Lamar Smith

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the longtime efforts of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Posey) to advance space initiatives. His efforts are reflected in H.R. 5346, the Commercial Space Support Vehicle Act, which he authored and brings to the floor today. Maintaining and expanding America's leadership in human space activity, especially in the commercial space sector, is a priority of mine and of paramount importance to Mr. Posey and the members on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. The Commercial Space Support Vehicle Act was developed with input from the Department of Transportation as a new and better approach to streamline the licensing and permitting process of hybrid launch vehicles. Private companies would like to use space support vehicles to train crews and spaceflight participants by exposing them to the physiological effects and reduced gravity environment encountered in spaceflight, and many spaceports would like to encourage those companies to operate out of their facilities. H.R. 5346 provides the fairest, most appropriate regulatory approach by authorizing the Secretary of Transportation to develop regulations, according to the requirements of the bill, by March 1, 2019, thereby enabling licensed space support flights. Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank Mr. Posey who is always a leader on space issues for taking the initiative on this bill.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me thank the chairman of the Energy Subcommittee, Mr. Weber, the gentleman from Texas, for yielding. I strongly support this bill, H.R. 5905, the Department of Energy Science and Innovation Act of 2018. This bipartisan legislation, sponsored by 12 members of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee authorizes the basic research programs within the DOE Office of Science for fiscal years 2018 and 2019. The programs include research in basic energy sciences, advanced scientific computing, high- energy physics, biological and environmental research, fusion energy science, and nuclear physics. These basic research programs are the core mission of the Department of Energy and will produce the scientific discoveries that will help maintain U.S. leadership in technology. This bill also prioritizes basic research funding for solar fuels, electricity storage, bioenergy research, exascale computing, and low- dose radiation research. It provides the Office of Science funding for upgrades and construction of seven high-priority user facilities at DOE national labs. This legislation is the product of more than 4 years of bipartisan work by the Science, Space, and Technology Committee to advance basic research and set clear science priorities for the Department of Energy. H.R. 5905 builds on the initiatives included in the House-passed bill, H.R. 589, the Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act, and also incorporates four bipartisan Science, Space, and Technology Committee infrastructure bills that passed the House in February. One example of the central missions authorized in the DOE Science and Innovation Act is the exascale computing program. Developing an exascale system is critical to enabling scientific discovery, strengthening national security, and promoting U.S. competitiveness. Exascale computing will have real-world benefits for American industry and entice the best researchers in the world to conduct groundbreaking science at the DOE labs. To strengthen U.S. energy independence, this legislation also supports fusion energy sciences. When commercial fusion becomes available, it will revolutionize the energy market and could significantly reduce global carbon emissions. H.R. 5905 also authorizes funds for U.S. contributions to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project, a critical step to achieving commercial fusion energy. Again, I want to thank Representative Weber, as well as Representative Lofgren, for their longstanding support of basic research and investments in our world-class science facilities at the DOE national labs. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma, the vice chairman of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology (Mr. Lucas), for yielding me time on his bill. The energy bill we are considering is H.R. 5906, the ARPA-E Act of 2018. It establishes clear DOE policy in a new direction and new requirements for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, called ARPA-E, program. This legislation updates the mission of ARPA-E to focus on developing technological solutions to energy, economic, environmental, and national security challenges. This includes allowing ARPA-E to develop technologies to address the management, cleanup, and disposal of nuclear waste and to enhance the security and resilience of the electric grid. H.R. 5906 also maximizes the Department's resources. It requires ARPA-E to coordinate with other DOE programs, avoid duplication, and ensures that ARPA-E grants go to innovative technologies that would not otherwise be funded by the private sector. The bill reforms ARPA-E but does not authorize any funding for ARPA- E. Instead, H.R. 5906 provides much-needed reform to the ARPA-E program. It also leaves the door open for Congress to readdress ARPA-E funding in the future and determine if the Agency is meeting its intended purpose. Unfortunately, there have been some mischaracterizations of this legislation, so let the Record be clear: Supporting H.R. 5906 will not prevent