If we can't--and the number that was given to us was about $200 billion, maybe 250 over 17 years to get to Mars.

I expressed to them my disappointment that we hadn't gotten to Mars by now.

I apologize for that because we haven't given you the steady support.

We find more common ground on this Committee than any of the other committees I've served on in this Congress.

Many of these loans were to the renewable industry because of fear that our climate is just getting worse and worse and worse.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill. It is the product of a lot of hard work over the last 3 years. It helps our laboratories and our private industry stay at the forefront of science. I thank Chairman Smith of Texas for bringing…

I thank Mr. Knight and especially my cosponsor, Mr. Hultgren, for the work that they have done on this bill generally, but particularly on title I of the bill, the Laboratory Modernization and Technology Transfer Act. As Mr. Knight said…

I thank the chairman and the ranking member, Eddie Bernice Johnson, for bringing this bill to the floor today. It has been a long time in coming. I rise in support of H.R. 589, the Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act. This…

I have no other speakers, so I am going to reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SMITH OF Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber), who is the chairman of the Energy Subcommittee of the Science, Space…

Thank you, and I move to strike the last word.

It does give the opportunity to the directors of the labs to have authority and some discretion in dealing with contracts.

I think this is an important bill.

I'm going to offer this and then withdraw it pursuant to the Chairman's committing to the fact we can negotiate further as this bill moves along in the process.

Because we should not simply rubberstamp the Trump Administration's proposal to have the Department of Commerce be the lead agency any more than we should simply adopt the interagency consensus reached in the Obama Administration that FAA…

And thank you, Mr. Lipinski. You'll have the opportunity on the next bill for STEM education grants to add $8 million.

I have an amendment at the desk, number 28.

I think this is a--really a good approach. I'm prepared to support it.

Had an observed July 2012 space weather event actually hit the Earth, we would still be picking up the pieces.

Thanks, Mr. Chairman. And I can't dispute the Ranking Member's complaint that things really did accelerate over the course of the last few weeks, but on the other hand, we have been negotiating.

I think there are some other sections we do need to talk about so that they aren't counterproductive.

This bill would allow that director of that laboratory to enter into contracts of a million dollars or less without going through a whole bunch of levels of approval.

My amendment would allow the rush to be blindly fall in line--would slow the rush to the--blindly fall in line behind this Administration's plan and instead let us make sure the independent and objective analysis of the National Academies.

This legislation will better coordinate Federal research investments with forecasters who provide warnings to affected industries.

Thanks, Mr. Chairman. I have an amendment to the substitute amendment at the desk.

I just want to assure you we still have plenty, and you're welcome to come to my office and get them for your cars.