Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address our single most important domestic issue that faces our country, reforming our broken health insurance program.

We spend too much, we receive too little, and we are left worrying that the insurance that we have won't be enough. Nationwide, premiums have doubled in the last 9 years, increasing three times faster than real wages.

Arizona's Eighth Congressional District is especially burdened. In 2008, we had over 950 personal bankruptcies due to health care problems.

We can't perpetuate the status quo. Arizonans need reform that protects us from being denied coverage based on a preexisting condition. We need reform that guarantees care if we lose our job or move. Arizonans need reform that

fosters competition and delivers us, the customer, the lowest cost and the best service. Arizonans need reform that puts the power back into the hands of patients and doctors.

Mr. Speaker, we can do this, and we must do this. If you like your plan, you should be able to keep it and your costs should go down and not up. There are savings to be had in our current system, and we must focus on squeezing out every drop.

Madam Speaker, it is my great honor to pay tribute today to Suzi and Fred Dow, residents of Bisbee, Arizona who have dedicated themselves to educating the public on the rich experiences of our National Forests.

Like other pioneers of the west, they possess a thirst for the unexplored, acting as guides to our nation's greatest resource, our National Forests. Together, Suzi and Fred have personally researched and surveyed 2,367 campgrounds in over 153 National Forests.

Since 1994, they have traveled over 275,000 miles in their meticulous journey through our nation's wilderness. Today, they are in the midst of exploring the Superior National Forest of Minnesota, the fifth destination of their current five month adventure.

Suzi and Fred publish their findings on a Web site, www.forestcamping.com, hosting almost 4,000 photographs that illustrate National Forest sights and campgrounds. The Web site receives over 300,000 hits a day and features an active forum, blog, and monthly newsletter titled, The Wanderings.

In addition to their website, Suzi and Fred have published 9 books in an effort to promote national forests and camping opportunities. Through their Web site and books, they share an articulate, detailed narrative of their wanderings as well as practical advice, such as how to cook pasta at high elevations.

In 2003, the USDA Forest Service recorded more than 200 million visitors, who contributed over $7.5 billion to the local communities in and around National Forests. Suzi and Fred's efforts indirectly stimulate the economy of these communities, at no cost to the government.

The Southwestern author Edward Abbey once said, ``Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.'' Suzi and Fred encourage people to indulge in that necessity, while also developing an understanding of the importance of National Forests to the health and well being of our country.

Thank you, Suzi and Fred, for documenting the beauty of our country and sharing your experiences with all of us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the most important domestic policy issue that faces our country, and that is the reforming of our health care system, this great debate that this country is having right now.

Before coming to the United States Congress, I served as a State Legislator, both in the House and in the Senate in the State of Arizona, so I had a chance to hear from people all over, from Tombstone all the way up to Flagstaff about the challenges that they faced with health care.

Before I was a State Legislator, I was the CEO of my family's tire business. And running El Campo Tires, I had a chance to make some important decisions for my employees, and that included making sure that they had good health benefits. Unlike many of my competitors, I offered health care upon hire. But year after year I saw double-digit increases when it came to paying for our insurance premium. Now, we weren't a very large company, but I thought it was important to provide those health care benefits. It was probably detrimental to the company, but I thought that was really critical.

We see right now in the United States, as a country, that we spend too much for health care per capita. We spend well more than any other country. Yet we have 47 million Americans right now that have no health insurance. We have probably 20 million additional Americans that are underinsured, and millions and millions every day that worry that the insurance that they have won't cover them, that it won't be enough. Nationwide, premiums have doubled in the last 9 years, which have basically increased three times faster than real wages across the United States.

I represent Arizona's Eighth Congressional District and it's unique because it's burdened in different ways than other parts of the country. This is a border district, one of 10 border districts. A large amount of the geography is rural, where it's very hard to get physicians or nurses to go out there. Many parts of the district are low income. We also have fewer doctors per capita than other parts of the country. From 2001 to 2006, the out-of-pocket expenses in my district went up by 32 percent; and in 2008, there were 950 health care related personal bankruptcies in my district. So we cannot continue to perpetuate the status quo. The time for health care reform is right now. Arizonans need reform that's going to protect us from being denied coverage based on a pre-existing health condition that they might have. Arizonans need reform that guarantees care, even if we lose our job or if we move or if our spouse loses his or her job. Arizonans need reform that fosters competition, which is critical to our free market system, across the insurance companies and delivers us, the customers, the consumers, the lowest cost and the best service available. Arizonans need reform that puts the power of health care decisions back into the hands of the patient and back into the hands of their physicians. Reform is not an option, and most Americans simply know that.

