Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, a good example of fake news appeared in Sunday's New York Times. It is a column headlined, ``As Trump Denies Climate Change, These Kids Die.'' This may be a new high--or maybe a new low--for climate alarmists and their exaggerations.

Two facts: first, most severe and persistent droughts occurred decades ago, not recently; and second, there is little connection between climate change and extreme weather, in general, according to numerous studies.

Climate alarmists tend to ignore scientific evidence and encourage media hype, and, of course, the liberal media is all too willing to go along. Climate discussions should be based on good science, not politically correct science.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma and the vice chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee for yielding, and I thank both him and Mr. Bridenstine, another gentleman from Oklahoma and a member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, for taking the initiative and introducing this legislation.

H.R. 353, Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017, will transform our Nation's weather-gathering efforts and help save lives and property.

Severe weather routinely affects large portions of the United States. Nearly every year, we witness the devastating effects of tornadoes across our country. The deaths and the damage from these events underscore the need for a world-class weather prediction system.

H.R. 353 improves weather observation systems by the use of observing system simulation experiments and next generation computing and modeling capabilities. This bill strengthens the underlying atmospheric science, while advancing innovative technology and reforming operations to provide better weather data, models, and forecasts. It prompts NOAA to actively employ new commercial data and solutions through a multiyear commercial weather data pilot program.

Further, it directs NOAA to consider commercial data options rather than rely on slow, costly, and continually delayed government-owned satellites.

For far too long, our government has relied on these massive, multibillion-dollar government satellites. The Science, Space, and Technology Committee has jurisdiction over NOAA's satellite office and has conducted ongoing oversight of the agency's satellite program. Our conclusion is that it is in real need of reform.

Over the years, events at NOAA have revealed mismanagement, cost overruns, and delays of its weather satellites. This detracts from our ability to accurately predict our weather, which unnecessarily endangers Americans.

This bill will right the ship and allow NOAA the flexibility to buy new, affordable, and potentially better sources of data from the private sector, which has the power to make real improvements to our weather forecasting capabilities.

It also creates a much-needed technology transfer fund in NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research to help push technologies developed through NOAA's weather research into operation. This will ensure that the technologies that are developed are effectively employed and do not idle on the lab bench.

Again, I thank Mr. Lucas and Mr. Bridenstine for their initiative on this issue. Americans from coast to coast will now be better prepared for severe weather with the passage of this bill.

I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, you may have heard about this new phenomenon called fake news. Fake news usually consists of false and made-up stories. Actually, it is not new and it has been around as long as there have been media.

What is new is that a few liberal media organizations are going to label news stories suspect if they feel the stories are not true. This should be of great concern to anyone who believes in free speech.

It works this way: nearly half of all Americans get information from Facebook. Facebook has now decided to let liberal media like ABC News and the Associated Press determine whether news is fake or not. This represents the liberal mindset that the media know better than the American people what is good for them.

A better idea is to trust the American people and let them determine what is real news and what is not. The American people will learn to discern the good from the bad if the media stops telling them what to think.

Mr. Speaker, the national liberal media continue to promote a divided America. This is largely a result of their chosen candidate not winning the Presidential election. Since 91 percent of the media's coverage of President-elect Trump was negative, it is no surprise that they still see America in a negative light.

But the media could play a much more constructive role. They could report the good news that Americans are more confident about the future than they have been in 20 years. They could report on President-elect Trump's ability to attract individuals of competence and experience to his administration. They could report on his fresh approach and new ideas for, yes, making America great again.

Let's hope the media will put aside their bias and give the American people the facts, untainted by personal animosity. If they do, our country will be better for it.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1020) to define STEM education to include computer science, and to support existing STEM education programs at the National Science Foundation.

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

General Leave

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

Mr. Speaker, the STEM Education Act of 2015 is bipartisan legislation that includes computer science in the definition of STEM education for programs and activities at our Federal science agencies. The bill also supports and strengthens ongoing STEM education efforts at the National Science Foundation. Similar legislation passed the House last year by voice vote.

