[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 28, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H131-H132]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF S. 610, NASA FLEXIBILITY ACT OF 2003

  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the 
Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 502 and ask for its 
immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 502

       Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this 
     resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule 
     XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the 
     Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of 
     the bill (S. 610) to amend the provisions of title 5, United 
     States Code, to provide for workforce flexibilities and 
     certain Federal personnel provisions relating to the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration, and for other purposes. 
     The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. 
     General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not 
     exceed one hour, with 40 minutes equally divided and 
     controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
     Committee on Science and 20 minutes equally divided and 
     controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
     Committee on Government Reform. After general debate the bill 
     shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. 
     The bill shall be considered as read. During consideration of 
     the bill for amendment, the Chairman of the Committee of the 
     Whole may accord priority in recognition on the basis of 
     whether the Member offering an amendment has caused it to be 
     printed in the portion of the Congressional Record designated 
     for that purpose in clause 8 of rule XVIII. Amendments so 
     printed shall be considered as read. At the conclusion of 
     consideration of the bill for amendment the Committee shall 
     rise and report the bill to the House with such amendments as 
     may have been adopted. The previous question shall be 
     considered as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto to 
     final passage without intervening motion except one motion to 
     recommit with or without instructions.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Lincoln Diaz-Balart) is recognized for 1 hour.
  (Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida asked and was given permission to 
revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of 
debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as 
I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time 
yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 520 is an open rule that provides for 
the consideration of S. 610, the NASA Workforce Flexibility Act of 
2003. The rule provides for 1 hour of debate, with 40 minutes equally 
divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking member of the 
Committee on Science, and 20 minutes equally divided between the 
chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Government Reform. The 
rule also provides one motion to recommit, with or without 
instructions.
  Mr. Speaker, following the extraordinarily tragic Shuttle Columbia 
disaster, it was imperative that the United States take a deep look at 
its space program. The Columbia Accident Investigation Board and NASA 
continue to address needed safety concerns, but I think we must take 
steps to further innovation and scientific research, find new frontiers 
and unveil endless possibilities.
  I believe NASA has undergone a positive transformation in recent 
weeks. With the stunning successes of the Mars rovers and President 
Bush announcing new long-term goals for manned space exploration, our 
national desire to comprehend the nature of our solar system and our 
universe has been reinvigorated. The underlying legislation provides 
NASA additional tools to recruit, train and keep the most talented 
scientists and engineers.
  The legislation authorizes NASA to offer needed incentives to valued 
current and prospective employees, the same as most major corporations 
and research institutions would offer to compete. When the United 
States goes to space, Mr. Speaker, we need the brightest and the best 
in the industry to work to make our dreams of exploration a reality. As 
such, this legislation authorizes recruitment, relocation and retention 
bonuses as an incentive to NASA employees; term appointments to our 
most valued scientific minds; and the ability for Administrator O'Keefe 
to provide pay increases to those in critical positions and with 
superior qualifications. These are essential additions necessary for 
NASA to succeed in its newest missions.
  Furthermore, the underlying legislation, Mr. Speaker, authorizes $10 
million to begin a Science and Technology Scholarship Program. This 
funding is an important step for promoting the sciences in our high 
schools and colleges, while allowing less advantaged students a 
potential for higher studies.
  Our superiority in science and the technologies, without any doubt, 
has declined since President Kennedy began our Nation on a path to the 
moon in 1961. It is our responsibility to ensure that when those highly 
trained NASA scientists retire, some of whom have participated in the 
entire history of our space program, that they know their replacements 
will be the best and the brightest from any background that this 
country has to offer.
  I would like to quote Christa McAuliffe, a teacher, astronaut and 
American hero tragically lost in the explosion of the Challenger Space 
Shuttle. She said, ``Space is for everybody. It's not just for a few 
people in science or math, or for a select group of astronauts. That's 
our new frontier out there, and it is everybody's business to know 
about space.''
  I believe that the underlying legislation, Mr. Speaker, will help 
NASA to continue our passionate exploration of the unknown. And we 
bring this legislation forward, Mr. Speaker, under an open rule. Any 
Member can bring forth to this House for the consideration of all of 
its membership any idea that Members may have. It is an open and a fair 
rule.
  I would like to thank the gentleman from New York (Chairman Boehlert) 
and Senator Voinovich for their support on this issue. I urge Members 
to support both the rule and the underlying legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
I thank the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, for 
yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of the NASA Workforce 
Flexibility Act of 2003, as well as the rule providing for its 
consideration. As the majority member of the committee previously 
mentioned, the underlying legislation will provide NASA with greater 
personnel management flexibilities to provide bonuses, hiring and other 
management tools in order to enhance the agency's ability to recruit 
and retain qualified employees.

