Brian Babin

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1368, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1368, the DOE and NASA Interagency Research Act is a smart piece of legislation that will ensure that we stay competitive in the global race to return humans to the Moon and then send crewed missions on to Mars. Without key partnerships like this, we would be unable to take the crucial steps in energy production and propulsion technologies necessary to extend our reach beyond Earth. I thank Representative Begich and Representative Whitesides for their leadership in moving this bill forward. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BABIN

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

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. 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. 359, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 359) to Amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require reporting relating to certain cost-share requirements, and for other purposes.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 359, the Cost-Share Accountability Act of 2025, is a good government bill that does exactly what it says: It improves accountability. Led by Mr. Obernolte, this bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to submit a quarterly report to Congress describing instances where it has modified or waived cost-share requirements and make these reports publicly available. DOE is subject to cost-share requirements when making awards for research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities. This means that each project must have a certain funding percentage, usually at least 50 percent, contributed by the award recipient. However, DOE can modify or eliminate those requirements, when necessary, which is an authority that can be critical to supporting early-stage technologies. H.R. 359 does not prevent DOE from waiving cost-share requirements. It simply ensures that any changes are reported to Congress and are made public. Transparency and accountability are important because they allow us to track how taxpayer dollars are spent once appropriated to DOE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Obernolte) to speak on his bill.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, this bill passed the House with unanimous support in the 118th Congress and is a prime example of the bipartisan backing for Congress' role in overseeing transparent and efficient spending by Federal agencies. I thank Representative Obernolte for leading this legislation again in the 119th Congress and Representative Foster for cosponsoring it. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 730) to coordinate Federal research and development efforts focused on modernizing mathematics in STEM education through mathematical and statistical modeling, including data-driven and computational thinking, problem, project, and performance-based learning and assessment, interdisciplinary exploration, and career connections, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support H.R. 730, the Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act, sponsored by my colleagues Representatives Houlahan and Baird. The importance of STEM education to our economy cannot be overstated. The National Science Board's 2024 Science and Engineering Indicators report estimates that our country's STEM workforce constitutes 24 percent of all U.S. jobs. Further still, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the need for STEM jobs will increase by another 11 percent by 2032. America's education sector must ensure that we meet this growing demand head-on. Many STEM jobs require data comprehension to inform decisionmaking, but we are currently not providing a strong foundation for that skill in our schools. H.R. 730 would modernize our mathematics curriculum by providing competitive, merit-based grants to support mathematical and statistical modeling education. Having served on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology since joining Congress, and now as the sitting chairman, I understand the importance of mathematical and statistical analyses. I have had a front row seat to the extraordinary accomplishments of our domestic STEM talent across many industries and professions. One thing they all share is a solid foundation and understanding of mathematics and modeling. These skills are crucial to a wide variety of occupations, informing computational and data-driven thinking that supports the growth of a versatile STEM workforce. Statistical analysis underpins everything from the development of artificial intelligence to improving advanced manufacturing. This bill will allow us to teach these skills more effectively through R&D and new curricula and methodologies. H.R. 730 also directs the National Academies to conduct a study identifying best practices for mathematical and statistical modeling education. I thank Representatives Houlahan and Baird for their work on this logical legislation that supports our students and our economy. This bill passed the House in the 117th and 118th Congresses, and I urge my colleagues to pass it again today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, as teachers prepare the next generation of American STEM workers, we must invest in the best curricula and teaching methods. H.R. 730 will improve mathematical and statistical modeling education in the United States, ensuring American businesses have qualified workers with the necessary skills to drive innovation in STEM fields, including artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. This is good policy, which is why this same bill passed the House in the 117th and the 118th Congresses. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it once again, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. 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. 