House Proceeding on Jun 4th, 2008 :: 3:13:20 to 3:33:20
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3:07:20 to 3:13:20( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Eddie Bernice Johnson

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Eddie Bernice Johnson: the clerk will report the title of the concurrent resolution. the clerk: house concurrent resolution 366. concurrent resolution expressing the sense of congress of increasing american capabilities

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Ralph M. Hall: in science, mathematics and technology education should be a national priority. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant of the rule, the gentlelady from texas, ms. johnson, and the gentleman from texas,

3:13:20 to 3:14:44( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Ralph M. Hall

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Ralph M. Hall: mr. hall, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlelady from texas. ms. johnson: thank you, mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative

3:13:48 to 3:14:01( Edit History Discussion )

Ralph M. Hall: days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on house concurrent resolution 366 now under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. ms. johnson:

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Ralph M. Hall: mr. chair, i yield myself such time as i might consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. johnson: mr. speaker, i rise in supportf house concurrent resolution 366, expressing

3:14:14 to 3:14:31( Edit History Discussion )

Ralph M. Hall: the sense of congress that increasing american capabilities in science and math and technology education should be a national priority. our nation's youth are key to our nation's future, prosperity

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Ralph M. Hall: and i have schools in my district that are ranking very high, one, two, three and four, even one and two and now they're two and four that's called the town view gifted and talented schools

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that rank second in the nation was considered the best public school last year in the nation. and the science and engineering magnet was ranked fourth in this year and it was number two last

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year. by "newsweek" magazine. own view school of talented and gifted was always ranked among the best high schools in america and it year by the u.s. news and world report. in support from

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the high-tech industry such as texas instruments in dallas as well as other local generous investors which have been critical to setting up the schools for the students' success. unfortunately

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Rush D. Holt: few schools demonstrate the educational excellence of town view. not even anymore in dallas. congress must inincentivize investments at the localme level to help improve the quality of public education.

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Speech By: Rush D. Holt

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Rush D. Holt: the you teach program which started in texas and headquartered at the university of texas in austin is a terrific education program that places engaged highly-trained teachers in the classroom.

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Rush D. Holt: these educators in turn inspire their students. young people are learning that math and science are fun. they are learning that these subjects are important and that they can lead to fulfilling

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Rush D. Holt: and profitable careers. you teach is funded partially by generous investments from the private sector which needs these people for future employment so we considered an investment for them -- it

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Rush D. Holt: an investment for them. you teach has tracted -- tracked the success of its educational model and is transforming the quality of math and science education in schools that it touches. demonstrated

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Rush D. Holt: methods of success must be supported and expanded and this is critical for our nation. tomorrow's high-tech jobs will require skilled work force. today's students are not being adequately

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Rush D. Holt: prepared for these jobs. and it is my fear that businesses will increasingly look toward china, taiwan, japan and india for their workforce needs. those nations are investing a greater percentage

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Rush D. Holt: of their gross national product on the education of scientists, mat ma tigses and engineers. they're producing a large work force of bright young talented individuals who work for less

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Rush D. Holt: money than our citizens will. american companies are already hiring them and the only solution is to produce a better-prepared workforce. the root of that preparationpa is education. and it

3:17:46 to 3:18:02( Edit History Discussion )

Rush D. Holt: is too series and too -- too serious and too important not to give the utmost attention. i wish every school could get the support and do as well as town view does but we must make education

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Rush D. Holt: a much higher national priority. you know, a couple of years ago there was a publication by the national academies of science and medicine and the national science foundation entitled "the

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Rush D. Holt: rising tide before the gathering storm." well the gathering storm of international competition is already here. and so we must reform our public education policies, provide greater challenges

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Rush D. Holt: to our students and give young people the tools and opportunities that they need to succeed. our economy in this country depends on this and we start with well-prepared teachers. thank you, mr.

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John Shimkus: speaker, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves her time. the chair will receive a message. the messenger: mr. speaker. a message from the senate.