[[Page H132]]

  I have always been a friend and supporter of NASA and the U.S. 
program. I, like so many other Americans, have relished in the Earth-
shaking rumbling of powerful shuttle engines launched from the Kennedy 
Space Center. The instant illumination of the night sky still sends a 
rush of excitement throughout the United States. Children and adults 
alike dream of the day when they will have an opportunity to see our 
Earth from beyond its atmosphere.
  The U.S. space program has done so much for Americans, not just 
inspiring and educating us on space exploration, but constantly 
improving our quality of life. The returns on those investments are 
accrued all around us. Technologies of NASA's space program have had 
and continue to have a profound effect on the U.S. and its people. Many 
products utilized in our homes and workplaces and used for health, 
fitness and recreation are the direct result of space technology spin-
offs.
  It is important for Congress to be aware of the issues facing NASA 
when it comes to hiring and retaining the best and brightest minds of 
the scientific community. NASA's workforce differs significantly from 
other Federal agencies in that more than 60 percent of its makeup is 
scientists and engineers. These statistics place NASA in a difficult 
position as the number of graduates in the physical sciences, both 
under- and post-graduate, continues to decrease.
  The NASA Workforce Flexibility Act allows NASA to suit up and engage 
in the fierce competition with the private sector for the most 
qualified candidates, thus allowing it to become more competitive in 
recruiting and retaining the kind of workforce NASA will need in the 
21st century.
  But while NASA suits up, so must Congress. We must provide guidance 
to this important Federal agency to ensure that it is recruiting and 
signing up the most qualified candidates from all colleges, 
universities and the private sector.
  Our colleague, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), offered 
an amendment to the underlying bill in committee that would have 
reinstated the Minority University and Research Programs as a division 
after NASA demoted it to program status. The amendment was, 
unfortunately, defeated. While I have been told that this program has 
not been stripped of any of its abilities to carry out its mission, I 
certainly hope that the defeat of this amendment is not the beginning 
of a striptease.
  NASA scholarship opportunities should be equally distributed among 
institutions of higher education, including minority-serving 
institutions. Programs such as the one the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. 
Jackson-Lee) sought to reinstate provide the necessary outreach needed 
to bring the most qualified and diverse candidates to the table.
  Mr. Speaker, despite the progress that has been made, it is critical 
that we continue to move forward in diversifying the workplace. Lags 
have been particularly visible for minorities in the math and physical 
sciences. Democrats stand united and prepared to work with the majority 
to further ensure that Federal agencies, NASA included, are held 
accountable for their recruiting and hiring practices. Agencies must 
not only make good-faith efforts to recruit, employ, train, promote and 
retain members of underrepresented groups, but they must also show us 
results.
  Mr. Speaker, I too want to thank the members of the Committee on 
Science, in particular the gentleman from New York (Chairman Boehlert) 
and the ranking member, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon), for 
their incredible work. I also want to thank the members of the 
Committee on Government Reform, particularly the gentleman from 
Virginia (Chairman Tom Davis) and the ranking member, the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Waxman), for all of their good work.
  As I mentioned previously, I support the underlying legislation and I 
will not oppose the rule. I urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, reiterating my support for the underlying legislation as 
well as the rule, I ask my colleagues to support both.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, I yield back the 
balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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