Suzanne Bonamici

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. 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. 144, the bill now under consideration.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 144, the Supporting Early- Career Researchers Act. I commend Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas for introducing this bill, which I am pleased to cosponsor. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of our lives, and the U.S. research enterprise has not been spared. As research labs and universities around the country took action to mitigate the spread of the virus in their labs and on their campuses, research productivity decreased dramatically. We still do not know the full financial consequences incurred by these institutions or their full costs in terms of lost science. Compounding these declines in research productivity, women researchers and researchers from groups historically underrepresented in STEM have been particularly disadvantaged during the crisis because of childcare and other factors. Facing unprecedented financial difficulties, many research universities instituted hiring freezes, and faculty job openings declined by nearly 70 percent. This limited job market has a greater effect on early-career researchers who may have their career derailed before it truly begins. Already, some early-career researchers are having to choose between applying their training and talent to an academic career and supporting their families. Early-career researchers play a vital role in the U.S. research ecosystem. They are not only highly productive researchers, they also play a significant role in training the next generation of undergraduate and graduate STEM students. Their departure from research careers, if we do not stop it, will have a profound and long-lasting consequence on U.S. innovation and competitiveness in the 21st century. Mr. Speaker, as increasing numbers of Americans receive COVID-19 vaccines and the research enterprise continues its recovery, we must make the retention of early-career researchers a priority. The Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act directs the National Science Foundation to establish a new $250 million post-doctoral fellowship program to support early-career researchers. This program will help prevent a significant loss of STEM talent. More than 40 organizations have endorsed this legislation. I, again, thank Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas for their continued deliberation on this important issue, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on getting this bill signed into law. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 144, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 144) to forestall the loss of research talent by establishing a temporary early career research fellowship program, as amended.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bipartisan Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act. I thank Mr. Lucas and Chair Johnson, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 204) to direct the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to carry out programs and activities to ensure that Federal science agencies and institutions of higher education receiving Federal research and development funding are fully engaging their entire talent pool, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2027) to direct Federal science agencies and the Office of Science and Technology Policy to undertake activities to improve the quality of undergraduate STEM education and enhance the research capacity at the Nation's HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs, and for other purposes.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2695) to provide for research to better understand the causes and consequences of sexual harassment affecting individuals in the scientific, technical, engineering, and mathematics workforce and to examine policies to reduce the prevalence and negative impact of such harassment, and for other purposes.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. 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. 2533, the bill now under consideration.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Congressman Posey's National Estuaries and Acidification Research Act. I am an original cosponsor of this bipartisan bill, which would direct the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study that examines the science of ocean and coastal acidification in estuaries and provide recommendations to improve future research and management to inform mitigation decisions. As co-chair of both the House Oceans Caucus and Congressional Estuary Caucus, I know that acidification is not only affecting the open ocean, estuaries and nearshore waters are also absorbing tremendous amounts of carbon pollution and becoming more acidic. Our understanding of ocean acidification and its interactions with other environmental stressors, such as hypoxia, harmful algal blooms, and warming waters, is rapidly evolving, but is still limited in scope. Ocean and coastal acidification are often present in the context of other coastal processes, like runoff, erosion, and upwelled water from the oceans, making it difficult to measure its individual effects on estuaries. Our estuaries and nearshore waters are also experiencing the consequences of our inaction to address the climate crisis, and research has not kept pace with the needs of coastal communities. The NEAR Act will help address significant research gaps and the urgent need to improve our understanding of the ecological and socioeconomic effects of ocean and coastal acidification. I thank Congressman Posey for his leadership on this bipartisan bill and his efforts to preserve our Nation's estuaries. I also thank Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas for making this bill a priority. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Washington, DC, April 16, 2021. Chairman Raul M. Grijalva, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Grijalva: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 2533, the ``National Estuaries and Acidification Research Act of 2021,'' which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology as lead committee and sequentially referred to the Committee on Natural Resources on April 14, 2021. I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this bill. I recognize that the bill contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Natural Resources. I acknowledge that your Committee will waive further consideration of H.R. 2533 and that this action is not a waiver of future jurisdictional claims by the Committee on Natural Resources over this subject matter. I will make sure to include our exchange of letters in the Congressional Record and will support the appointment of the Committee on Natural Resources conferees during any House- Senate conference. Thank you for your cooperation on this legislation. Sincerely, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Chairwoman.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2533) to provide for a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examining the impact of ocean acidification and other stressors in estuarine environments.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1447, the bill now under consideration.

