Lamar Smith

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 7) to amend title 51, United States Code, to extend the authority of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to enter into leases of non-excess property of the Administration.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. 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 S. 7, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the bipartisan NASA Enhanced Use Leasing Extension Act of 2018 facilitates commercial access to NASA infrastructure and facilities. NASA's enhanced use lease authority gives NASA a crucial tool to partner with the private sector. For instance, NASA used EUL authority to lease SpaceX, the historic Apollo and Space Shuttle launch Pad 39A, promoting the transition from all-government space activities to commercial ventures. I would like to thank Senator Roger Wicker for his initiative on this bill which allows NASA to continue to implement this key authority while Congress works out a long-term solution to NASA's use of excess property. Mr. Speaker, I urge its support, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2200) to reauthorize the National Integrated Drought Information System, and for other purposes.

Mr. SMITH 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 S. 2200, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 6227) to provide for a coordinated Federal program to accelerate quantum research and development for the economic and national security of the United States.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 6227, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today, the House considers H.R. 6227, the National Quantum Initiative Act, before sending it on to the President. H.R. 6227 passed the House unanimously in September. After negotiations with the Senate, we reached a bicameral, bipartisan agreement. I introduced this legislation, along with House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson, who is on the floor this evening, as well as 28 other committee members from both parties. America is now in a race with China and Europe to develop the next technological breakthroughs based on the power of quantum science. It is a race we must win for our economic and national security. The National Quantum Initiative Act creates a 10-year Federal program to accelerate quantum research and development in the United States. The bill leverages the expertise and resources of U.S. industry, academia, and government to move quantum information science to the next level. Quantum information science uses quantum physics for the storage, transmission, manipulation, computing, and measurement of information. This legislation establishes a National Quantum Coordination Office within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. This office will oversee interagency coordination and strategic planning, serve as a central point of contact for stakeholders, conduct outreach, and promote commercialization of Federal research by the private sector. The bill also supports basic research, education, and standards development at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy. Up to $255 million a year of these agencies' funding will be directed to new quantum research centers and laboratory research. Their activities will address fundamental research gaps, create a stronger workforce, and generate transformative innovations to give U.S. companies and workers a competitive advantage. The bill ensures that U.S. high-tech companies, which are investing heavily in quantum research, and a surge of quantum technology startups will contribute their knowledge and resources to a national effort. H.R. 6227 was developed with input from industry, academia, national laboratories, Federal agencies, and the administration. The result is a strong consensus bill, which I urge my colleagues to support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, first, I thank Senator Thune and Senator Nelson, the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, who introduced a companion bill to H.R. 6227 in the Senate. I also acknowledge Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Maria Cantwell, the chair and ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, for their work on this bill as well. Finally, the President's White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, as well as the leadership at NSF, NIST, and the Department of Energy have been steadfast in their support. This legislation will help the U.S. to become the world's leader in quantum development. Let's support this bill and send it to the President's desk. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, with the Speaker's allowance and permission, we have another speaker on his way to the House floor who we expect to be here in another 30 seconds, so if I could talk slowly and go on for another 30 seconds, I think the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber) will be here and would like to have the last word. Mr. Speaker, I have no other requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I believe it is important to make very clear with this legislation that CMS should not waive any Medicaid state plan requirements that would limit the freedom to choose qualified Medicaid providers who can provide medical services to children with chronic conditions. Nothing in this bill modifies section 1902(a)(23) of the Social Security Act--related to freedom of choice requirements. Children and their families or guardians retain the right to elect care from a provider or supplier who is qualified and eligible to receive Medicaid payment for the services. It is the intent of this legislation to permit and guarantee the family, in consultation with their physician, in all instances, to be permitted to select the best provider/supplier who can meet the patient's needs. While I support this legislation to provide care coordination for these children, the ultimate choice of the who will provide direct medical services must remain with the family.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from Texas, Roger Williams, for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commemorate the life and public service of our 41st President, George Herbert Walker Bush. President Bush was simply one of the most honorable people I have ever met in or out of politics. As a fellow Texan, I was privileged to know and work with him over the years. One of my happiest memories was when I was a junior Member of Congress. I was invited by the President to accompany him on Air Force One. This was my first flight. We went down to my hometown of San Antonio for the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement. After we were in the air, the President asked me to join him and the First Lady, Barbara Bush, in the forward cabin. I expected the visit to last about 5 minutes, but, instead, I ended up spending the entire 2\1/ 2\-hour flight with them all the way down. Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I felt a twinge of guilt because I felt like he should have been spending this time making phone calls or writing those well-known personal notes that he was famous for. This was an election year and, certainly, he could have taken my support for granted. But instead, this gesture on his part I think showed his big heart and how gracious and friendly he was. Earlier this year, I arranged for a tree to be planted on the Capitol Grounds to honor President Bush. It was the first tree to be dedicated to a President. His selfless public service and commitment to family continues to be a worthy example for all of us.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 4254) to amend the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 to strengthen the aerospace workforce pipeline by the promotion of Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program and National Aeronautics and Space Administration internship and fellowship opportunities to women, and for other purposes.

