[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 101 (Tuesday, July 20, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H6065-H6071]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF APOLLO 11 LUNAR LANDING
Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 723) recognizing the 35th anniversary of the Apollo
11 lunar landing, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 723
Whereas President John F. Kennedy set a goal of landing
Americans on the moon and returning them safely to Earth;
Whereas the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) created the Apollo space program to fulfill the goal
set by President Kennedy;
Whereas on July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 mission launched
into space to attempt the first manned lunar landing;
Whereas on July 20, 1969, at 10:56 p.m. eastern daylight
time, astronaut Neil A. Armstrong ushered in a new era in
space exploration when he stepped onto the lunar surface and
declared, ``That's one small step for man, one giant leap for
mankind.'';
Whereas Neil Armstrong, the mission commander, and fellow
astronauts Michael Collins, the command module pilot, and
Edwin E. ``Buzz'' Aldrin, Jr., the lunar module pilot,
exemplified bravery and determination in successfully
completing the mission;
Whereas the Apollo 11 mission demonstrated the
technological abilities of the United States and established
the United States as a leader in space exploration;
Whereas the Apollo 11 mission inspired further exploration
of the universe and led to more than three decades of
continued voyage and discovery; and
Whereas the Apollo 11 mission continues to inspire
exploration as NASA envisions returning to the moon and
eventually landing a person on Mars: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the 35th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar
landing;
(2) commends the astronauts and other men and women of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) whose
efforts assured the success of the Apollo 11 mission; and
(3) supports the continued leadership of the United States
in the exploration of space.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Hall) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Lampson) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall).
Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, on this day 35 years ago, two Americans stepped onto the
surface of the Moon and ushered in a new era in space exploration. The
astronauts of Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael
Collins, not only made history, they also fulfilled an American dream.
Their successful Moon landing was the culmination of years of
preparation by hundreds of thousands of people in government, in
industry, and universities. And they became heroes to all Americans in
the process.
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy laid out a goal of landing an
American on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth. On July 16,
1969, NASA launched the Apollo 11 spacecraft into orbit to fulfill this
quest. The successful mission demonstrated the United States'
technological and economic power, and it established our Nation as the
leader in space exploration from that moment to the present.
During their walk on the Moon, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took
pictures, planted an American flag, and gathered rocks, tangible items
to take back to Earth for posterity. They also gave the world a sense
of wonder and awe and an enthusiasm about future space travel.
Astronaut Neil Armstrong's first step on the lunar surface was indeed a
``giant leap for mankind,'' but it was also a first step toward a new
era of discovery and innovation.
The next three decades witnessed enormous strides in space
exploration and research. Experiments conducted on the Space Shuttle
and International Space Station expanded health research into our most
threatening diseases. Microgravity experiments helped scientists fight
infections, produce medicines to treat patients who have suffered from
strokes, and combat osteoporosis. From the development of MRI
technology to microchips, the scientific partnerships between NASA and
American universities and companies continue to ensure our Nation's
viability, increase our Nation's competitiveness, and help drive our
economy.
As Buzz Aldrin said before Congress, the footprints on the Moon
``belong to the American people, and since we came in peace for all
mankind, those footprints belong also to all people of the world.''
Michael Collins told Congress, ``Man has always gone where he has been
able to go. It is that simple. He will continue pushing back his
frontier, no matter how far it may carry
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him from his homeland. Someday, in the not too distant future, when I
listen to an earthling step out onto the surface of Mars or some other
planet, I hope to hear him say: `I come from the United States of
America.' ''
We are the keepers of this dream. As we celebrate today's
anniversary, we can also rekindle this vision. Venturing to the Moon,
Mars and beyond is challenging, but our citizens have never shied away
from a challenge. As a democratic people who look to the future for
inspiration and solutions, we have a destiny to continue to lead in
space travel. In a world marred by conflict, we can once again usher in
an era of peaceful exploration.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H. Res. 723.
It was 35 years ago that humans first walked on the Moon. It was a
magnificent achievement and it is fitting that we in the House of
Representatives pause to commemorate it today. The landing of Eagle at
Tranquility Base was the culmination of a national effort that began in
1961 when a young, energetic President, John F. Kennedy, challenged
America to achieve great things in space. America rose to that
challenge and barely 8 years after President Kennedy said that we would
go to the Moon by the end of the decade, we did.
