Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of March 30, 2022, I offer a motion to instruct on H.R. 4521.

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

I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this motion to instruct the conferees on our competitiveness legislation.

This motion instructs conference members to agree to section 2502 of the Senate legislation. This section is simple and common sense. It says that no person or entity of concern can receive grants, awards, or other support from the National Science Foundation, federally funded manufacturing programs, or technology hubs authorized by this legislation.

A person or entity of concern is generally defined by the Department of Defense as directed by Congress in previous Defense Reauthorization Acts.

DOD has identified entities of concern as Communist Chinese military companies and companies owned or controlled by the People's Liberation Army, and they have defined persons of concern as individuals affiliated with these CCP military entities.

Simply put, this motion ensures that we aren't giving taxpayer dollars to the adversaries who are trying to steal U.S. technology and use it against us.

The Senate was right to add this important guardrail, and it is only responsible that we urge our House conferees to ensure it is included in the final conferenced legislation.

I would like to point out that we wouldn't have this particular difference in our bills had the process of passing the House legislation been done in regular order.

The COMPETES Act was developed in a back room by the Speaker's office

with very little input or review from relevant committees.

Although thoroughly vetted and bipartisan Science Committee bills were included in that package, they were sandwiched in among unrelated, partisan spending that added up to a backdoor attempt to pass parts of the Build Back Better Act. Because of this rushed, opaque bill-writing process, unsurprisingly, the COMPETES Act had a lot of flaws.

Despite less than 3 days to review the bill text, Members submitted more than 600 amendments to the bill. But the Rules Committee, with very little input, made in order only 261; and of that number, only three Republican amendments were given individual debate time on the floor, with all other Republican amendments being considered en bloc. Not only did Members have little opportunity to write this bill, but they also had almost no opportunity to fix its flaws.

I could go on about the danger of passing massive bills like this out of regular order, but for now I will focus on this particular issue. This provision preventing funds from going to Chinese military entities and persons of concern was submitted as a part of multiple Republican amendments to the Rules Committee, but none of these amendments were made in order. I fail to see how amendments limiting taxpayer funds from going to China isn't relevant to a bill about competitiveness with China.

Democrats' failure to include similar language in the COMPETES Act is an unfortunate example of an unwillingness to be strong on China and protect our national security. But we have a chance to rectify that now.

Madam Speaker, surely we can all agree that we shouldn't be sending taxpayer dollars to Communist leadership in China. They are already stealing our discoveries and using them to surpass us economically and militarily. We are spending the time, money, and effort to plant the seeds of new technologies, but China is the one harvesting the crop.

We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to pass legislation to improve U.S. technology and to set us up to be globally competitive for the coming decade.

The Science Committee has spent 2 years preparing for this opportunity. Working together, Republicans and Democrats held meetings with stakeholders, conducted in-depth hearings, and individually marked up more than a dozen bills to strategically scale-up America's research and development capacities.

Those bills all passed out of committee unanimously, and many passed across the floor with strong bipartisan support. They double down on investment in basic research at the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy Office of Science and National Labs, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

They also direct the creation and regular review of a national science and technology strategy, as well as improving STEM education and regional research opportunities.

The Science Committee bills are targeted to the areas where government investment is most needed and will give us the biggest reward. We ensure our approach is strategic, focusing on the technologies of the future like quantum sciences, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing. We will keep America competitive and secure and help create good jobs here at home.

This legislation should be the foundation for the conference legislation, not the COMPETES Act, which is more of a climate change bill than a technology bill, and not the bill formerly known as USICA, which is a grab-bag of special interest provisions cobbled together into a franken-bill.

There is a lot of chaff to separate from the wheat of this bill, but I believe we can come to smart, consensus policy through the conference. The Science Committee worked together to pass strong bipartisan legislation, and I think our process, as well as our end result, should serve as a model moving forward.

I am looking forward to getting to work and paring down these bills to the smart policies we need. It is urgent that we act now. Democratic leadership delayed the legislation for 9 months. I assure you the Chinese Communist Party isn't doing the same. Let's stop playing politics with something so important.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this motion, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice).

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman).

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul).

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith).

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I am prepared to close, and I believe I have the right to close, so I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

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

I thank my colleagues for their words of support for this motion.

As I said when we began this debate, we have a once-in-a-generation chance to strengthen U.S. science and technology and secure a place in the global economy. The Science, Space, and Technology Committee has passed strategic, bipartisan legislation to do just that. Our bills double our investment in critical research and technology. They are a strong commitment to America's technological development.

There is no question that our bills should be the core of the final conferenced legislation. We can't afford to pollute these critical policies with partisan poison pills and throw away our deliberate, strategic approach for long-term growth in favor of the one-time spending spree in the COMPETES Act.

There is a difference between empty spending and making an investment. The COMPETES Act is empty, unfocused spending. The Science, Space, and Technology Committee has passed targeted, bipartisan investments in research and technology. They will pay off in more jobs, a stronger economy, and a more secure homeland.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support that approach and to support guardrails to ensure that our taxpayer investments aren't going to Communist leadership in China. That is why this motion is so important.