I thank Representative Elizabeth Esty for cosponsoring the bill again this year. I also thank our new Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairwoman Barbara Comstock, Subcommittee Ranking Member Dan Lipinski, Subcommittee Vice Chair John Moolenaar, and Representatives Randy Hultgren, Larry Bucshon, Chris Collins, David McKinley, and Jaime Herrera Beutler for their support.

Last Congress the Science, Space, and Technology Committee held several hearings on STEM education. Each hearing highlighted the importance of STEM education to keep America on the cutting edge of new products and ideas. Our hearings discussed the merits of ensuring computer science is included as a component of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics that make up STEM education. Today a variety of jobs in industries from banking to engineering to medicine require familiarity with computer science.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, computing and mathematics will be one of the top 10 fastest growing major occupational groups from 2010 to 2020, with a growth rate of 4 percent annually compared to 1 percent for all other industries.

Unfortunately, America lags behind many other nations when it comes to STEM education. American students rank 21st in science and 26th in math. That must change for the better.

We need to ensure that our Nation's youth have the scientific and mathematical skills to strive and thrive in a technology-based economy, but we have to capture and hold the desire of young adults to study STEM subjects so they will want to pursue these careers.

H.R. 1020 includes language suggested by Mr. Lipinski to support informal STEM education programs and activities at the National Science Foundation. These activities reach students outside of the classroom and strengthen a student's engagement in STEM subject areas.

The STEM Education Act also ensures that teachers working towards a master's degree program in STEM subjects can participate in the Robert Noyce Master Teacher Fellowship program. I thank Ms. Esty for this good addition to the bill.

This program provides opportunities for teachers who want to bolster their teaching skills. Through the Master Teaching fellowships, individuals receive training in order to become highly effective mathematics and science teachers. With this bill, the program now will encourage more teachers to pursue advanced degrees.

A healthy and viable STEM workforce literate in all STEM subjects, including computer science, is critical to American industries. A well- educated and trained STEM workforce ensures our future economic prosperity. More graduates with STEM degrees means more advanced technologies and a more robust economy.

Support for this bill from organizations like the STEM Education Coalition, STEM4US!, and Code.org illustrate the importance of aligning our

Federal STEM programs with workforce needs. We must work to ensure that students continue to go into these fields so that their innovative ideas can lead to a more innovative and prosperous America.

I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.

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

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

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

Parliamentary Inquiry

Mr. Speaker, parliamentary inquiry.

Is it too late for me to yield time to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Moolenaar), who I had mentioned a while ago was on the way to the House floor to speak on this particular bill?

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to reclaim my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Moolenaar), who is a member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and is also vice chair of the Subcommittee on Research and Technology.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, let me thank the chairman of the Subcommittee on Space for yielding me time. I also want to thank him and Donna Edwards, Eddie Bernice Johnson, and Mo Brooks for sponsoring this bipartisan legislation.

NASA has accomplished some of the most inspiring and technologically advanced space initiatives in the history of humankind. This bill, H.R. 810, the NASA Authorization Act of 2015, helps ensure that the United States will continue its proud tradition of being a world leader in space exploration.

For more than 50 years, the U.S. has led the world in space exploration. The U.S. was the first nation to put a human on the Moon, and NASA's Voyager 1, an American space mission, was the first human- made object to enter interstellar space.

Our astronauts are national heroes. Alan Shepard, John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Sally Ride are household names. Today's astronauts motivate students to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and to reach for the stars.

Space exploration is an investment in our Nation's future, sometimes our long-term future. This bill expresses bipartisan confidence in America's space initiatives.

The bill is nearly identical to the one that passed the House last year by a vote of 401-2. It is consistent with current funding levels found in the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act for 2015. It contains provisions for the development of American rockets that will take cargo and people to low-Earth orbit and beyond. It supports the James Webb Space Telescope, which will identify and characterize new planets in our galaxy and help researchers look back in time to see how the universe began.

It directs NASA to continue to focus resources on the detection of near-Earth asteroids that may threaten the Earth and its inhabitants. It instructs NASA to design and send a robotic mission to Jupiter's moon Europa to see if any form of life exists in the waters under its icy surface. It directs NASA to work with the National Academies to put together a strategy for finding more exoplanets.