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1447) to amend the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 to establish an Ocean Acidification Advisory Board, to expand and improve the research on Ocean Acidification and Coastal Acidification, to establish and maintain a data archive system for Ocean Acidification data and Coastal Acidification data, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of the Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and Threats, or COAST, Research Act, my bipartisan bill to help coastal communities adapt to the climate crisis by expanding scientific research, monitoring, and adaptation of ocean and coastal acidification. I want to thank all of the staff on both sides of the aisle, from the committee and my personal staff, especially Maxine Sugarman, for all their work on this bill. Every person on this planet benefits from a healthy ocean. The ocean covers more than 70 percent of the planet's surface. It supplies much of the oxygen that we breathe and regulates our climate. It is linked to the water we drink, and it is home to more than half of all life on the planet. The power of its waves generates clean energy. The ocean drives our economy, feeds, employs, and transports us. But despite our intrinsic connection, for too long the ocean has taken the heat for us. According to the Fourth National Climate Assessment, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are now higher than at any time in the last 3 million years. Approximately one-third of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dissolves into our ocean and estuaries, causing them to become more acidic. Ocean and coastal acidification make it difficult for shellfish, coral, and other marine organisms to build their shells and skeletal structures. Some finfish, including endangered salmon in the Pacific Northwest, lose their sense of smell necessary for identifying prey, reproducing, and navigating their habitats. Our understanding of the long-term consequences of ocean acidification is still limited, but we do know that the changes in ocean chemistry are already affecting the fishers and shellfish farmers who depend on the ocean's resources to support themselves and their families and the Tribes that have treaty rights and deep cultural and historical connections to diminishing species. The most effective strategy for mitigating ocean acidification is reducing anthropogenic sources of carbon dioxide pollution worldwide. I have joined with colleagues on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis in releasing a bold, comprehensive, and science-based Climate Action Plan to reach net-zero emissions no later than mid-century and net-negative thereafter. But there are also actions that we can take immediately to improve conditions, lessen exposure to ocean acidification, and manage local pollution and conditions that can exacerbate acidification. This bill, which I introduced with my fellow co-chair of the House Oceans Caucus, Representative Young from Alaska, and with Representatives Pingree and Posey, would improve scientific research on ocean and coastal acidification in the context of other environmental stressors and direct Federal agencies to assess adaptation and mitigation strategies. Funding has lagged behind the needs of the scientific community for years, and this bill would provide a modest, but important, increase for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Science Foundation to scale up research efforts. Importantly, the bill also expands the definition of ocean acidification to include estuaries and recognize mechanisms that cause changes in coastal chemistry. NOAA is already leading interdisciplinary efforts to expand our understanding of changing ocean conditions in its role as chair of the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification. In fact, this year marks the 10th anniversary of the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program, and I hope my colleagues will join me in applauding their work to truly advance regionally coordinated scientific research. A September 2015 Government Accountability Office report suggested that an independent national ocean acidification program could advance our understanding of changing ocean conditions. The COAST Research Act designates NOAA as the lead Federal agency responsible for implementing the Federal response to ocean and coastal acidification, further empowering the Ocean Acidification Program to scale up its efforts with its first reauthorization in more than a decade. Additionally, the COAST Research Act increases our understanding of the socioeconomic effects of ocean and coastal acidification and, importantly, it engages stakeholders. The bill creates an advisory board of representatives of the shellfish and crab industry, finfish industry, seafood processors, recreational fishing, academia, nongovernmental organizations, State, local, and Tribal governments, and regional coastal acidification networks. The regionally balanced board will advise NOAA and the Interagency Working Group on coastal and ocean acidification research and monitoring activities. This collaborative process will help make sure that vulnerable and affected communities, industries, and coastal and ocean managers have the tools they need to adapt and mitigate the effects of coastal and ocean acidification. For example, at Oregon State University, Dr. Burke Hales developed the ``Burke-o-Lator,'' a device the size of a piece of carry-on luggage, that can analyze when shellfish growers across the Pacific Northwest should grow larvae based on the ocean acidity and the effects on calcium carbonates needed for shell formation. Other research at Oregon State has demonstrated how growing particular seagrasses and kelps can help counteract ocean acidification. These examples help demonstrate what is possible when we invest in science and research to help coastal communities adapt to the climate crisis. The COAST Research Act directs NOAA to maintain a system to process, store, archive, and provide access to data on ocean and coastal acidification from federally funded research, including existing global or national datasets, and research from State and local agencies, Tribes, academic scientists, citizen scientists, and industry organizations. These efforts will help provide for the long-term stewardship and standardization of ocean acidification data and better help communities adapt and mitigate the worst effects. Madam Speaker, the health of our ocean reflects the health of our planet. Today, we have the opportunity to help it become more resilient by passing the bipartisan COAST Research Act. I thank Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas and my co- sponsors for their leadership. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. I reference letters from Earthjustice, Ocean Conservancy, Wild Salmon Center, Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association, Integrated Ocean Observing System Association, Surfrider Foundation, Oregon Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia, Consortium for Ocean Leadership, Oregon State University, Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems, and Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, in support of the COAST Research Act. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record several of the above- referenced letters. Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 10 February 2021. Re The Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and Threats (COAST) Research Act. Hon. Suzanne Bonamici, House of Representatives. Washington, DC. Dear Representative Bonamici: We write to offer Oregon State University's support for The Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and Threats (COAST) Research Act. As marine habitats face new and daunting pressures threatening their sustainability, the COAST Research Act identifies the growing need for strategic and robust investments in ocean acidification (OA) research, monitoring and stakeholder collaboration. Oregon State University is committed to interdisciplinary approaches to address the national and global challenges facing our oceans and coast communities. OSU has a deep history of global leadership in oceanography and engages in nationally ranked oceanographic monitoring programs and world-leading OA research. Further, the university recognizes that Oregon's estuaries and coastal regions are home to some of the world's most productive ecosystems and economically vital shellfish farms. The university is encouraged that the COAST Research Act expands the definition of OA to include coastal and estuarine systems, and identifies OA as being affected by a combination of factors, including hypoxia. The university believes that by expanding federal definitions of OA and by increasing funding opportunities, researchers and managers will be able to best utilize resources to find solutions to address OA. The university also is encouraged that this legislation recognizes the need for federal engagement to continue important investments to understand and address ocean and coastal acidification. Doing so will enhance the integration of OA research, monitoring and adaptation strategies across principal federal research agencies, including the National Science Foundation, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Oregon State University understands that effective and collaborative partnerships and communication are essential for our state and nation to find adaptive and mitigation solutions to address OA. For example, the proposal to establish an Ocean Acidification Advisory Board will be essential for facilitating the important work still to be done. The world's ocean belongs to everyone, and ocean health is critical to our future. In the coming decades, it will be essential for the nation and its universities to work collaboratively to improve and sustain the health of our oceans. Doing so, we will assure human wellness, environmental health and economic prosperity for future generations. In closing, Oregon State University believes that the COAST Research Act proposes important new strategic tools to expand understanding and address the problems facing our oceans and coastal communities. Sincerely, Edward Feser, Ph.D., Provost and Executive Vice President. Irem Tumer, Ph.D., ASME Fellow, Vice President for Research.

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC, April 19, 2021. Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Chairwoman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairwoman Johnson: In recognition of the goal of expediting consideration of H.R. 1447, the ``Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and Threats Research Act of 2021,'' the Committee on Natural Resources agrees to waive formal consideration of the bill as to provisions that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Natural Resources. The Committee on Natural Resources takes this action with the mutual understanding that, in doing so, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that the Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may address any remaining issues within our jurisdiction. Our Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation. Thank you for agreeing to include our exchange of letters in the Congressional Record. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Raul M. Grijalva, Chair, House Natural Resources Committee.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Maine (Ms. Pingree), a cosponsor of the COAST Research Act.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. The basic chemistry of our ocean is changing at an unprecedented rate. We know that even if carbon dioxide emissions were halted today, many of the residual effects on our oceans will continue to occur over the course of the next few decades. Without intervention, ocean acidification is projected to become more intense and increasingly common, especially on the Pacific Coast. We must support vulnerable communities, industries, coastal and ocean managers by strengthening research on how they can best prepare for and, when possible, adapt to ocean and coastal acidification. By passing the bipartisan COAST Research Act, we are taking one important step forward in advancing ocean climate action. I, again, thank Chairwoman Johnson; Ranking Member Lucas; and my co- leads on this bill, Representative Young, Pingree, and Posey for their support. I know Mr. Young from Alaska talked about his salmon. We would compete with salmon in the Pacific Northwest. We also have the prize dungeness crab, and Ms. Pingree has her lobsters. It is so critical for these industries that we pass this bill and advance ocean climate action. I, once again, urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bipartisan bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 210) to coordinate Federal research and development efforts focused on STEM education and workforce development in rural areas, including the development and application of new technologies to support and improve rural STEM education, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. BONAMICI. 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. 210, the bill now under consideration.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 210, the Rural STEM Education Research Act. I thank Ranking Member Lucas for introducing this important bill. Every State in the country is filled with students who have an incredible curiosity for STEM and the potential to make important contributions in these fields. But too often, students are left behind and are unable to fulfill their vast potential simply because of where they live. Students in rural areas have long faced obstacles to receiving a high-quality STEM education. Lack of broadband access, for example, has long been a barrier. Schools in rural communities often struggle to access the equipment and facilities needed to provide students with hands-on STEM experiences. Research shows that hands-on experiences help inspire scientific curiosity and a love of STEM in students. Teachers are trying their best, but they have limited resources and support. To make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to remote learning have further exacerbated these inequalities. Students and teachers in rural communities have worked hard to adapt, but they need help. We have an opportunity not just to recover from what was lost during the pandemic but to ensure a better STEM education future for rural students. The Rural STEM Education Act provides for research and development to increase access to STEM education opportunities in rural schools and to provide teachers with the resources they need to teach more effectively. The bill also directs NIST to develop a prize competition to advance research and development in support of expanded broadband access. This bill further provides for assessments of Federal investments in rural STEM education to be conducted by the National Academies and the Government Accountability Office. This bill is an important step toward improving STEM education in rural communities across America and will help build a 21st century STEM workforce that will help the U.S. remain a global leader in science and technology. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 210, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee and the Committee on Education and Labor, I want to thank Mr. Lucas for mentioning not only broadband but also place- based learning. I represent several rural school districts, and I appreciate this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I once again thank Ranking Member Lucas for his work on this legislation. I thank Chairwoman Johnson for supporting it, and I urge its adoption. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.