[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10815-10816]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING NOBEL PRIZE RECIPIENTS IN SCIENCE

  Mr. McNERNEY. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 316) recognizing the accomplishments of Roger 
D. Kornberg, Andrew Fire, Craig Mello, John C. Mather, and George F. 
Smoot for being awarded Nobel Prizes in the fields of chemistry, 
physiology or medicine, and physics.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 316

       Whereas, according to the National Academies landmark 
     report ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm'', the United 
     States is in peril of losing its global competitive edge 
     unless we make substantial investments in science, math, 
     research, and innovation;
       Whereas breakthroughs in scientific research are the 
     building blocks of a productive, competitive, and healthy 
     society;
       Whereas the Nobel Prize is a prestigious international 
     award administered annually by the Nobel Foundation in 
     Stockholm, Sweden, and has since 1901 recognized the world's 
     most outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, 
     physiology or medicine, literature, and peace;
       Whereas on December 10, 2006, in Stockholm, Sweden, the 
     following five American scientists were awarded the three 
     Nobel Prizes for science. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was 
     awarded to Roger D. Kornberg from Stanford University in Palo 
     Alto, California, for his studies of the molecular basis of 
     eukaryotic transcription. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or 
     Medicine was awarded to Andrew Fire from the Stanford 
     University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, California, and 
     Craig Mello from the University of Massachusetts Medical 
     School in Worcester, Massachusetts, for their discovery of 
     RNA interference through gene silencing by double-stranded 
     RNA. The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to John C. Mather 
     from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
     Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the 
     University of Maryland and George F. Smoot, a National 
     Science Foundation grantee from the University of California 
     at Berkeley for their discovery of the blackbody form and 
     anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation;
       Whereas American scientists have not swept the Nobel Prize 
     science awards since 1983;
       Whereas Roger D. Kornberg, Andrew Fire, Craig Mello, John 
     C. Mather, and George F. Smoot have represented the United 
     States and have served as unofficial ambassadors of science 
     overseas; and
       Whereas the accomplishments of these scientists are 
     significant achievements in the field of scientific research 
     and further promote the United States among the world leaders 
     in science: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes Roger D. Kornberg, Andrew Fire, Craig Mello, 
     John C. Mather, and George F. Smoot for advancing scientific 
     discovery and dedicating their careers to scientific 
     research;
       (2) recognizes the National Science Foundation and the 
     National Aeronautics and Space Administration for their 
     support of the physics Nobel Prize winners; and
       (3) congratulates the achievement of Roger D. Kornberg, 
     Andrew Fire, Craig Mello, John C. Mather, and George F. Smoot 
     for being awarded Nobel Prizes in science.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McNerney) and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McNERNEY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on H. Res. 316, the resolution now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McNERNEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Gordon and Ranking 
Member Hall for their support of this resolution and working so quickly 
to ensure that we recognize a very deserving group of scientists on 
their important achievements.

                              {time}  1300

  The scientists will be honored tomorrow at a luncheon here in 
Washington, so the timing of this bill is perfect. I appreciate the 
opportunity to describe this legislation that highlights the 
contributions of American scientists.
  H. Res. 316 is significant not only because it applauds the 
breakthroughs of scientific work, but the bill also draws attention to 
many issues that we frequently work on in the Science and Technology 
Committee, putting a spotlight on scientific discovery as a way to get 
young people interested in fields they might otherwise ignore.
  For the first time in more than 20 years, U.S. researchers have swept 
the scientific categories of the Nobel Prize by winning the awards for 
chemistry, physiology and medicine, and physics. It is fitting that we 
recognize the contributions of these individuals, and I am pleased we 
are doing so here today.
  In December of last year, the Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded to 
Roger Kornberg from Stanford University in my home State of California; 
the physiology prize went to Andrew

[[Page 10816]]

Fire, who also works at Stanford in the School of Medicine; and the 
physics award went to John Mather from NASA's Goddard Space Center and 
to George Smoot from the University of California at Berkeley. Mr. 
Smoot also has the distinction of adding his name to the list of more 
than 170 grantees from the National Science Foundation who have been 
granted the Nobel Prizes over the years.
  I am sure that with the improvements we will be making in the NSF 
program tomorrow and the Congress' dedication to expanding education 
opportunities, Mr. Smoot will certainly not be the last recipient of 
NSF funding to receive the Nobel Prize.
  H. Res. 316 officially recognizes the accomplishments of these 
scientists and their contributions to improving society.
  Madam Speaker, I can't think of a better way to honor these 
individuals, and I commend them for helping the U.S. sweep the Nobel 
Prizes in science for the first time in 30 years.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I rise to add my whole-hearted 
thanks and admiration for the skill and effort shown by the five 
individuals we are honoring here today. Since 1901, the Nobel Prize has 
recognized the world's finest minds in the fields of physics, 
chemistry, physiology and medicine, literature and peace. In 2006, five 
American scientists were chosen for this prestigious award. These five 
men join 763 previous men and women and 19 organizations recognized at 
the pinnacle of their fields.
  Roger Kornberg received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for his studies 
on transcription, a fundamental cellular process that uses information 
encoded in genes to produce proteins. Dr. Kornberg's award comes 47 
years after his father, Arthur Kornberg, received the 1959 Nobel Prize 
in physiology and medicine. In 2006 that prize was awarded to Andrew 
Fire and Craig Mello for their influential work on RNA interference, a 
process that uses RNA to control the production of proteins.
  John Mather and George Smoot share the Nobel Prize in physics for 
their pioneering work in cosmology, discovering fluctuations in the 
cosmic microwave background that help explain the formation of 
galaxies, stars, and the Earth itself.
  Drs. Roger Kornberg, Andrew Fire, Craig Mello, John Mather, and 
George Smoot deserve our thanks and sincere appreciation for their 
efforts supporting the greatest innovation economy in the world. 
Without men and women like them committed to the often arduous task of 
scientific discovery, we would not enjoy the economic prosperity that 
has graced our Nation.
  This resolution signals this body's commitment to supporting and 
strengthening the scientific enterprise. While this resolution, 
unfortunately, does not match the $10 million prize awarded to these 
Nobel Laureates, we can do better by ensuring that we support funding 
for the science and technology efforts of the Federal Government.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 316.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McNERNEY. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. McNerney) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, 
H. Res. 316.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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