[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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