[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 72 (Thursday, May 13, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3444-H3452]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              AMERICA COMPETES REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2010

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Halvorson). Pursuant to House 
Resolution 1344 and rule XVIII, the Chair

[[Page H3445]]

declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
the Union for the further consideration of the bill, H.R. 5116.

                              {time}  1014


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the State of the Union for the further consideration of 
the bill (H.R. 5116) to invest in innovation through research and 
development, to improve the competitiveness of the United States, and 
for other purposes, with Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas (Acting Chair) in the 
chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The Acting CHAIR. When the Committee of the Whole rose on Wednesday, 
May 12, 2010, a request for a recorded vote on amendment No. 34 printed 
in part B of House Report 111-479 by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Boccieri) had been postponed.


                  Amendment No. 36 Offered by Ms. Chu

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 36 
printed in part B of House Report 111-479.
  Ms. CHU. I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 36 offered by Ms. Chu:
       Page 103, line 22, insert ``, including from a 2-year to a 
     4-year institution'' after ``to another''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1344, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu) and a Member opposed each will 
control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.

                              {time}  1015

  Ms. CHU. Today, a woman sits in a classroom at East Los Angeles 
College, taking notes diligently as her professor explains the 
different types of inorganic chemical reactions. Sylvia is the first in 
her family to attend college. She can barely afford the low tuition 
rate, even though she works full time to help pay for books and put 
food on the table. She is the embodiment of the American Dream--
studying, persevering, working, all with the hope of transferring to a 
4-year college to earn her bachelor's degree in chemistry.
  But the road ahead is tough. She struggles to find rigorous courses 
that meet the demands of the 4-year institutions. She doesn't have 
access to a chemistry lab and her community college cannot provide the 
research opportunities available to her fellow students at larger 
universities. But she represents our path to economic recovery. Her 
success is imperative to ensuring a skilled and diverse workforce for 
our Nation's future.
  That's why I have introduced to the America COMPETES Act an amendment 
to include the community college and to help STEM students, 
particularly women and underrepresented minorities, transition from a 
2-year to a 4-year institution. It will ensure that all students, 
regardless of ethnicity or socioeconomic status, are afforded every 
opportunity to enter STEM fields. Without my amendment, we risk leaving 
Sylvia behind. We risk leaving her without the skills to earn a high-
paying job that will provide her with the means to support her family 
and the skills to power our economic growth.
  Forty-four percent of all STEM bachelor's degree holders attend 
community college at some point in their careers. Many of these 
students represent the neediest in our society. They are the ones who 
sacrifice so much just to better themselves and improve their chance of 
success. Nationally, community college students are older, more likely 
to receive financial aid, are more likely to be the first in their 
family to attend college, and are more likely to work while earning 
their degree. These students are the embodiment of the American Dream, 
and they must not be forgotten.
  As a former professor at East Los Angeles College, I'm all too 
familiar with the hurdles these students face in working toward any 
bachelor's degree, much less those in the natural sciences or 
engineering. We need these students to succeed. By 2050, racial and 
ethnic minorities will make up over half of the college-age population. 
If we don't help them enter the most technologically competitive 
fields, we face a future in which America is no longer at the forefront 
of innovation.
  I urge support of my amendment and the overall bill so that Sylvia 
and so many other students like her have the skills they need to be 
competitive and to ensure America will stay competitive tomorrow.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chairwoman, I rise to claim time in 
opposition to this amendment, although I do not intend to oppose it.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. We have no objection to the amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. CHU. Madam Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the 
distinguished chairperson of the committee, Mr. Gordon of Tennessee.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Let me just add that this is an excellent 
amendment that makes a good bill better; a good, bipartisan bill even 
better. And I thank the gentlelady for the content of this amendment.
  Ms. CHU. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu).
  The amendment was agreed to.


               Amendment No. 38 Offered by Mrs. Halvorson

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 38 
printed in part B of House Report 111-479.
  Mrs. HALVORSON. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 38 offered by Mrs. Halvorson:
       Page 106, line 3, strike ``Considerations.--In'' and insert 
     ``Considerations.--
       (1) In general.--In''.
       Page 106, line 8, insert ``and veterans'' after ``1885b)''.
       Page 106, after line 8, insert the following new paragraph:
       (2) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, the term 
     ``veteran'' means a person who--
       (A) served on active duty (other than active duty for 
     training) in the Armed Forces of the United States for a 
     period of more than 180 consecutive days, and who was 
     discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than 
     dishonorable; or
       (B) served on active duty (other than active duty for 
     training) in the Armed Forces of the United States and was 
     discharged or released from such service for a service-
     connected disability before serving 180 consecutive days.

     For purposes of subparagraph (B), the term ``service-
     connected'' has the meaning given such term under section 101 
     of title 38, United States Code.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1344, the gentlewoman 
from Illinois (Mrs. Halvorson) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Illinois.
  Mrs. HALVORSON. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I would also like to thank the gentleman from Tennessee, Chairman 
Gordon, for his very hard work on this very important legislation that 
will spur innovation, modernize our manufacturing base, and prepare our 
workforce for the next generation of good-paying jobs.
  I rise today in support of my amendment to the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act. My amendment is very simple. It will help expand 
career opportunities in science and engineering for veterans of our 
armed services. As the only Member from my State that serves on the 
House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I am proud to stand up for the 
brave men and women who have served our country and our military. It is 
important for us to stand up for them not only when they are on Active 
Duty, but also when they return home.
  Unfortunately, too many of our veterans have difficulty finding jobs 
when they transition back into civilian life. With the veterans' 
unemployment rate at about 13 percent, well above the national average, 
we need to do everything we can to provide veterans with career 
opportunities. The America COMPETES Reauthorization Act establishes a 
new postdoctoral research

