[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 23, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H7176-H7177]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               VERA C. RUBIN OBSERVATORY DESIGNATION ACT

  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3196) to designate the Large Synoptic Survey 
Telescope as the ``Vera Rubin Survey Telescope'', as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3196

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Vera C. Rubin Observatory 
     Designation Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Dr. Vera Rubin was born July 23, 1928, to Philip and 
     Rose Applebaum Cooper.
       (2) Dr. Rubin pursued her graduate studies at Cornell 
     University and Georgetown University, earning her Ph.D. in 
     Physics in 1954.
       (3) Dr. Rubin's Ph.D. thesis on galaxy motions provided 
     supporting evidence that galaxies are not uniformly 
     distributed, but exist in clusters.
       (4) Dr. Rubin continued to study the motions of galaxies, 
     first as research associate and assistant professor at 
     Georgetown University, and then as a member of the staff at 
     the Carnegie Institution of Washington Department of 
     Terrestrial Magnetism.
       (5) Dr. Rubin faced barriers throughout her career because 
     of her gender.
       (6) For instance, one of the world's leading astronomy 
     facilities at the time, the Palomar Observatory, did not 
     permit women. Dr. Rubin persisted and was finally allowed to 
     observe at Palomar in 1965, the first woman officially 
     allowed to do so.
       (7) In 1970, Dr. Rubin published measurements of the 
     Andromeda galaxy showing stars and gas orbiting the galaxy's 
     center too fast to be explained by the amount of mass 
     associated with the light output of the stars.
       (8) In the years that followed, Dr. Rubin and her 
     collaborators used their observations, in conjunction with 
     the work by earlier astronomers on the rotation of stars in 
     spiral galaxies, to provide some of the best evidence for the 
     existence of dark matter.
       (9) This work contributed to a major shift in the 
     conventional view of the universe, from one dominated by 
     ordinary matter such as what produces the light of stars, to 
     one dominated by dark matter.
       (10) Dr. Rubin was elected to the National Academy of 
     Sciences in 1981, the second woman astronomer to be so 
     honored.
       (11) Dr. Rubin was awarded the President's National Medal 
     of Science in 1993 ``for her pioneering research programs in 
     observational cosmology which demonstrated that much of the 
     matter in the universe is dark, and for significant 
     contributions to the realization that the universe is more 
     complex and more mysterious than had been imagined''.
       (12) Dr. Rubin was an outspoken advocate for the equal 
     treatment and representation of women in science, and she 
     served as a mentor, supporter, and role model to many women 
     astronomers throughout her life.
       (13) The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, funded jointly by 
     the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, 
     will honor the legacy of Dr. Rubin and her colleagues to 
     probe the nature of dark matter by mapping and cataloging 
     billions of galaxies through space and time.

     SEC. 3. DESIGNATION.

       The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope shall be known and 
     designated as the ``Vera C. Rubin Observatory''.

     SEC. 4. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the facility 
     described in section 3 shall be deemed to be a reference to 
     the ``Vera C. Rubin Observatory''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Johnson) and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.

                              {time}  1500


                             General Leave

  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on H.R. 3196, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3196, which, after 
today's consideration, will be known as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory 
Designation Act.
  I thank Representative Gonzalez-Colon for joining me in introducing 
this bill.
  Dr. Vera Rubin was a trailblazing astronomer, who dedicated her life 
to advancing our understanding of the cosmos. She was also a tireless 
advocate for women in science, and she was well known for her 
mentorship of aspiring women astronomers. Today would have been Dr. 
Rubin's 91st birthday, but, sadly, she passed away on Christmas Day in 
2016.
  During the 1970s, Dr. Rubin published the best set of measurements of 
the galaxy rotation to date. Her data revealed something surprising. 
The stars orbiting in the outer regions of the galaxies were moving 
much faster than expected. Dark matter, first proposed decades prior, 
was the only way to explain the observed motion.
  Dr. Rubin's work helped to convince the broader astronomy community 
of the existence of dark matter and revolutionized the way we 
understand the universe. Instead of being dominated by light-emitting 
matter, Dr. Rubin's work revealed that most of the universe is made up 
of a mysterious and invisible substance called dark matter.
  The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, or LSST, is an 8.4-meter 
telescope currently under construction in Chile. Funded jointly by the 
National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, LSST will 
conduct an unprecedented survey of the night sky. The data collected by 
this telescope will enable scientists to build on Dr. Rubin's 
pioneering work and probe the nature of dark matter.
  Dr. Rubin's exemplary science and her sterling character will drive 
scientific discovery and inspire girls and women in STEM for decades to 
come. While Dr. Rubin has already claimed a well-deserved place in 
history, H.R. 3196 will further elevate her story by designating one of 
the world's preeminent research facilities as the Vera C. Rubin 
Observatory.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3196, the Vera C. Rubin 
Observatory Designation Act. This bill honors the contributions of the 
late Dr. Vera Rubin, an astronomer who made groundbreaking discoveries 
in the field of dark matter and contributed to the realization that the 
universe is more complex and more mysterious than was ever even 
imagined.