This isn't a partisan issue. It has been part of Senator Schumer's legislative text on competitiveness from day one. That is because this is basic, commonsense policy, and I can't imagine that any of our constituents would disagree with that.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to pass this motion, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 4521, the so-called ``America COMPETES Act of 2022.'' And I regret the path the Democratic leadership has taken with bringing this bill to the floor.

Some will call this a ``competitiveness package'' or a ``supply chain'' bill. Others claim the bill is about countering the Chinese Communist Party. But the truth is that it is none of those things. If this 3,000-page bill seems to have no coherence or strategic purpose, that's because it doesn't. This package was tossed together by Democratic leadership with no Republican input, and from what I understand with very little coordination between the Committee chairs. The Speaker hijacked good bipartisan bills dealing with U.S. competitiveness and countering the malign influence of China to pass another Democratic wish list that will go nowhere in the Senate.

By combining competitiveness bills with partisan poison pills, H.R. 4521 undoes more than a year of bipartisan work by the House Science Committee to develop and pass comprehensive legislation to double investment in basic research. As Ranking Member of the Science Committee, I was proud to work with Chairwoman Johnson to produce good policy that will double our investment in basic science, support the most important emerging technologies, build our technical workforce, and protect our research from theft. The House Science Committee passed more than a dozen bills to scale-up America's research and development capabilities over the next decade, ensuring the Chinese Communist Party does not achieve its goal of overtaking the U.S. in science and technology, giving them a dangerous economic and national security advantage.

At the center of our work is the National Science for the Future Act and the Department of Energy Science for the Future Act, which both passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support in June. When we passed those bills, I had high hopes that for once, Congress might be able to work together to get something done. The economic and national security threats from China grow every day, and the Chinese Communist Party has been clear that their target is to surpass the United States.

The Senate has passed their own bipartisan package, the U.S. innovation and Competition Act (USICA) in June. While there are many flaws in USICA, I believe that we had a good opportunity to find a consensus agreement through a formal House and Senate Conference.

I have been urging Democratic leadership to begin conferencing these bills with the Senate since the summer, to no avail. And now that House Democratic leadership has finally decided to act, and they have done so with no regard for all this bipartisan work.

Instead of focusing on strong consensus policies, this package is filled with poison pills with no bipartisan support. There was no need to make this partisan.

I believe that if given the opportunity we could have passed legislation that invests in American research, strengthens our supply chains, spurs private sector investment, ensures the domestic production of semiconductor chips, and confronts China's malign behavior. This bill is nothing more than a distraction. Now I fear that this week's exercise will make it more difficult to reach a bicameral, bipartisan deal on a bill.

We cannot afford to play politics while the Chinese Communist Party threatens our economic and national security. I urge my colleagues to come back to the table to negotiate strategic, bipartisan legislation that addresses this generational threat. I ask my colleagues to oppose this flawed, partisan package.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this Federal takeover of elections.

I am disappointed that the underlying bill has been gutted, a bill that was crafted in a bipartisan, practical way to address the surplus resources at NASA to generate resources for the agency.

I would say this to my friends in the majority: I have served in the minority and the majority several times back and forth. I ask you, why are you trying so hard to make me a chairman again?

We pass a bill today to allow another body to pontificate. They will not be able to pass anything. You will inflame your base because you can't do anything. You will inflame my base because you are trying to make dramatic changes. Why are you trying to make it so easy for me to be a chairman again?

I guess I should thank you, and I would, except for things like this missed opportunity to reauthorize this important piece of legislation for NASA.

When we have committees like Science, Space, and Technology that work together, that work in a productive way, that can persuade the majority of this body to pass their legislation, we should allow the legislative process to work.

Thank you, my friends. I look forward to the next session.

Madam Speaker, I stand today before this deliberative body to talk about the importance of rural infrastructure; more specifically, watershed and flood control infrastructure.

Our Nation's watershed dams play a critical yet silent role in many of our daily lives. Across the Nation, watershed projects provide an estimated annual benefit of $2.2 billion in reduced flood and erosion damage and improving wildlife, habitat, recreation, and water supply for more than 47 million people.

In my home State of Oklahoma alone, there are more than 2,000 watershed dam projects that help Oklahomans meet a myriad of public needs: public safety, water supply, soil health, and fish and wildlife management, just to name a few.

In fact, the country's first upstream flood control dam, Cloud Creek Site No. 1, was built right in the backyard of my district in Washita County. Built in 1948, following the passage of the Flood Control Act of 1944, the dam allowed for the preservation of farmland, wildlife, and several municipal services.

Fast forward to today, and many of our country's 12,000 watershed dams have exceeded their designed lifespan. Like so much of the public infrastructure investments across this country, our watershed dams are aging and need to be upgraded to remain safe and continue to provide benefits for generations to come.

