Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 2763, the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Improvements Act of 2017.

And I thank the gentleman from California, Mr. Knight, for introducing this important legislation. He serves on the two Committees that share jurisdiction over the SBIR and STTR programs: the Small Business Committee, chaired by my good friend, Mr. Chabot, and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, which I chair.

Mr. Knight took the lead on last year's timely reauthorization of the SBIR and STTR programs, and he is the sponsor of H.R. 2763, which makes a number of needed policy changes to increase the programs' efficiency and effectiveness.

The SBIR program was signed into law by President Reagan in 1982, followed by the STTR program in 1992. These programs help spur economic innovation and competitiveness, and increase small business participation in federal research and development activity.

SBIR and STTR award winners convert the results of taxpayer-supported pioneering research into products that are critical to our economic competitiveness and national security. Recent examples include parts for NASA's Mars Rover and a unique cockpit airbag system to protect Army helicopter pilots.

Today 11 federal agencies provide funding to small businesses through SBIR, and five agencies provide funding through STTR--a total of nearly $3 billion this fiscal year. That's more than 66 times greater than the $45 million spent under the original program in 1983.

Recipients of SBIR and STTR funding have boosted scientific and technological innovation and created hundreds of thousands of American jobs.

Several large, international companies like Qualcomm, Sonicare and Symantec can trace their initial growth to when they were small businesses that received SBIR and STTR support.

I want to call attention to two provisions of H.R. 2763 that were added by Members of the Science Committee.

A provision authored by Mr. Hultgren requires participating federal agencies to give priority to SBIR and STTR projects that will strengthen American manufacturing innovation and increase manufacturing jobs in our country.

A provision authored by Mr. Higgins requires federal agencies engaged in cyber security research to give priority to SBIR and STTR projects that will spur advances in cyber security to protect the American people from increasingly aggressive and malicious cyber-attacks.

The legislation before us addresses a number of red flags raised by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) about lax administration of the SBIR and STTR programs.

Several participating agencies do not produce accurate, timely information that Congress requires to evaluate program performance.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has not submitted its required, comprehensive annual report to Congress since 2013.

The last administration provided virtually no information to Congress and taxpayers about the SBIR and STTR programs.

It's reassuring that SBA associate administrator Joseph Shepard promised during a joint hearing of our Committee and the Small Business Committee that annual reports will be submitted on time.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2763 was unanimously approved by both the House Small Business Committee and the House Science Committee. I urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, within minutes of the tragic shooting in Las Vegas, Democrats and the liberal media called for more gun control measures.

A recent Washington Post op-ed describes how one gun control advocate researched restrictive gun laws in Great Britain and in Australia, only to discover that gun buybacks and gun bans do not reduce mass shootings or gun-related crimes.

She said: ``The case for the''--gun control--``policies I had lobbied for crumbled when I examined the evidence. . . . But I can't endorse policies whose only selling point is that gun owners hate them. Policies that often seem as if they were drafted by people who have encountered guns only as a figure in a briefing book or an image on the news.''

This researcher concluded that more lives would be saved by focusing on individuals instead of guns.

We should ensure that background checks work as intended and prevent those with mental health issues from acquiring guns. This actually will do some good, as opposed to meaningless gun regulations.

Mr. Speaker, both the Washington Examiner and Washington Times recently have reported on a practice that is resulting in overly low approval ratings for President Trump. Pollsters are not necessarily rigging their questions to get a desired result; instead, they are creating a biased result by how they select people to poll.

Frequently, the pollsters contact more Democrats than Republicans. Unsurprisingly, the results tilt anti-Trump. The Examiner pointed out that this ``robs Trump of about 8 points in his approval ratings, from 46 percent to 38 percent.''

The Times noted that in polls including Presidential approval questions, the Economist relied on a sample that used 58 percent more Democrats than Republicans, which ``gave Democrats a 14-point edge, while Reuters and Gallup gave Democrats an 11-point and 7-point edge in their samples.''

Mr. Speaker, as the 2016 election taught us, we shouldn't rely on biased polls if we want accuracy.

Mr. Speaker, the President is doing what he was elected to do--call it shaking up the system, putting the brakes on the bureaucracy, or creative deconstruction.

Our country simply cannot continue on the same course: where the government increases the debt by hundreds of billions of dollars every year; where hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants cross our border annually, insulting those who play by the rules and wait their turn in line; where political correctness limits freedom of speech, especially for conservatives.

The liberal media is trying to shut down this Presidency because they oppose everything President Trump is trying to do. Mr. Speaker, in this great conflict, the American people and our democracy could be the casualties.

Madam Speaker, the media bias beat goes on.