[[Page H7177]]

  I agree with Chairwoman Johnson that it is fitting that the House 
honor Dr. Rubin today on what would have been her 91st birthday. Dr. 
Rubin was a pioneer and lifelong advocate for women in science, serving 
as a mentor, supporter, and role model for many women astronomers.
  The new Large Synoptic Survey Telescope under construction in Chile, 
funded by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, 
will photograph the entire sky every few nights. One of the goals of 
the project is to study the nature of dark matter and dark energy.
  I thank Chairwoman Johnson and Representative Gonzalez-Colon for 
their leadership and for working with stakeholders to update this 
legislation.
  Naming the observatory in honor of Dr. Rubin is a fitting tribute to 
her contributions to the field, and I hope it will inspire future 
generations of women in astronomy. This bill designates the new NSF and 
Department of Energy's LSST telescope facility the Vera C. Rubin 
Observatory. Given her remarkable contributions to the field of dark 
matter and advocacy for the equal treatment and representation of women 
in science, it is only appropriate that we honor Dr. Rubin this way.
  I thank Chairwoman Johnson and Representative Gonzalez-Colon for 
their leadership in introducing this bill. It is my hope that this will 
ensure that Dr. Rubin's legacy lives on and continues to inspire young 
women to pursue careers in STEM.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time to close.
  Mr. Speaker, I also thank Miss Gonzalez-Colon for cosponsoring this 
bill, and I thank the full committee for supporting it. I urge its 
passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Miss GONZALEZ-COLON of Puerto Rico. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in 
strong support of H.R. 3196, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Designation 
Act, of which I am the co-lead alongside Chairwoman Johnson.
  Dr. Rubin exemplified perseverance and tenacity in science. As a 
woman scientist, she encountered many obstacles during her academic and 
professional career. As a student, her application to Princeton 
University was denied because, at the time, women were not allowed to 
enroll in the astrophysics graduate program of this institution. 
Similarly, years later, she had problems accessing the Palomar 
Observatory in California, one of the most iconic scientific facilities 
in the world, also because she was a woman. Experiences such as these 
would be enough to discourage a young student and scientist. Still, Dr. 
Rubin persevered, demonstrating exceptional intellectual capabilities 
and character.
  Dr. Vera Rubin changed the way we understand the universe. Her 
groundbreaking work on dark matter and galaxy rotations remain at the 
forefront of STEM research in the field of astronomy. Her legacy will 
undoubtedly continue to influence future generations of scientists and 
will hopefully be memorialized in the new Large Synoptic Survey 
Telescope (LSST) Observatory under construction in Chile. I am very 
much looking forward to the great work this facility will produce by 
researchers, like Dr. Rubin.
  I am immensely proud of this bill. Especially to be speaking about it 
today, July 23rd, on what would have been Dr. Rubin's 91st birthday.
  I believe highlighting the sacrifices and contributions women have 
made to the sciences is one of the many ways we can continue to foster 
their participation in STEM fields. Like multiple minorities, women 
face their own subset of challenges that hinder their decision to 
pursue or remain in STEM careers. This has a negative impact on the 
development and advancement of women in general, and in our economy by 
not capitalizing from the remarkable talent of women in STEM.
  I would like to thank Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas for 
their leadership and for moving this bill through Committee. As someone 
with a STEM background, and as a representative of many young girls and 
women who are either pursuing or interested in pursuing a career in 
STEM--I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill 
signed into law. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Johnson) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3196, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to 
designate the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope as the `Vera C. Rubin 
Observatory'.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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