[[Page H3446]]

fellowship program at the National Science Foundation. This program 
will award competitive, merit-based research fellowships for up to 3 
years to graduates who have recently completed a doctoral degree in a 
field supported by the foundation. My amendment will instruct the 
director of the foundation to give consideration to the goal of 
promoting participation by veterans when evaluating applications.
  Many of our Nation's veterans specialize in science and engineering 
fields during their service in the military, and some of them even had 
the opportunity to pursue advanced degrees in these fields during their 
service. Others choose to continue their education in science and 
engineering by pursuing doctorate degrees after they leave Active Duty. 
My amendment will help these uniquely qualified veterans build careers 
in science and engineering by encouraging them to compete for the new 
National Science Foundation postdoctoral research fellowships 
established by this bill. When our veterans ask for the opportunity to 
continue serving their country in the next generation of jobs, we 
should give them that chance, which is what my amendment seeks to do.
  Once again, I thank Chairman Gordon and his staff for working with me 
on this amendment, and I ask for the support of my colleagues.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chairwoman, I rise to claim time in 
opposition to this amendment, although I do not oppose it.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. In fact, I'm in strong support of the amendment, 
as it reemphasizes language that I had accepted at the full committee 
markup and is now included in title VII. In my opinion, we can't do 
enough to assist our veterans who are returning to school after putting 
their lives on the line so that all of us can enjoy the freedoms that 
we have in this country. Likewise, I remain committed to helping those 
institutions of higher education that are also going above and beyond 
the norm in helping our veterans receive their education.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. HALVORSON. Madam Chair, I yield the remainder of my time to the 
gentleman from Tennessee, Chairman Gordon.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I thank the gentlelady and I commend my 
friend, the ranking member, Mr. Hall, for his continued commitment to 
veterans from World War II, like himself, and beyond. I also want to 
thank the gentlelady from Illinois for her good work on the Veterans 
Affairs' Committee and for this amendment promoting the inclusion of 
veterans in our STEM workforce.
  Many of our veterans have technical backgrounds already. With some 
additional training, they are well positioned to continue serving their 
country through research discoveries that will benefit society and 
improve our economic competitiveness.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. HALVORSON. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Halvorson).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mrs. HALVORSON. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Illinois 
will be postponed.


                Amendment No. 44 Offered by Mr. Kratovil

  The Acting CHAIR. The Chair understands that the amendments numbered 
40 and 41 will not be offered at this time.
  It is now in order to consider amendment No. 44 printed in part B of 
House Report 111-479.
  Mr. KRATOVIL. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 44 offered by Mr. Kratovil:
       Page 149, after line 21, insert the following new section:

     SEC. 305. ENCOURAGING FEDERAL SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS TO 
                   PARTICIPATE IN STEM EDUCATION.

       Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
     Policy, in consultation with the Department of Education, 
     shall develop a policy to--
       (1) increase volunteerism in STEM education activities by 
     encouraging scientists and engineers from Federal science 
     agencies conducting nonmilitary scientific research and 
     development, including scientists and engineers of the 
     federally funded research and development centers supported 
     by those agencies, to volunteer in STEM education activities, 
     and by providing administrative support for such scientists 
     and engineers to engage in such volunteerism; and
       (2) support increased communication and partnerships 
     between scientists and engineers from Federal science 
     agencies conducting nonmilitary scientific research and 
     development, including scientists and engineers of the 
     federally funded research and development centers supported 
     by those agencies, and elementary and secondary schools and 
     teachers through volunteerism in STEM education activities.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1344, the gentleman 
from Maryland (Mr. Kratovil) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. KRATOVIL. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Chair, I rise in support of the Kratovil-Connolly amendment to 
the America COMPETES Act, as well as in support of the underlying bill. 
I would first like to thank the chairman, Mr. Gordon, for allowing the 
amendment and also for the opportunity to speak on its behalf. And I 
also want to thank my colleague and friend, Mr. Connolly, for his 
leadership on this issue as well.
  Simply put, Madam Chair, our amendment seeks to inspire students to 
enter the exciting, fascinating, and often times lucrative fields of 
science and innovation, by presenting them with real life experiences 
of the men and women who are leaders in these fields. Our amendment 
would encourage Federal employees working in the fields of science and 
engineering to volunteer their time and expertise in STEM educational 
activity. By sharing their stories with students, we hope to encourage 
students to study and pursue similar careers while preparing them for 
the competitive 21st-century global economy and workforce.
  Expanding and strengthening science and technology curricula will 
provide students with the tools they need to enter the workforce. Our 
amendment builds on this foundation by encouraging Federal scientists 
and engineers already working in these fields to volunteer their time 
and expertise to teach today's students how careers in these fields not 
only support American competitiveness but can contribute to their own 
professional growth.
  The America COMPETES Act will strengthen America's role in an 
increasingly competitive world while our amendment will bolster this 
effort by encouraging scientists and engineers to share their real-
world experiences with what we hope will be future scientists and 
engineers.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, as well as the 
underlying bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chairwoman, I rise to claim time in 
opposition to the amendment, although I do not intend to oppose it.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chair, I support this amendment and would 
hope if it is accepted, the chairman would continue to work with us to 
clarify the administrative language as we move to conference.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KRATOVIL. Madam Chair, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly).