Last week on PBS, columnist Mark Shields criticized Senate sponsors of the new healthcare bill. He said that no Republican Senators have credentials for working on healthcare, and added that Senator Cassidy got to the Senate a year ago and is not exactly a long-term legislator.

In two clicks online, Mark Shields could have learned that Bill Cassidy and his wife are both doctors who have provided healthcare for people around the world. Those are called credentials. Senator Cassidy also served in the State senate, three terms in the U.S. House, and is now in his third year in the United States Senate. He is obviously an experienced legislator.

Where is the balance? Where is the truth? And the liberal national media wonder why their credibility with the American people is at a record low.

Mr. Speaker, here are recent examples of the liberal national media's ignoring inconvenient news:

The economy grew by 3 percent last quarter, the fastest pace in years, but you might not know this good news because of the media blackout of the story by broadcast networks.

The media blackout extended to a story by The New York Times on a current Senator's corruption trial, which failed to mention he was a Democrat in a 1,200-word story.

The media hyped the claim that climate change was responsible for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, but the media blacked out the fact that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said that hurricanes are not increasing in intensity or frequency.

This is what the liberal media do: they ignore the facts that contradict

the liberal view they want to promote with their readers and viewers.

Mr. Speaker, President Trump doesn't have many fans in the political, media, or academic establishment. The definition of ``establishment'' is a ruling class or a controlling group.

They oppose the President because he is not one of them. They hold different views of immigration, trade, regulations, political correctness, and media bias. Their beliefs are threatened by his world view, so they are relentlessly trying to discredit his Presidency.

The President, I believe, sees himself as representing the working men and women of America; Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. This is the broad middle class and those who aspire to be part of it.

The establishment has linked arms and resists the President's reforms, but all true reform starts with the voice of the people, and they are on his side.

Mr. Speaker, President Trump's recent decision to end the unconstitutional DACA program has received unfair criticism by the liberal media.

When reporting on President Trump's decision to end the DACA program, outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CBS all included former President Obama's criticism of the announcement. What is not being reported is that then-President Obama stated over 20 times before issuing DACA that executive amnesty is an overstep of executive authority and is unconstitutional.

To use former President Obama's criticism of the termination of DACA without also noting that he, himself, considered DACA unconstitutional is biased reporting designed to promote a pro-amnesty agenda. It is no wonder that the media's credibility with the American people is now at a record low.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I support this bill and endorse division C, the CJS appropriations bill developed by Chairman Culberson. The appropriations included in division C implement the Science Committee's authorizations that have been enacted into law or passed by the House.

I offer an amendment today to simply increase physical and biological science research by one-half of 1 percent, or $30.2 million, over the current funding within the $6 billion National Science Foundation research account. Total spending is not increased, as NSF will adjust other areas of spending accordingly.

I ask the chairman and members to support the amendment and endorse this increase for the basic research that produces the scientific breakthroughs that fuel technological innovation, new industries, economic growth, and good jobs.

I yield to the chairman, Chairman Culberson, for his support of this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Culberson for his support and very much appreciate his help along the way.

On a separate matter, can the chairman assure me that the funding in the bill is fully consistent with the Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act enacted into law earlier this year?

I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Texas, the chairman of the subcommittee, for his support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues may be aware of a legal immigration reform bill that increases skilled workers needed in America, reduces the chain migration of non-immediate relatives, and saves jobs for American workers.

This is to alert Members to the welcome endorsement by many in the national media. Even President Clinton liked the idea.

That was when similar legislation was recommended by the Jordan Commission, chaired by the Texas Democrat, former Member Barbara Jordan. Today, similar legislation is opposed by these same newspapers. How time, or at least the political party of the authors, changes.

Most of the national media supports more open borders and increased levels of immigration, contrary to a majority of the American people.

But Congress needs to approve an immigration bill that puts the interests of Americans first.

Mr. Speaker, the American people have lost faith in the liberal national media, and we know why. They tell the American people what to think rather than report the facts in an unbiased manner.

A new NBC Marist Poll revealed that two-thirds of Americans trust the media not very much or not at all. A Morning Consult/Politico poll found that 41 percent of registered voters have more trust in their local news outlets than the national media to report the truth, compared to only 27 percent who said the national media.

And a Quinnipiac poll showed that an astounding 55 percent of Americans disapprove of the way the news media covers President Trump.

The national media's endless drumbeat of negative coverage of the Trump administration has come with a cost: the loss of trust of the American people.

If the media want to improve their credibility, they should report the news fairly and without bias.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, the gentleman from New Jersey, for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to support H.R. 3354, the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act of 2018, which includes the Commerce-Justice-Science funding bill that provides appropriations for many of the programs within the Science, Space, and Technology Committee's jurisdiction.