Congress from cutting--as we did in the House-passed Energy and Water Appropriations bill earlier this month--or even eliminating funding to ARPA-E in the future. Instead, it allows us to enact reforms today that refocus ARPA-E on technology within the DOE mission. In addition, one organization that opposes this legislation apparently didn't read the bill and confused it with another bill that reauthorizes ARPA-E. Mr. Speaker, thanks go to Vice Chairman Lucas and Ranking Member Johnson for their work on this reform bill and for their support of advanced research around the country. Mr. Speaker, I just want to mention one more thing, and it might be of interest to all Members, even those who are not on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. After this bill passes, of the 27 bills that the Science, Space, and Technology Committee has brought to the House floor, 24 of the 27 have, in fact, been bipartisan pieces of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Hultgren for yielding me time on his bill, H.R. 5907, the National Innovation Modernization by Laboratory Empowerment Act, or NIMBLE Act. This legislation authorizes the Secretary of Energy to provide signature authority to the directors of the national laboratories, allowing these lab directors to make funding decisions on cooperative agreements with industry where the total cost is less than $1 million. This commonsense reform provides the labs with more flexibility and eliminates the red tape and bureaucratic process that makes it difficult for businesses to partner with the labs. DOE national labs can provide the private sector with access to critical research infrastructure as they develop new technologies. But a burdensome approval process can smother an industry's interest and constrict the pace of technology development. This bill gives the labs freedom to pursue agreements that will increase U.S. competitiveness and maintain our innovation and productivity leadership. I thank Representative Randy Hultgren again and this bill's 10 Science, Space, and Technology Committee's cosponsors, including Representative Ed Perlmutter, Vice Chairman Frank Lucas, Energy Subcommittee Chairman Randy Weber, and Energy Subcommittee Vice Chairman Steve Knight for their ongoing support of DOE's world-leading national laboratories. Mr. Speaker, I want to say about Mr. Hultgren that his leadership on the committee has been appreciated for years. He has never failed to be an effective advocate and leader for the national labs. This is a good example of his interests being put into legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), for all that he has done to advance immigration reform during this Congress. I do support H.R. 4760, Securing America's Future Act. This legislation ensures that our immigration policies put the interests of Americans first. We need to thank not only Chairman Goodlatte, but others who have put so much time and effort into this legislation. We appreciate Mr. Goodlatte's diligence, expertise, and commitment to improving our immigration system. Any immigration reform considered by Congress must, at a minimum, secure our borders, implement workforce verification to end the illegal jobs magnet, reduce chain migration, bolster interior enforcement, and prevent abuse of our asylum laws. Securing America's Future Act includes all of these necessary provisions. The bill delivers on the President's pledge to voters to complete physical barriers along our southern border, penalize lawless sanctuary cities, and end the Obama administration's catch-and-release policy that returns dangerous criminal immigrants to our streets to prey on innocent Americans. Of special interest to me is the inclusion of the Legal Workforce Act in the bill, which requires all new employees' work eligibility to be verified. This will reduce illegal immigration and save jobs for American workers. Also important is the deadline to finally implement an entry-exit tracking system to identify visa overstayers. They comprise half of the almost 1 million new illegal immigrants every year. Securing America's Future Act helps keep our communities safe and protects American workers. It deserves our enthusiastic support. Madam Speaker, again I want to thank Chairman Goodlatte for offering this legislation.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today we congratulate the 2018 Service Academy appointees from the 21st Congressional District of Texas. The following individuals have accepted Academy appointments: Amadou Sara Bah, Claudia Taylor ``Lady Bird'' Johnson High School, United States Military Academy; Conner McNeil Beasley, Westlake High School, Greystone Preparatory School at Schreiner University, United States Naval Academy; Ryan Conley Booth, Winston Churchill High School, United States Air Force Academy; Catherine Rose Buckingham, Winston Churchill High School, United States Military Academy; Jack Lowell Erwin, Central Catholic High School, Northwestern Preparatory School (CA), United States Air Force Academy; Hunter Alan Jackson, Regents School of Austin, United States Military Academy. James Angelo Katson, McLean High School (VA), The Hill School (PA), United States Naval Academy; Chloe Elizabeth Lucas-Brown, Claudia Taylor ``Lady Bird'' Johnson High School, United States Naval Academy; Micah Peter McAnany, Ronald Reagan High School, Greystone Preparatory School at Schreiner University, United States Merchant Marine Academy; Kathleen Elizabeth McCusker, STEM Academy, Lee High School, United States Naval Academy; Roman Isaih Ocampo, Claudia Taylor ``Lady Bird'' Johnson High School, United States Air Force Academy; Marshall Alan Shults, Geneva School of Boerne, United States Air Force Academy; Karyl Vincent Taylor, Jr., International School of the Americas, United States Air Force Academy. These outstanding students have much to contribute to their chosen Academy and to our country. We appreciate their talents and their patriotism.