As the health care legislation is being crafted and being discussed right now, we know that it has to be done responsibly. We know we need to pay for it. We can't continue to put today's expenses on to the shoulders of our children and our grandchildren. It is also critical that Americans know that if you like your plan, you can keep your plan. You should be able to make sure that your costs go down and not go up like they're continuing to do. There are savings to be had in our current system. We all know that. So we have to focus on squeezing those costs, every drop. We can do this, and we must do this. So it's really time to make sure, not that we do it fast, but that we do it right because our economy's at stake. Our children, our grandchildren, and America's prosperity are at stake right now with this health reform issue.

So thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the time, and for my constituents back home, the importance that they know that we're going to work to make sure we get this health care legislation right.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res 607, a resolution to honor the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. As you know, it was 40 years ago today that the citizens of planet Earth received a message from one of their own beamed all the way back from the surface of the Moon. That message was the historic signal that humanity had at long last set foot on another world. What an amazing accomplishment! Or as Apollo 11 Mission Commander Neil Armstrong said: ``That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.''

At that time, the American people could still remember the impact created by the Soviet Union's successful launch of Sputnik in 1957, which led to the Space Race with the USSR. Our nation indeed took a ``giant leap'' when, 12 years later, two American astronauts successfully landed the Eagle Lunar Module on the Sea of Tranquility, walked upon the lunar surface, and then returned safely to Earth.

Not only had this achievement demonstrated America's technological preeminence in the eyes of the world, it also inspired generations of engineers and scientists. Indeed, it can be argued that one of the most lasting benefits of the Apollo program was the flood of innovation and inspiration that it unleashed. It is not an overstatement to say that we remain today the beneficiaries of the restless energy and hard work that culminated in the success of Apollo 11.

Thus I think it is incredibly important for us to pause to remember and honor the bravery and success of the crew of Apollo 11: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. In addition, we should also remember and honor all of the countless individuals and organizations who labored long and hard to make Apollo 11 possible. Yet I think that the best way to honor their accomplishment is to make our own commitment to a challenging and robust program of human and robotic exploration of the solar system. It is time for America to take the next steps in space--we cannot simply rest on our laurels, no matter how hard-won.

Mr. Speaker, in closing I would like to thank Ranking Member Hall for introducing this resolution. I am proud to be an original cosponsor, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, today Congress is considering legislation to honor the Astronauts of Apollo 11 and Mercury Astronaut John Glenn with the Congressional Gold Medal, and as a proud cosponsor, I rise to urge support of this bill to recognize the trailblazing accomplishments of these brave American heroes.

Their courage and the success of their missions have become symbols of what we as Americans can accomplish when we come together and put all of our energy and hard work into reaching a goal in which we all believe.

The launch of Sputnik in 1957 initiated the Space Race of the 1960s between the United States and the Soviet Union. Just 12 years later, this Space Race culminated with Apollo 11's historic touchdown on the Moon's Sea of Tranquility in July of 1969.

Even though NASA and the goal of landing men on the Moon were in some sense directly inspired by Cold War rivalries, the Apollo 11 lunar landings and John Glenn's orbital flight became a means of uniting all of us here on Earth in a collective adventure of humanity.

Moreover, the lessons learned and the technology developed for John Glenn's orbital flight and the flight of Apollo 11 to the Moon spawned countless advances which have directly contributed to a better quality of life here on Earth.

In the decades since, many important technologies can be traced back to our space program. For even though the goal landing humans on the Moon had been attained, NASA went on to undertake world-leading research and development initiatives in Earth and space science, aeronautics, and human space flight.

Yet, ultimately it comes down to people--hard-working, dedicated men and women who made it all possible.

That is why I am pleased to join my colleagues in support of legislation to bestow one of the nations highest honors, the Congressional Gold Medal, to Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, and John Glenn.

In closing, I want to commend Representative Grayson for introducing this bill, and I urge Members to pass it.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a small but historically significant outpost of the great American pastime: Warren Ballpark in Bisbee, Arizona.