Seeing the need to rehabilitate many of our dams, in 2000 I authored the Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments which have provided important investments to help countless dams in need of repair.

After more than two decades of funding through the Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments, more than $900 million has been appropriated for rehabilitating aging dams. In the 2018 farm bill alone, we provided $50 million per year in mandatory funding for watershed rehabilitation and management.

I am proud to mark the 20th anniversary of the Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments being signed into law this past year, but we must not delay the continued need to rehabilitate and repair other aging dams and water infrastructure. These silent sentinels are vital to public safety, economic prosperity, community viability and must not be allowed to fail.

We learned a lot of lessons 20 years ago in passing the dam rehabilitation bill. Now we must continue this mission as we debate and consider infrastructure legislation.

Madam Speaker, to aid in these efforts, I include in the Record the brought forth report at damsafety.org \ smallwatershed.

In closing, as Congress negotiates on how best to invest in our Nation's infrastructure, we must continue to invest in the rehabilitation of these aging public works.

It is time to put the lessons of past appropriate investment to good use and build the capacity of a new generation to protect critical infrastructures for decades to come.

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

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

This legislation is one of two Science Committee bills under consideration today to reinforce America's global scientific leadership and fend off competition from the Chinese Communist Party.

Together, the NSF for the Future Act and the Department of Energy Science for the Future Act represent a comprehensive and sustainable approach to building American competitiveness.

Before I discuss the specifics of the NSF for the Future Act, I want to emphasize why it is so critical we act now to counter the threat from the Communist leadership in China and reinvest in American science and technology.

Make no mistake, this is a threat. For years, China has been working to steal, both literally and figuratively, our playbook for innovation. That is because leading the world in science and technology gives you a significant advantage when it comes to national security, cybersecurity, and economic growth.

It is no wonder, then, that we have seen the Chinese Communist Party pursue a technological advantage over us through forced acquisitions, malign foreign talent programs, and intellectual property theft.

They are also outspending us, plain and simple. China's R&D spending increased more than 50 percent between 2011 and 2016. In that same period, our investment fell by 12 percent, in absolute terms.

There is no question, we must act now to redouble our commitment to American research and development if we are to remain the global leader in science and technology.

This issue is so important that even our colleagues in the Senate have decided to address it. And while some legislative observers have noted that their approach to this has been less organized and focused, I appreciate that they recognize the urgency of the problem we are facing.

While the Senate chose to tack on countless special interest provisions, the House Science Committee approached this in a deliberative manner, spending more than a year working with stakeholders in government, academia, and industry to identify the best way to invest in our research enterprise and support American competitiveness.

The result is two bipartisan bills that significantly increase research funding while adding strong protections to keep it safe from foreign theft.

The NSF for the Future Act doubles funding for basic research over 5 years, investing a total of $78 billion.

It also includes $13 billion in funding for a new Directorate for Science and Engineering Solutions, focused on translating the discoveries funded by the foundation into solutions that can be applied to national and societal challenges.

H.R. 2225 helps expand our STEM workforce so that, as we create the technological jobs of the future, we are also developing American workers to fill them. It invests in STEM education at every level, from pre-K to post-doc programs, ensuring all Americans have access to high- quality STEM resources.

Our bill also expands the geographic diversity of American R&D by building research capabilities at minority-serving institutions and universities outside of the top 100 research institutions.

Importantly, the NSF for the Future Act has a strong focus on protecting taxpayer-funded research from adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran. Among the protections included in the bill is a provision that prohibits any grant recipients from participating in malign talent recruitment programs, like the Thousand Talents program.

Protections like these are all the more important as we increase investments in our research enterprise.

H.R. 2225 is a strategic and sustainable approach to investing in America science and technology. I would like to thank my colleague, Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, for all of the work she has done with me to get this bill before the floor today.

At every step in this process, Science Committee Republicans and Democrats have worked together to identify the challenges we face and craft the strongest possible legislation to support American competitiveness. That is due in large part to the chairwoman's leadership and our shared commitment to making sure America has the best research and development enterprise in the world.

Mr. Speaker, with U.S. leadership in science and technology at risk, the U.S. must recommit to supporting basic research, cutting-edge facilities, and a thriving domestic STEM workforce.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to take action now by supporting the NSF for the Future Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Waltz), the ranking member of the Research and Technology Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Feenstra).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Obernolte), the ranking member of the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee.

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

My colleagues have done a great job today of explaining all the many reasons we need to pass the National Science Foundation for the Future Act to keep America globally competitive. I thank them for their support of this legislation.

I also want to thank my staff for all the hard work they have done on this bill. America's scientific and technological competitiveness has been my highest priority as ranking member of the Science Committee. My staff has worked long and hard to create a smart, strategic approach to doubling our investments in research and development, and I appreciate all they have done.

I also want to thank Chairwoman Johnson's staff for working so closely with us to ensure that we have a bipartisan plan to invest in America's science and technology leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the NSF for the Future Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 3593, the Department of Energy Science for the Future Act. This legislation, along with H.R. 2225, the NSF for the Future Act is a comprehensive and strategic approach for investing in American research and development.