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment to H.R. 5895, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2019. I first want to thank the gentleman from Idaho, Congressman Mike Simpson, the chairman of the House Appropriations Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee, for working with us to develop a strong, pro-science appropriations bill. I strongly support division A of this legislation, and I appreciate the chairman's initiative in basic science research. This amendment provides for critical facility upgrades and construction of basic research infrastructure that are within the core mission of the Department of Energy and will lead to scientific discoveries that will maintain U.S. leadership in innovation and technology. In February, the House unanimously passed three bipartisan House Science, Space, and Technology Committee research infrastructure bills: H.R. 4376, the Department of Energy Research Infrastructure Act; H.R. 4377, the Accelerating American Leadership in Science Act; and H.R. 4378, the Nuclear Energy Research Infrastructure Act. These bills authorized full funding for upgrades in construction of several high- priority user facilities at DOE National Labs. This amendment provides $76.8 million from within funds appropriated to the Office of Science to meet the House-passed authorization levels for four of the infrastructure projects included in these bills, including the LINAC Coherent Light Source high energy upgrade, the proton power upgrade to the Spallation Neutron Source, the construction of the Spallation Neutron Source Second Target Station, and the construction of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams. My amendment also fully supports basic research in fusion energy science, a field that could lead to a revolutionary new energy source. Specifically, it provides $50 million from within the funds appropriated to the Office of Science for the direct U.S. commitment for fiscal year 2019 to the construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, or ITER, project. While I am pleased that division A of this legislation provides $163 million for the agreed-to hardware and other in-kind contributions, cash contributions to ITER are not designated in the bill. My amendment is intended to address this issue and fully fund the U.S. commitment in fiscal year 2019. I want to also draw attention to another shared priority with the chairman, reinstating the Low Dose Radiation Research Program at DOE. This program is essential to understanding the health impact of low doses of radiation. There is a broad consensus within the radiobiology community that more research is necessary for Federal agencies, physicians, and related experts to make better-informed decisions regarding low-dose radiation. Earlier this year, the House passed H.R. 4675, the Low Dose Radiation Research Act, which authorizes $20 million in fiscal year 2019. I hope we can work together to provide this funding for low dose radiation research. Mr. Chair, I again thank Chairman Simpson for his long-standing support of basic research and investments in DOE's best-in-the-world science facilities. I greatly appreciate the effort the chairman has made to prioritize fundamental science and our long-standing partnership to responsibly fund DOE. Mr. Chair, I am prepared to withdraw my amendment and to continue working with the chairman to advance the House-passed authorization levels for these important projects in conference. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chair, I appreciate Chairman Simpson's commitment and support. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Chair, I withdraw my amendment.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, one of the greatest threats to free speech is the ongoing politicization of online platforms. Some, which have millions of users, have allowed liberal interest groups to determine what content is available to the public. A recent example is the Southern Poverty Law Center being allowed to censor content that they deem hate speech. The SPLC has a ``hate map'' that lists over 900 organizations. These include pro-life, religious freedom, and border security groups, all popular with the American people and all unfairly targeted by the SPLC. Why do online platforms empower the SPLC to suppress conservative views? There is only one answer: They want to promote their liberal agenda even if it means stifling free speech. This is a clear and present danger to democracy, and it represents another effort to control what the American people hear and see.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, here are some excerpts from the book, ``Presidential Courage,'' by Michael Beschloss that might sound familiar: ``Andrew Jackson said, `I was born for the storm, and calm does not suit me.' '' ``Warned that some decision of his would risk a public clamor, Jackson once said, `I care nothing about clamors, sir. . . . I do precisely what I think just and right.' '' ``Theodore Roosevelt genuinely thought of himself as a gladiator against evil. . . . Like Andrew Jackson, he was taking a large risk by challenging the citadels of wealth and power.'' ``T.R. boasted that the `farmers, mechanics, small tradesmen, hardworking professional men' all considered him `their President'. . . . '' ``Roosevelt had always inveighed against the `lies' in the press `as foul and dirty . . . as ever was made by any dog.' '' To me, President Trump is carrying on the legacies of Presidents Jackson and Theodore Roosevelt.