Eddie Johnson

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy).

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I simply urge all Members on both sides of the aisle to support the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3153) to direct the Director of the National Science Foundation to support research on opioid addiction, and for other purposes.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. 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. 3153, the bill now under consideration.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 3153, the EFFORT Act. The effect of the opioid epidemic on communities across our country is clear. Research from the CDC shows that, on average, 130 Americans die every day after overdosing on illegal opioids. In 2017, approximately 1.7 million Americans had a substance abuse disorder related to opioids. Those statistics are staggering, and the effects of this problem on our communities is heartbreaking. While past and ongoing research conducted by the National Science Foundation has greatly increased our knowledge of opioid addiction, more work, of course, is needed. The basic research authorized in H.R. 3153 will extend and expand our understanding of opioid addiction and its impact on our communities and allow us to develop more effective evidence-based policies to address this epidemic. I commend my colleagues, Representative Wexton and Representative Baird, for their leadership on this good, bipartisan legislation and urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. Wexton).

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens).

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for speeches. I would like to close at this time. Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank all of the members of this committee on both sides of the aisle and wish to recommend that we pass the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 36) 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, as amended.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on H.R. 36, the bill that is now under consideration.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 36, the Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend, Ranking Member Mr. Lucas, for joining me in introducing this bill and for his commitment to expanding access to STEM studies and careers. This bill is a product of more than a year of activity by the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. We heard from many experts about the prevalence of sexual harassment in STEM, what factors have enabled it, the impact it has on the lives and careers of so many talented young scientists and engineers, and the loss to our Nation when they leave research altogether. We also learned of some best practices for universities, scientific societies, and Federal agencies to begin to bring transparency and accountability to this challenge. Federal science agencies have an important role to play, because they have the responsibility to ensure that all federally-funded researchers, including students, are able to carry out their research in safe environments at all times. However, agencies need universities to be partners in that area and effort, and that partnership starts with universities reporting to their funders when a student or researcher is brave enough to come forward with an allegation of sexual harassment. Mr. Speaker, I applaud the National Science Foundation for its bold leadership in implementing a reporting policy, and NIH and NASA for their own more recent efforts. Unfortunately, other agencies have been slow to respond. H.R. 36 directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy to issue uniform guidance to all Federal science agencies to implement reporting requirements for all grantees. We worked closely with the university community to define the circumstances that should trigger a report. Not everybody was happy with the result, but it was a good compromise, and protects the most vulnerable. Also, it is important to note that this bill does not interfere with due process. It simply requires transparency while protecting privacy. H.R. 36 also supports research to inform updated policies in the future, it seeks to incentivize culture change at universities, and it makes clear that sexual harassment should now be considered as important as research misconduct, as recommended by the National Academies. While sexual harassment in science is not a problem that can be solved with legislation alone, H.R. 36 helps ensure that the Federal agencies are doing their part. No researcher should be forced to choose between her passion for science and her right to feel safe. This legislation has broad support and has been endorsed by 28 scientific and scholarly organizations. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this bipartisan bill. I thank members of the full committee for their work on this bill, I recommend passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3196) to designate the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope as the ``Vera Rubin Survey Telescope'', as amended.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. 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. 3196, the bill now under consideration.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3196, which, after today's consideration, will be known as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Designation Act. I thank Representative Gonzalez-Colon for joining me in introducing this bill. Dr. Vera Rubin was a trailblazing astronomer, who dedicated her life to advancing our understanding of the cosmos. She was also a tireless advocate for women in science, and she was well known for her mentorship of aspiring women astronomers. Today would have been Dr. Rubin's 91st birthday, but, sadly, she passed away on Christmas Day in 2016. During the 1970s, Dr. Rubin published the best set of measurements of the galaxy rotation to date. Her data revealed something surprising. The stars orbiting in the outer regions of the galaxies were moving much faster than expected. Dark matter, first proposed decades prior, was the only way to explain the observed motion. Dr. Rubin's work helped to convince the broader astronomy community of the existence of dark matter and revolutionized the way we understand the universe. Instead of being dominated by light-emitting matter, Dr. Rubin's work revealed that most of the universe is made up of a mysterious and invisible substance called dark matter. