S. Jason
Remer, P.E.
IEEE-USA 2001 Congressional Fellow
If you have not had a chance to review the
news lately, I thought I would repeat a recent article that appeared in the Washington
Post:
Entergy Engineer Begins IEEE-USA
Congressional Fellowship
WASHINGTON (30 January 2001) –– Jason
Remer, a design engineering supervisor for Entergy’’s Arkansas Nuclear One plant
outside his hometown of Russellville, Ark., will spend 2001 in the nation’’s
capital serving an IEEE-USA Congressional Fellowship working for Rep. Joe Barton
(R-Texas).
"I can’’t imagine a more exciting
time to be involved in the political process than this upcoming year," Remer said.
"Technology policymaking is sure to play a major role in Congress this year,
especially in light of the increase in e-commerce, Internet security issues and electric
power deregulation."
Remer, a member of The Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE), will assist Rep. Barton on national energy strategy, nuclear
energy and electric power restructuring issues. Rep. Barton, whose district is in the
Dallas-Ft. Worth area, is Chairman of the newly organized Energy and Air Quality
Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee. He is expected to work closely with
President George W. Bush in advancing national electric restructuring legislation.
"What better time to have electrical
engineers involved in government than when so much of our life, liberty and pursuit of
happiness involves the use of electricity and its many applications," said Remer, who
attended one of the inaugural balls with his wife Gina and saw President Bush in person.
"I am thankful to have the opportunity to serve the members of IEEE through this
Congressional Fellowship and look forward to an exciting and challenging year."
Remer is joined by IEEE-USA’’s other
Congressional Fellows, Dr. Russell Lefevre and Dr. Peter Winokur, who are working with
Sen. John D. Rockefeller (D-W.V.) and Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), respectively.
The highly competitive Fellowships are awarded by
IEEE-USA to IEEE U.S. members willing to share their scientific and technical knowledge by
accepting a one-year assignment on the staff a U.S. congressperson or congressional
committee. This advisory role provides an engineer’’s perspective on
public-policy issues.
Well, I must confess that this news release DID
NOT appear in the Washington Post, but I did get some good press in my hometown paper, the
Russellville Courier. The guys at the office were also extremely impressed.
To backup a little, this all started last fall
with a two week orientation for science and engineering fellows provided by the
prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The orientation
provided a behind the scenes view of the workings of government and Congress and how
science and technology impact upon that process. We had the chance to meet top government
officials, industry leaders and even lobbyists.
After the training, we were released under our own
recognizance to wander aimlessly about the long, dark, and convoluted hallways that
comprise the underground of the US Capital complex. We were looking for the Rosetta stone
to decode the cryptic office numbers we had been given. After finding their offices, I
interviewed with Rep. Joe Knollenberg, Rep. Steve Largent, Rep Joe Barton and senior staff
with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. My decision to go with the Barton
office was influenced by his Chairmanship of Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee and his
direct involvement in energy restructuring, nuclear power and the Yucca Mountain project.
I have now been in the office about a month and
have been given responsibility for overseeing the Congressman’s involvement on the
Science Subcommittee, education, social, and housing issues along with working on the
energy topics already mentioned. It has been a steep learning curve but I am starting to
get my feet on the ground - the variety and diversity of issues a staff member in a
congressional office must deal with is truly amazing. Congressman Barton has called this
session the "Energy Congress" and I believe he may be right in more ways than
one.
I appreciate the opportunity I have been given and
would like to extend my thanks to IEEE-USA for selecting and entrusting me with this
fellowship. Thanks also to my company, Entergy, who without their support and
encouragement, I could not have accepted this assignment. Finally, I would like to
appreciate my wife Gina and family for packing up and moving half-way across the country
to a strange neighborhood so that I could serve in this capacity. It is sure to be an
exciting and rewarding year for us all.