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, to ensure environmental progress, we must let technology lead the way. However, the liberal media often ignores news about innovations that would mitigate climate change. A recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency shows that U.S. greenhouse gas emissions have declined by 11 percent since 2005. No other industrialized country has made so much progress. Investor's Business Daily points out in an editorial, ``How U.S. Slashed CO2,'' that breakthroughs in technology, and not one-size- fits-all regulations, are the reason for U.S. success in reducing emissions. The IBD article also notes that many countries that signed the Paris accord continue to increase their emissions. Instead of innovating, these countries are regulating. Regulations set impossible targets for carbon emissions and have little impact on the environment. The media should report on technological innovations that address climate change. Instead, they use scare tactics to promote more government regulations and government control of the economy.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman from Pennsylvania, the chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Mr. Shuster, for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, I support the FAA Leadership in Groundbreaking High- Tech Research and Development Act, or FLIGHT R&D Act, incorporated in H.R. 4 as Title VII of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. Title VII's FLIGHT R&D Act will ensure America remains a world leader in aviation innovation. By making prioritized and strategic investments today, our Nation will continue to push the boundaries of aerospace technology, maintain a safe and secure aviation transportation system, and foster a healthy and growing aviation economy. Mr. Chair, I thank Science Committee member Steve Knight for introducing this important legislation and Chairman Shuster for including it in his bill. The safety of the flying public is of paramount importance. That is why Title VII's FLIGHT R&D Act prioritizes research and development to improve aviation safety. Title VII authorizes increased funding for aviation safety research and development. Improving aviation safety is the fundamental mission of the FAA's research and development agenda. Title VII establishes an FAA associate administrator for research and development to manage and oversee all FAA research and development programs and activities. These will include the R&D provisions in this bill regarding unmanned aircraft systems, cybersecurity, the national aerospace system, aviation fuel, air traffic surveillance, remote and computer piloting, and spectrum use. In closing, Mr. Chairman, I strongly support Title VII, the FLIGHT R&D Act, and urge my colleagues to support this fiscally responsible, commonsense initiative to ensure that America remains at the forefront of civil aviation, innovation, and safety.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, last week Southwest Flight 1380 was flying from New York's La Guardia Airport to Dallas Love Field when one of the plane's engines exploded. The pilot, Tammie Jo Shults, a constituent who lives in Kendall County, heard the noise and knew what had happened. She remained calm as the plane shook and shuddered and reassured her 144 passengers and five crew members while she also coordinated with air traffic control. Captain Shults kept a bad situation from becoming worse and safely executed an emergency landing in Philadelphia. Shults is no stranger to high-pressure situations. She had years of experience as one of the Navy's first female aviators who later served as an F/A18 Hornet instructor in which she played the ``aggressor'' pilot in mock dogfights. That's where she met her husband Dean, who is now a commercial pilot too. Tammie and Dean have two adult children, one of whom, Marshall, I appointed to the United States Air Force Academy. I'm happy to have the Shults family as constituents in Texas' 21st District.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2809) to amend title 51, United States Code, to provide for the authorization and supervision of nongovernmental space activities, and for other purposes, as amended.

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 H.R. 2809, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today, we give space exploration a booster rocket in the form of H.R. 2809, the bipartisan American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act. The commercial space industry is poised to begin a major new vehicle for discoveries in space and national economic growth. It represents hundreds of billions of dollars in investments and the creation of thousands of jobs across the United States. For years, there has been uncertainty about which Federal agency has responsibility for approving nontraditional space activities and ensuring conformity with the Outer Space Treaty. This uncertainty has cramped capital formation and innovation and has driven American companies overseas. The American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act