                              {time}  1030

  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Chair, I thank my friend Mr. Kratovil 
from Maryland for his leadership, and I thank the chairman and the 
ranking

[[Page H3447]]

member of the committee for their leadership on this important topic of 
STEM education.
  My 14 years in local government, helping to manage the 12th-largest 
school district in the United States and home to the number one high 
school in the United States 3 years in a row, a STEM high school, 
Thomas Jefferson, has taught me how important mathematics, science, 
engineering, and technology are for the future of our country, for 
competitiveness, American competitiveness. In a recent international 
assessment of 15-year-old students, the United States ranked 28th in 
math literacy and 24th in science literacy. We can and must do better, 
and this amendment, I think, will move us a long way toward that goal 
so that every community in America will have this opportunity, and our 
children will have a bright future in the sciences, in math, in 
technology, and in engineering.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. KRATOVIL. Madam Chair, I yield as much time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Tennessee, Chairman Gordon.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Let me inquire, how much time is left?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Maryland has 2\1/4\ minutes. The 
gentleman from Texas has yielded back his time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. First let me say, Madam Chair, to my friend 
and ranking member, I am not sure what the technical corrections are 
that he is concerned about, but I assure you that we will certainly 
start working on that to clean up any language that needs to be cleaned 
up.
  Additionally, I rise to support this good amendment. Scientists and 
engineers at the Federal science agencies have the experience and 
expertise to contribute greatly to STEM education. Whether it is 
through helping a teacher with a hands-on activity in the classroom, 
assisting with a local robotics competition, or serving as a mentor to 
a student, there are a variety of ways in which Federal scientists and 
engineers can volunteer their time to help improve STEM education. This 
amendment would increase volunteerism by scientists and engineers 
working in Federal agencies and would encourage the agencies to provide 
administrative support for those scientists and engineers to volunteer 
their time. I urge my colleagues to support this good bipartisan 
amendment.
  Mr. KRATOVIL. I yield back the remainder of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Kratovil).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                 Amendment No. 50 Offered by Mr. Flake

  The Acting CHAIR. The Chair understands that amendment No. 45 will 
not be offered at this time.
  It is now in order to consider amendment No. 50 printed in part B of 
House Report 111-479.
  Mr. FLAKE. Madam Chairman, I rise as the designee of the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Quigley).
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 50 offered by Mr. Flake:
       Page 127, after line 13, insert the following new section:

     SEC. 256. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that retaining graduate-level 
     talent trained at American universities in Science, 
     Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields is 
     critical to enhancing the competitiveness of American 
     businesses.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1344, the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Flake) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. FLAKE. I thank the Chair. I believe this amendment is 
noncontroversial in nature. It merely adds sense of Congress language 
to the bill expressing that, ``retaining graduate-level talent trained 
at American universities in STEM fields is critical to enhancing the 
competitiveness of American businesses.''
  According to the National Science Foundation, foreign students 
receive about half of all doctorates in engineering, mathematics, 
computer sciences, physics, and economics that are awarded in the 
United States. Unfortunately, growing backlogs in processing 
applications hamper the flexibility of U.S. employers to hire foreign-
born talent with advanced degrees from American universities. These 
hurdles affect even doctoral graduates in STEM fields trained at U.S. 
universities, who either return home or seek employment in a country 
with a more welcoming immigration system. The loss of Ph.D. talent, 
trained at U.S. institutions and due to immigration redtape, to our 
competitors makes little sense, and it harms our economy.
  Researchers at Duke University and the University of California-
Berkeley found that from 1995 to 2005, more than a quarter of 
engineering and technology companies started in the U.S. had at least 
one foreign-born founder, and in 2006, these companies employed 450,000 
workers and produced $52 billion in sales. This amendment is supported 
by COMPETE America, American Council on International Personnel, and 
TechAmerica.
  I urge its adoption. This is important. We need to ensure that our 
economy is competitive moving forward, and we need to ensure that we 
have graduates in these STEM fields who can be here and lead these 
research efforts.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I rise to claim time in opposition to the 
amendment, even though I am not opposed to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of 
this good bipartisan amendment by my friend from Arizona (Mr. Flake) 
and Mr. Quigley from Illinois.
  This amendment recognizes the importance of attracting and retaining 
the best and brightest young scientists from around the world here to 
the United States. The ability of our Nation to innovate and to compete 
in a global economy is built on a foundation of basic research. Our 
universities' postdoctoral fellows, master's and Ph.D. students serve 
as the engine that drives our research enterprise. It is essential that 
we retain these STEM workers in the U.S.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan amendment, which 
makes a bipartisan bill even better, and I think it's the reason, Madam 
Chair, that this bill has received so much support. Over 1,000 major 
organizations and companies have endorsed this bill. The U.S. Chamber 
of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Information 
Technology Industry Council, the Business Roundtable, the Council on 
Competitiveness, the National Venture Capital Association TechAmerica, 
TechNet, Technology CEO Council, Telecommunications Industry 
Association, Energy Sciences Coalition, the Biotechnology Industry 
Association, on and on and on. So this is a good amendment to a good 
bill, and I urge its adoption.
  Mr. FLAKE. I thank the gentleman, the chairman of the committee, for 
agreeing to accept his amendment and for his support of this 
initiative, and for the ability of our economy to keep those who will 
help lead them into the future and help ensure that jobs stay here as 
to the extent possible. I urge adoption of the amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. FLAKE. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Arizona will 
be postponed.


                Amendment No. 51 Offered by Mr. Salazar

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 51 
printed in part B of House Report 111-479.
  Mr. SALAZAR. Madam Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment to H.R. 
5116.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.

[[Page H3448]]