The bill also requires NASA to develop a human exploration roadmap, similar to the recommendation made in last year's National Academy of Sciences report. This roadmap will provide a long-term plan for future human space exploration.

Finally, this bill is an example of how well Congress can work together to accomplish an objective that benefits the entire Nation. I again want to thank Mr. Palazzo, chairman of the Subcommittee on Space, and Ms. Edwards, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Space, for finding common ground on this bill. I also want to thank the ranking member of the full committee, Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas and Representative Mo Brooks from Alabama, for supporting this bill as well.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and to help ensure that the United States maintains its leadership in space.

Mr. Speaker, the media watchdog organization Accuracy in Media recently recounted the ``Top ten misreported and underreported stories of 2014.''

At the top of their list was the media's failure to adequately report on the Benghazi scandal. Very few in the media expressed any interest in covering the attack on our embassy that led to the death of four Americans including a U.S. ambassador.

Other biased stories on the list include the media downplaying the rise of the Islamic State, portraying Israel as the aggressor in its dealings with Palestine, and the holdings by federal judges against President Obama's actions on immigration and Obamacare.

In December, a federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled that President Obama's executive actions on immigration are unconstitutional. This was block-buster news but most Americans never heard or read about it.

The media should give the American people the facts, not cover them up.

Mr. Speaker, I have no other Members who wish to be heard on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 35) to increase the understanding of the health effects of low doses of ionizing radiation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 35, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 35, the Low-Dose Radiation Research Act of 2015, will increase our understanding of low-dose radiation. This research is critical for physicians and decisionmakers to more accurately assess potential health risks in this area.

I want to thank my friend, Mr. Hultgren, for introducing this legislation along with Mr. Lipinski of Illinois. A virtually identical bill passed the House by a voice vote this past November in the previous Congress.

Many Americans are exposed to a broad range of low doses of ionizing radiation. These range from cosmic background radiation to medically- based procedures which include x rays and CT scans. However, our current approach of radiation safety relies on an outmoded assumption that because high doses of radiation are harmful, it necessarily follows that much lower radiation doses are also harmful.

This assumption is not based on a reliable scientific foundation, prevents patients from making informed decisions about diagnostic exams, and can lead to overly restrictive regulations.

The Department of Energy's Low Dose Radiation Research Program within the Office of Science focuses on the health effects of ionizing radiation and helps to resolve the uncertainties in this area that currently exist. Unfortunately, this program has not been a priority at DOE over recent years and has seen systematic de-emphasis. H.R. 35 ensures the continuance and enhancement of this important research program.

This legislation also directs the National Academies to formulate a long-term strategy to resolve uncertainties surrounding whether and to what extent low-dose radiation may pose health risks to humans. The bill stipulates that the academies must consider the most up-to-date studies in this field of research.

Finally, the bill requires the Department of Energy to develop a 5- year research plan that responds to the Academies' recommendations. I again thank the gentlemen from Illinois, Representatives Hultgren and Lipinski, for their leadership on this issue. I also want to commend Congressmen Sensenbrenner, Posey, Bucshon, and Cramer for joining me in cosponsoring this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hultgren), the lead sponsor of this bill, and also a distinguished member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

Mr. Speaker, we have no other individuals who wish to comment on this bill, so we are prepared to close when my friend is prepared to close as well.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) for her comments, and I yield back the balance of my time as well.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 23) to reauthorize the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 23, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 23, the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 2015, reauthorizes the activities of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program through 2017.

Representative Randy Neugebauer, my Texas colleague, has championed this program for over a decade. In the last Congress, he and Representative Frederica Wilson's bipartisan efforts helped move this legislation through the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and to successfully pass the House. It is because of their past work that we are able to bring this bill to the House floor so early in this Congress.

The National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program supports Federal research and development efforts to help mitigate the loss of life and property due to wind-related hazards. Millions of Americans live in areas vulnerable to hurricanes, tornadoes, and other windstorms. The National Weather Service reported 91 deaths and 892 injuries in 2013 due to tornadoes, thunderstorm wind, and high wind.