remedies this situation by establishing a new, novel, legal, and policy framework that unleashes American free enterprise and businesses, assures conformity with Outer Space Treaty obligations, and guarantees that the U.S. will lead the world in commercial space activities throughout the 21st century. H.R. 2809 increases American competitiveness and attracts companies, talents, and money that would otherwise go to other countries. In short, the American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act ensures that America and its workforce will benefit from the new space economy. The need for this legislation became evident during the previous administration when legal uncertainty arose after U.S. space exploration companies sought payload approval from the Department of Transportation for its nontraditional space activities. But the DOT payload approval process is not designed to satisfy the requirements of complying with the Outer Space Treaty, so the Federal Government has been unable to assure the private sector that new and innovative space activities would be approved for launch. The American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act uses a commonsense approach to establish a sound legal foundation upon which U.S. industry can rely and flourish. It creates a self-certification process for the nongovernmental space activities that provides regulatory certainty for the U.S. commercial space sector, it assures U.S. compliance with Outer Space Treaty obligations, and it addresses national security concerns in the least burdensome manner. Existing regulatory authority is currently spread across three Federal agencies, which has caused the review of commercial remote sensing applications to grind to a halt. H.R. 2809 consolidates this authority into one Federal agency, the Secretary of Commerce's Office of Space Commerce. The result, America gets a one-stop-shop for authorizing outer space activities. Without H.R. 2809, America's space industry would continue to face legal uncertainty. Innovation would be stifled by burdensome and open- ended regulatory processes. Other policies and interests of the United States are affected by private sector space activities, national security, in particular, but the American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act improves national security by including remote sensing reform. By requiring a national security risk assessment during the remote sensing permitting process, this bill ensures that national security concerns are addressed. H.R. 2809 improves the permitting process by creating a single decision point, increasing transparency, avoiding unnecessary reviews of technologies that have already been approved, and preventing the interagency process from indefinitely delaying decisionmaking. These changes allow our remote sensing industry to continue to lead the world. The bill also goes farther than current law in providing for the physical safety of government assets in orbit. After operations are certified, the government can conduct an assessment of physical safety issues that will prevent disastrous collisions and help protect the safety of government and private assets. Cosponsors of the American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act include Space Subcommittee Chairman Brian Babin and recent Science, Space, and Technology Committee member and now NASA Administrator, Jim Bridenstine. Both Chairman Babin and Administrator Bridenstine have worked diligently to move this legislation forward. And Representatives Perlmutter, Kilmer, and Soto also helped develop this commonsense, bipartisan regulatory reform bill. Many thanks to all of them. This transformative and ground-shaking legislation facilitates commercial liftoff and declares that America is fully open for business in space. American innovators, driven by ingenuity, competitive spirit, and bold vision are the future of space exploration. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act. Mr. Speaker, today we give space exploration a booster rocket in the form of H.R. 2809, the bipartisan American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act. The commercial space industry is poised to begin a major new initiative for discoveries in space and national economic growth. It represents hundreds of billions of dollars in investments and the creation of thousands of jobs across the U.S. For years there has been uncertainty about which federal agency has responsibility for approving non-traditional space activities and ensuring conformity with the Outer Space Treaty. This uncertainty has cramped capital formation and innovation and has driven American companies overseas. The Space Commerce Act remedies this situation by establishing a new, novel legal and policy framework that unleashes American free enterprise and businesses, assures conformity with Outer Space Treaty obligations, and guarantees that the U.S. will lead the world in commercial space activities throughout the 21st century. H.R. 2809 increases American competitiveness and attracts companies, talents, and money that would otherwise go to other countries. In short, the Space Commerce Act ensures that America and its workforce will benefit from the new space economy. The need for this legislation became evident during the previous Administration when legal uncertainty arose after U.S. space exploration companies sought payload approval from the Department of Transportation (DOT) for its nontraditional space activities. But the DOT