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 51 offered by Mr. Salazar:
       Page 138, line 5, strike ``and''.
       Page 138, line 9, strike the period and insert ``; and''.
       Page 139, after line 9, insert the following new paragraph:
       ``(6) professional training for energy auditors, field 
     technicians, and building contractors, in the areas of 
     building energy retrofits and audits or related renewable 
     energy technology installations.''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1344, the gentleman 
from Colorado (Mr. Salazar) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.
  Mr. SALAZAR. Madam Chair, I would like to thank Chairman Gordon for 
this wonderful bill that will actually create jobs. My amendment adds 
training for energy auditors, field technicians, and building 
contractors to promote the use of energy retrofits and energy-efficient 
technology to the list of programs that may be included in the 
Department of Energy's STEM education activities.
  Madam Chair, I have long been an advocate for clean energy and a 
balanced approach to meeting our energy needs while preserving our 
natural resources. As we continue to expand our use of renewable 
sources of energy, it is important that we have a well trained and 
knowledgeable workforce in place to take advantage of every job 
opportunity that is created.
  Alternative energy is an economic boon for rural districts like the 
one I represent. The Third Congressional District of Colorado is 
leading the way with innovations in solar, wind, and woody biomass. In 
the San Luis Valley, where I live, there is currently an 8-megawatt 
solar farm with an additional 1,000 megawatts of solar in the works. 
However, it is critical to reduce the cost to America's families and 
our impact on the environment that the men and women who build, repair, 
and refurbish our homes and infrastructure incorporate green technology 
in their operations.
  In a recent study, scientists at the Department of Energy's Berkeley 
Laboratory examined the workforce needs of the energy-efficiency 
services sector. They found that the rate of employment growth will 
depend in part on how effectively the Nation deploys training and 
education programs for the energy-efficiency workforce. It is estimated 
that the size of the energy-efficiency sector workforce is currently at 
about 120,000 full-time workers. That number would go as high as 
400,000 when including part-time workers. If we want to ensure the 
growth of job opportunities, we must secure the training programs that 
will allow Americans to take advantage and excel in these fields. By 
doing so, we will not only take important steps to reduce energy 
consumption, but we will enhance national security by reducing the 
country's dependence on foreign sources of energy.
  I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to lend their 
support to my amendment and the underlying legislation. The America 
COMPETES reauthorization is an important job creation tool, and will 
put the necessary funding and focus where it's needed most.
  With that, Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chairwoman, I rise to claim time in 
opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. In addition to being too narrowly focused, I do 
not believe this type of activity is in the spirit of what STEM 
programs really should do at the department. Therefore, I oppose the 
amendment.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SALAZAR. Madam Chair, this amendment is critical to creating the 
job force that would actually help increase the number of people that 
are trained for renewable and alternative energies.
  With that, Madam Chair, I yield as much time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Tennessee, Chairman Gordon.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Chair, Mr. Salazar's amendment would 
provide DOE with the authority to conduct training for energy auditors, 
field technicians, and building contractors so they can understand and 
promote the use of renewable energy and energy-efficiency technology. 
Energy efficiency and conservation will have the greatest near-term 
impact of any approach to our energy security and global climate change 
concerns.
  Today's buildings consume 40 percent of our country's energy, more 
than any other sector of the U.S. economy. A new study by scientists at 
the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 
examined the workforce needs of the energy-efficiency service sector 
and found that there is a shortage of formal training programs in 
energy efficiency. This same study found that the building and 
construction trades and contractors have limited awareness of the 
energy-efficiency service sector. That is why this amendment adds 
technical training for energy professionals to the Department of Energy 
education programs authorized under this section, and it makes a good 
bipartisan bill even better.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. SALAZAR. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Salazar).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                 Amendment No. 52 Offered by Mr. Schock

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 52 
printed in part B of House Report 111-479.
  Mr. SCHOCK. Madam Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 52 offered by Mr. Schock:
       Page 191, after line 5, insert the following new paragraph 
     (and redesignate subsequent paragraphs accordingly):
       ``(5) Special consideration.--The Secretary shall give 
     special consideration to an eligible recipient who agrees to 
     collaborate with local workforce investment area boards.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1344, the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Schock) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The gentleman from Illinois is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SCHOCK. Madam Chairman, I rise to offer this amendment to the 
America COMPETES Act, which ensures the innovative and intellectual 
prowess and technical minds of the currently unemployed are taken into 
account during the formation of the underlying regional innovation 
clusters.
  While I have some reservations about the current overly broad 
language in this section of H.R. 5116, I nonetheless believe it is 
important to provide these regional innovation clusters with the best 
partnerships available. That is why I'm offering this amendment to 
instruct the Secretary of Commerce to give priority to those innovative 
clusters that work with local Workforce Investment Area, or commonly 
referred to WIA boards.
  The WIA boards serve the unemployed by providing them with specific 
resources that help them improve their abilities and skills to get 
hired. Local WIA boards are typically known for hosting career fairs, 
providing continuing education assistance, and working on resume and 
job improvement strategies. WIA boards offer One-Stop Career Service 
Centers and take the time to get to know the unemployed citizens in 
their neighborhood. WIA boards are often on the front lines of 
providing assistance to unemployed workers. They are in the best 
position to know the demographics of those who have been let go from 
jobs and understand the skills that these displaced workers have.

                              {time}  1045

  In addition to helping individuals, WIA boards also work with 
employers to help them fill the jobs they have vacant.
  In my hometown of Peoria, Illinois, the WIA board provided 19,094 
individuals with career services last year, a 44 percent increase over 
the previous year. The WIA board has recently implemented a program 
called JobFit, which is a Web-based job matching and assessment tool 
that places individuals with companies that best suit their personality 
and skills. It is this type of matching service that will be vital to 
regional innovation clusters.

[[Page H3449]]

  My amendment uses a similar concept by encouraging regional 
innovation clusters to partner with their local WIA board. WIA boards 
have been unsung heroes during these tough economic times, and I 
believe encouraging partnerships between the WIA boards and regional 
clusters will allow access to a well-trained workforce, which will have 
a positive impact on regional economic growth, and provide the 
expertise to bring many of these new manufacturing innovation and 
technology improvements into the marketplace.
  If the purpose of the regional innovation clusters is to spur 
technological innovation, then the Workforce Investment Area boards 
will be able to provide employees whose skills those innovations 
require. The technology that will come to the marketplace will need a 
skilled workforce to utilize this technology. As such, local WIA can 
help to match the new technology with skilled employees who are looking 
for work.
  At a time when the national unemployment rate is 9.9 percent, this 
commonsense amendment will utilize the skills of unemployed workers in 
order to keep America globally competitive. I urge adoption of this 
amendment.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition 
to the amendment, although I do not oppose the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I want to congratulate the gentleman from 
Illinois for his outstanding amendment. It would instruct the Secretary 
of Commerce to give special consideration to innovation clusters that 
partner with local workforce investment boards. It makes a good 
bipartisan bill better.
  I also want to congratulate the gentleman from Illinois for his 
recent win in the 3-mile Capitol Challenge. I think after 20 years it 
is a good thing we have a new winner, and I wish him good luck for the 
next 18 years.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SCHOCK. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schock).
  The amendment was agreed to.


