Floor Statements

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

Madam Speaker, an unborn child is a human life. All you have to do is realize that.

Sixty-two million unborn human lives have been killed since Roe v. Wade. That is almost 1.3 million a year of unborn human lives killed. That is almost 3,500 a day or one every 2 minutes.

Madam Speaker, in my 90 seconds, two unborn human lives have been snuffed out.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, little that we can do here today is going to make a difference in what those families endured. We can only supply a small token of our appreciation for the greatest fighting force of men and women on the planet.

I want you to think with me for a second here. When the world has a calamity, it doesn't matter whether it is a hurricane, whether it is a tsunami, whether it is an earthquake, whether it is pestilence, famine, or rebellion, invasion. When the world has a calamity and they dial 911, who is it that answers? It is the United States of America, isn't it? With the greatest fighting force of men and women this world has ever known.

When America is safe, the world is a safer place. To the families, the Gold Star families, whose family members gave all, we owe them a debt of gratitude, and not just us, but the world as well.

Mr. Speaker, may God bless them, and may they rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 233.

Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress

Aderholt (Moolenaar)

Carson (Butterfield)

DeSaulnier (Thompson (CA))

Fulcher (Meuser)

Grijalva (Stanton)

Horsford (Jeffries)

Katko (Joyce (OH))

Kelly (PA) (Keller)

Kirkpatrick (Stanton)

Lawson (FL) (Evans)

Lowenthal (Beyer)

Maloney, Carolyn (Velazquez)

McEachin (Wexton)

Meng (Jeffries)

Napolitano (Correa)

O'Halleran (Stanton)

Payne (Pallone)

Porter (Wexton)

Rush (Underwood)

Sires (Pallone)

Watson Coleman (Pallone)

Wild (Axne)

Wilson (FL) (Hayes)

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of amendment No. 109 within this en bloc.

My amendment identifies an immediate need of the United States nuclear industry, the need to provide full funding for construction of the Department of Energy, the DOE, versatile test reactor project.

As ranking member of the Subcommittee on Energy for the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I know that there is no clean energy future without advanced nuclear. The best vehicle to accelerate us down the road of emissions reductions is nuclear energy.

The versatile test reactor is an absolutely critical piece of DOE's R&D infrastructure that will allow U.S. nuclear researchers to validate and test a wide range of advanced reactor designs right here in the good old U.S. of A. Any responsible U.S. nuclear energy strategy must include robust support for this facility.

Madam Speaker, last Congress, as part of the sweeping nuclear provisions in the Energy Act of 2020, we were able to authorize robust funding for the versatile test reactor. It was a tremendous bipartisan--that my friend from Arkansas is pointing out--achievement I was proud to lead. But this authorization is all for naught without the yearly appropriations to back it up.

That is why I am very concerned to see that the 2022 appropriations bill provides no funds, zero, zip, zilch, nada, to keep the versatile test reactor project on budget and on schedule.

If we are serious about our clean energy future, Madam Speaker, and we want to decrease our dependence on competitors like China and Russia for advanced nuclear R&D, we must commit to our investment in this essential research infrastructure.

The United States can and should lead the world in advanced nuclear. Moving forward, I will continue to work with my colleagues to prioritize nuclear innovation and keep America safe, energy independent, and globally competitive.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Lucas and the chairwoman of the full committee, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson. With this bill, the two of them have perfectly demonstrated how a committee can actually function--even with occasional disagreements--to prioritize shared goals and produce truly great bipartisan products. They are to be congratulated.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3593, the Department of Energy Science for the Future Act.

After over a decade of budget requests, hearings, stakeholder input, and information-gathering, I say with a sigh of relief and a great deal of joy that the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology has a bipartisan and comprehensive Office of Science authorization.

Although it has taken a little longer than I would have expected, it couldn't come at a better time. America's scientific enterprise has never faced a more serious threat from global competition than it does right now--today.

Innovative science discoveries and advance technology development aren't just aspirations; they are the actual key to our national security, as well as our economic prosperity. That is because innovation and technology are exactly what the Chinese Communist Party has prioritized in its goal to overtake the United States of America as a global leader in industries of the future.

Mr. Speaker, if we want to maintain our key edge in technology areas, like quantum information science and artificial intelligence, and combat the threat of another country controlling the development of those cutting-edge technologies and standards, we must take action now.

Mr. Speaker, the solution is really quite simple. We have to invest in American innovation. Just that simple. We must invest in our facilities and our research right here in the United States so that we can ensure the United States remains the global leader in science.

How exactly we go about that might be the subject of some debate, but I fully believe that the bill that we have before us today is the best course of action.

The Department of Energy's Office of Science has time and time again demonstrated that basic science research is the most effective way to encourage development of those new technologies. And as the largest Federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences, with unparalleled research capabilities and infrastructure, the Office of Science and its national laboratories are uniquely equipped to help America compete.

By authorizing cutting-edge research programs with a responsible, scalable funding increase and a strategic roadmap for DOE, federally funded discoveries made through the Office of Science will pave the way for both public and private American innovators to license technologies and to launch those startups.

Mr. Speaker, in addition, the Office of Science research in materials and chemical science, biological and environmental research, and fusion energy will not only maintain our lead in science, but will also lay the foundation for the next generation of clean, secure, and exportable energy technologies. Don't miss that: Clean, exportable, and secure technologies.

Maximizing the Office of Science's role in our Federal research enterprise is how we win. This great legislative body and the Federal Government as a whole cannot and will not duplicate a nonmarket economy by forcing mandates and regulations. Instead, we can arm our dynamic private sector with the tools necessary to commercialize sustainable, affordable, and scalable energy solutions. Again, don't miss that.