Baseball was invented, nurtured, and popularized in our great Nation. We are well aware of how this uniquely American game saw us through two world wars, a Great Depression, and innumerable challenges, both at home and abroad. Baseball is a fixed star; it will always be with us to bolster our spirits in times of need--times such as we face today.

It is with this storied past in mind that I recognize Bisbee's Warren Ballpark on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.

Warren Ballpark probably is not well-known outside of my district in southeastern Arizona but its place in baseball's history is as sure as a homerun. It is truly a field of dreams.

A recent editorial in the Sierra Vista Herald captured the essence of my message today: ``The story of our ballpark is representative of a time when baseball was THE spectator sport and when every community of size and significance had its own minor league team.''

The first game at Warren Ballpark was played between the home team and a team from El Paso, Texas, on June 27th, 1909--three years before Arizona became a state! At the time, Bisbee was a booming mining town with a population close to that of Tucson and Phoenix. The year that first game was played was also the year that one of Arizona's most renowned political figures, Barry Goldwater, was born and the year that the famed Apache warrior, Geronimo, died. In 1909 William Howard Taft assumed the Presidency from Theodore Roosevelt and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.

Much has happened since the glory days of Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner. Our Nation, my State and the game of baseball have all undergone countless changes. Yet Warren Ballpark remains. It is, therefore, appropriate that this body acknowledge Warren Ballpark as a historical treasure for our Nation and the community of Bisbee.

Warren Ballpark, it has been home to minor league teams affiliated with major league teams such as the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Cleveland Indians. The park saw the beginning of many great careers and hosted players who not only entertained America on the field, but protected her off the field as they answered the call of duty in World Wars I and II and the Korean war.

Baseball is still played on the old field of Warren Ballpark. The local high school team, the Bisbee Pumas, plays its games there, as does the Bisbee Copper Kings. The games draw enthusiastic supporters from Bisbee and surrounding communities.

Mike Anderson, founding member of Friends of Warren Ballpark, stated it well. He said ``this is baseball on an intimate basis--the type of

thing that can never take place on a television screen, nor can it be replicated in a cavernous facility where one has to look at a scoreboard video screen to see the expression on a player's face.'' To those who have the good fortune of attending a game at Warren Ballpark, it is history, and life, and community all rolled into one.

I commend this local and national treasure for the 100 years of entertainment and enjoyment it has given to the community and for its unique place in the history of our national pastime.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the leaders and members of Fort Huachuca Brownie Troop 2181, from Sierra Vista, Arizona, for their initiative in coordinating and conducting the Fort Huachuca Sun Oven Cook-off. This event will take place on the U.S. Army's Fort Huachuca on Saturday, July 18.

On that day, using specially designed solar ovens and only the power of the sun, the 18 members of Troop 2181 will prepare a spaghetti feast and then cakes for auction. In doing so, they will raise funds to purchase solar ovens for needy members of their community while simultaneously educating people about the benefits and capabilities of solar energy.

Solar energy is the most abundant and widely available energy source on our planet. It is also clean, safe, and affordable. As the United States and other countries across the globe look for ways to secure a more peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future, solar technologies have an important role to play. I applaud the members of Troop 2181 for their leadership in demonstrating the benefits of solar energy in their community and for using the proceeds to help those in need.

In performing this project, the members of Troop 2181 will learn valuable lessons about the power of public service and the many benefits of solar energy. They will learn about areas where help is needed in their community, and they will learn that they can make a positive difference.

I wish to single out a few people who deserve special recognition for their leadership in making this project a reality: Ken Robinson, Command Information Chief for the Fort Huachuca Public Affairs, was influential in paving the way for this project; Valerie McCaffrey, Chair of Baja Arizona Sustainable Agriculture, helped secure the solar ovens at cost; and Kristen Engasser has performed exemplary service as leader of Troop 2181.

I applaud all of these community leaders for empowering the young people of Southern Arizona and helping them develop critical leadership skills that will allow them to create a better world.

Mr. Chairman, today I rise in remembrance of James F. McNulty, an Arizonan, a patriot, a statesman and a former Member of this body. Mr. McNulty passed away in Tucson on the 30th of June.

During his long life of service of 83 years, Jim McNulty was many things. He was a World War II veteran, a proud University of Arizona alumnus, a father of three, a successful attorney, a member of the Catholic Church, a Peace Corps volunteer, and a legislator.

In 1982, Jim was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, the fifth seat in the district of Arizona, a newly created seat. Though he only served for one single term, he was widely praised for his passionate advocacy for his community and for his constituents.