For decades, America has been the global leader in science and technology development. That success is no accident. It is the result of two things: A cultural commitment to innovation and exploration, and a sustained investment in basic research.

This is what makes us uniquely successful. The Federal Government funds high-risk, high-reward basic research that expands our fundamental knowledge of science and technology. This research, which is too costly for the marketplace to fund, produces discoveries that can then be commercialized through private industry.

Our system maximizes taxpayer investment and takes advantage of strong public-private partnerships to keep America at the cutting edge of technological progress.

Unfortunately, our adversaries in China are investing more than us in R&D in an attempt to take over the lead in science and technology.

The way to stay ahead of China isn't adopting their method of a top- down, government-mandated, applied research agenda. It is to reinvest in the basic research, infrastructure, and STEM workers that have always driven American progress.

H.R. 3593 does just that. It is the first comprehensive authorization of the Office of Science, which is our Nation's largest Federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences. The DOE Science for the Future Act invests $50 billion over 5 years in the Office of Science and the national labs, national scientific user facilities, and the thousands of researchers its supports.

The DOE Science for the Future Act is an investment in our technological and clean energy future. It funds research into materials, chemical, biological, and environmental sciences, as well as fusion energy, advanced computing capacities, and cutting edge technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum sciences.

We already know that investments in basic research pay large dividends. For example, basic research conducted in our national labs gave us improved hydraulic fracturing technology and allowed us to produce more clean natural gas. This reduced emissions, lowered energy costs for Americans, and helped us become a net total energy exporter for the first time in decades.

That is why everyone who cares about clean energy must care about the research supported by H.R. 3593. Investing in high-risk, early-stage research into cutting edge technologies is the only way to ensure that America stays at the head of the clean energy economy.

Another important provision in the DOE Science for the Future Act is the creation of a crosscutting Emerging Infectious Disease Research Initiative to build on DOE's work to better model, understand, and fight infectious diseases.

As they have shown time and again during the COVID-19 pandemic, our national labs have an important role to play in supporting public health. This legislation gives them the resources they need to continue this work.

H.R. 3593 also funds much-needed infrastructure updates for our national labs and user facilities. Our ability to conduct world-leading science depends on having access to world-leading equipment and facilities.

It also requires having skilled STEM professionals to conduct that research. Our bill includes workforce development and education provisions so that we have a thriving STEM pipeline to fill the technological jobs of the future.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3593 is a forward-looking bill that is badly needed right now to drive American progress and to keep us globally competitive.

As with the NSF for the Future Act, this legislation was drafted with extensive input in a bipartisan fashion, and the result is a strategic and responsible investment in the next generation of breakthrough energy technologies.

I thank my friend Chairwoman Johnson for all her work with me on this bill, and I urge my colleagues to pass this now. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Energy.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, America's scientific and technological leadership is being threatened by the Chinese Communist Party, and we must act urgently to reinvest in our own research and development enterprise.

H.R. 3593 redoubles our commitment to the basic research conducted by the Department of Energy's Office of Science and our national laboratories. Together with the NSF for the Future Act, it is a comprehensive and sustainable approach to American competitiveness.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my staff for everything they have done to help draft this important legislation. I thank my friend, Chairwoman Johnson, and her staff for working with us to include Republican priorities and ensure that this is a truly bipartisan bill.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to take this opportunity to recognize Melissa F. James, who is retiring from the House of Representatives after 26 years of exemplary service.

Upon graduation from Oklahoma State University in 1994, Melissa relocated to Washington, D.C., to begin her career with the Honorable Tom Coburn, newly elected from her hometown in Oklahoma. Melissa's hard work, problem-solving skills, and cando attitude quickly made her a valued member of Congressman Coburn's staff. After starting as a staff assistant, Melissa eventually was promoted to be Congressman Coburn's scheduler, a position she held until Mr. Coburn retired from the House in 2001.

Melissa remained in the House, next serving for 10 years as the scheduler and office manager to Congressman Todd Tiahrt of Kansas. In 2011, after Mr. Tiahrt's departure from Congress, Melissa joined the office of Congressman Randy Neugebauer of Texas. In her time with Mr. Neugebauer, Melissa frequently displayed a deft touch with difficult questions from both other staff and constituents. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a finer office representative than Melissa, who embodies the true spirit of public service. Melissa proved herself to be an irreplaceable member of every team on which she served, as demonstrated by the fact that she never left a Member's staff until the Member left the House.

After Congressman Neugebauer's retirement from the House in 2017, Melissa joined the Office of General Counsel (OGC) as its administrative director. Melissa took on new tasks and responsibilities with aplomb and immediately became an indispensable part of the OGC team. It would be impossible to list all of her contributions, but among them, she has taken a lead role with regard to all aspects of office management and administration, including with the office budget and computer systems. During her time with OGC, Melissa demonstrated herself to be dedicated to serving Members, Officers, and employees of the House, remarkably trustworthy and utterly fearless when faced with novel, sensitive, and difficult matters. Melissa's unwavering resolve and commitment to the House and OGC was always evident, as was her ability to find a solution to seemingly any problem.

