[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 135 (Thursday, October 3, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ADVANCED LIGHT SOURCE RESEARCH 
                                FACILITY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 3, 2013

  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
Advanced Light Source (ALS) research facility at the Lawrence Berkeley 
National Laboratory on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. For two 
decades, this remarkable scientific tool has provided scientists, 
students and organizations from around the United States and the world 
access to extremely bright sources of intense and coherent short-
wavelength light for use in scientific experiments.
  The intensity of the ALS's light source is one billion times brighter 
than the sun, allowing researchers to characterize the electronic 
structure of matter and to reveal microscopic structures with elemental 
and chemical specificity.
  This extraordinary tool, by revealing the molecular and chemical 
makeup of organic and inorganic materials, offers unprecedented 
opportunities for state-of-the art research in materials science, 
biology, chemistry, physics, and the environmental sciences. Uniquely 
focused on providing ``soft'' x-ray's unlike most other light sources, 
discoveries made at the Advanced Light Source research facility have 
led to Nobel Prizes, the development of new energy solutions, and 
advanced health care solutions.
  The planning and design process of the Advanced Light Source began in 
1987, and ground was broken in 1988, with construction completed in 
1993. The official dedication took place on the morning of October 22, 
1993.
  Funded by the Department of Energy Office of Science, the nation's 
largest funder of the physical sciences, the Advanced Light Source has 
contributed directly to the nation's innovation vitality and economic 
security.
  Through a rigorous and independent peer review process, only the most 
important research proposals are accepted each year to utilize ALS's 40 
beamlines, which operate simultaneously over 5,000 hours per year. More 
than 2,000 researchers from academic, industrial, and government 
laboratories worldwide use the ALS and publish an estimated 600 
scientific publications annually.
  To date, extraordinary research at the ALS has led to a number of 
discoveries, including: longer-lasting lithium-ion batteries for 
electric vehicles; nanoscale magnetic imaging for compact data storage; 
plastic solar cells that are flexible and easy to produce; inroads into 
developing artificial photosynthesis for clean, renewable energy; fine-
tuning of combustion for cleaner-burning fuels; more effective chemical 
reactions for fuel cells; the use of microbes to clean up toxins; 
cheaper biofuels from renewable sources; characterizing protein 
structures for rational drug design; and production of even-smaller 
transistors for more powerful computers.
  Truly, the Advanced Light Source continues to be among our country's 
most important and relevant research tools for the advancement of 
science and technology. Moreover, the scientific discoveries and 
contributions resulting from its use are fundamental to the growth and 
vibrancy of our nation's economy.
  On behalf of California's 13th Congressional District, I offer my 
congratulations and best wishes to all employees of the ALS, former and 
current, on reaching this important milestone. I look forward to 
working with the Lab and with the Department of Energy on securing a 
bright future for this extraordinary scientific resource.

                          ____________________