      Amendments En Bloc No. 3 Offered by Mr. Gordon of Tennessee

  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Chair, I have amendments en bloc at 
the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendments en bloc.
  Amendments en bloc No. 3 offered by Mr. Gordon of Tennessee 
consisting of amendments numbered 2, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 37, 40, 
41, 45, 53, and 54 printed in part B of House Report 111-479:


          Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Cardoza of California

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 174, after line 13, insert the following:

     SEC. 412. GREEN MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION.

       The Director shall carry out a green manufacturing and 
     construction initiative to--
       (1) develop accurate sustainability metrics and practices 
     for use in manufacturing;
       (2) advance the development of standards and the creation 
     of an information infrastructure to communicate 
     sustainability information about suppliers; and
       (3) improve energy performance, service life, and indoor 
     air quality of new and retrofitted buildings through 
     validated measurement data.


          Amendment No. 28 Offered by Mr. Marshall of Georgia

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 176, line 6, strike ``within'' insert the following: 
     ``, including those focused on the needs of small businesses 
     and rural communities, within''.


            Amendment No. 29 Offered by Mr. Michaud of Maine

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 194, strike lines 1 through 4 and insert the 
     following:
       ``(2) Collaboration.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall explore and pursue 
     collaboration with other Federal agencies, including through 
     multiagency funding opportunities, on regional innovation 
     strategies.
       ``(B) Small businesses.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
     such collaboration with Federal agencies prioritizes the 
     needs and challenges of small businesses.''.


            Amendment No. 30 Offered by Mr. Michaud of Maine

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 191, after line 5, insert the following:
       ``(C) Special consideration.--The Secretary shall give 
     special consideration to applications from regions that 
     contain communities negatively impacted by trade.


            Amendment No. 31 Offered by Mr. Michaud of Maine

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 131, line 22, insert before the semicolon the 
     following: ``, including the unique needs of schools in rural 
     areas''.


       Amendment No. 32 Offered by Mr. Ruppersberger of Maryland

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 102, line 3, insert ``(a) Matching Requirement.--'' 
     before ``Section 10A''.
       Page 102, after line 9, insert the following new 
     subsection:
       (b) Retiring STEM Professionals.--Section 10A of the 
     National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 
     U.S.C. 1862n-1a) is amended in subsection (a)(2)(A) by 
     inserting ``including retiring professionals in those 
     fields,'' after ``mathematics professionals,''.


       Amendment No. 33 Offered by Mr. Ruppersberger of Maryland

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 127, after line 13, insert the following new section:

     SEC. 256. CYBER-ENABLED LEARNING FOR NATIONAL CHALLENGES.

       The Director shall, in consultation with appropriate 
     Federal agencies, identify ways to use cyber-enabled learning 
     to create an innovative STEM workforce and to help retrain 
     and retain our existing STEM workforce to address national 
     challenges, including national security and competitiveness.


          Amendment No. 37 Offered by Mr. Ellsworth of Indiana

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 246, after line 8, insert the following new section:

     SEC. 704. LIMITATION.

       No funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or the 
     amendments made by this Act may be used to purchase gift 
     items, knickknacks, souvenirs, trinkets, or other items 
     without direct educational value.


         Amendment No. 40 Offered by Mr. Heinrich of New Mexico

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 189, line 11, strike ``partnership'' and insert 
     ``partnership, a science park, a Federal laboratory''.


         Amendment No. 41 Offered by Mr. Heinrich of New Mexico

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 245, after line 2, insert the following:

                Subtitle E--Technology Transfer Database

     SEC. 651. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER DATABASE.

       To support the commercial application of new energy 
     technologies development by the Department of Energy, the 
     Secretary of Energy may establish an online database of 
     technologies, capabilities, and resources available to the 
     public at the National Laboratories.


         Amendment No. 45 Offered by Mr. McNerney of California

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 133, line 25, strike ``and''.
       Page 133, after line 25, insert the following new clause:
       ``(vi) marine and hydrokinetic technology systems; and
       Page 135, line 23, strike ``and''.
       Page 135, after line 23, insert the following new clause:
       ``(vi) marine and hydrokinetic technology systems; and


             Amendment No. 53 Offered by Mr. Space of Ohio

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 174, after line 13, insert the following:

     SEC. 412. MANUFACTURING RESEARCH.

       (a) In General.--The Director shall carry out a program to 
     support transformational manufacturing research.
       (b) Activities.--As part of such program, the Director 
     shall--
       (1) develop and disseminate measurement tools and 
     capabilities for new additive manufacturing and robotics 
     technologies and methods;
       (2) establish new techniques and methods to efficiently 
     generate and assemble products integrating nanoscale 
     materials and devices; and
       (3) carry out other research with significant 
     transformational potential for manufacturing.