payload approval process is not designed to satisfy the requirements of complying with the Outer Space Treaty. So the federal government has been unable to assure the private sector that new and innovative space activities would be approved for launch. The Space Commerce Act uses a common sense approach to establish a sound legal foundation upon which U.S. industry can rely and flourish. It creates a self-certification process for non-governmental space activities that provides regulatory certainty for the U.S. commercial space sector. And it assures U.S. compliance with Outer Space Treaty obligations and addresses national security concerns in the least burdensome manner. Existing regulatory authority is currently spread across three federal agencies, which has caused the review of commercial remote sensing applications to grind to a halt. Space-based remote sensing is the use of satellites to detect and classify objects on Earth, including on the surface and in the atmosphere and oceans, based on electromagnetic radiation. H.R. 2809 consolidates this authority into one federal agency--the Secretary of Commerce's Office of Space Commerce. The result: America gets a ``one-stop shop'' for authorizing outer space activities. Without H.R. 2809, America's space industry would continue to face legal uncertainty. Innovation would be stifled by burdensome and open- ended regulatory processes. Other policies and interests of the United States are affected by private sector space activities, national security in particular. But the Space Commerce Act improves national security by including remote sensing reform. By requiring a national security risk assessment during the remote sensing permitting process, this bill ensures that national security concerns are addressed. H.R. 2809 improves the permitting process by creating a single decision point, increasing transparency, avoiding unnecessary reviews of technologies that have already been approved, and preventing the interagency process from indefinitely delaying decision making. These changes allow our remote sensing industry to continue to lead the world. The bill also goes farther than current law in providing for the physical safety of government assets in orbit. After operations are certified, the government can conduct an assessment of physical safety issues that will prevent disastrous collisions and help protect the safety of government and private assets. Co-sponsors of the Space Commerce Act include Space Subcommittee Chairman Brian Babin and recent Science Committee member, and now NASA Administrator, Jim Bridenstine. Both Chairman Babin and Administrator Bridenstine have worked diligently to move this legislation forward. And Representatives Perlmutter, Kilmer, and Soto also helped develop this common sense, bipartisan regulatory reform bill. Many thanks go to all of them. This transformative and ground-shaking legislation facilitates commercial lift-off and declares that America is fully ``open for business'' in space. American innovators, driven by ingenuity, competitive spirit and bold vision, are the future of space exploration. I encourage my colleagues to support the American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Washington, DC, April 23, 2018. Hon. Bill Shuster, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I am in receipt of your letter to the Speaker of April 20, 2018, regarding H.R. 2809, the ``American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act.'' H.R. 2809 was referred solely to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The Science Committee ordered H.R. 2809 reported on June 8, 2017. Your assistance in ensuring its timely consideration is greatly appreciated. I agree provisions in the bill are within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. I acknowledge that by withdrawing your request for a sequential referral of H.R. 2809, your Committee is not relinquishing its jurisdiction. A copy of our letters will be placed in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of this bill. I value your cooperation and look forward to working with you as we move ahead with this legislation. Sincerely, Lamar Smith, Chairman.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Bera), the ranking member of the Space Subcommittee, for the comments that he just delivered, and also for cosponsoring this piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield 8 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin), the chairman of the Space Subcommittee.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter) for his enthusiasm about space. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), who is a very active member of the Science, Space and Technology Committee and of the Space Subcommittee.