Beyond her incredible dedication to her work, Melissa has been a kind and thoughtful coworker to all, treating everyone from the Members to the mail-carriers with the utmost respect and kindness. As scores of current and former colleagues can attest, Melissa is a true joy to work with, and is someone who makes the workday better for everyone with whom she comes into contact. It is no exaggeration to say that she has become family to many over her years on the Hill. Melissa is always eager to share her passion and contagious enthusiasm for golf--and really any sport in which an alum of her cherished OSU Cowboys (Go Pokes) plays--so much so that anyone who knows her soon becomes a fan as well. Melissa's cheerful and welcoming presence on the Hill will be sorely missed by all those who had the pleasure of working with her.

It will be hard to imagine the House without Melissa. Every day for the past 26 years, Melissa has served the House with unmatched dedication and tenacity. Regardless of the task before her, Melissa will always find a way to accomplish it--a quality that will continue to serve her well in her future endeavors. On behalf of the Office of General Counsel and the entire House community, I thank Melissa for her decades of service and wish for her a joyous and relaxing retirement among her many friends and family in Oklahoma.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1447, the COAST Research Act of 2021. This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize and modernize the Federal Government's ocean acidification research and monitoring programs.

Ocean acidification is the result of a gradual decrease in pH in the ocean chemistry. Even a small shift in pH can have a serious effect on marine ecosystems, including shellfish habitat, coral reefs, and fisheries habitat.

Congress recognized the need for a better understanding of the causes and effects of ocean acidification and passed the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act in 2009. That legislation created a framework for science agencies such as NOAA and the National Science Foundation to dedicate resources to studying the phenomenon. As a result, we made significant advancements in understanding ocean acidification over the last decade.

H.R. 1447 reauthorizes the funding for NOAA and NSF efforts through the fiscal year 2026, which lapsed in fiscal year 2012. It also modernizes their activities by updating the strategic plan governing the Federal Government's research efforts and strengthening cooperation among scientific agencies.

Additionally, the COAST Research Act designates NOAA as the lead agency for coordinating the Federal response to ocean and coastal acidification. This is an important step to streamline and organize efforts across the government.

Finally, this bill ensures that the voices of stakeholders and industry from multiple regions are heard through a newly established advisory board. This input is critical to effectively integrate the many research, monitoring, and adaptation strategies for coastal acidification.

This bill is the result of years of work in building a consensus among stakeholders, including ocean conservation groups, sportsmen, and coastal communities about how best to address this problem moving forward.

Coastal communities and businesses will greatly benefit from this legislation and how better knowledge of ocean acidification improves our ability to respond to its effects.

I thank Ms. Bonamici for introducing and leading this bill along with her House Oceans Caucus vice chair, Congressman Don Young, along with the many bipartisan cosponsors.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), one of the most outstanding individuals in this body; the dean of the House Republican Conference; the dean of the United States House; but, most importantly, and fortunately for his constituents, the dean of the Alaska congressional delegation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I again rise to support H.R. 1447, the COAST Research Act of 2021. It is necessary, bipartisan legislation with support from Members representing a diverse range of districts.

As I previously mentioned, significant progress toward our understanding the socioeconomic effects of ocean and coastal acidification has been made in the last decade. But to continue that progress, we need to update our priorities and our strategies.

That is what this bill does. That is what will keep our communities, our businesses, and our entire economy at the forefront of managing and mitigating the environmental challenges we face.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2533, the National Estuaries and Acidification Research Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Congressman Bill Posey, my esteemed colleague on the Science Committee.

This legislation directs the Secretary of Commerce to coordinate a study with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to examine the effects of ocean acidification on estuary environments, and to submit that report to Congress within 2 years.

Specifically, this study will be led by the Ocean Studies Board of the National Academies and provide Congress a better understanding of the biological and economic impacts of ocean acidification on inland marine environments.

Estuaries are economically important water ecosystems that occur when inland rivers meet oceans. This mix of fresh and salt waters is a delicate balance of nature that possesses unique biological characteristics. To date, there have been few studies on the effects ocean acidification has on these ecosystems.

We can't manage and mitigate the effects of something we don't fully understand. That is why H.R. 2533 is still needed today to bridge our knowledge gaps by utilizing the best expertise and resources to gain a better understanding of this important issue.

While Oklahoma is a landlocked State without estuaries, I recognize the economic and environmental effects acidification has on all of our Nation's waterways and other natural treasures. The waters of Oklahoma's rivers, streams, and tributaries feed into larger systems and eventually make it to the ocean. At the end of the day, being a conservationist doesn't stop at geographic barriers. It is a nationwide effort.

