[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 19]
[House]
[Pages 25859-25862]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE 
ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE CONGRESSIONAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FELLOWSHIP 
                                PROGRAM

  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 279) recognizing the significance 
of the anniversary of the American Association for the Advancement of 
Science Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship Program, and 
reaffirming the commitment to support the use of science in 
governmental decisionmaking through such Program.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 279

       Whereas Congress hosted the American Association for the 
     Advancement of Science's (AAAS) first Congressional Science 
     and Engineering Fellows 30 years ago in 1973;
       Whereas the AAAS Congressional Science and Engineering 
     Fellowship Program was the first to provide an opportunity 
     for Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers to learn about the 
     policymaking process while bolstering the technical expertise 
     available to Members of Congress and staff;
       Whereas Members of Congress hold the AAAS Congressional 
     Science and Engineering Fellowship Program in high regard for 
     the substantial contributions that Fellows have made, serving 
     both in personal offices and on committee staff;
       Whereas the Congress is increasingly involved in public 
     policy issues of a scientific and technical nature and 
     recognizes the need to develop additional in-house expertise 
     in the areas of science and engineering;
       Whereas more than 800 individuals have held AAAS 
     Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowships since 1973;
       Whereas the AAAS Congressional Science and Engineering 
     Fellows represent the full range of physical, biological, and 
     social sciences, and all fields of engineering;
       Whereas the AAAS Congressional Science and Engineering 
     Fellows bring to the Congress new insights and ideas, 
     extensive knowledge, and perspectives from a variety of 
     disciplines;
       Whereas the AAAS Congressional Science and Engineering 
     Fellows learn about legislative, oversight, and investigative 
     activities through assignments that offer a wide array of 
     responsibilities;
       Whereas AAAS Congressional Science and Engineering 
     Fellowships provide an opportunity for scientists and 
     engineers to transition into careers in government service; 
     and
       Whereas many former AAAS Congressional Science and 
     Engineering Fellows return to their disciplines and share 
     knowledge with students and peers to encourage more 
     scientists and engineers to participate in informing 
     government processes: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) recognizes the significance of the anniversary of the 
     American Association for the Advancement of Science 
     Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship Program;
       (2) acknowledges the value of 30 years of participation by 
     the American Association for the Advancement of Science 
     Congressional Science and Engineering Fellows; and
       (3) reaffirms its commitment to support the use of science 
     in governmental decisionmaking through the American 
     Association for the Advancement of Science Congressional 
     Science and Engineering Fellowship Program.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members

[[Page 25860]]

may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 279, the 
concurrent resolution now under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Today I am pleased that we are considering this resolution 
recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Congressional Science and 
Engineering Fellowship Program coordinated by the American Association 
for the Advancement of Science, better known as AAAS.
  This resolution has bipartisan support from 26 cosponsors. It 
recognizes a truly valuable educational program that gives scientists a 
wonderful opportunity to step out of the lab and into the political 
process. By working as legislative assistants in congressional offices, 
they get a behind-the-scenes look at how our laws are made, writing 
speeches, developing legislation, and serving as liaisons to committees 
on which a Member serves. At the same time Members of Congress and 
other policy makers gain a valuable new resource to help them better 
understand the scientific and technical issues underpinning complex 
policy debates.
  Six different fellows have served on my staff and each one has used 
their unique talents and understanding to help shape my legislative 
agenda. One in particular contributed greatly to this Nation at the 
time I was rewriting the Nation's science policy at the request of 
Speaker Gingrich and Chairman Sensenbrenner. Sharon Hayes played a key 
role in the preparation of that report, which has been widely used and 
quoted throughout the scientific community.
  After 30 years, this program is still going strong. Over 800 
scientists have now served Republican, Democratic, and Independent 
Members of Congress and many are currently working for Congress and the 
administration. These individuals have contributed not only their 
scientific expertise, but also a fresh perspective to policy making. I 
urge my colleagues to recognize the success of this program by 
supporting this resolution to honor the AAAS Congressional Fellowship 
Program.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 279. 
This resolution recognizes the 30th anniversary of the Congressional 
Fellowship Program instituted by the American Association of 
Advancement of Science. I congratulate the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. 
Ehlers) for taking the initiative to develop this resolution.
  The AAAS Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship Program has 
provided congressional committees and Members' offices with scientific 
and technical expertise that has greatly benefited governmental 
decision-making for three decades. The Committee on Science has made 
frequent use of AAAS fellows over the life of the program, and several 
subsequently have served on the professional staff of the committee.
  I know that many of my colleagues have repeatedly sought AAAS fellows 
for their personal offices because of the quality of the contributions 
they have made. The issues confronting Congress increasingly involve 
scientific and technical aspects. Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers 
serving as congressional fellows bolster the technical expertise 
available to Members and staff by bringing to bear extensive knowledge 
and fresh insights and perspectives.
  The presence of congressional fellows enhances the public policy 
formulation process. In addition, the program provides fellows with a 
window of the policy formulation process and the workings of Congress 
that they take back to their home institutions. It also provides a 
mechanism that many fellows have used to transition to careers in 
public service.
  Mr. Speaker, the American Association for the Advancement of Science 
is to be congratulated for creating this successful and valuable 
congressional fellows program. And it is appropriate for us to 
recognize the contributions of more than 800 fellows who have 
participated in this program since 1973. I urge my colleagues to 
support this worthy resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers at this time. I 
will reserve the balance of my time.
  MS. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to 
the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt).
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 279 
to recognize the importance of the American Association for the 
Advancement of Science Congressional Fellowship Program. For 30 years, 
the fellowship program has brought together Members of Congress with 
leading scientific practitioners and scholars in a variety of 
scientific fields. And this has provided a level of scientific 
expertise not otherwise found on most congressional staffs, and it 
presents the congressional fellows with an intimate role in the process 
of decision-making in public policy.