Mr. SMITH 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 material on H.R. 4254, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 4254, the Women in Aerospace Education Act, as amended by the Senate. I speak on behalf of the bill's sponsor, Representative Steve Knight, who could not be here this afternoon, but he has worked for more than a year to get the bill across the finish line. H.R. 4254, directs NASA and the National Science Foundation, through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, to use their fellowships and internships to encourage more women to get aerospace experience while they are training to be science and mathematics teachers. These teachers are then better equipped to educate and inspire students to pursue studies and careers in aerospace. Twenty percent of U.S. aerospace engineers are of retirement age today. They are beginning to exit our workforce, which will create a shortfall in our national security preparedness. Meanwhile, women represent only about one-quarter of all science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM workers, and only about 15 percent of all aerospace engineers. We need to improve our STEM education pipeline from ensuring STEM classes are available to students at a young age to encouraging young Americans to pursue the completion of a degree in STEM fields. Attitudes about career paths are formed at a young age. The role models and young leaders from which women learn have an enormous impact on future decisionmaking. The Women in Aerospace Education Act directs some of the Federal Government's best teacher training programs to increase the number of women teachers who can educate students about the Nation's leading aerospace programs. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Representative Steve Knight and his cosponsors, Representative Elizabeth Esty, and Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairwoman Barbara Comstock for advancing this bipartisan legislation. We look forward to its being signed into law soon. If all goes well, it will be the 15th Science, Space, and Technology Committee bill to be enacted into law this Congress, and one of 35 bills that the committee has passed in the House this year. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill and send it to the President's desk, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to thank the gentleman from California, my friend and colleague, for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I support S. 1768, the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2018. The final text of the legislation we are considering today was first introduced by Representative Dana Rohrabacher as H.R. 6650 in August. Representative Rohrabacher, an active and valued senior member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, led efforts to improve the original Senate bill and authorize some additional funding to advance earthquake monitoring and early-warning systems that are critical to his home State of California. It has been 15 years since the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program was last reauthorized. This legislation modernizes earthquake safety programs that help States prepare for and respond to earthquakes. The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act is a result of bipartisan collaboration and work with the relevant agencies, congressional committees, private sector and State agency stakeholders. I want to thank Representative Rohrabacher for his initiative on moving the bill forward and working across the aisle and across the Capitol with Senator Dianne Feinstein to get it across the finish line. I also want to congratulate him for his 30 years of service to the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee; the Congress; and his constituents. Since joining the committee in 1989, he has been a dedicated advocate for our Nation's space exploration programs, energy research and innovation, and preparing our Nation for natural hazards. I encourage my colleagues to support S. 1768 and send it to the President's desk.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology be discharged from further consideration of the bill (S. 3389) to redesignate a facility of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, several Rasmussen Reports recently polled Americans on perceptions of bias in the media on specific subjects. Their surveys found the following: The majority (52 percent) of U.S. Voters believe reporters are trying to block the president from passing his agenda, up from 44 percent a year ago. Voters also say politics, not issues, are driving the Kavanaugh opposition. Forty-five percent, a plurality, think the opposition to Kavanaugh is ``mostly due to partisan politics.'' ``Half of voters (47 percent) say reporters aim to defeat the Kavanaugh confirmation. . . . Just eight percent think most reporters are trying to help Kavanaugh win the Senate confirmation. . . . The polls' figures speak for themselves. The American people feel strongly that the media is biased. And that is not good for our country.