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, or LSST, is an 8.4-meter telescope currently under construction in Chile. Funded jointly by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, LSST will conduct an unprecedented survey of the night sky. The data collected by this telescope will enable scientists to build on Dr. Rubin's pioneering work and probe the nature of dark matter. Dr. Rubin's exemplary science and her sterling character will drive scientific discovery and inspire girls and women in STEM for decades to come. While Dr. Rubin has already claimed a well-deserved place in history, H.R. 3196 will further elevate her story by designating one of the world's preeminent research facilities as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, I also thank Miss Gonzalez-Colon for cosponsoring this bill, and I thank the full committee for supporting it. I urge its passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 34) to ensure consideration of water intensity in the Department of Energy's energy research, development, and demonstration programs to help guarantee efficient, reliable, and sustainable delivery of energy and clean water resources, as amended.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. 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. 34, the bill now under consideration.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 34, the Energy and Water Research Integration Act of 2019. I first thank my friend, Mr. Lucas, who joined me in introducing this legislation, which calls attention to the critical link between energy and water and instructs the Department of Energy to ensure due consideration of water issues in its research, development, and demonstration programs. As we all know, especially those of us who represent Texas, Oklahoma, and other southwestern and western States, we have limited water resources that must be distributed appropriately to our large energy industries, agricultural communities, and rapidly growing populations. We have experienced crippling droughts in recent years, so it is vital that we do as much as possible to use this commodity wisely. However, not many people are aware of the importance of water to energy generation and, similarly, the crucial role that energy plays in delivery of safe, sanitary water to our constituents. The Energy and Water Research Integration Act encourages research into energy technologies that would improve and minimize the use of water and energy production, and also establishes a mechanism for Federal agencies to work with State and local governments and other stakeholders to advance our understanding of what is known as the ``energy-water nexus.'' In addition, the bill requires a regularly updated strategic plan to guide these efforts. These are important, positive steps towards using our limited resources in the most efficient and effective way possible. I am pleased that these issues have already received serious attention so far this Congress, with the committee hosting a hearing on this bill in March and two markups, one at the subcommittee level and one before the full committee. Our hearing witnesses and other crucial stakeholders, including the Department of Energy, were able to contribute and shape the legislation to the well-vetted proposal that we are finally considering today. I hope that we can demonstrate a strong, sustained commitment to research and development in this vital area. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to make sure that all members of this committee and staff are thanked for their efforts, and I urge support of this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 617) to authorize the Department of Energy to conduct collaborative research with the Department of Veterans Affairs in order to improve healthcare services for veterans in the United States, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on H.R. 617, the bill under consideration.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 617, the Department of Energy Veterans' Health Initiative Act. This bill authorizes the Department of Energy to conduct collaborative research with the Department of Veterans Affairs to address large and complex data management challenges associated with veterans' healthcare issues. H.R. 617 also authorizes the Department of Energy to support activities that will better enable other Federal agencies to leverage the Department's capabilities in developing advanced data analytics tools for a broad range of applications. I would like to thank the members of the Veterans' Affairs Committee for working with us to improve this legislation. I would also like to thank the bill's sponsor, Mr. Norman, for his hard work on this bill. Before I began my career in politics, I worked as a chief psychiatric nurse for the Dallas VA Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. In that position, I saw firsthand the unique healthcare needs of the veteran community. I believe the bill before us today will be a positive step toward tackling some of the critical problems that the VA is currently facing in providing our veterans with the care they deserve when they come home. I strongly support this bipartisan bill and encourage my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no requests for time, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to close by simply thanking all of the members of the full committee, as well as the staff, and to urge passage of this legislation, H.R. 617. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.