National Nano Technology Intiative Amendments ACt of 2009
Floor Speech
NATIONAL NANO TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2009 -- (House of Representatives - February 11, 2009)
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Mr. PITTS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 554 and the importance of nano technology. It's a very important part of our economy. It's an important part of health care. Our stimulus bill has a lot of things to do with our economy that this could be a part of. And so I'm glad we're taking time to recognize the importance of this.
An hour ago, we stood here honoring one of our colleagues, John Dingell, and his service as chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. And I just want to say he served with dignity. He was always fair to the minority. It was a pleasure to serve with him as chairman.
And the Energy and Commerce Committee is one of the three committees that has jurisdiction over this stimulus, this massive stimulus bill that's coming up later this week.
The gentleman from Tennessee mentioned there is a bipartisan conference today at 3 o'clock on this bill. The problem is there are only two Republicans. Not one Republican from Energy and Commerce, which has jurisdiction over a lot of this bill, is on this conference committee.
We spent 12 hours a week ago in marking up this bill, and then our amendments were promptly stripped out of the bill.
Debate has been limited. Literally in this case, we're not even given a seat at the table, with a Republican Member of this important committee of jurisdiction being included in the conference committee and negotiating the final bill.
We're barreling full steam ahead, railroading through Congress a trillion dollar massive spending bill that is masquerading as an economic stimulus bill, and I think on a day when we honor good men like John Dingell and his service, the kind of governance he has provided for so many years in this institution and with this committee that has jurisdiction, that it would be appropriate that we govern differently.
And I thank the gentleman.
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