Congressman Joe Baca
HomeHomeNewsAbout JoeServicesLegislationDistrict InformationKid´s ZoneLinksContact Joe

[Back to Legislative]

CONGRESSMAN BACA FIGHTS FOR SCIENCE IN THE CONGRESS

As a member of the House Science Committee, I am working to ensure that the Inland Empire will be prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

Science is the key to the Inland Empire's future

As a member of the Science Committee, I have been able to promote education and research in science and technology. The Inland Empire region has great potential to be a high tech hub. We have 23 colleges and universities, which are engaged in cutting edge research, including CE-CERT at U.C. Riverside, which is doing research on automotive technologies of the future.

This session I introduced amendments to the Undergraduate Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education Improvement Act (H.R. 3130) and the Investing in America's Future Act (H.R. 4664). My amendments, which were passed by voice vote in Committee, would award grants to minority-serving institutions to enhance the quality of undergraduate science, mathematics, and engineering education at these institutions. Both of these bills were passed by the House of Representatives.

Since September 11th and the subsequent anthrax attacks, I have also worked with the Committee on issues of emergency preparedness, water security and bioterrorism. Now more than ever it is important to invest in science and technology to protect our communities from future attacks.

The Science Subcommittee on Environment, Technology and Standards

I am pleased to sit on the Science Subcommittee on Environment because it has given me the opportunity to question agencies on the costs of scientific regulations, such as those relating to the Delhi Sands Loving Fly and the Kangaroo Rat.

The Subcommittee has jurisdiction over the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Department of Energy Civilian Research.

As a member of the Subcommittee I have also been fighting to keep the residents of the region safe, by vigorously opposing the Department of Energy's plans to transport nuclear waste through the Inland Empire. Other alternatives must be pursued.

Science Subcommittee on Research

I am pleased to sit upon the Subcommittee on Research because it has provided me with oversight opportunities on a number of exciting areas including science education in public schools and universities, biotechnology research, and information technology research.

In summary, I am proud to have served on the Science Committee this year. The Science Committee worked in a bipartisan fashion for positive legislation that will greatly benefit the Inland Empire's environment, economy, education and security.

In the 107th Congress I co-sponsored the following Science Committee legislation:

H.R. 100 Establishes and expands programs relating to science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education.

H.R. 101 Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish and expand programs relating to science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education.

H.R. 102 Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to encourage stronger math and science programs at elementary and secondary schools.

H.R.1660 To develop a demonstration program through the National Science Foundation to encourage interest in the fields of mathematics, science, and information technology.

H.R. 1858 Funds partnerships to enable universities and businesses to provide help to school districts, provides scholarships for top math and science majors who promise to go into teaching, and sets up an electronic library of materials to help K-12 math and science teachers.

H.R. 3130 To address the decline in tech workforce by creating incentives for colleges to increase the number of math, science and engineering grads. Program appropriated at $5 million for FY02.

H.R. 3178 To improve the long-term safety of America's water supply by providing research grants through EPA.

H.R. 3316 To establish research programs to improve the security of networked information systems, and to enhance the ability of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to improve computer security.

H.R. 4664 To double NSF funding in the next 3 years.

H.R. 4687 To provide for the establishment of investigative teams to assess building performance and emergency response and evacuation procedures in the wake of any building failure that has resulted in substantial loss of life or that posed significant potential of substantial loss of life.

In the 107th Congress I co-signed the following Science Committee letters:

Letter to the President requesting his consideration for the reappointment of Dr. Bob H. Suzuki to the National Science Board.

Letter to Director of Army Research Office supporting Univ. of California, San Diego (UCSD) proposal to secure award of the University Affiliated Research Center that will serve as an Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies.

Letter to Chairman Wolf requesting funding support for NOAA programs essential to coastal stewardship.

Letter to Walsh and Mollohan urging an increase in the National Science Foundation Budget to $5.5 Billion for FY 2003.

Letter to Chairman Callahan urging an increase in funding for fusion energy sciences by at least $20 million above the President's requested level of $257.3 million.

Letter to Young, Obey, Callahan and Visclosky urging them to significantly increase fiscal year 2003 funding for the Department of Energy's Office of Science above the FY 02 level.

In the 107th Congress I voted on the following Science Committee legislation: (add section from 1st session)

YES  Roll # 237, 6/19/02, on Passage of H.R. 3389, National Sea Grant College Program. To reauthorize the National Sea Grant College Program Act.
 
YES  Roll # 293, 7/11/02, on Passage of H.R. 2733, Enterprise Integration Act. To authorize the National Institute of Standards and Technology to work with major manufacturing industries on an initiative of standards development and implementation for electronic enterprise integration.
 
YES  Roll #294, 7/11/02, on Passage of H.R. 2486, Inland Flood Forecasting and Warning System Act. To authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through the United States Weather Research Program, and to conduct research and development, training, and outreach activities relating to inland flood forecasting improvement.
 
YES  Roll # 295, 7/12/02, on Passage of H.R. 4687, The National Construction Safety Team Act. To provide for the establishment of investigative teams to assess building performance and emergency response and evacuation procedures in the wake of any building failure that has resulted in substantial loss of life or that posed significant potential of substantial loss of life.