On behalf of the entire Arizona delegation, I would like to request that all Members please stand and observe a moment of silence in memory of our dear friend and former colleague, Jim McNulty.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to encourage all citizens to take a moment during the upcoming Independence Day weekend to reflect on what the United States and the ideals of our Republic mean to them.

America's experiment with democracy represents the origins of a new outlook and new system of governance. Our founders dared to challenge history. The principles of personal liberty and collective justice-- exercised daily across our country--were once little more than the lofty goals of our ancestors. Today, we have come a long way. We have struggled and continue to struggle, to achieve the true spirit of freedom for every American and every citizen of humanity.

When I reflect on the ideals of our nation and consider the significance of our shining example of freedom to the world, I think not only of our deep-rooted principle of self-determination but the basic liberties set forth by the Declaration of Independence and our Bill of Rights. These two great doctrines lay a foundation for all free nations.

But I believe freedom is more than words.

Freedom is a society in which all have an equal opportunity to succeed.

A free society is one in which citizens are not burdened by a perpetual cycle of poverty that breeds crime, violence and chronic disease.

A free society is one in which the people are not crushed into bankruptcy by the weight of growing medical costs that seem without bounds.

Citizens of a free society need not choose between buying food and affording care.

A free society educates all of its children and provides vast opportunity for betterment beyond the classroom.

A free society ought not be bound by the shackles of oppression, be it physical restraints or the restraints imposed by a dependence on foreign assets.

A free society puts its stock in innovation, tapping into its own financial and human capital to grow a smarter economy and a safer future that doesn't poison our air, water and land or tie self determination to the foreign resources of another land's oppressor.

In our still pioneering young republic, we refuse to cede the initiative to innovate.

In our pursuit of freedom we agree to forgo some of our individual interests and intemperance to allow the space for open dialogue, debate and discussion.

Our society and all free societies must be open to compromise without bias to age, color or creed.

So as I stand here on the eve of our 233rd Independence Day, I am grateful for our founding fathers and their quest for democracy. While I value the vast distances we have traveled since Philadelphia, I remain mindful of the long journey yet to perfection.

On this Independence Day, I urge my fellow Arizonans and all Americans to endeavor to renew and revive the spirit of liberty that launched this great nation, and strive to seek a more perfect Union.

Thank you, Ms. Matsui.

I rise today in support of this legislation. I was pleased to join with my Southwestern colleagues Dina Titus and Martin Heinrich to offer amendments to this bill, which are now part of the manager's amendment.

With strong support from my colleagues and the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, we cracked an amendment which will significantly expand the government's use of electricity from renewable sources, such as solar energy, in a couple of ways.

First, it extends the allowable period of time for which Federal agencies may sign public power agreements from 10 years to 20 years. This will allow renewable power providers to offer lower rates, making renewable power much more cost competitive. This is going to promote the installation of renewable power projects on government buildings and military installations across the country.

In my district, southern Arizona, both Fort Huachuca and Davis- Monthan Air Force Base are looking at installing solar projects. This time expansion from 10 to 20 years, this provision is going to be a significant benefit to these projects and other projects across the country.

Second, the amendment will establish a target of 20 percent renewable electricity for all government agencies by 2020. Similar to the renewable electricity standard for utilities already crafted in this legislation, this provision simply ensures that our Federal Government is doing the same. We are creating a market for renewable power.

As an enormous consumer of energy, particularly the Department of Defense, the Federal Government can have a significant positive impact by modifying its procurement process to support emerging technologies in this way.

This bill, Madam Speaker, is not a perfect bill, but it's an important piece of legislation, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill and to praise Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member McKeon as well as the chairmen and ranking members of the subcommittees on Armed Services and especially the staff for getting this bill right.

This week we're having a great debate about energy in our country. Most Americans don't realize that the Department of Defense is responsible for approximately 80 percent of all the energy used by the Federal Government. The final bill that we were able to pass out of committee this week includes groundbreaking language to encourage continued advances on responsible energy. Working with the Department, we included a series of new reporting requirements. We increase the use of electric and hybrid vehicles; we speed up the development of biofuels; and we encourage additional investment and use of geothermal energy. We also made some commonsense decisions regarding our fighter aircraft fleet. As a committee working in a bipartisan manner, we set aside the rhetoric, and we took into account current and future threats to balance the force. We sustained the current operational fleet. We supported additional F-22s requested by our combatant commanders. We maintained robust F-35 funding. And we provided additional flexibility for the Air Force to fill the impending fighter gap with less expensive but quite capable 4.5 Generation fighters.