1318, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand in support of H.R. 1318, the United States Research Protection Act, sponsored by my colleagues, Representatives Kennedy and Stevens. This legislation passed the House in the 118th Congress, and I am pleased that we are taking it up again today. America's leadership in science and technology is built on the foundation of Federal investments and basic research. These investments enhance our national security, strengthen our economy, and improve the lives of our citizens. Our unique research ecosystem, which combines Federal, academic, and private R&D efforts, drives America's advancement in science and technology. However, for this system to work, we need a degree of open science that facilitates collaboration and transparency. The challenge is ensuring this openness does not compromise our research security. While the U.S. has significantly profited from this system, other countries--friends and foes--also benefit from U.S. investments. The theft of our basic research poses a significant risk to our global competitiveness. It takes our cutting-edge innovations and puts them to work for our adversaries, undermining our economy and hindering our ability to stay at the forefront of discovery. A 2023 survey by the Center for Strategic and International Studies found 224 reported instances of Chinese espionage directed at the United States since 2000. After conducting oversight of recently enacted research security requirements, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee was informed that complicated and confusing language in the CHIPS and Science Act was preventing the academic community from fully securing taxpayer-funded research. H.R. 1318 will update and clarify the definition of a malign foreign talent recruitment program to assist universities and agencies in protecting our national investments. This bill is a simple bipartisan solution to protect our tax dollars and the research that they fund from foreign espionage. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Kennedy and Stevens for their work on this critical legislation. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1318, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, the government needs clear and explicit guidance for our agencies and federally funded researchers. While this body has passed multiple bills to protect American research, unintentional ambiguity has created confusion within the academic research community. H.R. 1318 will eliminate confusion around the implementation of research security requirements and increase protections of our R&D enterprise. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this simple and noncontroversial bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1325) to provide for transparent licensing of commercial remote sensing systems, and for other purposes.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, as I said previously, commercial remote sensing provides us with critical information related to a number of fields important to U.S. competitiveness. H.R. 1325 will ensure that Congress receives the updates necessary to monitor industry regulations. Updating these reporting requirements will ensure the U.S. remains the global leader in this crucial sector. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BABIN. 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. 1325, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1325, the Commercial Remote Sensing Amendment Act of 2025. This bill updates reporting requirements for NOAA's Office of Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs, giving Congress the ability to monitor how regulations are affecting the expansion and development of the commercial and remote sensing industry. Remote sensing uses data collected from satellites to produce images of Earth and has become a crucial tool in fields like agriculture, finance, trade, energy, and national security. Commercial remote sensing also provides us with vital information for many important applications. The technology behind it is constantly evolving, and the industry is seeing tremendous growth. To effectively support and manage remote sensing activities, it is imperative that Congress receives timely and comprehensive reports in order to evaluate the state of the industry and how regulations are affecting this growth. The Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015 established a reporting requirement for the Department of Commerce on the status of commercial remote sensing licensing and regulation. That requirement expired in 2020. H.R. 1325 will reinstate this reporting requirement and keep Congress informed of agency actions, their impact on licensees, and the state of the commercial remote sensing industry. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1325 is a no-nonsense, bipartisan bill that will ensure the U.S. remains at the helm of this important field. I thank the former chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Mr. Lucas, for introducing this bill and his leadership on this important topic. This bill passed the House by a voice vote in the last two Congresses, and I look forward to working with the Senate to see it finally cross the finish line. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas), who is our former chairman.

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1326, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1326, the DOE and USDA Interagency Research Act is a perfect example of government efficiency. This bill directs the Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture to share their resources and knowledge to achieve common mission priorities. DOE and USDA already have a successful track record of collaboration in topics such as the energy-water nexus, invasive species control, wildfire risk mitigation, and biofuels. Through the expanded interagency agreement authorized in this bill, DOE and USDA can tackle additional complex research challenges, such as genomics-based research, rural energy development, and grid modernization. These joint efforts advance clean energy and agricultural technologies and promote rural economic growth. As global competition intensifies and our adversaries seek to gain an advantage by feeding and clothing the rest of the world, it is vital that we strengthen and preserve this interagency collaboration to keep pace through innovation. This bill will do exactly that. We have two world-class agencies, DOE and USDA, conducting research, so it only makes sense that we ensure they are both at the table to coordinate on a wide range of topics. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas), our former chairman.