Chairman Culberson has worked closely with us on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee to include responsible, pro-science funding levels for NASA, the National Science Foundation, NOAA, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. His consultation and cooperation are much appreciated. I thank Chairman Culberson and his clerk, John Martens, for their leadership in passing this legislation that sets America on a path to remain the world's leader in innovation.

The appropriations included in this legislation are consistent with the NASA Transition Authorization Act, the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act, and the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act, all three of which were enacted into law earlier this year.

The CJS bill fully funds the planetary science and exploration programs at NASA, implements a national interest standard for every NSF grant, and increases weather research and commercial data use to improve forecasting to save lives and property, which is especially timely today.

Later, I will offer an amendment, with Chairman Culberson's support, to increase basic research in the physical and biological sciences at the National Science Foundation.

I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this pro-science, fiscally responsible appropriations bill.

Madam Speaker, today President Trump delivered on

his promise to the American people. He said he would discontinue the DACA immigration program, which allows hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants to stay in the country and receive work permits.

By ending the unconstitutional DACA program, he has overturned the last of President Obama's amnesty agenda and returned to the rule of law. President Obama, a former constitutional law professor, said many times that DACA was unconstitutional.

Congress and the administration should strengthen our laws against illegal immigration and ensure that our immigration policies put unemployed Americans first. The U.S. labor participation rate is at a 40-year low.

President Trump is right to discontinue the DACA program and let Congress address immigration policies, including securing the border.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman of the Appropriations Committee for yielding me time.

I am very pleased to support H.R. 3219, the Make America Secure Appropriations Act of 2018, especially because it includes H.R. 3266, which provides appropriations for the energy programs within the Science, Space, and Technology Committee's jurisdiction.

Chairman Simpson, who is on the floor behind me, has worked closely with us on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee to include responsible, pro-science funding levels for the Department of Energy.

Chairman Simpson, your leadership and cooperation have been exceptional and are much appreciated. Thank you for your leadership in passing this legislation that sets America on a path to remain the world's leader in innovation.

The appropriations included in this legislation are consistent with the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, which passed the House last Congress. This bill also funds programs authorized in H.R. 589, the DOE Research and Innovation Act, which passed the House earlier this year and was the product of over 3 years of work by the Science, Space, and Technology Committee to advance basic research and set clear science priorities for the Department of Energy.

American industry relies on Federal support for basic research to produce the scientific breakthroughs that fuel technological innovation, new industries, economic growth, and good jobs.

Around the country, scientists at our National Labs and universities are conducting groundbreaking, basic science research that provides the foundation for next generation technology in energy, medicine, and manufacturing.

This legislation provides strong support for the Department of Energy's Office of Science at $5.4 billion for fiscal year 2018. The Office of Science will get increased funding for research in basic energy sciences, high-performance computing, nuclear physics, high- energy physics, and fusion energy.

The strong support for the Office of Science in the appropriations bill will prioritize the basic research programs that are the core mission of the Department and the National Labs and lead to scientific discoveries that can provide benefits across the economy.

This legislation also includes responsible funding for DOE's applied programs, prioritizing early-stage research in electricity, energy efficiency, renewables, fossil, and nuclear.

An example of such critical early-stage energy research involves nuclear energy where the bill's funding supports the priorities outlined in the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act, which passed the House as a part of H.R. 589. That legislation, sponsored by Energy Subcommittee Chairman Randy Weber of Texas, combines the strengths of the National Labs, universities, and the private sector to develop advanced nuclear technology. This technology is our best opportunity to provide reliable, emission-free electricity.

I thank the chairman of the committee for yielding me an additional minute.

This appropriations bill also includes funding to begin design and construction for the research reactor authorized in H.R. 589, which will provide access to the fast neutrons necessary to enable the next generation of nuclear energy technology.

As we shape the future of the Department of Energy, our priority must be basic and early-stage research that only the Federal Government has the incentives and resources to support and pursue. This will empower private sector innovators to develop and demonstrate resulting new capabilities that will attract the capital investments needed to take energy technology to the marketplace, creating jobs and expanding our economy.

Mr. Chairman, I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this pro- science bill, pro-energy appropriations bill.

Madam Speaker, those who are fair-minded and want to understand President Trump better should read his best-selling book from 30 years ago, which is as timely today as it was then. It is called ``The Art of the Deal'' and reveals these characteristics.

Donald Trump usually makes decisions quickly based on knowledge, experience, and intuition, rather than waiting for consultants' studies. He is a tough but practical negotiator willing to compromise to achieve a goal. He gets a deal done sooner or later, even if it sometimes takes years.

He is a counterpuncher who doesn't like to start a fight but will give more than he receives. He is loyal to friends who are loyal to him.

Most of the President's actions should be of no surprise to anyone who has read his book. In fact, those who are objective are likely to appreciate him more.