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took those historic first steps on
July 20, 1969, while Mike Collins orbited overhead and all the world's
population held its collective breath. Clearly Neil, Buzz and Mike had
the ``right stuff,'' as did the other Mercury, Gemini and Apollo
astronauts and as do the astronauts who are serving in our Nation's
space program today.
Yet it was not just the heroism and steel nerves of the astronauts
that made Apollo a success. It was the efforts of tens of thousands of
unsung heroes from government, industry and academia, namely the
scientists, engineers, program managers, technicians and others who
individually and collectively made it possible for 12 Americans to land
on and explore the surface of the Moon between 1969 and 1972.
I was teaching physical science in a middle school during that time.
The children in my classes, their eyes would light up when we would
watch on television and discuss what was going on. The interest that
developed from them was unimaginable. I know that it is what inspired
so many of those young people to want to become the astronauts of
today.
Neil Armstrong spoke his first words from the Moon to Mission Control
in the Ninth District of Texas, where we have neighbors who worked on
the Apollo program and some who participate in the space exploration
efforts of today. That is where those kids that I taught went to work.
Last July, Glynn and Marilyn Lunney from my district brought their
two grandchildren to my office to take a tour of this Capitol. In
passing the statue of Apollo 13 astronaut Jack Swigert downstairs, Mrs.
Lunney said, ``There's Jack.'' They knew who Jack was because Mr.
Lunney had been a flight director on Apollo missions, including Apollo
11. The Lunneys are just a few of the many individuals in Texas' Ninth
Congressional District whom I salute today.
The Lunneys' son started a company that took one of those spin-offs
from the space exploration efforts to create a vagus nerve stimulator
which saves the lives of people who are suffering from epilepsy and
seizures today. So many wonderful things have come from that program.
Just beyond the fences of Johnson Space Center are reminders of the
living legacy of NASA's pioneer programs in our community. The names of
sports teams, local businesses, and even the streets that we drive
display the impact of manned space flight. Today, I salute all
southeast Texans involved in manned space flight, including Johnson
Space Center's civil service and contractor workforce of over 16,000 in
Houston's bay area.
I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of this congressional
resolution commemorating a shining achievement that is an inspiration
to all they do. Yet I have to confess that I look forward to the day
when we will not just be commemorating the past but will also be
celebrating new accomplishments in space exploration.
The last Americans, indeed the last human beings, to venture out
beyond low Earth orbit visited the Moon 32 years ago. It is time for
Americans to get back to the Moon. And it is time for Americans to set
out on voyages of exploration to all of the interesting places in our
solar system. Robotic explorers have already blazed a scientifically
productive trail, and they will continue to do so in the years to come,
but I have no doubt that humans will, and should, follow.
I want America to lead that exploration effort, and I intend to work
with the White House and my colleagues in Congress to craft an
exploration program that all America will embrace. However, that is
work for another day. Today is a day for commemorating the achievement
of the Apollo team. I urge my colleagues to support this important
resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert), chairman of the Committee on
Science.
(Mr. BOEHLERT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution,
which I was proud to cosponsor with the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Hall). At this time of fiscal constraint and international discord, it
is good to remember that brief moment in history when the entire world,
together, collectively held its breath and watched as human beings
stepped for the first time onto the surface of the Moon.
One sign of the success of the Apollo mission is that it is hard to
conjure now just how strange and wondrous and awe-inspiring that moment
was. Neil Armstrong's and Buzz Aldrin's steps were the culmination of
millennia of human dreams and aspirations. Whatever else the Apollo
program did, it fundamentally changed the human sense of the possible.
It changed our sense of what was in reach.
I would point out that the Apollo program also changed our own sense
of the planet. Those pictures of Earth as a blue dot revolving through
empty space, those pictures of Earthrise, those pictures of an Earth
whose air pollution could be picked up from miles into the heavens,
with those pictures the Apollo program also brought home the
preciousness of our own planet and its and our own fragility.
So I want to join with my colleagues today in trying to recapture
that sense of excitement and wonder and awe that space travel evoked. I
want to join in reminding Americans of the unique and courageous
accomplishments of the Apollo astronauts and the scientists and
engineers who worked behind the scenes. And I want to encourage us all
to think through all the lessons of the Apollo program.
America must continue its ventures in space, manned and robotic. And
we need to think about how to ensure that those ventures will enrich
our culture, our scientific understanding, our sense of what it means
to be human, and our ability to survive on our own planet.
The Apollo program has left us a remarkable legacy that we can
respect best by continuing to debate its meaning.
Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott).
(Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, the name Buzz Aldrin is legendary in
America's manned space flight program, but the name Buzz Lightyear may
be better known today. ``To infinity and beyond,'' Buzz Lightyear calls
out in the movie ``Toy Story'' and everyone smiled. Buzz Aldrin
actually did it.
Thirty-five years ago today, Buzz Aldrin commanded the lunar module
during man's first landing on the Moon. Buzz Aldrin followed Neil
Armstrong onto the lunar surface. It was a defining moment in world
history and the entire world stopped what it was doing to watch. If you
were alive on that day, you know where you were, what you were doing,
and how good it felt to be an American.
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We were proud. The world was proud of us. For a few moments at least,
the world was united. How we could use that today.
In part that is why this resolution is so important. It honors
President John F. Kennedy for his vision and his leadership. JFK, not
Captain Kirk, was the first to challenge us to go where no one had gone
before. Kennedy inspired us to believe that we could do what was almost
certainly impossible, and we did it.
This resolution honors the men and women of NASA. It honors Buzz
Aldrin and every astronaut for their courage, sacrifice, and
extraordinary service to this country and to humanity. I hope this
resolution rekindles the spirit, enthusiasm, and hope embodied in a
great moment for America and the world.
The world-renowned writer Arthur C. Clarke said, ``The only way to
discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the
impossible.'' In other words, to infinity and beyond.
Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Rohrabacher), chairman of Space and Aeronautics
Subcommittee.
Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, on July 20, 1969, all humankind
witnessed the greatest technological achievement in history: men
setting foot on the Moon and then successfully returning to Earth. The
tremendous accomplishment of those three men and, yes, of the United
States of America, is remembered to this day. Neil Armstrong, Buzz
Aldrin, Mike Collins stand as shining examples of courage and
technological genius, along with those many people in NASA that helped
them and were on that trip with them every second of the journey. We
honor the people of NASA who were responsible for this great
achievement, and we honor these three brave astronauts for their
heroism in taking that one giant leap for mankind 35 years ago.
On reflection, that day in history represented more than man's
mastery of science and engineering. Rather, NASA's success in this
endeavor has given us a sense of unlimited potential for our Nation and
the world. Buzz Aldrin said it best when he observed, ``The
significance of what we did was not embodied in the few rocks that we
brought back or what we saw . . . But the significance really was the
impact we had on millions of people around the world.'' And, yes,
millions of people in the United States.
Now we have the opportunity today to repeat history with President
Bush's vision for space exploration. I believe there are young people
who will be just as inspired by this great quest as those were by the
first Moon landing.
Thus, the occasion that we celebrate today also forces us to look
forward. As President Bush pointed out last year following the tragic
loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia, ``This cause of exploration and
discovery is not an option we choose. It is a desire written in the
human heart. We are that part of creation which seeks to understand all
of creation. We find the best among us, send them forth into unmapped
darkness, and pray they will return. They go in peace for all mankind,
and all mankind is in their debt.'' That was President Bush.
Today we look back and honor this great achievement of 35 years ago
and commend the astronauts and the others who were responsible for this
great achievement. But also today we are looking forward to a path
ahead and a recommitment ourselves to America's leadership in the
exploration of space and America's leading humankind to conquer this
new frontier.
Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Houston, Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise
and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the
distinguished gentleman from Texas, who has the pleasure of
representing Johnson's Space Center, for his great leadership. There
has not been a moment that he has not been committed to the progress
and future of that great center along with so many others.
What does one say about the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall), who has
led us in science for so many years? I am delighted to join him in this
resolution.
And might I say the proud fact is that this resolution is a
bipartisan resolution. It recognizes that space is bipartisan. And
might I just emphasize now 35 years later the great debt of gratitude
that we owe to Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins
because I do not know if we understand that they were, in fact, are the
very first humans to step on a planet outside of Earth's atmosphere.
They were the very first humans, and in essence we can call them the
true explorers who went into another atmosphere, another planet. The
many things that we look at on television, science fiction, these
individuals actually did do it.
But I think these words are so very important and prominent as they
laid this plaque after 2 hours and 11 minutes: ``Here men from Planet
Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969 AD. We came in peace for
all mankind.'' These words should be forever prominent in our mind:
they came in peace for all mankind.
That is why I rise today to join in celebration of H. Res. 723. I
believe that Buzz and all of them, Neil and Michael, would be very
proud that since they landed, women have gone into space, African
Americans, Hispanics, people from foreign lands have all gone together
in peace. That is what it represents.