We all remember that in 2011 that was the year marred by loss due to windstorms. According to the National Science and Technology Council's biennial report to Congress, in 2011 only, windstorms in the United States took nearly 700 lives, injured nearly 7,000 people, and caused an estimated $11 billion in total direct property losses.

In Texas, we are all too familiar with the harm that excess wind can cause. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Storm Prediction Center, 128 tornadoes and 1,366 windstorms were reported in Texas in the last 2 years. The effects of these disasters can be felt for a long time.

Initially established in 2004, the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program supports activities to improve our understanding of windstorms and their impacts and helps to develop and encourage the implementation of cost-effective mitigation measures.

H.R. 23 establishes the National Institute of Standards and Technology as the lead agency for the program, improves coordination and planning of agency activities in a fiscally responsible manner, and improves transparency for how much money is being spent on windstorm research.

I want to thank Representative Neugebauer for his continued efforts to support this program. I encourage my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of

Representatives,

Washington, DC, January 6, 2015.

Hon. Lamar Smith,

Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,

Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: I write concerning H.R. 23, the National

Windstorm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 2015. Thank

you for working with us to incorporate mutually agreeable

provisions within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on

Transportation and Infrastructure.

In order to expedite the House's consideration of H.R. 23,

the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will forgo

action on this bill. However, this is conditional on our

mutual understanding that forgoing consideration of the bill

does not prejudice the Committee with respect to the

appointment of conferees or to any future jurisdictional

claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or

similar legislation that fall within the Committee's Rule X

jurisdiction. I request you urge the Speaker to name members

of the Committee to any conference committee named to

consider such provisions.

I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming

this understanding, and would request that you insert our

exchange of letters on this matter into the Congressional

Record during consideration of this bill on the House floor.

Sincerely,

Bill Shuster,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer), who is the lead sponsor of this legislation and also a member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

Mr. Speaker, I have no other Members who wish to be heard on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 34) to authorize and strengthen the tsunami detection, forecast, warning, research, and mitigation program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 34, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 34, the Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act of 2015, amends and strengthens the Tsunami Warning and Education Act of 2006. It reauthorizes important work at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and refocuses the program on tsunami detection, forecasts, and research.

I want to thank the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) for their bipartisan work on this bill. A virtually identical bill passed the House by a voice vote this past September in the previous Congress.

I now join the ranking member of the Science Committee, Ms. Johnson, in cosponsoring the bill before us today.

Despite the recent absence of tsunami disasters here in the U.S., the threat is still very real. The massive destruction from the tsunami caused by the 2011 earthquake in Japan is a vivid reminder of the need for enhanced early warning capabilities.

We face a similar threat here at home. Tsunamis have the ability to injure Americans, damage property, and harm the economy.

This bill updates the Tsunami Forecasting and Warning Program operated by NOAA. It will enhance the accuracy of forecasts, modernize and improve the standards and guidelines for mapping and modeling tsunamis, and support enhanced research efforts related to tsunami science.

H.R. 34 also requires the NOAA Administrator to coordinate with State and local emergency managers to improve tsunami education and awareness in our coastal communities. This will help develop effective response and resilience in the face of tsunamis and other coastal hazards.

This bill prioritizes fundamental scientific research on these phenomena, strengthens outreach programs, and advances technological forecasts to better understand and predict disasters.

I again thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) and Ms. Bonamici for their work on this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. Speaker, before I conclude, I would like to recognize our general counsel, Katy Flynn, sitting to my left, for her great service to the Science Committee. She will be taking her talents to the Homeland Security Committee next week to provide counsel for my friend and Texas colleague, Chairman Michael McCaul.

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

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of

Representatives,

Washington, DC, January 7, 2015.

Hon. Lamar Smith,

Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,

Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: I write concerning H.R. 34, the Tsunami

Warning, Education, and Research Act of 2015. As you are

aware, there are certain provisions in the legislation that

fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on

Transportation and Infrastructure.

