U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL-13th) Weekly E-Newsletter
June 9, 2008
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For more information, please visit http://judybiggert.house.gov/.
In this Week's E-Newsletter:
- This Week in Congress
- Week in Review
- Featured Story
- From the Press Desk
- In Her Own Words
- In the News
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This Week in Congress:
Congress meets this week for legislative business, including possible consideration of:
H.R. 6003 – The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008
H.R. 6063 – National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008
H.R. 5524 – The Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act of 2008
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Week in Review:
Monday, June 2, 2008 through Friday, June 6, 2008
Congress met last week for legislative business, including consideration of:
S.Con.Res. 70 -- The Concurrent Budget Resolution for 2009. This is a federal budget that would trigger the largest tax increase in history, raising taxes on individuals, corporations, capital gains, dividends, and bringing back the marriage penalty and death tax. Passed the House by a vote of 214 to 210. Rep. Biggert voted no.
H.R. 5940 – The National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2008. This bill aims to boost U.S. competitiveness by expanding federal efforts to coordinate and support cutting-edge nanotechnology research at places like Argonne National Laboratory in the 13th Congressional District. Rep. Biggert is an original cosponsor of this bill. Passed the House by a vote of 407 to 6. Rep. Biggert voted yes. (For more information on this bill, see Rep. Biggert’s floor speech below.)
H.R. 3021 – The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act. This bill would spend billions in federal education dollars on green building construction while continuing to neglect funding for improving student achievement, NCLB, and educating individuals with disabilities (IDEA). Passed the House by a vote of 250 to 164. Rep. Biggert voted no.
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Featured Story – The Future of Energy:
Judy examines a hay baler used by Packer Engineering in Naperville to create energy from farm-scale crop waste
Naperville, IL – Biggert recently visited Packer Engineering’s Naperville, IL facility to learn more about several cutting-edge energy technologies developed or currently under development by the company. During her tour, she was briefed on Packer’s local work on technologies to improve hydrogen energy storage, turn agricultural waste into fuel, harness solar power, create fertilizer without natural gas, and more.
“We must bring down energy prices and reduce our reliance on foreign oil,” said Biggert. “Cutting-edge alternative energy technologies like those being developed by Packer are essential to achieving that goal.”
Packer is a 100% employee-owned, multidisciplinary engineering and scientific consulting and technical services company founded in 1963. It operates with the assistance of federal research grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture. As a senior member of the House Science and Technology Committee and Co-Chair of the House Research and Development Caucus, Biggert is a leading proponent of federal support for energy-related research and development.
“It is gratifying to see federal research dollars translating into real energy solutions right here in Naperville," said Biggert. "I look forward to seeing these technologies begin to move out of the lab and into the marketplace.”
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From the Press Desk:
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Biggert Introduces Internet Safety Education Bill
Naperville, IL – Today at Naperville’s Nichols Public Library, U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13) announced the introduction of her new bill to ensure that children exploring the Internet are protected from online predators and other threats. Introduced with cosponsor Rep. Nick Lampson (D-TX-22), the Protecting Our Children Online Act will require that schools and libraries that allow children to access the Internet also provide them with basic instruction on how to avoid common online dangers.
“The unfortunate reality is that one in seven children are approached with an unwanted sexual solicitation while online,” said Biggert, Co-Chair of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children’s Caucus. “And parents can’t always be there to supervise when their child is using the Internet at school, in the library, or even at home.”
“The best way to ensure children are guarded against online predators is to teach them how to recognize inappropriate activity and avoid putting themselves at risk,” said Biggert.
To read more, click here.
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In Her Own Words:
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Remarks of U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL)
H.R. 5940, The National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2008
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to my Science and Technology Committee colleague, the gentleman from Washington, for yielding me the time. As an original cosponsor of H.R. 5940, I rise to express my continued support for the bill we are considering here today.
Most Americans learn in grade school and high school that atoms are the building blocks of nature. In the years since I was in school, incredible machines have allowed us even to see every one of those atoms. But now, thanks to the National Nanotechnology Initiative or NNI, we have developed and continue to develop the tools, equipment, and expertise to manipulate those atoms, and build new materials and new machines – one molecule at a time.
First established in 2001, and later authorized in statute in 2003, the NNI has, by all accounts, succeeded at coordinating nanotechnology research and development across many federal agencies to the benefit of our national competitiveness. According to a recent review of the program by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (P-CAST), the United States has been and remains the recognized leader in nanotechnology R&D.; But the Council also rightly pointed out that the European Union and China are gaining ground on us.
That’s why I am pleased that we are building on the success of the NNI by passing H.R. 5940 today.
Thanks to the NNI, the U.S. has an extensive network of nanoscale science research centers. Five of those centers are operated and maintained by the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. One of those DOE centers, the Center for Nanoscale Materials, is located in my district at Argonne National Laboratory.
In its first year of operation, Argonne’s Center for Nanoscale Materials hosted over 100 scientists and engineers engaged in nanotech research from across the country and around the world, giving them access to the most powerful X-ray source in the western hemisphere at the Advanced Photon Source.
As Americans face ever-rising gasoline and energy prices, we are fortunate that Congress and the President had the foresight to invest in these DOE nanoscience centers. Because of our federal investment in years past, scientists and engineers are already hard at work manipulating atoms to create new, lighter, stronger materials for wind turbines, improved lubricants for gear boxes, and better wiring for generators, all which will improve the efficiency of wind power.
DOE scientists also are using nanotechnology to make:
- More durable and efficient solar cells,
- Catalysts for the direct conversion of light energy to hydrogen;
- New materials for lighter, more powerful, longer-lasting batteries that will improve energy storage and bring the plug-in hybrid to market more quickly.
