Donald Beyer

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3952, the NOAA Chief Scientist Act. Scientific integrity is a critical component of scientific research. NOAA supports the American public in a variety of ways but is well known for its provision of civilian weather forecasts, watches, and warnings. This is why it is important for the agency to be considered a trusted scientific authority. The role of NOAA's chief scientist is pivotal in this respect. While this position is statutorily defined, prior to this bill, the role lacked clear expectations and responsibilities or even qualifications. This has led to inconsistencies in how the role has been carried out historically. This bill clarifies the role of the chief scientist to ensure that they adhere to and uphold scientific integrity directives at NOAA. This commitment to scientific integrity at the highest levels of NOAA's leadership further underscores its importance to the agency's mission. This bill also requires the NOAA administrator to consider candidates with an established background of practice-led research and scientific achievement in fields relevant to NOAA's mission. This ensures the chief scientist will have pertinent experiences and expertise to draw from while carrying out this role. H.R. 3952 also establishes an Office of the Chief Scientist within NOAA. Critically, this office will support the chief scientist's efforts to foster an environment that would encourage the recruitment and retention of a diverse scientific workforce. Diversity is a key component of ensuring that all voices and research perspectives are heard. Attracting scientists with a diversity of backgrounds and expertise will allow NOAA to approach research questions from new perspectives. I also take a moment to acknowledge NOAA's recent appointment of Dr. Sarah Kapnick as NOAA's chief scientist. Dr. Kapnick has a rich background that includes experience as a physical scientist at NOAA and more recently in the private sector. She embodies many of the qualities identified for consideration in a chief scientist that this bill requires, and I congratulate her on her selection. I also thank the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Ms. Sherrill) and the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Feenstra) for working together to introduce this bipartisan bill. I urge my colleagues to support this bill's passage. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3952, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7361) to upgrade the communications service used by the National Weather Service, and for other purposes.

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7180) to authorize the Director of the National Science Foundation to award grants to support research on the disruption of regular cognitive processes associated with COVID-19 infection, and for other purposes.

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Madam 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. 7569, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7569) to direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a program to provide financial assistance to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers pursuing certain courses of study relating to cybersecurity and energy infrastructure.

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7569, the Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Act of 2022. This bill authorizes the Secretary of Energy to establish a program to support graduate students and postdoctoral researchers pursuing coursework at the intersection of cybersecurity and energy infrastructure. In doing so, the bill aims to empower the Department of Energy to train a new generation of scientists and engineers who can design and develop energy infrastructure systems with cybersecurity considerations from the very start. In addition, to financial assistance for scholarships, fellowships, and research projects, awardees will be provided with research traineeships at national laboratories and utilities to gain practical, hands-on experience with developing new tools and technology. Furthermore, the bill explicitly encourages the Department to leverage this program as a tool for diversifying the high-skilled workforce by expanding outreach to historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, and minority-serving institutions. In sum, this bill represents a necessary and fundamental change from our current approach to securing our infrastructure, where cybersecurity solutions are retroactively applied only after attack has actually occurred. I thank Representative Ross for introducing this thoughtful legislation. I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 7569. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Ross).

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, with great thanks to Ms. Ross for her leadership and to my friend, Ranking Member Lucas, for his support, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7569, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6845, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6845) to provide for transparent licensing of commercial remote sensing systems, as amended.

Mr. BEYER. Madam 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. 6845, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 6845, the Commercial Remote Sensing Amendment Act of 2022. I thank Science Committee Ranking Member Lucas for introducing this bipartisan bill, and Representative Ed Perlmutter, a member of our Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics that I chair, for being an original cosponsor. This bill will provide increased transparency in the licensing of commercial remote sensing systems by requiring the regulatory agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to provide additional reporting on the licensing of commercial remote sensing systems. The bill also amends the statute to ensure that the time required for issuing commercial remote sensing licenses aligns with updated regulations. I am pleased that the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology strengthened the bill in its consideration of the legislation. An amendment we sponsored added further annual reporting requirements on the applications for licenses submitted and licenses issued. The amendment also sustained the sunset clause of annual reporting. The sunset date of 2030 will ensure that we go back, review the law, and stay responsive to changes in this rapidly growing commercial space sector. Commercial remote sensing is a highly competitive global industry, with $2.6 billion in revenue for 2020 alone, according to a report of the Satellite Industry Association. Commercial remote sensing data are used in energy, agriculture, disaster monitoring, mapping, national security applications, and much more. This bill provides Congress with transparency in information that will benefit our oversight of the licensing and regulation of this important and growing industry. I urge my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 6845, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time to speak at this time, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. 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. 6933, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 6933, the Cost-Share Accountability Act of 2022. Many of the clean-energy technologies deployed throughout the Nation today have benefited from financial support from the Department of Energy. The Cost-Share Accountability Act of 2022 would strengthen reporting requirements related to certain cost-share requirements at the Department of Energy. Better reporting on financial assistance will help us ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely. Madam Speaker, I thank Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Ranking Member Obernolte and Chairman Foster for their work on this important legislation, and I urge adoption of H.R. 6933. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I also urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6933, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7289) to provide for the National Academies to study and report on a Federal research agenda to advance the understanding of PFAS, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BEYER. 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. 7289, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7289, the Federal PFAS Research Evaluation Act. PFAS are a class of substances that are commonly referred to as forever chemicals because of their persistence throughout the environment. These chemicals are found within countless household items such as cooking appliances, weatherproof clothing, and even food packaging. While this heat-, water-, and oil-resistant chemical was created over 80 years ago to solve problems, it has become increasingly clear it has created more problems than it solved. Traces of PFAS can also be found within the human body, animals, drinking water, fish, and soil. In fact, a recent report by the CDC found PFAS was in the blood of 97 percent of Americans. Despite the shocking finding on the prevalence of PFAS in the human body, there is little data that examines the long-term health and environmental implications of these artificial chemicals. There are also many research gaps in our understanding of these substances overall. H.R. 7289 would help address these gaps by authorizing the Environmental Protection Agency to enter into agreements with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study the impact of PFAS on human and environmental health through a series of reports. These reports would touch on outstanding questions such as human exposure pathways to PFAS. They would also help to identify critical research gaps related to managing PFAS and examining safe chemical alternatives. Finally, these studies would inform an Office of Science and Technology Policy implementation plan for Federal research, development, and demonstration activities for PFAS. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues on the Science Committee, Representatives Lizzie Fletcher and Peter Meijer, for introducing this commonsense and bipartisan legislation, and I encourage my colleagues to support its passage. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time to speak on this bill, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I, too, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7289, and I yield back the balance of my time.