Through the DOE Science of the Future Act, we are prioritizing critical research areas and investing in the science and technology that will drive development of those technologies into the next generation. This will allow America's economy to thrive while reducing global emissions and allowing market-based solutions to flourish. Don't miss that.

Robust and consistent support for the Office of Science is crucial to the success and security of the U.S. innovation ecosystem, U.S. energy independence, and U.S. security.

Mr. Speaker, this bill does that in a clear, streamlined fashion. It is not bogged down by outside interests or unrelated provisions. We won't just keep up with China and other foreign adversaries; we will outpace them and lead, just like the United States of America has always done.

That is a good thing. That is a very good thing, by the way.

Mr. Speaker, I take a moment to thank the many stakeholders who have worked so hard to get this critical legislation done right. Hats off to all of them.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. It is a great one. It is high time we had this one on the floor.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the exemplary life of one Mr. W.L. Pate from Beaumont, Texas.

Words cannot adequately express how deeply saddened Brenda and I were to hear of W.L. Pate's passing just the other day. As I think back, Madam Speaker, we are hard-pressed to remember anyone who gave more to their community than W.L. did to his--or ours, for that matter.

The list of W.L.'s considerable accomplishments and contributions are far too numerous to be listed here, but here are just a few.

W.L. was a two-term mayor of Beaumont. He was an Army veteran and had 14 years of service as a city councilman. W.L. was the past president of the Texas Association of Mayors, Council Members and Commissioners. W.L. was on the board of the Texas Municipal League and served as TML president for Region 16.

Never missing a chance to give back, W.L. assisted the District 14 office every single year with military service academy nominations, and he was good at it and proud to be able to do it.

I am particularly proud of W.L.'s passion project in recent years. W.L. was the driving force behind obtaining the Presidential Medal of Freedom that was posthumously awarded to Babe Didrikson Zaharias, a fantastic female athlete, given by President Donald Trump.

I recognize and thank W.L. Pate for his servant leadership. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his family and friends, especially his daughters, Jennifer and Suzanne.

This is a tremendous loss for Beaumont and the Nation. W.L.'s remarkable legacy of service and sacrifice is the epitome of what it means to be a great American. Our country would be well-served to have many more with such a servant's heart.

Rest in peace, my friend. W.L. Pate, you done good.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, today, the House moves to establish June 19 as the Juneteenth National Independence Day, a national holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

June 19 marks the day Union troops arrived in my district in Galveston, Texas--I wasn't alive back then, let me get that out there-- in the heart of what is now the 14th Congressional District of Texas, the Gulf Coast of Texas. Those troops arrived to announce and enforce the Emancipation Proclamation.

On that day, General Gordon Granger delivered the news of President Abraham Lincoln's proclamation, which had abolished slavery more than 2 years before, on January 1, 1863. That was his intent. It was the law, and it should have been done. But we had a ways to go, didn't we, to abolish slavery? We really did.

The abolition of slavery was a key milestone toward fulfilling our Founders' promise, underwritten by the self-evident truths of natural law, that all humans are created equal and should enjoy the same protections under the law.

Ingrained in Texas culture, my great Texas, this special day has already been recognized, which the chairwoman eloquently spoke about, in 47 of the 50 States here in the United States, and it is long overdue to be recognized as a Federal holiday. I have been working on it myself for several years with my friends, Sheila Jackson Lee and John Cornyn, and others.

This year's celebration should be rooted in the works of repair we have done, still need to do, and will continue to do, Lord willing, as a country that has endured periods of racial tension, which have tried to divide our people. Let it not be so.

As President Abraham Lincoln notably quoted from the Bible, he said: ``A house divided against itself cannot stand.'' Our country can and should--and, Lord, I will say ``will''--unite beyond the divisions that we have faced. And this is a long way toward that.

The forces that try to divide our Nation will not prevail as we stand firm in our identity as Americans. We are a people refined through the trials of fire and made stronger and stronger than ever.

Juneteenth reminds us of the freedom so bravely defended by many, many Americans, and it encourages us to remain steadfast in the good fight against division. It also reminds us we have a ways to go.

``A house divided cannot stand.'' That is absolutely true. But a house that is united is unshakeable.

Mr. Speaker, this is a step toward that unification.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding work of Mayor Becky Ames, the 41st mayor of Beaumont, Texas.

Since being elected, Mayor Becky Ames has spearheaded several initiatives to better the Beaumont area, such as establishing the One Stop Shop in city hall to help businesses and homeowners with their various needs.

Becky has also helped develop the 311 call centers to help residents with nonemergency issues.

Mayor Ames' most significant contributions to our district include the emergency preparation and management before and after several tropical storms and hurricanes that have impacted Beaumont. Mayor Ames' experience and leadership during these storms were instrumental to recovery efforts and restoring Beaumont's infrastructure. I have seen them up close and personal.

I recognize and I thank Mayor Becky Ames for her many years of selfless service to Beaumont and our 14th Congressional District of Texas.

Madam Speaker, I congratulate Becky on her well-earned retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the victims of the heinous attack on Santa Fe High School on this day back in 2018.

Three years ago, Santa Fe, Texas, a salt-of-the-earth town in my district, was confronted with an incomprehensible evil. Instead of revisiting those horrendous acts of violence, today I rise to honor the lives that were tragically cut short:

15-year-old Aaron Kyle McLeod;

15-year-old Angelique Ramirez;

14-year-old Kimberly Vaughan;

63-year-old Cynthia Tisdale;

17-year-old Sabika Sheikh;

17-year-old Jared Black;

16-year-old Shana Fisher;

64-year-old Glenda Ann Perkins;

15-year-old Christian Riley Garcia; and

17-year-old Christopher Stone, who was adventurous, understanding, and easy to talk to.

Both Christopher and Christian have received medals of honor for the deed they did.

Madam Speaker, it was a solemn day.

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

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