Mr. Speaker, this important word-for-word bill passed the House last Congress with the same bipartisan support it has here today. Unfortunately, it didn't move further in the Senate. So, 1 year later, we still need to improve our knowledge of coastal acidification and estuaries.

I thank Mr. Posey for leading this important legislation. I know his constituents and the Indian River Lagoon community appreciate his efforts to protect their surrounding environment. I also thank my Science Committee colleague across the aisle, Ms. Bonamici, for leading the effort on the majority side.

Mr. Speaker, as the saying goes, knowledge is power. This simple bipartisan bill advances our knowledge and gives us the power to quantify the effects estuary communities face when faced with coastal acidification.

The National Academies are a tremendous resource. Their studies are thorough, informative, and world class. I look forward to seeing the final product directed by this bill.

By preserving our Nation's estuaries, we are saving businesses from closing, ecosystems from dying, and people from getting sick. I, again, thank Representative Bill Posey and the entire Congressional Estuary Caucus for leading on this important topic.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 210, the Rural STEM Education Research Act, a bill that passed this House with resounding bipartisan support in the 116th Congress, and I hope it will do so again today.

I am pleased to be leading this important bill, and I thank Chairwoman Johnson for her support.

Now more than ever, America's prosperity and security depend on an effective and inclusive science, technology, engineering, math, and computer science workforce, or STEM.

Nationally, 80 percent of the fastest-growing occupations depend upon mastery of STEM skills, and the number of STEM jobs is growing three times faster than non-STEM jobs. Over the next decade, the STEM shortage is anticipated to reach 1 million positions, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

To succeed in this job market, our students need to be equipped with solid skills in science and engineering. Meeting this demand starts in the classroom.

Over 9 million students in the United States, nearly 20 percent of the total K-12 population, attend rural schools. In Oklahoma, that number is even higher; one-third of our students attend rural schools.

These students face a number of barriers to accessing high-quality STEM learning, including a shortage of trained science and math teachers, a lack of access to advanced STEM courses, and few local university and industry partners.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen further proof that rural students are at a disadvantage, given the unreliability or nonexistent broadband access many struggle with while distance learning.

The Rural STEM Education Research Act supports research and development activities to improve our understanding of the challenges rural communities are facing, and it takes steps to address those challenges in providing and sustaining quality STEM education programs.

H.R. 210 helps develop better practices for accessing and using computer-based and online STEM education courses. It will help schools combine online STEM education with hands-on training and apprenticeships to give students both theoretical and practical understanding of math and science skills.

The bill will also take steps to address one of the key obstacles to rural STEM education, a lack of broadband access. Of the 21 million Americans who lack access to broadband, the majority live in rural areas. With the increase in online learning, we need to prioritize connectivity for all students.

This bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish a prize competition to stimulate innovations in technologies to deploy broadband connectivity to underserved rural communities.

It also establishes a working group to set key research priorities for improving broadband access so rural communities can enjoy the same connectedness as the rest of the country.

This bill includes a number of provisions to help provide rural educators with the tools they need to be successful, both in the classroom and online. It supports opportunities for rural educators to enhance their own STEM education, such as training in computer science or research opportunities at Federal labs and universities. These experiences will provide rural educators with high-quality STEM skills they can take back to the classrooms and pass on to their students.

Lastly, the major focus of this bill is broadening the participation of rural students in STEM. One way we can do this is by emphasizing place-based learning, which gives students direct access to the STEM knowledge present in their communities and local environment.

Place-based learning connects students to the science that is right outside their doors, whether it is studying animal science with FFA, learning about local ecosystems out on the prairies and in forests, or developing the technological skills required to operate increasingly complex and computerized farm equipment. That direct experience engages students and helps them understand that STEM skills matter to everyone, not just scientists in a white lab coat.

Taken together, the measures in this bill will make great strides to improve rural STEM education. I believe rural areas represent one of the greatest, yet most underutilized, opportunities for talented students to enhance the United States' future STEM workforce.

I am pleased that this bill has been endorsed by a number of stakeholder groups: STEM Education Coalition, Afterschool Alliance, Battelle and STEM-X, National Science Teaching Association, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Chemical Society, American Geophysical Union, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Association of American Universities, Microsoft, Girl Scouts of the USA, National FFA Organization, and Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

I again thank Chairwoman Johnson and her staff for working with me on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to better STEM education for America's rural students, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Meijer).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Feenstra).

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I, once again, thank Chairwoman Johnson for her support of this legislation. Whether you live in Dallas, Texas, or Cheyenne, Oklahoma, every student should have the opportunity to gain STEM skills and to compete for the jobs of the future.

The Rural STEM Education Research Act gives teachers better tools to teach science and math, leverages local resources to engage students in key subjects, and addresses the lack of broadband access in rural communities. This important legislation passed the House with strong bipartisan support last Congress. I hope it will do so again today.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill today, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 144, the Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act, the first bipartisan bill Chairwoman Johnson and I introduced in the 117th Congress.