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Speech By: John Shimkus

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John Shimkus: the speaker pro tempore: madam secretary. the secretary: mr. speaker, i have been directed the senate to inform the house that the senate has passed s. 2162 cited as the veterans mental health

3:19:27 to 3:19:39( Edit History Discussion )

John Shimkus: and improvements act of 2008 in which the concurrence of the house is requested. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. hall: i rise today in support of house concurrent

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John Shimkus: resolution 366. this resolution expresses the sense of congress that increasing american capabilities in science and mathematics and technology education should be a national priority and i couldn't

3:19:52 to 3:20:08( Edit History Discussion )

John Shimkus: agree more. and gladly support the gentlelady from texas, ms. johnson's, resolution. this nation needed to make american capabilities in stem education a priority. then chairman sherry boehlert requested

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John Shimkus: a report that was to become, quote, rising before the gathering storm, unquote, report, to which we have referred in this congress. as a result of this report, the president came out with his american

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John Shimkus: except tif initiative and this congress passed and the president signed the american complete act, which expressed the concerns raised in this resolution. it completes where dedicating ic resources

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John Shimkus: to create a broad pool of citizens whoti are lit rate in stem subjects and we're increasing scholarships and providing financial resources to attract underrepresented populatiopons to stem fields.

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John Shimkus: likewise, n.s.f. is funding tremendous stem curriculum work in all grades and other federal agencies like the department of education, are providing strong leadership as appropriate at the federal

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Rush D. Holt: level. a few weeks ago, i held a hearing in texarkana, texas, at the josh math matics and elementary school. a locally funded school that has our students excell inath and science in at an early

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John Shimkus: age and keep them interested through college. this is a school that is committed at the local level. it has input from civic groups, businesses, the academic community and parents. however,

3:21:50 to 3:23:19( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: John Shimkus

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John Shimkus: there's always room for improvement. we should strife to do more. in fact, it's imperative if we do more if we remain the world leader in innovation and technology. i ask my colleagues to

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John Shimkus: support the resolution introduced by my good friend, ms. johnson, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlelady

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John Shimkus: from texas. ms. johnson: thank you, mr. speaker. i now yield three minutes to the gentleman from new jersey, mr. holt. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. mr.

3:23:06 to 3:23:19( Edit History Discussion )

John Shimkus: holt: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of this resolution and commend my colleague, eddie bernice johnson, for introducing it and the chairman of the science committee for bringing it

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Rush D. Holt: forward. this resolution expresses the sense of congress that increasing american capabilities in science, mathematics and technology education should be a national try or the. i must

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John Shimkus: say, i hope members on the other side of the aisle si will avoid distracting us with red harings across the trail and debati ng other diverting matters, such as drilling and digging in the

3:23:39 to 3:24:53( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: John Shimkus

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John Shimkus: united states and stick to this topic, which is of critical importance. since first coming to congress almost a decade ago, i've stressed the need for a new major national effort to improve

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John Shimkus: science, mathematics and technology education. i'm a product of the science revolution in the united states that occurred following the launch of sputnik in 1957. and today, as this resolution

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John Shimkus: notes, we must recommit ourselves to creating a new generation of scientists, engineers and mathematicians. and just as important, indeed more important, we need to build a general public that

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John Shimkus: is lit rat and comfortable with science, math -- lith rate and comfortable with science, math and technology. i would like to ask unanimous consent to include in the record a copy of a

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Daniel Lipinski: recent op-ed essay entitled "put a little science in your life," professor of physics at colombia and author of "the elegant universe." he discusses the importance of science in everyone's

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Speech By: Daniel Lipinski

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Daniel Lipinski: lives, not just scientists. there's no denying that america is losing ground and global competitiveness to countries that are making the necessary investments in education and research and

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Daniel Lipinski: development. we owe our current economic strength, our current national security, our current quality of life to the investments of past generations. however, the federal government has failed

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Daniel Lipinski: to fund adequately research, development and innovation. investment in these areas ensures that american people will continue to benefit from opportunities of the rapidly growing global economy

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Daniel Lipinski: and its inherent foundations. in august of 2007, this body passed into law, as my colleague from texas pointed out, a comprehensive compmpitiveness package, the america competes act, which was

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Daniel Lipinski: based on disturbing findings of the national acad meese' report, "rising above the gathering storm," that our nation is underinvesting in engineering and the physical sciences. unfortunately, the

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Daniel Lipinski: fiscal year 2008 budget fell short of the required goal. without taking a bold different approach in this year's appropriations cycle, congress will be delivering a blow to our future economic

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Daniel Lipinski: security and competitiveness. i thank the gentlelady for introducing this resolution. i hope we pay heed. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back

3:27:21 to 3:27:34( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Lipinski: the balance of his time. the gentleman from texas. mr. hall: mr. speaker, i yield to the gentleman from illinois, mr. shimkus, five minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from illinois

3:27:34 to 3:27:54( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Lipinski: is recognized for five minutes. mr. shimkus: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. shi mkus: thank you, mr. speaker.

