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“HONORING THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHARTERING OF ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1008-E1009 on June 28, 2016.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHARTERING OF ARGONNE NATIONAL
LABORATORY
______
HON. BILL FOSTER
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 70th anniversary of the chartering of the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, located in my district in Illinois.
Argonne traces its beginnings to experiments by the renowned physicist Enrico Fermi, who led researchers in creating the world's first self-sustaining nuclear reaction. From its initial mission to fulfill the promise of the atom as a new energy source, Argonne has grown into a multidimensional laboratory addressing a range of major scientific and societal needs, still however, with the primary mission to invent, innovate, and protect energy technologies for the nation.
The lab's work now spans the spectrum from basic research to applied science in areas including physics, materials and chemistry, math and computer science, life sciences, renewable energy, nuclear energy, energy storage, transportation, establishing energy surety and securing critical infrastructure. And Argonne remains on the cutting edge as it extends its expertise into new scientific endeavors including protein characterization, nanomaterials, molecular engineering and urban sciences.
I am pleased to have in my district a national laboratory that is a longstanding global leader in battery research. Argonne continues to license its chemistries for use in bestselling electric vehicles and has positioned itself to meet the emerging storage needs of the new electric grid. This unique history, combined with its role as convener of a regional ecosystem of governments, universities, non-profits, industries and other public and private entities delivering innovative research and technology, means Argonne National Laboratory is a big reason why Chicago and the Midwest will be a focal point in the impending clean energy revolution.
I am also proud to say that not only is Argonne home to Mira, one of the world's fastest supercomputers, and the Advanced Photon Source, the brightest X-ray source in the Western Hemisphere, but that ongoing updates to these and other user facilities at the lab will help maintain U.S. leadership in scientific discovery.
Argonne is not only a scientific, but also an economic engine for my district and the state of Illinois, as the lab employs some 3,000 people, attracts thousands more as visitors and scientific facility users, and spends approximately $300 million annually through procurements to a diverse group of large and small businesses to support its overall mission.
Finally, by employing more than 400 graduate and undergraduate students each year and annually hosting approximately 3,000 elementary, middle, and high school students for various programs, the lab is also an important educator and contributor to the STEM pipeline on which future prosperity of this country depends.
Clearly, scientific research is fundamental to the progress of society. The 70th anniversary of the chartering of Argonne National Laboratory is an excellent opportunity to reflect upon the contributions this world-class institution has made, is making, and is poised to make in the years to come--across an array of essential, life-changing disciplines.
Mr. Speaker I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 70th anniversary of the chartering of Argonne National Lab and I yield back the balance of my time.
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