Over the past year, COVID-19 has caused substantial disruptions across this country, including in the U.S. research enterprise. Most research and development work stopped or was dramatically limited to provide for safe social distancing, and it is estimated we lost between 20 and as much as 40 percent of our research output.

In addition to this loss of research, we are facing the loss of our researchers. Graduate students and post-docs are particularly vulnerable to research disruptions. With their research on pause, these young scientists are finding it difficult to complete their degree requirements. Those who have finished their degrees are having trouble finding work.

Much of academia has implemented hiring freezes, and it is estimated that faculty openings in the sciences have decreased by more than 70 percent compared to 2019. At the same time, the pace of innovation is accelerating globally, and with it, the competition for scientific and technical talent.

The Chinese Communist Party has repeatedly stated it is determined to overtake the U.S. in critical technologies like AI, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing. These technologies will require new levels of scientific skills and understanding, and this new generation of scientists will play a critical role in how they are developed.

Now more than ever, the innovation capacity of the U.S. and our prosperity and security depend on an effective and an innovative STEM workforce to compete with our adversaries.

If we do not provide the resources to support these young researchers, we will be limiting our ability to support new and innovative discoveries for years to come. Unfortunately, of the nearly $6 trillion in COVID research spending that Congress has passed, only $600 million was allocated to helping the research industry recover.

That is only 1 percent for a sector of our economy that drives as much as 85 percent of the long-term growth. We have relied on American science and scientists to combat COVID and we are not giving them the funding they need to resume the work that has been stopped by the pandemic and keep our future innovators in the system. Our STEM pipeline and future competitors could be irreparably damaged if we don't act quickly.

Mr. Speaker, that is why I am so proud to cosponsor this legislation. It will establish a pilot program at the National Science Foundation to provide 2-year fellowships to young researchers whose career paths have been disrupted by the pandemic. The bill will support 3,200 fellowships over 4 years. These fellowships will allow talented young scientists and engineers to carry out independent research at an institution of higher education of their choosing.

This bill provides targeted and temporary relief to support early- career scientists, keeping them in the STEM pipeline while the research enterprise recovers. By supporting these young researchers, we are investing in America's research and technology leadership.

This legislation has been endorsed by over 30 organizations, and has nearly as many cosponsors. It was favorably reported out of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on a bipartisan basis, and I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I, again, thank Chairwoman Johnson and her staff for working with me on this important legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Meijer).

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, America's scientific progress depends on a large pool of talented STEM professionals. Our early-career researchers are a critical link in the chain of developing the next generation of scientists.

Unfortunately, in the STEM community, these young scientists have been disproportionately affected by COVID-related lab closures, reduced funding, and hiring freezes. We risk losing these valuable scientists if we do nothing.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join Chairwoman Johnson in championing the Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act to support this up-and-coming generation of scientists and preserve America's research and technological leadership.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank Chairwoman Johnson and her staff for working in a bipartisan and collaborative way on this legislation. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, 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 in support of H.R. 204, the STEM Opportunities Act of 2021. As a co-sponsor of this legislation with Chairwoman Johnson, I am pleased the House is taking it up for consideration today.

H.R. 204 continues the Science Committee's long history of bipartisan support for STEM education. The United States is in a race to remain the world's leader in science and technology. The only way we will win is by utilizing America's most valuable resource: Our people.

That means developing a diverse STEM-capable workforce at every education level and from every background.

The U.S. invests over $1 billion a year in Federal STEM education programs. But we have not made enough progress in growing a STEM- capable workforce. We need to address that. That is why one of the key provisions of H.R. 204 is a requirement for more comprehensive data collection and analysis on the students, researchers, and faculty receiving Federal science grants.

This data will help us identify and reduce the barriers that prevent underrepresented groups from entering and advancing in STEM. It will also help us measure the success of Federal STEM programs to better direct our investments.

The bill also includes a provision directing the NSF to support computer science education through the existing Tribal Colleges and Universities Program. Access to computer science resources and developing computer skills is critical in today's economy.

The STEM employment in the United States continues to grow faster than any other job category. Employers in all sectors, including agriculture, energy, healthcare, and defense are desperate for workers with STEM skills.

In order to meet this demand, we must develop talent across all possible groups. Our bill takes important steps to ensure that we are fully engaging America's entire talent pool and maintaining our global leadership in science and technology.

H.R. 204 overwhelmingly passed the House last Congress, and I look forward to getting the bill across the finish line this year.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to thank Chairwoman Johnson and her staff for working in a bipartisan fashion on this legislation and for incorporating our feedback and ideas. I look

forward to continuing to work with her to advance STEM education efforts--this Congress--that will support, encourage, and develop the next generation of STEM workers.

Maintaining our global leadership in science and technology is critical to our economic and national security. We will not be able to lead without a STEM-capable workforce for the 21st century.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 204, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation led by Chairwoman Johnson and Research and Technology Ranking Member Michael Waltz, which continues the Science Committee's bipartisan work to support, encourage, and develop the next generation of America's Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science workforce.