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Shuster for yielding, and I congratulate him on successfully advancing a 5-year FAA reauthorization. H.R. 302 includes the Science Committee's research and development title, the FLIGHT R&D Act. Title 7 includes our priority that 70 percent of annual FAA research and development funding be for safety research, up from less than 60 percent today. It establishes a new FAA Associate Administrator for Research and Development. And it includes the Geospatial Data Act. Another provision provides for specified aircraft operations of space support vehicles licensed under the U.S. space code. Another establishes a DOT Office of Spaceports and a national spaceport policy report. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the chairman's work on this bill. I strongly support it.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5509) to direct the National Science Foundation to provide grants for research about STEM education approaches and the STEM-related workforce, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5509, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5509, the Innovations in Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships Act, was introduced by Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and cosponsored by a number of Science, Space, and Technology Committee members and approved by the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. H.R. 5509 continues the bipartisan progress the Science Committee has made to expand and improve science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science education programs to create new pathways to STEM careers. We can't overstate the value of a strong STEM workforce in America. STEM workers drive innovation, manufacturing, scientific discovery, and productivity across the economy. According to the National Science Board's most recent ``Science and Engineering Indicators'' report, the number of U.S. jobs that require STEM skills has grown by a third over the past decade. STEM workforce demand is forecast to increase steadily for years to come. Unfortunately, we know that nearly 40 percent of students who embark on a STEM major do not complete it, and only half of STEM graduates are employed in STEM jobs. We also know that apprenticeship and mentoring initiatives can improve the rate of STEM degree completion at both 4-year universities and community colleges. America's competitiveness in STEM fields requires a diverse and flexible workforce comprised of workers with educational backgrounds ranging from certificate-level technical occupations to Ph.D.s. To this end, H.R. 5509 directs the National Science Foundation to fund initiatives that support innovative partnerships between academic institutions and local industries. The NSF will offer at least $5 million per year over the next 4 years in grants to community colleges to develop new STEM courses and degrees. These programs will combine formal education with on-the-job work experiences, such as apprenticeships and internships, by partnering with local employers. Additionally, the pending legislation directs NSF to offer at least another $2.5 million per year for the next 4 years to 4-year universities to partner with local industry and offer apprenticeships and other applied learning experiences for STEM undergraduate students. The bill also requires the National Science Foundation to award $2.5 million per year over the next 4 years for research grants to measure student outcomes and the effectiveness of computer-based and online courses for technical skills training. Leader McCarthy's legislation further directs the NSF to research the difference between skilled technical workforce development in the United States and in other developed countries. Lastly, H.R. 5509 requires the National Science Foundation to conduct research on labor market analysis innovations and America's skilled technical workforce in order to improve our understanding of this workforce's trends and needs. The innovative initiatives in this legislation will leverage the hard work and ingenuity of women and men of all ages, education levels, and backgrounds to meet the demand for a STEM-capable workforce. Much like the action the Trump administration has already taken to expand apprenticeships to help meet today's rapidly changing economy, the Innovations in Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships Act takes significant steps to invest in new STEM education and workforce development programs. Such investments will ensure the United States remains competitive in the global economy both today and tomorrow. The majority leader's bill will enhance America's STEM competitiveness and contribute to our future economic prosperity, so there are many good reasons to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Lesko), who is an active member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee and a member of both the Research and Technology and Environment Subcommittees.