I again congratulate Chairman Skelton, Ranking Member McKeon and the committee staff for their hard work on this legislation. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support it.

I rise for the purpose of a colloquy with the subcommittee chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I am deeply concerned about the reductions from the request recommended for the NASA Constellation program in this appropriations bill. As you know, this bill provides the same level of funding as in the year 2009, and it's almost $600 million less than what the President requested for 2010.

As the Chair of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, I strongly believe that NASA should be given the funding needed to carry out one of the

most important missions, which is exploration. I am very concerned that the levels obtained in this bill will be viewed by the Augustine Human Spaceflight Review Panel as a lack of support for Constellation and for NASA's other human spaceflight programs, programs that have been strongly endorsed, as we've heard by the colloquies here on the floor, on a bipartisan basis in last year's NASA Authorization Act of 2008.

So Chairman Mollohan, is it your view that the Augustine panel should not interpret the House's action today as any weakening of congressional support for the Nation's human spaceflight and exploration programs?

Mr. Chairman, let me continue, and when you find that--

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

In addition, do you agree that it's imperative that the President--

--and Congress provide the appropriate resources that we can avoid cost increases and further delays in the initial operating capabilities of our Nation's next generation of human space flight architecture?

And finally, do you agree with me that the Augustine Panel should not be bound by arbitrary OMB budgetary projections as it develops its best advice to the President and Congress on the future conduct of the Nation's Human Space Flight Program?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As we've heard tonight, not only is manned spaceflight strongly bipartisan, but it truly represents the best that our civilization has ever achieved.

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize the brave men and women of the United States Border Patrol on the occasion of their agency's 85th anniversary.

The Border Patrol is the first line of defense for our nation. When it was established in the early part of the last century, its only posts were in Detroit, Michigan, and El Paso, Texas. The first agents were issued a badge and a revolver but they had to provide their own horses and saddles. Fortunately, the federal government paid for the feed.

Since its founding in 1924, the Border Patrol has grown and become a modern agency in every way. While some Border Patrol agents still ride horses, they all now use technology that their predecessors could not have imagined. Their tools and strategies have changed over time but their original mission remains the same. Each day they put on their uniforms and go out to protect and defend our borders.

Representing the 8th Congressional District in Southeastern Arizona, I have had the privilege of witnessing first-hand the Border Patrol's important work. It has been a highlight of my time in Congress to meet the men and women of the Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol who serve in one of the most challenging regions in our country. While the Tucson Sector represents only 13 percent of our border with Mexico, it accounts for close to 50 percent of the Border Patrol's apprehensions and drug seizures.

Under the exceptional leadership of Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent Robert Gilbert, great progress has been achieved in making our border more secure. Chief Gilbert has assembled an outstanding top management team including Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Robert Boatwright and Division Chiefs John Fitzpatrick and Jeanne Ray-Condon. In addition to implementing effective new strategies to deal with the high volume of drug and human smuggling, they have been responsive to my inquiries on behalf of constituents and they have reached out to establish partnerships with local residents, ranchers and business owners.

The daily work of the Border Patrol is conducted by a force of hard working agents who carry out their duty with honor and distinction in some of the most rugged territory in the nation. I am proud of the relationship we have established with the Executive Board of the National Border Patrol Council, Local 2544, which represents the agents who work in the Tucson Sector. The agents on the ground are capably represented by Edward Tuffly, Local 2544 President, and the members of his Executive Board, Richard Martinez, Arturo Del Cueto, David Hull and Kurt Kelley. They keep me apprised of the needs and concerns of their members so that I can better fight for the resources that they must have to safely and effectively do their jobs.

My 9,000-square mile district includes 114 miles of international border. The Border Patrol's Tucson Sector is ground zero for the trafficking of humans and drugs into our country. Each day, the agents stationed here confront extraordinary risks to keep us safe. They face armed smugglers, harsh desert terrain and weather extremes. Each day, they illustrate what it means to be dedicated to duty and to country. Border Patrol agents serve us with patriotism and commitment and, as a nation, we owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude.