Minority-serving institutions, such as historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and Tribal colleges and universities have a long record of success in recruiting, retaining, and graduating underrepresented students in the STEM fields.

In my own district, I have seen the unique value of minority-serving institutions. For more than 100 years, Langston University, a historically Black college and land-grant institution, has educated students of all backgrounds. They have influenced people's lives beyond the classroom in service to the community in both rural and urban Oklahoma. This legislation will help schools like Langston prepare their students to fill the STEM jobs of the 21st century.

Since 1990, employment in STEM occupations has grown by nearly 80 percent. Over the next decade, with demand continuing to grow and U.S. universities expecting to produce less than one-third of the STEM graduates needed, the STEM shortage is anticipated to reach 1 million professionals. At the same time, minorities are severely underrepresented in STEM fields, only accounting for 11 percent of the STEM workforce.

To meet this growing demand, talent from all groups is essential. This bill we are considering today takes up this call to action by providing for increased transparency, accountability, and accessibility of Federal STEM education and research funding.

Without a diverse talent pool of Americans with strong STEM knowledge and skills prepared for the jobs of the future, the U.S. will not be able to maintain the innovation that supports key sectors of the economy, including agriculture, energy, healthcare, and defense.

Mr. Speaker, I, again, thank Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Waltz for their leadership.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Waltz), the ranking member on the Research and Technology Subcommittee, and one of our great activists on this subject matter.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Mr. Speaker, the United States is in a race to remain the world leader in science and technology. The only way we will win this is by utilizing America's most valuable resource: Our people.

That means developing a diverse STEM-capable workforce at every education level and from every background. Creating opportunities for students to not only develop STEM knowledge, but to also have hands-on experience is essential.

Research shows that students--especially those from underrepresented minority backgrounds--are more likely to graduate from science and engineering programs if they have opportunities to engage in STEM course content with peers, participate in undergraduate research, and join science clubs and organizations.

This bill will support such STEM education and training activities in MSIs, providing these students with the skills necessary to compete and

flourish in the 21st century. These investments will help grow our workforce, improve our economy, and protect our country.

I, again, would like to thank Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Waltz for their leadership.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2695, the Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act.

I am proud to say that this bill has a foundation of years of investigation, analysis, and recommendations to the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. Curbing sexual misconduct in science is a priority that Chairwoman Johnson and I share.

Engaging more women in STEM studies and careers is essential to American competitiveness. Women make up over half the workforce, but account for less than 25 percent of America's STEM workforce. Unfortunately, too many women have been driven out of STEM careers due to a culture of harassment and abuse.

H.R. 2695 takes the first steps to address this problem. The bill directs NSF to expand research efforts to better understand the causes and consequences of sexual harassment affecting individuals in the scientific, technical, engineering, and mathematical workforces.

Additionally, it directs NSF to examine policies to reduce the prevalence and negative impact of such harassment.

The bill also supports the adoption of uniform guidance across the Federal science agencies to combat sexual harassment involving grant personnel.

There is an established legal process in place within higher education and in the workforce for handling claims of sexual harassment. I cannot stress this enough: this bill does not alter that process.

What this bill does do is create a uniform policy requiring universities and research institutions to report to Federal science agencies when an administrative action is taken that impacts the ability of a researcher to carry out a grant.

Pervasive sexual harassment in the scientific community discourages women from critical work and good-paying jobs and hurts American competitiveness. It is unacceptable for taxpayer dollars to fund researchers who are guilty of harassing students or colleagues.

I want to thank the stakeholders, especially the university community, for working with committee staff to improve this legislation. I believe the revised bill strikes the right balance between protecting due process and privacy, while also making sure that Federal science agencies can act if a Federal research grant or the personnel supporting that grant is impacted.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, H.R. 2695 takes the first steps towards addressing sexual harassment in STEM fields, which is driving women out of STEM careers and damaging U.S. competitiveness.

While some progress has been made since the Science, Space, and Technology Committee first started investigating the issue almost 4 years ago, there is still much more work to be done. This legislation sends a strong message to the scientific community that misconduct will not be tolerated, and it sends a message to women who are in STEM studies and careers that we support them.

This bill passed the House last Congress, and I look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate and stakeholders to advance this legislation into law this year.

I again want to thank Chairwoman Johnson and her staff for working in a bipartisan and collaborative way on this legislation.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1.

As the ranking member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I am particularly concerned that H.R. 1 would adversely impact the work done by the National Institute of Standards and Technology on election security.

NIST is responsible for conducting research on voting technologies, developing standards and best practices that help ensure the security of voting systems, and providing technical guidance to the Election Assistance Commission. In short, NIST's work is critical to helping States and localities conduct safe, secure, and accessible elections.

So why doesn't this bill include any of the technical feedback provided by NIST last year?

I am deeply concerned that we are limiting NIST's ability to do their job. This is just one example of how this rushed attempt to score political points has given precedence over putting forth meaningful legislation. This legislation would do more harm than good. I urge my colleagues to reject the bill.