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Daniel Lipinski: and i apologize to my friend from new jersey because if if we're not talking about the number one issue in america on the floor of the house, then why are we -- why are were here for? science

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Daniel Lipinski: and technology is critical to decrease our reliance imported crude oil. science and technology will bring us to a new era when we don't have to rely on the energy supplies of the past. so i

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Ralph M. Hall: concur, and i support this resolution. and i'm glad people are debating it. but you know what the people in america are debating? you know it. everybody was home during the last 10 days. they're

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Ralph M. Hall: talking about this. and this is what we ought to be doing. you mentioned in your discussion that we don't have the funds. well, if we went into anwr, the size of the state of south carolina,

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Ralph M. Hall: a drilling size of the -- of dulles airport, we got the revenues, just the royalties from anwr, we could fund science and technology. we could -- in fact, we are going to have a resources bill on

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the floor that's going to address at least the counter -- the pay-for was a method to address mr. defazio's issue on leases. so we're willing -- i will. so we're willing to talk about this,

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but, golly, if we're not talking about energy and the price of gasoline at the pump, then what are we doing? >> will the gentleman yield? mr. shimkus: i'd be happy to yield. mr. holt:

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the reason gasoline prices are so hi gh today -- of course, there's international speculation, there's demand from other countries, there's the falling value of the dollar, but principally, it

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is because in past decades we failed to wean ourselves from fossil fuels. we failed to make the investment in reseinarch and development that would make that possible. mr. shimkus: will

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the gentleman yield. mr. holt: if i can continue. mr. shimkus: i am just going to debate. if we had the resourcee s from the royalties on oil and gas exploration on the outer continental

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Peter A. DeFazio: shelf, if we had the resources from the ro yalties from anwr,ya we wouldd have the money to be able to segue into a national debate on solar, on wind, on biotechnology, on the nanotechnology.

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Speech By: Peter A. DeFazio

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Peter A. DeFazio: te there's a whole pot of money out there if we're allowed to go -- a lot of people in america, they think we have no fossil fuels, no energy resources left in this cleountry. so this is

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Peter A. DeFazio: a problem. a i mean, you kind of identified it. but when the barrel of crude oil is $23 in 2001. and in january, 2006, goes up, double , now it's doubled again, that's a problem. we have

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Peter A. DeFazio: to have a long-term and a short-term strategy. our debate is the science and technology, that's a long-term debate. but what do we do about easing the cost of the high food prices, which

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Peter A. DeFazio: is in direct correlation energy costs? we are talking about schools. what's the number one problem in schools today? diesel prices for school buses has doubled. energy costs for heating and cooling

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Peter A. DeFazio: are doubling. that goes to the local oc taxpayers. so we ought to be t alking about this -- i'll yield to my friend. mr. holt: if will the gentleman yield. it's the wrong argument. you know,

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Peter A. DeFazio: we are here to talk about the future that we will get from investment in research and development -- mr. shimkus: reclaiming my time. reclaiming my time. we want to talk about the future. but what

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Peter A. DeFazio: our constituents are talking about is the present, the present. over $1.68 increase in gasoline prices. how can we sen d our kids to the university if energy costs have doubled? that's -- we should

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Peter A. DeFazio: have both debates, and we shouldn't be afraid to talk about howo to get out of this problem. i'll yield. mr. ho lt: we can't get out of this problem by doing more of the same. mr. shimkus: reclaiming

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Peter A. DeFazio: my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from ilnois. mr. shimkus: reclaiming my time. that's debate. you want to do no exploration, no gas, no coal, no nuclear. it would bring costs

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Peter A. DeFazio: up. we're saying, let's bring on more supply, let's mitigate the cost, let's plan for the future. we're talking about now. we're not talking about 30, 40 years from now. we need to talk about

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Peter A. DeFazio: that debate. your committee is a great committee to talk about the future. but we've got $123 a barrel of crude oil today. and no nanotechnology, no recognizesing science and education