                              {time}  1515

  It is hard to find an issue before this body that does not have 
significant scientific and technological components, and yet those 
components often get short-shrifted. I was an AAAS Fellow 20 years ago, 
in fact, the only alumnus of that program yet to serve in this body, 
although I am sure that there are some others on the way. I was very 
fortunate to take part in that program, and I witnessed firsthand the 
important role that scientific expertise can bring to policy decisions.
  Since I have been a Member of Congress for the past 5 years, I have 
welcomed AAAS Fellows into my staff and fully integrated them into my 
staff because of the wealth of knowledge they provide and their ability 
to pose questions. Of course, that is the essence of science, to be 
able to pose questions. I have benefited from their aptitude, their 
ability and their energy; and I will, as long as I serve in this body, 
continue to recruit these motivated and high-qualified experts and do 
everything I can to make this program a success. It has, in many ways, 
benefited America.
  Let me mention a few of the Fellows who have served with me. Joan 
Rothenberg joined my staff and shared her expertise on food technology 
and was integral in developing legislation to provide the public with 
scientifically based information on biotechnology.
  Katy Makeig provided my staff with technical expertise on geology and 
energy and research and development.
  At the time our Nation was struggling with the anthrax attacks, 
microbiologist Jill Harper worked on my staff on critical issues of 
bioterrorism and health and homeland security.
  Jeffrey Haeni helped to establish here the Congressional Caucus on 
Research and Development which I think will prove to be an important 
part of this body.
  But it is not so much the specific expertise that these Fellows and 
that other science Fellows bring; it is the level of comfort with 
science and technology, the familiarity with science and technology 
that they bring.
  Members of Congress, let me just say, are generally not loath to talk 
about subjects in which they are not well trained, except in science. 
My colleagues and I will hold forth on economics or international 
relations or any number of other things; but when it comes to science, 
they say, whoa, that is not for me. I am not a scientist. And as a 
result, many of the aspects of science, many of the aspects of the 
policy questions before us that involve science and technology do not 
get the attention they should. That is why this congressional Fellows 
program, this AAAS science program is so important. It is in many 
offices the only scientific expertise that is provided. This technical 
expertise is very valuable to Congress; and it allows not only these 
Fellows to bring scientific expertise here; it allows them to carry 
political expertise back to their professions.

[[Page 25861]]

