strongly urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill to dramatically improve the Nation's competitiveness and help lead us all to a brighter future. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).

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

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, let me simply say that we on this committee know that we are the committee that will determine the future of our Nation and the standing of the world when it comes to science. And we have taken our work very seriously. I am grateful to all of the members. We know we cannot be any better than the people who we involve and use their talents, and we must do that as well.

Mr. Speaker, I thank all of the members of the committee on both sides of the aisle for staying with us and working through all that we know we need to do to come together to look out for the future of our Nation's scientific enterprise.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of the persons, my colleagues, to support this bill and vote ``yes.''

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1257, the Homeless Veterans Credit Act, and would like my good friend Chairman Pallone for his work to bring this bill to the floor.

The freedom and luxuries that we are afforded on a daily basis are made possible by the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform. It is unthinkable that, after returning home from serving our country, veterans are often faced with several challenges including a lack of accessibility to quality and affordable housing. The state of Texas is home to the second largest population of veterans in the United States, and veterans homelessness is becoming an increasingly prevalent issue in our communities.

That is why I am proud to support the Homeless Veterans Credit Act. This bill will direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the effectiveness of financial and credit counseling services currently available to homeless veterans and how those services can be improved so these veterans can move a step closer to securing stable housing, employment and income. Such studies are critical for us as legislators to determine the efficiency of the institutions, programs, and funding levels in place to assist veterans.

As Chair of the Congressional Homelessness Caucus, I remain committed to advocating on behalf of veterans experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. This pandemic has brought to light the stark inequities in access to housing for veterans, but I am confident that this bill will set the stage for transformative efforts to reform care for those in need.

Madam Speaker, I look forward to voting in favor of this bipartisan, commonsense legislation and would urge my colleagues to do the same.

Madam Speaker, for over 150 years, June 19th, commonly known as ``Juneteenth Independence Day,'' has been celebrated as a source of inspiration and encouragement for generations of African Americans in Texas and across the nation. News of the end of slavery did not reach the frontiers of the United States until months after the conclusion of the Civil War, and more than two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. It was not until June 19, 1865 that Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas with news of freedom for the enslaved.

The Roman philosopher Cicero once quoted, ``history is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illumines reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life and brings us tidings of antiquity.'' In honor of the spirit, of the trials and tribulations of our ancestors, and the legacy they have left, we must never forget our history. And we can do that by joining together to observe Juneteenth and celebrate the progress we have made thereafter, while also recognizing and reaffirming our commitment to the work that remains. We can do this by remembering who we are, where we came from, and rejoicing now in the freedom and liberties that we share--and by never taking them for granted.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be joined by my colleague on the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Ranking Member Lucas, Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairwoman Stevens and Ranking Member Waltz, and numerous other colleagues in introducing the Surface Transportation Research & Development Act of 2021.

Every day, Americans depend on our outdated transportation infrastructure to access essential goods, to connect with friends and family, and to move their products across the country. I applaud President Biden for his ambitious plans to update the nation's transportation systems. I am still hopeful that Congress can come to bipartisan agreement on infrastructure. In any such agreement, we must not lose sight of the critical role of research and development in our transportation future. We must be dedicated to making significant investments in R&D, in partnership with local and state governments and the many nongovernment stakeholders, to successfully develop the technologies and systems that will make transportation safer, more equitable, more efficient, and more sustainable.

The Surface Transportation Research & Development Act of 2021 authorizes the Department of Transportation's (DOT) surface transportation research, development, and demonstration programs through fiscal year 2027. The legislation supports long-term, high-risk research across all modes of surface transportation. It increases the funding available to all tiers of the University Transportation Centers program and updates the UTC program to better tackle complex crosscutting transportation challenges, like cybersecurity and sustainability.

The bill also supports research to ensure our entire transportation infrastructure remains resilient to natural disasters, extreme weather, and climate change impacts. By creating resilient transportation infrastructure centers of excellence, the bill would support the development of new materials, maintenance standards, and workforce development to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The bill also reauthorizes the Road Weather Centers of Excellence, which were last funded in 2009.

The bill would enable DOT to better plan for the future of surface transportation research, through more regular and focused strategic planning and the establishment of a surface transportation research and development advisory committee. It would fund research to increase understanding of the role that autonomous trucking may play in the future movement of freight as well as its social impact. It ensures that DOT supports research and technology development that meets the needs of smaller metro areas.

These and other investments in transportation research, development, and demonstration in this legislation are necessary to support a safe, resilient, equitable and sustainable transportation future. As the Chairwoman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee and a senior Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance the priorities outlined in this bill for transportation innovation.