            Amendment No. 54 Offered by Ms. Titus of Nevada

  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 121, beginning on line 7, strike ``STEM teacher 
     professional development'' and insert ``pre-service and in-
     service STEM teacher training and professional development''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1344, the gentleman

[[Page H3450]]

from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Chair, this is a very good en bloc set 
of amendments that again makes this bipartisan bill even better. I 
think one of the byproducts of having such a very good bill is we have 
so many organizations, over a thousand organizations and major 
companies that have endorsed the bill, including the U.S. Chamber of 
Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, Information Technology 
Industry Council, Business Roundtable, Council on Competitiveness, 
National Venture Capital Association, TechAmerica, TechNet, Technology 
CEO Council, the Telecommunication Industry Association, the 
Biotechnology Industry Association, the Aerospace Industries 
Association, the Computing Technology Industry Association, the 
Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, the National Defense 
Industrial Association, the National Electrical Manufacturers 
Association. I can go on and on.
  In the university area, the American Council on Education, the 
Association of American Colleges and Universities, Association of 
American Public Universities, Association of Public and Land-grant 
Universities.
  This is a very important bill for our country and it is for our 
competitiveness and for our kids and grandkids, and it is going to 
create jobs in the short term, in the intermediate term, and in the 
long term.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Most of the 13 amendments rolled into this en bloc 
package are minor and noncontroversial, and we are generally 
supportive.
  I do, however, want to make comments regarding potential issues with 
two of these amendments: Cardoza amendment No. 2 and Heinrich amendment 
No. 59. I note some concern regarding the Heinrich amendment included 
in this en bloc, which makes Federal laboratories eligible grant 
recipients under the regional innovation cluster programs.
  While it would be appropriate for entities such as DOE national 
laboratories to compete for and receive the type of funding called for 
in the clusters program, the definition of ``Federal laboratories'' 
goes far beyond this. It could include almost any agency laboratory and 
essentially result in taxpayer funding from one Federal agency being 
redistributed to a different Federal agency. There are a host of 
problems with this, but first and foremost, it is clearly not an ideal 
way to fund innovation.
  I want to note these concerns regarding the amendment for the record, 
although I do not plan to oppose the entire en bloc that includes this 
amendment.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Chair, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Cardoza).
  Mr. CARDOZA. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Chair, while unemployment is still at a record high in my 
district, the reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act is an 
important opportunity for us to invest in creating a brighter, more 
resilient economic future.
  Manufacturing is leading the early stages of the recovery in 
California. In fact, I am told that next year could bring the first 
annual increase in California manufacturing employment in a decade.
  Madam Chair, now is the time for us to support the manufacturing 
sector in our country. Energy costs are rising and consumer demand is 
up for sustainable products. Sustainability will be a key element for 
keeping our manufacturing sector competitive. Even now, manufacturers 
are trying to find ways to incorporate emerging sustainable 
technologies into their businesses.
  My amendment will help manufacturers respond quickly and effectively 
to the demand for more sustainable practices by instructing the NIST 
Director to carry out a green manufacturing and construction initiative 
that gives manufacturers the information they need to make sound, 
science-based sustainable investments.
  I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this 
commonsense amendment. I understand that my good friend, the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Hall) does have some concerns, and I anticipate that he 
might want to engage in a colloquy, and I stand ready to do that with 
the gentleman from Texas.
  Madam Chair, while unemployment is still at a record high in my 
district, the reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act is an 
important opportunity for us to invest in creating a brighter, more 
resilient economic future.
  The University of California, Merced campus in my district has 
received millions of Research and Development dollars that are being 
used to develop new technologies and to train a new generation of 
scientists, engineers, and teachers.
  As this new technology is developed, it is also in our nation's best 
interests to make sure that we find ways to make it profitable for our 
businesses to implement.
  Last month, the University of the Pacific published its California 
Business Forecast report.
  And, with the notable exception of Toyota's NUMMI plant closure, 
manufacturing is leading the early stages of the economic recovery in 
California.
  In fact, next year could bring the first annual increase in 
California manufacturing employment in a decade.
  Madam Chair, now is the time to support the manufacturing sector in 
our country.
  Energy costs are rising and consumer demand is up for sustainable 
products.
  Sustainability will be one important element for keeping our 
manufacturing sector competitive.
  Even now, manufacturers are trying to find ways to incorporate 
emerging sustainable technology into their business practices.
  The Sun Chips plant in my district in the City of Modesto is a leader 
in utilizing sustainable technology.
  It is cutting back on its environmental impact by using a solar 
collector field to produce thermal energy to make its snacks.
  My amendment will help other companies embrace similar sustainability 
goals and make a profit because of it.
  It will help other manufacturers respond quickly and effectively to 
the demand for more sustainable practices by instructing the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology Director to carry out a green 
manufacturing and construction initiative that gives manufacturers the 
information they need to make sound, science-based sustainable 
investments.
  There are more than 335,000 manufacturing plants in the United 
States, and my amendment will give them the information they need to 
adopt the best sustainable practices and to be technologically 
competitive in the twenty-first century.
  I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this common 
sense amendment.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chair, the Cardoza amendment directs NIST to 
carry out a green manufacturing and construction initiative. While I 
understand NIST already funds some research in this area, I do have a 
concern about the intent of some of the language in the amendment. 
Accordingly, I have asked that the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Cardoza) engage in a colloquy to clarify this for the record.
  Paragraph 2 of this amendment directs NIST to advance the ``creation 
of an information infrastructure to communicate sustainability 
information about suppliers.'' It is accurate, I think, to say that 
this language does not mean that NIST should characterize specific 
suppliers' sustainability practices but, rather, will simply ``make 
information available to manufacturers so they can make informed and 
science-based decisions to assess their products and supply chain.''
  I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. CARDOZA. Madam Chair, yes, that interpretation is correct, and I 
thank the gentleman for his colloquy.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. I thank the gentleman.
  The Cardoza amendment directs NIST to carry out a green manufacturing 
and construction initiative. While I understand NIST already funds some 
research in this area, I do not have a concern about the intent. I 
think the colloquy has been appropriate.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), a constructive player in this 
good bill.
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Chair, I want to thank the 
distinguished chairman of the committee. This body is going to miss the 
distinguished chairman of the committee. He has always operated in a 
bipartisan fashion and has provided thoughtful

