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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E712]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2021
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speech of
HON. ROBERT C. ``BOBBY'' SCOTT
of virginia
in the house of representatives
Thursday, July 30, 2020
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of three
amendments to H.R. 7617.
My amendment, offered with Mr. Wittman, Ms. Luria, and Mr. Beyer,
reflects the need to adequately fund the important work done at
Jefferson Lab. JLab, in my district in Newport News, is home to the
Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility, also known as CEBAF, the
primary research tool in the U.S. for enabling basic research on the
quark and gluon structure of protons and neutrons. Worldwide, a
community of more than 1,700 scientists from over 275 institutions
depend on this facility for their research.
The City of Newport News has agreed to transfer ownership of a
building to the Lab to support its work, but the $2 million included in
this year's appropriations bills fall short of the $9 million needed to
transfer that building and move forward with the renovation and
expansion of CEBAF, for which the Department of Energy has already
approved Critical Decision 0.
I also rise today in support of the amendment offered with my
colleagues, Mr. Wittman, Mr. McEachin, Ms. Luria, Ms. Spanberger, and
Ms. Wexton, in regard to the urgent need for robust funding to the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers for coastal construction projects. The Army
Corps has worked to keep America's waterways and ports open to trade,
while working with our communities to ensure that they can continue to
live with the water that surrounds Hampton Roads.
My district is home to the Port of Virginia which is one of the
largest and busiest ports on the eastern seaboard. With 95 percent of
our nation's trade moving by water, it is essential that the port is
able to maintain operations. The Port of Virginia is responsible for
nearly $40 billion in economic activity in the Commonwealth of
Virginia. It is critical to our financial well-being that we ensure
that the Port is able to handle to the increased number and size of
containers. The Port and the Army Corps of Engineers have undertaken
the dredging and widening and deepening of the Norfolk Harbor to enable
safe and efficient two-way passage of the new larger container ships.
The project will require a New Start designation to keep the projected
time line intact.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting additional funding to
support our National Labs and the construction at the Norfolk Harbor to
keep both of these essential projects moving forward.
I also rise in support of Rep. Murphy's amendment which I was proud
to cosponsor, as co-chair of the Modeling and Simulation Caucus, along
with Rep. Bergman, an active caucus member. This amendment emphasizes
the importance of funding for the Synthetic Training Environment (STE)
account. Funding for the Synthetic Training Environment program is an
investment in simulation technology to help service members train
virtually for their missions. Advancing modeling and simulation
technology is a long-term investment that enables us to remain
competitive in with innovations in medicine, training, and
transportation and I urge my colleagues to support these investments.
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