On behalf of the people of Arizona's 8th Congressional District, I extend my deepest appreciation to the men and women of the Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol and to their colleagues who work all across our borders.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation today is facing many great challenges, but there are three in particular that specifically I think are of great concern to the American people: Achieving energy independence, addressing climate change and stimulating our economy. These are all significant challenges, but they also present great opportunities. As we confront these issues, we have the chance to make our world stronger, safer and more prosperous.

One of the best ways to do this is by deploying renewable energy. Renewable energy sources, especially solar, our Nation's most abundant renewable energy source, offers a real solution to these challenges I just mentioned. Our solar resource is vast, it's domestic, and it's free. It is clean, and it generates electricity without greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the solar power industry is growing and creating good-paying jobs. For all of these reasons, solar is important to America.

This is why I'm concerned about the way that solar power is treated in the energy and climate bill that recently emerged from the Energy and Commerce Committee. I commend Chairmen Waxman and Markey and their committee colleagues for their persistence and skill in moving the legislation forward. However, I have to express my deep concern that this bill does not do nearly enough to promote solar power, one of the best solutions for our Nation's energy and climate challenges. The current Waxman-Markey legislation would establish a Federal renewable electricity standard, or RES, of 20 percent by 2020, and that's a good goal. The State of Arizona is 15 percent by 2025. However, the bill fails to establish an carve-out for any specific type of renewable like solar; and in my view, this constitutes an enormous missed opportunity. The primary reason to establish a RES is to create an assured level of demand for renewable electricity. This assured demand allows renewable technologies to increase production, learn by doing and bring their prices down. This allows them to become cost competitive with traditional energy sources. However, without carve-outs for different resources, the RES will fall short of its own potential. Instead of creating demand for all renewables, it's going to give preference to those that cost the least, and currently that is wind and biomass. Without assured demand, solar will miss out on an opportunity that the RES was designed to create. It

will not grow as fast as it otherwise could, and it will not become as cost competitive as quickly as it needs to.

Now I have nothing against wind and biomass. But if we develop these resources at the expense of a more diverse portfolio, we will lose our opportunity to stimulate our domestic solar industry that can compete in a global marketplace. I understand the reluctance to pick technology winners and losers. In fact, I agree with that. But I'm not talking about picking a technology. I'm talking about picking a resource, and that is a big difference. It is impossible to imagine a future powered by renewables that does not include a significant amount of solar energy. We may not yet know what that best type of solar technology will ultimately be, but we do know and the rest of the world knows that we want it to come from the sun, and we want it to be solar. Therefore, it's in our national interest to ensure that the U.S. solar industry is the strongest in the world, and we should do so by continuing to promote and innovate. Solar power, yes, is in its infancy today; but we need to make sure that in the future it really drives America.

Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Speaker. And as we work towards implementing solar technology in our legislation, I just want to thank my colleagues for spending time to learn about this important resource.

To do that, we should establish an effective incentive in the form of a 20 percent solar carve-out within the RES.

A couple weeks ago, researchers at the University of Arizona in my hometown of Tucson were awarded a $15 million grant to create an Energy Frontier Research Center. They are working to develop ultrathin solar panels that use dyes to create electricity from sunlight. This project is tremendously exciting, but as we invest in these technologies, we must ensure we are creating a market to use them.

In the race to become the global solar leader, the clock is ticking and the competition is fierce. America does not have time to waste with poorly designed policies. This is why I call on my colleagues to support a solar carve-out within the RES. It is a proven mechanism to develop a truly diverse renewable portfolio that includes solar power.

Thank you, Chairman Berman, for your leadership, and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen as well.

I want to let you know that it's important that this provision on U.S. export controls that is now going to be entered into the manager's amendment with support is important to the fundamental job that we have as a Member of Congress, which is our U.S. national security. A recent report of the National Academy found that U.S. national security and economic prosperity depends on full engagement in science, technology, and commerce. However, some of the unintended consequences of our current U.S. export control system have contributed to a situation in which the U.S. is now among leaders in science and technology areas but no longer dominates.

As Chair of the Science and Technology Committee Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, I'm especially concerned about our leadership in space, especially as more nations seek to increase their space activities. This provision directs the President to take into account the views of the relevant Federal departments and agencies and to provide a report to Congress on the plans of those agencies to streamline U.S. export controls and processes to better serve the United States. We can't afford to undercut our scientific and technological competitiveness.

I urge Members to support the legislation.