In order to expedite the House's consideration of H.R. 34,

the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will forgo

action on this bill. However, this is conditional on our

mutual understanding that forgoing consideration of the bill

does not prejudice the Committee with respect to the

appointment of conferees or to any future jurisdictional

claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or

similar legislation that fall within the Committee's Rule X

jurisdiction. I request you urge the Speaker to name members

of the Committee to any conference committee named to

consider such provisions.

I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming

this understanding, and would request that you insert our

exchange of letters on this matter into the Congressional

Record during consideration of this bill on the House floor.

Sincerely,

Bill Shuster,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), an original cosponsor of this legislation and a senior member of the Science Committee.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives McCaul and Lipinski for introducing the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act in the House last year. I am pleased to be an original cosponsor.

In April 2013, the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act was favorably reported out of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee and later passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 402-16.

The bipartisan, bicameral agreement on the legislation before us today is based on the House-passed bill.

Throughout the 113th Congress, the Science Committee has remained committed to advancing the basic research necessary to strengthen our Nation's cyber infrastructure.

Cyber attacks against the U.S. government and private sector networks are on the rise. Scarcely a day passes without a report of a new cyber attack on critical parts of our nation's cyber infrastructure, government agency, or business.

As our reliance on information technology expands, so do our vulnerabilities. New technological advances bring new avenues from which foreign countries can attack our networks.

Protecting America's cyber systems is critical to our economic and national security.

The Cybersecurity Enhancement Act is the work of a bicameral bipartisan compromise. S.1353 promotes much-needed research and development to help create new technologies and standards that better protect America's information technology systems.

The legislation before us today will coordinate research and development activities to better address evolving cyber threats.

Keeping our cyber infrastructure secure is a responsibility shared by several Federal agencies, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

To improve America's cybersecurity abilities, this bill strengthens:

Strategic planning for cybersecurity research and development needs across the federal government;

NSF scholarships to improve the quality of the cybersecurity workforce; and

Research, development and public outreach organized by NIST related to cybersecurity.

S. 1353 maintains language from the House passed Cybersecurity Enhancement Act. This language will strengthen NIST's role in cybersecurity automation and checklist creation for government systems, strategic planning for cloud computing, and identity management research and development.

The bill also includes language from the legislation introduced last year by Senators Rockefeller and Thune. These provisions will encourage competitions and challenges that focus on the security of information technology and support public-private collaboration on cybersecurity.

The threat of cyber-attacks is immediate. To address our vulnerabilities as quickly as possible, America needs a solution that invokes the cooperation of many public and private sector entities. We must develop a rigorous scientific foundation for cybersecurity. This legislation helps foster such an effort.

I again thank my Science Committee colleague, Representative McCaul, for his initiative on this issue. He has led the charge on this legislation over the last several Congresses. I look forward to this bill becoming law.

I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton), my colleague, for yielding to me.

Mr. Speaker, today, we honor the distinguished service of our friend and colleague, Ralph Hall of Texas. If there were a congressional hall of fame, Representative Hall would be a first-ballot inductee. His many years of service were highlighted at the end of 2012 when he became the most senior Member of Congress to ever cast a vote in the House. His career has spanned 34 years.

Since he was 19 years old, he has made his contributions to our country. As a lieutenant in the Navy during World War II, he served as a pilot. Since then, he has never hesitated to accomplish a mission. That mentality has made him a distinguished Member of Congress and a very effective chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

Throughout his time in Congress, Ralph Hall has served this institution with style and humor. Ralph always said, ``I'd rather be respected at home than liked in Washington.'' Ralph has actually achieved that rare combination of both. We thank him for his service to Congress, to the great State of Texas, and to our country.

Ralph has asked me to pass along his comment, ``I am especially partial to my friends from the Texas delegation who represent their district so well and whose integrity and hard work have benefited not only our State, but also our Nation. I thank you for your friendship and countless acts of Congress.''

Mr. Speaker, today we honor the distinguished service of our friend and colleague, Ralph Hall of Texas.