  So as AAAS celebrates 30 years in the Congressional Fellowship 
Program, I encourage all of my colleagues to join me, to join the 
sponsor, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), in recognizing the 
notable contributions provided by these Fellows, the political 
expertise that they take back to their professions that enriches our 
country in so many ways, and to applaud the sponsoring societies for 
providing the support for these Fellows. It truly is a public service.
  The AAAS seeks ``to advance science and innovation throughout the 
world for the benefit of all people.'' The Congressional Fellowship 
Program carries that mission beyond the walls of academic institutions 
and research laboratories and into the legislative process.
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt) for his 
comments and his co-sponsorship on this resolution. I also thank him 
for his sponsorship on the previous resolution on National Chemistry 
Week. He and I, as most people know, are the only two physicists in the 
Congress and I am told are the only two that have ever served in this 
Congress. That, I think, is an indictment of the scientific community 
because we should have more scientists in the Congress, but most 
scientists tend to shy away from this particular type of activity. But 
the Fellows that we are honoring here have filled the gap, as the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt) has so clearly outlined. They 
provide some very badly needed scientific advice.
  I recognized the need for this some years ago before there was a 
fellowship program, and I contacted my Congressman and I worked with 
him over several years informally advising him on science. His name 
happened to be Gerald R. Ford. And I was very pleased when he became 
President and he continued to use some of the advice that I had given 
him.
  The OTA came along and that relieved some of the need for scientific 
advice; but as we know, the OTA is no longer with us. And so the 
Fellows are extremely important in maintaining the scientific 
competence of the Congress, both House and Senate. Many of the Fellows 
have returned to their laboratories where they serve as a good liaison 
between the scientific communities and the Congress. Many others have 
chosen to stay here; and I have one sitting immediately behind me, Ms. 
Amy Caroll, who served as science Fellow and now serves as my designee 
on the Committee on Science, particularly the Subcommittee on 
Environment, Technology and Standards.
  In my office I have a scientist Ellen Burns, who is currently my 
employee, but previously served as a science Fellow; and you will find 
many former science Fellows in the halls of Congress, in the 
administration, playing a very vital role in keeping this Nation's 
governing bodies current in science. So this has been a very valuable 
enterprise.
  I was pleased to be involved in Fellows programs from the very start. 
I served on one of the first interviewing boards. We have come a long 
way since then because at that time scientists did not even know what 
it meant to become involved politically. Now we have a good network, 
thanks to the AAAS and the sponsoring societies; and it has been very, 
very beneficial to our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for 
the resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge that this resolution be adopted, and I thank all 
of those who have supported it and cosponsored it.
  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in celebration of the 30th 
anniversary of the congressional fellows program of the American 
Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
  The mission of the AAAS is to ``Advance science and innovation 
throughout the world for the benefit of all people''. In pursuit of 
this mission, in 1973 the AAAS established a fellowship program 
designed to provide a unique public policy learning experience for 
scientist and to demonstrate the value of science-government 
interaction. From an initial cohort of seven Fellows, the AAAS program 
has grown over thirty years to include nearly one hundred Fellows each 
year, serving in both Houses of Congress and many agencies of the 
executive branch. Bringing technical backgrounds that range from 
astrophysics to veterinary radiology, AAAS Fellows have made important 
contributions to all areas of government policy. Many former Fellows 
have remained in Washington at the end of their twelve-month tenure, to 
become members of the scientific policymaking community. Others have 
returned to scientific careers with an enhanced appreciation of public 
policy, sharing this knowledge and experience with colleagues and 
students.
  I have welcomed over twenty AAAS Fellows into my office since 1979 
and have been consistently impressed by their contributions to 
policymaking and advising. They have made a significant positive impact 
on the quality of life for the people of Massachusetts, the United 
States, and the world by instilling a measure of science and humanity 
into the decisions we are asked to make in these chambers every day. I 
look forward to working with AAAS Fellows for another thirty years.
  The following article from the Washington Post provides a useful look 
back at 30 years of the outstanding achievements of the AAAS science 
policy program.

               [From the Washington Post, Sept. 18, 2003]

                 Bridging This Gap Isn't Rocket Science

                            (By Rick Weiss)

       In his famous 1959 treatise ``The Two Cultures,'' British 
     scientist and novelist C.P. Snow decried the divide between 
     scientists and ``literary intellectuals,'' warning that 
     society's problems will remain largely intractable as long as 
     scientists eschew Shakespeare and literary types remain 
     ignorant about the second law of thermodynamics.
       Washington has its own version of that cultural divide--
     this one involving scientists and politicians. How can the 
     nation craft policies in such scientifically complex areas as 
     embryonic stem cell research, global warming, agricultural 
     biotechnology and ``Star Wars'' missile defense, experts in 
     both camps moan, when so many politicians know so little 
     about science and most scientists remain so clueless about 
     how policy is made?
       Enter the AAAS Science and Technology Fellows Program, a 
     little-known but influential cultural exchange that serves as 
     a wormhole between the largely alien universes of science and 
     politics.
       The program--coordinated by the American Association for 
     the Advancement of Science, the nation's largest general 
     science organization and publisher of the research journal 
     Science--places about 60 PhD scientists in congressional and 
     executive branch offices each fall for one-year stints. 
     Celebrating its 30th anniversary this week, the program gives 
     scientists a chance to explore the world of policy and 
     politics while allowing lawmakers and administration 
     officials to take advantage of the fellows' well-wired 
     brains.
       Scientists learn about a kind of sausage-making that never 
     came up in their PhD food chemistry courses and bureaucrats 
     get reminded that the universe cannot run on hot air alone.
       Sometimes there is even a profound synthesis. In at least 
     one case, involving a psychology fellow and a Treasury 
     official, the cross-pollination between science and politics 
     got so personal as to culminate in matrimony.
       But perhaps the best measure of the program's success is 
     the ubiquity of former fellows inside the Beltway today. Ten 
     of about 50 staff members on the House Science Committee--
     including the committee's deputy chief of staff--are former 
     fellows, as is one member of Congress: Rep. Rush D. Holt (D-
     N.J.). Other former fellows include the deputy director of 
     the Department of Homeland Security's Advanced Research 
     Projects Agency; the new chief science adviser at the State 
     Department; and the deputy associate director of technology 
     at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. 
     Perhaps no fellow is as appreciative of the program as 
     psychologist Karen Kovacs North, now assistant dean for the 
     School of Public Policy and Social Research at the University 
     of California at Los Angeles. She met her husband in 1994 
     while on her AAAS stint in the office of Rep. Edward J. 
     Markey (D-Mass.).
       ``We met banning Chinese assault weapons,'' she said.
       Specifically, she first got Erik North, a Treasury 
     official, in her cross hairs when he and some colleagues went 
     to Markey's office to work with her on the wording of the 
     pending Clinton importation ban.
       ``They came over with a bunch of guns and it scared the 
     hell out of me,'' Kovacs North recalled. After months of work 
     together, with the ban written and passed, it was dinner for 
     two, long talks into the night ``and