Thanks to nanotechnology, progress is being made on advanced energy technologies that will reduce our reliance of foreign oil and gas. But to continue making progress, Congress must provide adequate funding for these critical facilities and research efforts.
Unfortunately, because the fiscal year 2008 omnibus bill essentially flat-funded the Basic Energy Sciences program, the DOE had no choice but to reduce the run-time of scientific user facilities like the Advanced Photon Source by 20 percent. Without a doubt, this will impact work at the Center for Nanoscale Materials, which relies on the APS. I remain hopeful that the fiscal year 2008 supplemental working its way through Congress now will include additional funding for these important facilities and research efforts at the DOE.
With that in mind Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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In the News:
Monday, June 2, 2008
The Business Ledger
By Dan McLeister, Contributing Writer
Possible Fermilab Cuts Could Have Major Impact
The economic impact of the proposed layoffs at Fermi Accelerator Laboratory highlights the importance of the science facility to the suburban business community.
While there is a possibility that Congress may pass a last-minute bill restoring funding, the expected layoffs of about 140 people—down from the original estimate of 200—at the premier physics facility in Batavia could send a negative ripple through the suburban economy, according to area business executives and local government officials.
Fermilab officials remained hopeful that the cuts would be rescinded by a U.S. Senate vote scheduled for late May that would add $100 million to the budget for the Office of Science. Included would be $55 million for fusion energy sciences and $45 million for high energy physics, according to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). Another $150 million would go toward federal science research.
Even then, it’s only the first step in possible restoration of funding. The revised budget was scheduled to be considered by a conference committee with the Senate and the House of Representatives which did not include the money in its version of the bill. And the White House would have to give its approval.
According to figures on its Web site, the facility had a $146 million payroll and spent about $70 million for goods and services provided by businesses located across Illinois.
The overall budget was about $344 million for 1,900 employees, who include about 900 physicists, engineers and computer professionals. Another 2,300 scientists and students, from across the United States and around the world, spend time at Fermilab to carry out research.
In addition to the proposed layoffs, employees have been required since February to take an unpaid week off every two months.
Statistics indicate that 90 percent of the employees live in the Fox Valley or western DuPage County. Payroll for 2007 was $150.7 million. Illinois income tax withheld was $4 million. The percentage of total purchases in Illinois was 59 percent of the $70,340,000 total.
The possible layoff of employees would be by far the largest in the history of Fermilab, according to Judy Jackson, director of the Office of Communication.
“We don’t know when the layoffs could take effect,” she said. “We hope the funding cuts would not be permanent.”
She said the number of people who have retired and resigned recently have reduced the initial number of 200 to about 140. Layoff plans were submitted to the U.S. Department of Energy.
The multiplier effect of these possible cutbacks was noted by Chris Aiston, director of economic development for Kane County, which shares the facility with DuPage County.
“The multiplier effect goes far beyond the proposed job cuts. The cuts would affect area companies which supply materials and services to Fermilab. The total effect could be huge.”
He hoped the impact will be short-lived and the lab will be able to get back to original funding levels. Aiston said if that is not the case, then there could be damage to the area’s scientific business reputation, which was enhanced recently with state approval for the building of a proton cancer treatment facility by Northern Illinois University in the DuPage National Technology Park in West Chicago.
The executive director of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce, Roger Breisch, said the proposed cuts would create economic vibrations beyond Batavia to the whole Fox Valley.
“It is a shame the federal government does not want to invest enough funds in scientific research,” he said. “I wonder about what will happen in the coming years.”
An official from DuPage County, which shares the facility with Kane County, also pointed to a troubling trend which is reflected by a change in the U.S. Congress.
“We have been working with Congress to bring funds here for the latest physics research, which is in competition with areas in Europe,” said Tom Cuculich, the county’s director of economic development and planning.
The DuPage official said the economic impact of Fermilab has been huge in the county in recent years. He said a lot of the lab employees reside in the county because of the good schools desired by families.
Also, there are many county businesses which supply all types of good and services from printing to large construction.
“Fermilab has deep roots in DuPage County and is essential for keeping a viable and growing economy in the county.”
A DuPage Workforce Board report states that the lab is driving innovation in DuPage County. Located in western DuPage County, Fermilab is the largest U.S. laboratory for research in high-energy physics in the United States and is second in the world only to CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics. “The technology developed at Fermilab has extraordinary real-life applications for cancer treatment, to the development of the World Wide Web, to environmental research.”
Also pointing to the important nature of the work at Fermilab was a letter from Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Durbin and U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-13th) to Jim Nussle, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The letter called on him to increase funding for the High Energy Physics (HEP) program, which supports research at Fermilab and at several other laboratories and universities across the United States that are doing vital, cutting-edge research.
The spending bill that was approved earlier by Congress provided the HEP program with $88 million less that was requested. The three Illinois legislators said this challenges Fermilab’s ability to remain one of the world’s preeminent research facilities after it has achieved outstanding success in research on neutrinos, the high energy frontier, and particle astrophysics.
“Disruptive funding shortfalls have ripple effects throughout the American scientific community, displacing today’s scientists and discouraging tomorrows. We must work together to restore funding in basic physics research to maintain America’s role as the innovator in technology, to retain our leading scientific institutions and their skilled workforces, and to provide opportunities for future scientists.
“While we recognize the formidable challenges you face regarding the demands of the federal budget, we respectfully encourage you to increase the funding request for the Office of Science, particularly for the HEP program, in the President’s FY2009 Budget.”
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For more information, please visit http://judybiggert.house.gov/ |