[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 18, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H3431-H3432]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING MEMBERS FROM AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY INFORMATION 
                              DIRECTORATE

  (Ms. TENNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the members from the 
Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate, otherwise known 
as Rome Lab.
  Rome Lab has been recognized by the Federal Laboratory Consortium for 
its superiority in technology transfer work. Technology transfer work 
is a process by which existing knowledge or capabilities developed 
under Federal funding are used to fulfill public and private needs.
  The winners of this year's FLC high-profile award are Ralph Kohler, 
Frank Hoke, Sean Patten, Joseph Mancini, David Canestrare, Daniel 
Carpenter, Joshua Sterling, Richard Newkirk, Sam Davis, and Mark 
Linderman.
  This group of brilliant minds created the Android Team Awareness Kit, 
or ATAK. This is a profoundly useful software collaboration that runs 
on an android mobile operating system. It can

[[Page H3432]]

connect multiple people on the go, giving them a common operation 
picture right on their handheld phone. It currently has 40,000 
Department of Defense users and 32,000 non-Federal users. The winners 
from Rome Lab created an easy access portal that allows the government 
to provide ATAK to citizens, enabling better communication and 
information sharing.
  This technology transfer benefits Rome Lab, its mission, the 
government, and all users. A great example of how ATAK was 
extraordinarily beneficial was during the 2017 hurricanes. Because of 
Rome Lab's work, civilian, State, and military teams were able to 
communicate to rescue people and save lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate this group of brilliant 
young people and thank them for continuing to make the Air Force 
Research Lab, otherwise known as Rome Lab, a world leader in advanced 
technology.

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