[[Page 25862]]

     the rest,'' Kovac North said, ``is Hollywood history.''
       They married in Malibu, Calif., in 1997. C.P. Snow would 
     have cried with happiness.

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 279 that 
recognizes the 30th anniversary of the American Association for the 
Advancement of Science (AAAS) Congressional Science and Engineering 
Fellowship Program.
  Each year, this fine program brings to Capitol Hill talented 
individuals representing the natural, physical, and social sciences and 
all fields of engineering. Since its inception in 1973, over 800 AAAS 
Fellows have participated in this year-long experience in Congress.
  This program is a remarkable partnership between Congress and the 30 
or so participating professional societies that select and fund the 
Fellows. At no cost to Congress, these Fellows offer their substantial 
expertise and experience to various personal offices and committees in 
return for the opportunity to be immersed in the legislative process.
  I have been fortunate enough to work with many AAAS fellows over my 
Congressional career. Without exception, they have been valuable 
additions to my staff. I especially appreciate the real world 
perspective they bring to us. While I've legislated in health care for 
several decades, I've never been trained in any of the health care 
disciplines. Having professionals on my staff who can provide that 
expertise has proved extremely beneficial and has probably helped keep 
well meant, but poorly designed legislation from becoming law on more 
than one occasion.
  In my office, a fellow is treated exactly as other members of my 
staff. They have issue areas of expertise and perform all of the duties 
necessary to move those issues forward. Fellows have performed many 
tasks. One initiated innovative legislation to update Medicare's mental 
health coverage--which we are still attempting to enact years later. A 
more recent fellow developed legislation to restructure the Individuals 
with Disabilities Act so that we could meet our federal commitment to 
fully fund the education of students with disabilities. I could go on 
and on with examples of their contributions. The AAAS fellows in my 
office are always focused on health policy and are often psychologists. 
I know I speak for myself and many other members of my staff in saying 
that we have found that background useful personally as well as 
professionally.
  The AAAS Fellowship program is a shining example of a collaborative 
program that benefits all whom participate. The fellows get a strong 
understanding of the legislative process and Congress gets the benefit 
of someone with real world expertise in areas in which we legislate.
  I want to commend the AAAS for establishing this program and 
providing the infrastructure and organization that helps maintain its 
excellence. This program brings much needed scientific expertise to the 
halls of Congress and helps develop a cadre of scientific professionals 
knowledgeable about public policy and the legislative process. I look 
forward to continuing to work with AAAS fellows. Over the years, they 
have become an integral part of my staff. Thanks again to AAAS for 
maintaining this valuable resource for Congress.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 
279, recognizing the significance of the 30th anniversary of the 
American Association for the Advancement of Science Congressional 
Science and Engineering Fellowship Program. I congratulate Mr. Ehlers 
for introducing it.
  The AAAS has literally incalculable contributions to this institution 
and the nation. It has enabled scientists to have a better 
understanding of the governing process--both the fellows themselves and 
scientists with whom they interact--and it has improved the governing 
process by enabling Congressional offices to better understand 
scientific information and scientists.
  The fellows program has also been an entry point for many of the best 
staff we have on Capitol Hill. We recognize the value of the AAAS 
program daily on the Science Committee, where ten of our staff members 
began their careers on the Hill as fellows. To take just three 
prominent examples, the minority chief of staff, Bob Palmer, and both 
my deputy chiefs of staffs, John Mimikakis and Peter Rooney, were AAAS 
fellows. Hopefully everyone will view that as an advertisement for the 
program.
  I look forward to the speedy passage of this resolution and to the 
continued success of the AAAS program of the fellows themselves.
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Schrock). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
279.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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