[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 151 (Friday, August 28, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E799-E800]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CONGRATULATING DR. MARK PETERS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL K. SIMPSON

                                of idaho

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, August 28, 2020

  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank Dr. Mark Peters for 
his excellent service as Director at Idaho National Laboratory. After 
nearly five years of capable leadership, Dr. Peters has accepted a 
position as Executive Vice President for Laboratory Operations for the 
Battelle Memorial Institute. I wish him well in this new endeavor and 
take comfort that he will continue to have a role in oversight, not 
just at INL, but each of the national laboratories managed by Battelle.
  Dr. Peters spent considerable time on Capitol Hill and many of you 
have gotten to know him and rely upon his expertise.
  One of the benefits of representing a Department of Energy national 
laboratory is you get to meet and work with some of our nation's best 
and brightest. Intelligent and driven people come to these crown jewels 
of science and innovation and contribute so much to our economic 
prosperity and national security.
  Mark's service at INL is an example of operational excellence, energy 
innovation, and national security impact.
  Under Dr. Peters' leadership, INL has delivered on the grand 
challenges we ask of our national labs. Since Mark arrived at INL on 
Oct. 1, 2015, the laboratory has helped push forward development and 
demonstration of advanced nuclear technologies and deployed new 
capabilities to secure our nation's critical infrastructure from 
cyberattack.
  Mark's vision and ability to bring people together allowed INL's 
clean energy program to expand and contribute to new and exciting 
areas. I'm talking integrated energy systems, advanced manufacturing, 
biomass upgrades, and so much more.

[[Page E800]]

  Under Mark's leadership, the laboratory assembled the power source 
for the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover, continues to meet the Army's 
needs for tank armor, is helping DoD explore the use of microreactors, 
and is producing new nuclear fuels and materials.
  A personal priority of mine has been revitalizing the lab's 
infrastructure and putting INL's talented workforce into world-class 
facilities. Mark has been a great ally in this process, an innovator 
and collaborator.
  He brought the Department of Energy and lab together with the State 
of Idaho to build two new facilities on INL's in-town campus. One of 
those facilities is dedicated to protecting our nation from 
cyberattack. The other is dedicated to collaborations in high-
performance computing.
  Dr. Peters has worked hard to introduce the lab to all corners of our 
state and region, demonstrating to the people of Idaho that our 
national laboratories are places of innovation and intellectual 
curiosity rather than secretive outposts often rumored about, but 
rarely understood.
  Mark has been dedicated to partnerships, building relationships with 
universities, industry, governments, and schools. He showed our state 
and region that so much can be accomplished when we work together and 
in pursuit of lofty, even idealistic, goals.
  Finally, Dr. Peters has a decency and optimism about him--an 
intangible quality that makes everyone around him more positive and 
excited to work together for a brighter future.
  Mark is a thoughtful person who cares deeply for the people he works 
with, his community, and our state.
  Mark has implemented policies to support employee safety, work/life 
balance, inclusive recruiting and retention, a shared sense of 
responsibility, and duty to give back.
  My wife, Kathy, and I have developed a close relationship with Mark 
and his wife, Ann Marie, who has distinguished herself through her work 
with the College of Eastern Idaho and various eastern Idaho charities.
  Mark and Ann Marie are an incredible asset to Idaho and Kathy and I 
are grateful for their passion for our community and friendship.
  Mark and Anne Marie will be missed, but I look forward to working 
with Mark in his new role.

                          ____________________