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I just want to thank, publicly, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy for cosponsoring this legislation as well. I encourage my colleagues to support it, and I appreciate the remarks by the gentleman from California (Mr. Bera). I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Webster), a valued member of the Space, Science, and Technology Committee for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5086, the Innovators to Entrepreneurs Act. The bill extends the reach of the National Science Foundation's Innovative Corps, or I-Corps, program, which trains and prepares scientists and engineers to advance their research results into entrepreneurial opportunities. H.R. 5086 expands who is eligible to participate in I-Corps courses, allowing a portion of small business innovation research grants and small business technology transfer grants to be used to cover I-Corps training expenses. The bill also allows any private citizen to apply to participate and pay out-of-pocket. H.R. 5086 authorizes a new I-Corps course for commercial-ready research ventures that teaches skills involving company organization, attracting investors, and hiring. In research labs today lie the seeds for breakthroughs in new fields like quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and bioengineering. These breakthroughs will continue to transform our lives and the world we live in. Many scientists and engineers are not trained for commercializing those ideas and did not go to business school or take any business development classes. I-Corps gives researchers tools to maximize the taxpayer investment in basic research and to spur innovation. H.R. 5086 builds on the success of the I-Corps program in building connections between academia and the private sector to create more startups and more jobs. We thank the Research and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Dan Lipinski and Representative Daniel Webster for taking the lead on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, a recent poll of Texas voters shows that they want to reduce and reform legal immigration and save jobs for Americans. The Pulse Opinion Research survey found that 63 percent of Texans favor less immigration than the current annual level of 1 million. Notably, 56 percent support cutting the number of green cards by at least half. Only 14 percent of the voters questioned want to increase immigration. The poll also determined that Texas voters, by a 2-1 margin, want to end chain migration and only admit spouses and minor children of immigrants. Also, respondents strongly support workforce verification to prevent illegal immigrants from taking jobs away from citizens. Congress should listen to Texans' views on immigration policy. With a 2,000-mile common border with Mexico, Texas continues to bear the burden of our current misguided immigration system.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Morning Consult recently asked Americans about their views of television's political bias. Respondents were four times as likely to say television programs present a more liberal perspective than a conservative one. The liberal media, including Hollywood studios, have dismissed the views of most Americans. They portray American life in their own liberal image. News reports, movies, and TV shows reflect the liberal leanings of the media producers, not most American's values. To be fair and balanced, the media should represent American families and their values, not just the producers' political and cultural philosophy.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I thank the gentleman from Virginia, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, for yielding me time and also for his tireless efforts over the years to pass a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. Mr. Speaker, today the House of Representatives votes to protect future generations from our debilitating debt. Thomas Jefferson believed that ``the public debt is the greatest of dangers to be feared.'' He wished ``it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our Constitution taking from the Federal Government the power of borrowing.'' It is past time that we listen to Jefferson's commonsense advice. American families balance their checkbooks. States and local governments balance their budgets. So should the Federal Government. The last balanced budget occurred in the 1990s. The previous balanced budget was during the Eisenhower administration. Surely it is not too much to ask that we take a major step towards having a balanced budget in our future. Mr. Speaker, only a balanced budget amendment wil guarantee that the Federal Government puts its fiscal house in order and keeps it that way.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the United States and its allies are aware that the Russian government is engaging in ongoing information warfare against democracies around the world. Beyond its targeting of the U.S. election systems and critical infrastructure, Russian influence efforts have been reported in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Serbia, Latvia, Ukraine, Spain, and Mexico, among others. Most recently, the United Kingdom has been attacked physically by Russia through its use of nerve toxins against perceived enemies of Russian President Vladimir Putin on British soil. The Kremlin needs to hear clearly that we will not tolerate its continuing bad acts. The Department of Treasury's newest sanctions against the businesses, entities, and people included in special counsel Robert Mueller's February 16th indictment is an important step in holding Russia accountable for its interference in the American election process. My colleagues and I passed the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act last summer with this purpose in mind. The Kremlin Report list published by the Treasury Department currently names businessmen like Yuri Shefler, who has been protecting his company, SPI Group, against Russian attacks for almost twenty years. I urge the administration to develop a broader policy response to Russian interference in American politics. A strong first step to accomplish this goal is publishing a report on businessmen who are actually close to the Kremlin.