If there were a congressional ``Hall of Fame,'' Representative Hall would be a first ballot inductee. His many years of service were highlighted at the end of 2012 when he became the most senior member of Congress to ever cast a vote in the House of Representatives.

Ralph's career in the House of Representatives and his commitment to his constituents in the 4th District of Texas spans 34 years. But his contributions to our country began before that.

Since he was 19 years old, Ralph has led a life of service. As a lieutenant in the Navy during World War Two, he served as a pilot, and since then has never hesitated to accomplish a mission.

That mentality has made him a distinguished member of Congress, and a very effective Chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

Throughout his tenure, Ralph has been a consistent advocate for scientific research and development.

As Science Committee Chairman he worked to ensure that business owners are not burdened by excessive EPA regulations.

Ralph has fostered programs to better understand extreme weather and to ensure that citizens are prepared for natural disasters.

He has worked to advance science education and programs that promote technological breakthroughs to benefit future generations.

And throughout his time in Congress, Ralph Hall has served this institution with style and humor.

Ralph Hall has always said, ``I'd rather be respected at home than liked in Washington.'' Ralph--you actually have achieved that rare combination of both. Thank you for your service to Congress, to the great state of Texas and to our country.

Ralph has asked me to pass along his comment, ``I am especially partial to my friends in the Texas Delegation who represent their districts so well and whose integrity and hard work have benefited not only our State but also our Nation. I thank you for your friendship and countless acts of kindness.''

Mr. Speaker, in 1852, despite the danger posed by Indian raids at the time, a group of entrepreneurs acquired land on a cypress-lined bend in the Medina River. The following year, members of the group surveyed the town of Bandera and opened a sawmill and commissary. The town quickly became a thriving settlement due to the success of the founders' water-powered lumber mill.

In the years that followed, local farmers and ranchers prospered, supplying products to United States Cavalry troops at Camp Verde, growing and ginning cotton, and raising cattle, sheep, and goats.

In the 1870s, as the threat of Indian attacks receded, the county became a staging area for cattle drives and its population grew markedly. It is estimated that between 1874 and 1894, seven to 10 million longhorns and one million horses were driven by 30,000 cowboys to a staging area near Bandera, a major gathering point connecting with the Western Trail. During this time, Bandera became known as a place where cowboys could relax and buy supplies.

Dude ranching began in 1920 when the Buck Ranch took in paying summer guests, with the Bruce Ranch taking the overflow. In the 1930s, the dude ranching industry continued to expand and over 30 dude ranches were operating near Bandera.

Rodeos began in the 1920s when cowboys who worked on ranches displayed the skills they used at roundups and on cattle drives. The first advertised rodeo near Bandera was held at Mansfield Park in 1924. Bandera cowboys became rodeo world champions and were inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame.

The citizens of Bandera are heirs to a rich western heritage. Today this charming town continues on as a living testament to the courage, talent, and vision of the men and women who shaped the Old West. Since 1920 the community has been a popular tourist destination, each year drawing visitors from around the state and beyond to attractions that include area resorts, dude ranches, rodeos, and hunting and camping areas.

The wild and rugged town of Bandera has long displayed the qualities that earned it the designation, ``Cowboy Capital of the World'' in 1948.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the rich history of Bandera, Texas and pay tribute to its citizens' many contributions to the Lone Star State.

Mr. Speaker, the editorial boards of several national publications have supported amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants.

It is a credit to their intellectual honesty that the media now admit that President Obama's threats to use executive orders to undercut immigration laws are wrong and contrary to his constitutional responsibilities.

For example, a Washington Post editorial commented:

``In Mr. Obama's own words, acting alone is `not how our democracy functions.' ''

The Wall Street Journal editorial board said:

``We support more liberal immigration but not Mr. Obama's means of doing it on his own whim because he's tired of working with Congress.''

Even The New York Times admits ``the President cannot rewrite immigration law.''

But the media isn't alone. Public opinion polls show a strong majority of Americans disapprove of the President's issuing executive orders to grant amnesty. The President should listen to the American people, not to those who want him to violate his oath of office to uphold the Nation's laws.