[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 29, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1585]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION FACILITIES AUTHORIZATION 
                              ACT OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 29, 2008

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, my colleagues and I join together today 
to introduce the ``Smithsonian Institution Facilities Authorization Act 
of 2008''.
  I thank my colleagues, including Committee on House Administration 
Chairman Brady and Ranking Member Ehlers, Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure Ranking Member Mica and Subcommittee Chairwoman 
Norton, and the Congressional Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, 
Mr. Becerra, Ms. Matsui, and Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas, for their 
efforts to move this important legislation forward. I also thank the 
Smithsonian Institution for its effort on behalf of the legislation and 
welcome the new Secretary, Dr. G. Wayne Clough. I look forward to 
working with Secretary Clough as the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure works to address the enormous repair and maintenance 
backlog of the Smithsonian Institution facilities and ensure that its 
facilities meet the highest standards of energy efficiency and 
conservation.
  The bill authorizes the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian 
Institution to design and construct laboratory space to accommodate the 
Mathias Laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center 
(``SERC'') in Edgewater, Maryland. The bill also authorizes the Board 
of Regents to construct laboratory space to accommodate the terrestrial 
research program of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute 
(``STRI'') in Gamboa, Panama. The Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure will consider the Smithsonian Institution Facilities Act 
on July 31. The Committee will also consider S.J. Res. 35, which 
provides for the construction of the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging 
Telescope Array System (VERITAS) project in Arizona. Earlier this year, 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure reported H.R. 5492, 
to authorize the Board of Regents to construct a greenhouse facility at 
its museum support facility in Suitland, Maryland, favorably to the 
House, and the House passed the bill by voice vote on March 11, 2008. 
The Committee hopes to bring S.J. Res. 35 to the House in early 
September. With passage of these bills, the House of Representatives 
will have completed action on the Smithsonian Institution's 
construction program for this fiscal year.
  Section 2 of the bill authorizes the Board of Regents to design and 
construct laboratory and support space to accommodate the Mathias 
Laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in 
Edgewater, Maryland. The bill authorizes $41 million to design and 
construct the facility. SERC is a global leader in the study of 
ecosystems in the coastal zone. The 52,000-square-foot replacement 
laboratory will be connected to the existing structure to provide an 
operationally efficient and environmentally sustainable laboratory 
facility for SERC's research programs. The project will eliminate the 
use of temporary, unsafe trailers, address substandard, inefficient 
laboratory facilities, and will substantially reduce the facility's 
energy use and maintenance costs.
  Section 3 of the bill authorizes the Board of Regents to construct 
laboratory space to accommodate the terrestrial research program of the 
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Gamboa, Panama. The bill 
authorizes $14 million to construct the 53,283-square-foot facility. 
STRI is the principal United States organization devoted to research in 
tropical biology. Tropical biology is critical to finding untapped 
resources to add to the important supply of food, pharmaceuticals, and 
fiber of tropical regions. STRI has outgrown the space available at its 
current facilities and this bill provides for construction of a new lab 
in Gamboa, Panama, on the east bank of the Panama Canal. Gamboa is 
protected by geography from the encroachment of civilization and 
pollution. The terrestrial research program is critical to 
understanding the role that tropical plants and soils play in global 
climate change models and for enriching knowledge of tropical 
biodiversity.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the ``Smithsonian 
Institution Facilities Authorization Act of 2008'', and I look forward 
to working together with my colleagues on these and other Smithsonian 
Institution issues.

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