[[Page H3451]]

and compelling leadership on issues of science and technology so badly 
needed in our country.
  This bill really is a very thoughtful bill that comes at a critical 
point. The United States has been seeing erosion in its preeminence in 
the field of innovation in science and technology. This bill is 
designed to sort of address that in a very creative way itself. It 
provides for more funding of basic research in the United States. We 
know that basic research leads to inventions, patents, improvements in 
manufacturing processes that can really make a difference in the 
quality of our lives. The technology we live with and take for granted 
today didn't exist 30 years ago, and it has transformed America and it 
has transformed the world, thanks in many, many ways to the basic 
research investments the United States Federal Government made some 
time ago.
  This bill allows us to tap into the research already underway in the 
NIST labs, for example, and that is a real challenge. I can tell you as 
somebody who spent 20 years in the private sector in the technology 
field, often people doing research aren't the ones who necessarily can 
always see the myriad application of that research in the marketplace. 
So the need to be able to recognize the application of research and to 
help in the commercialization of that research to improve lives and to 
improve America's competitiveness is really something we need more of. 
This bill helps do that.
  I had two amendments with my colleagues, the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Reyes) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Kratovil), which 
address the underlying education piece of this bill which is so 
important. We are not producing sufficient numbers of engineers and 
scientists and technologists for the future in the United States. We 
need to tap into the talent that is there.
  I have spent a lot of time in my district helping to support robotics 
competition teams in high schools. The excitement of those young 
students in being able to get hands-on experience in research and 
development and in the application of that research and development in 
the form of a competition with robotics technology was a marvel to 
behold.
  Kingman Brewster, the late president of Yale University, once said: 
Without excitement, there is no learning. There was lots of excitement 
on the part of these high school students in the robotics research, and 
as a result there was a lot of learning, and a lot of future engineers 
and technologists and scientists as a result. This bill will help us 
tap into that talent.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus).
  Ms. TITUS. Madam Chair, I thank Chairman Gordon for his leadership on 
this important legislation that will strengthen American 
competitiveness.
  I rise today in support of my amendment, which is part of the en bloc 
amendment, which clarifies that both preservice and in-service teacher 
training and professional development shall be considered when 
identifying the grand challenges in pre-K through 12 STEM education.

                              {time}  1100

  For our country to be economically competitive in the 21st century, 
we must ensure that all of our students have a strong foundation in 
science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the STEM fields. The 
underlying bill before us recognizes this fact and instructs the 
director of the National Science Foundation and the Secretary of 
Education to work together to identify the grand challenges in STEM 
education and how to best address them.
  While the bill currently includes the effectiveness of STEM teacher 
professional development as a subject to be studied as a grand 
challenge, the bill does not mention the training that soon-to-be-
teachers receive before they enter the classroom. My amendment 
highlights the fact that teacher pre-service and training preparation 
programs have an important part to play in ensuring that future 
teachers will be well-equipped to give our students a strong foundation 
in the STEM fields.
  Teacher preparations generally provide future teachers with the 
knowledge and skills they need to be effective classroom instructors, 
so we must be sure that that includes preparation they need to teach 
the STEM subjects. Future teachers must be educated in the latest 
technology, the newest theories, the cutting-edge developments in the 
STEM fields so they can give our students the tools they need to 
compete in the global economy. My amendment therefore directs that pre-
service teacher training and professional development shall also be 
considered when addressing the grand challenges of K-12 STEM education.
  So I would urge my colleagues to support this important bill, to 
support this en bloc amendment, and to help prepare our teachers to 
prepare our children for the jobs of tomorrow.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chairman, I reserve my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the 
gentlelady from Maryland (Ms. Edwards), a new member of our Science and 
Technology Committee, but one that has made a great contribution in a 
short time.
  Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Madam Chairman, I would like to first say 
thank you very much to our Chairman Gordon, who's been a really 
tremendous leader, and especially as we move forward. What I think is--
I know it's the America COMPETES Act--but I think of it as the 21st-
century America COMPETES Act. And it's also been quite a pleasure to 
work with Ranking Member Hall as well on getting this to the floor.
  I'm a strong supporter of America COMPETES, and it's pretty simple: 
either we're going to be in the 21st century competitive with nations 
around the world, or not. And I believe the America COMPETES Act, this 
en bloc amendment, and specifically several amendments, I think really 
strengthen what we've been able to achieve in our Science and 
Technology Committee.
  The COMPETES Act I think is one of the most important votes we're 
going to take in this Congress, and we're fortunate to be able to do 
work that really is about the future. Too often here in the Congress we 
have to do things that are just about the short term. And right here we 
have a vision that's really about the next decade and about whether 
we're going to be competitive, and whether all of our people, our young 
people, will be competitive, about whether we're going to create the 
Ph.D.s that are on the cutting edge of the next innovations for the 
21st century, about whether we'll have businesses and our manufacturing 
sector that really is engaged in this century, not the old 
manufacturing of the 20th century, but the new manufacturing of the 
21st century, around energy, around green technologies. And this is 
what America COMPETES is about.
  I want to tell you a little bit about an experience I had just 2 
weeks ago. It was on a Saturday morning; and every Saturday morning, 
for the last several months, a group of elementary school students, 
middle school students, and high school students gathered at 
Bladensburg High School out in my congressional district, part of a 
CSTEM program, part of a challenge program, working with each other 
collaboratively, the young people learning from the older students, 
working on projects that would enable them to really become critical 
thinkers in science, technology, engineering and math, working on 
robotics together, with a group of teachers who volunteer their time 
every Saturday morning to work with these young people.
  And you know how they did it? They did it because they're part of 
America COMPETES. And this is what I think needs to happen in every 
classroom across the country, from pre-kindergarten to high school and 
on to the upper grades.
  Now, this group of students was able to compete in the CSTEM 
challenge in Houston just a week ago, and they competed with young 
people all across this country in those early year, elementary years 
through high school years. And it was a rewarding experience for them. 
I think that America COMPETES is about that set of young people because 
we don't know, in that room, which of those young people who get the 
benefit of learning to experience science and technology and to grab it 
at an early age, we don't know which ones of those young people will

