Ranking Member Johnson’s Opening Statement for Full Committee Markup
(Washington, DC) – Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is marking up H.R. 4376, the “Department of Energy Research Infrastructure Act of 2017”; H.R. 4377, the “Accelerating American Leadership in Science Act of 2017”; H.R. 4378, the “Nuclear Energy Research Infrastructure Act of 2017”; H.R. 4375, the “STEM Research and Education Effectiveness and Transparency Act”; H.R. 4323, the “Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act”; H.R. 4254, the “Women in Aerospace Education Act”; and H.R. 3397, the “Building Blocks of STEM Act.”
Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson’s (D-TX), opening statement for the record is below.
Thank you, Chairman Smith, for holding today’s markup of seven bills, most or all of which should receive bipartisan support.
Included in today’s markup are four STEM education related bills: the “STEM Research and Education Effectiveness and Transparency Act,” the “Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act,” the “Women in Aerospace Education Act,” and the “Building Blocks of STEM Act.” I want to voice my support for all of these bills, each of which has bipartisan sponsorship.
I myself am a cosponsor of the STEM Research and Education Effectiveness and Transparency Act, which includes a section from my own STEM Opportunities Act. I strongly believe that encouraging STEM education, especially in historically underserved groups, is vital to ensuring a strong future for all Americans. Each of these bills contributes to improving access to STEM education in America, and I encourage my colleagues to support them all.
We are also marking up three bills which promote research at the Department of Energy: the “Department of Energy Research Infrastructure Act of 2017,” the “Accelerating American Leadership in Science Act of 2017,” and the “Nuclear Energy Research Infrastructure Act of 2017.” I support each of these bills.
These bills will help to ensure that the Department of Energy has the cutting-edge facilities to conduct the groundbreaking research we have come to expect of the Department. I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 4378, which establishes a new facility that will be critical for the development of advanced nuclear reactors. If we want American science and industry to remain at the forefront, these types of DOE research and user facilities are essential. I urge my colleagues to support each of these bills.
Thank you, Chairman Smith, and I yield back.
Click here to see all of Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson’s remarks on the bills considered at today’s markup.
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