[[Page H3452]]

be on the cutting edge of the next innovation that's going to propel us 
even into the next century.
  And so I'm excited about being here today to support the America 
COMPETES Act and support a number of amendments that I think really 
strengthen what we're doing, particularly the amendment offered by my 
colleague Dina Titus from Nevada that really is looking in a very 
systemic way at what happens between kindergarten and 12th grade.
  What we know is that when we invest in young people at the earliest 
age and get them the kind of teachers that they need in the classroom, 
it is not when they get into college that they decide they want to take 
on science and technology. They make those decisions and they get 
prepared from kindergarten to fourth grade, and so what we're doing 
here really strengthens our ability for competition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I yield the gentlelady 30 seconds more.
  Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. And, finally, looking at what we're doing in 
the manufacturing sector, we have amendments that strengthen the 
manufacturing extension partnerships that really allow the National 
Institutes of Standards and Technology in my congressional district to 
better reflect the needs and challenges facing manufacturers today.
  And so I urge my colleagues to support the underlying bill, to 
support the en bloc amendments, and to propel us into the 21st century 
to be competitive with nations around the world.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chairman, I continue to reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), a cardinal on the very 
important Appropriations Committee.
  Mr. FATTAH. I want to congratulate the chairman of the committee and 
the sponsor of this important piece of legislation. Bart Gordon has 
done our country a great service through his work, both in the original 
authorization and now in this reauthorization, and his staff and 
members of the committee.
  I rise to support the America COMPETES Act. I think that the Energy 
Innovation Hubs, the focus on STEM education and innovation represent 
in important ways the very future of our economy. As we go forward, we 
will look back on this day as a very important day in terms of laying 
the foundation for protecting and enhancing the American standard of 
living.
  I'm reminded, hearing the gentlelady from Maryland speak, of a group 
of young people in my district who have won the Tour de Sol three 
times, who are now in the final grouping competing worldwide for the X 
prize, developing a car that can go 100 miles an hour.
  Now, these young people are the only high school team out of 100 
teams that started this enterprise fighting, competing against 
colleges, universities, professional entities that own worldwide car 
companies, but they have been ranked by Popular Mechanics as one of the 
top 10 finalists that will probably win the X prize.
  But we've seen in robotics and engineering and science that our young 
people have the ability to compete. We need to foster their sense of 
innovation and not have them be risk averse.
  This bill and its work in this area of STEM education is so vitally 
important. I want to thank the gentlelady, Congresswoman Fudge from 
Ohio, for her work, and the chairman for making sure that STEM 
education got the kind of focus, laser-like focus, it needed in this 
legislation. The ranking member has done a great job.
  This is a great day, a bipartisan piece of legislation that invests 
in creating future jobs in our economy through the one thing that we 
know is indispensable to make this world a better place, and that's 
American ingenuity, innovation. This invests in it. And Bart Gordon, 
this great Congressman has done our country a great service, and I want 
to thank him for his leadership in this effort.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Madam Chairman, we're coming to the end of the discussion on this 
bill, so let me just--again, I want to thank the staff, the minority 
and majority staff, the Members who have put so much time into this. 
This is not only a good substantive bill; it is a good bill by process. 
We had 46 hearings on this bill resulting in three different 
subcommittee bipartisan markups that went to a full committee 
bipartisan markup, which brought this bill to the floor today.
  This is a good bill. In 2007, the original authorization received 367 
Members that voted for it. I hope that we will be able to see that same 
type of vote again.
  Then it went to the United States Senate because this is not only a 
bipartisan bill; it is a bicameral bill. In the United States Senate 
there were 69 cosponsors, and it received a unanimous vote on the 
Senate--on the other body's floor. Much of that credit goes to Lamar 
Alexander from Tennessee and Jeff Bingaman. And I told Lamar Alexander 
the other day that if he can get 69 cosponsors again and get a 
unanimous vote, that I will nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize and 
special envoy to the Mid East. He did yeoman's work, and I'm sure he 
will do it again. This is a good bipartisan bill and should get a good 
bipartisan vote.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chairman, I would like simply to conclude by 
reiterating some key points about H.R. 5116, the America COMPETES Act 
of 2010. I've said on numerous occasions that we should support 
strengthening investments in basic research and science, technology, 
engineering and mathematics education. National investments in basic 
R&D and STEM education, together with sound economic policies form the 
policy basis of what's necessary for the country to truly remain 
competitive in the future.
  I can't support this bill, however, because it calls for excessive 
spending levels, numerous new and duplicative programs, ineffective 
oversight and positive shifts that could lead to the government picking 
``winners and losers.''
  It's for these reasons that the National Taxpayers Union and the 
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste have come out against 
this bill. I would urge Members to vote ``no'' on H.R. 5116.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Chairman, has my time expired?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Tennessee has yielded back his 
time. Does the gentleman from Tennessee seek to reclaim his time?
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Yes, Madam Chairman.

                              {time}  1115

  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I will just reclaim a small part of it. I 
just want to thank my ranking member, Mr. Hall from Texas, for the 
gentlemanly way that he has conducted himself today and in all of our 
meetings. Maybe it is because I am from Tennessee and he is from Texas, 
but we share a lot of the same views. We have the same interest in 
seeing that our country move forward in this 21st century.
  I don't have grandkids yet, but I know that for his kids and 
grandkids he wants to see us move forward. For my 9-year-old daughter I 
want to see us move forward. As I say, we agree most of the time. Every 
now and then we don't. But no one could have a better partner, and I 
thank him for his cooperation on this bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendments en bloc offered 
by the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon).
  The amendments en bloc were agreed to.

                          ____________________