It is interesting that this young man, this young man who defined
Camelot in 1961, John F. Kennedy, a Democrat, spoke to the world and
the Nation; and he did not raise up a partisan flag about space. He
joined all of us as Americans. That is why we rise today because this
is, in fact, an American Dream, an American cause.
I too salute all of those who work for NASA all over the Nation in
the space centers all around the country, whether it is in Huntsville,
whether it is in Mississippi or California or Florida, and particularly
those at the Johnson Space Center, some 16,000 employees strong. I
salute them. And the reason I do that is because they do not wear a
partisan hat. They realize that space is important.
Let me say, however, Mr. Speaker, that as we take risks and we
recognize risks are important, let us be cognizant of the importance of
safety. And I realize that those who were willing to take risks in
those early days also valued their intellect, their courage, what they
valued, the men and women on the ground who were on the cutting edge of
making sure that it was as safe as it could be in that time frame. It
is now our obligation to likewise look to the future, the President's
new proposal, and ensure that not only do we move forward on Mars
exploration, that we do it in a safe manner, that we make sure that the
international space station is safe, we make sure that the human space
flight is safe, because that is what this whole effort is about.
1969 was the ending of a troubling time in America. In 1968 we saw
the assassination of Robert Kennedy. We saw the assassination of Martin
Luther King. Yet this country could still dream. We came together, all
of us from all parts of this Nation. No matter whether we lived in the
South or the North, no matter whether we were still crying and still
feeling the pain of the assassinations of those great Americans, we
came together when we saw those young men go off into space because it
was an American cause. That is the dream and the hope that I hope we
will implement as we move forward in the Mars exploration.
I would caution those in business and my colleagues to not make the
Mars program a partisan issue. Do not make it where they are leaving
out those of us who are supporters of space and space exploration who
happen to be Democrats. Space, Mars, the Moon, and celebration of all
of us goes beyond political grandstanding. And I would hope no matter
what administration will be in after November that we will have the
opportunity as Americans to watch us join hands together to be able to
celebrate the excitement of space. I am gratified that the Internet,
that new research dealing with health care all came about through
space, communications all came about through our space exploration. We
can do this, and we can do it together.
Might I also suggest that we owe a debt of gratitude to the
Challenger families and to Columbia 7. And might I, in respect of
Columbia 7, say to my colleagues that the families of those who
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were lost in Columbia 7 stood up and said that the space program must
go on. Is that not what America is all about? I would simply say on
their tribute and testimony, I hope we will not leave this session
without honoring them by the resolution that we have offered, many
sponsors that have offered to provide a gold medal for the Columbia 7,
300 sponsors and many on the Senate side. That is how we honor all of
those who have served, doing it unified in a nonpartisan way. We do it
as Americans.
My hat is off to Apollo 11. May the blessings be upon them. They are
great Americans. God bless them and God bless the United States.
Thirty-five years ago a revolution was started. Neil Armstrong and
Buzz Aldrin--backed by Mike Collins, and a huge team of engineers and
scientists from NASA and academia and industry--walked on the moon. It
was a spectacular achievement by the crew of Apollo 11, that capped off
an equally impressive eight years of research, development, and
innovation. But when I say they started a revolution, I am not just
talking about what they accomplished in space. I am thinking about the
impact they made here on Earth.
The Apollo mission inspired a generation of intellectual pioneers and
dreamers like nothing else could. Children, and young adults not afraid
to think like children, sat awe-struck watching these guys bounding
around on the moon, and then ran off to join science programs, and math
programs, and engineering programs. They wanted to be part of something
noble and great. The vast majority of those people did not end up in
space, but veered off to go into other branches of physics or
scientific research, or high-tech industries.
I have met with so many researchers from the great medical research
labs at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, or CEOs in biotech or
communications or internet companies, who have told me that it was the
success of the Apollo mission that drove them to reach the heights they
have reached. Many have theorized that indeed it was NASA and the
Apollo mission that made possible the U.S. domination in science and
industry, that changed America and the world in the 80s and 90s.
It was a bold investment, and we are still reaping the rewards.
But it could have gone much differently. Space travel is inherently
dangerous. The team at NASA overcame tremendous obstacles of all sorts,
and turned science fiction into science in under a decade. It truly
shows the power of the American spirit, when appropriately applied.
Mr. Speaker I commend my colleague form Texas, Mr. Hall and the
Chairman of the Science Committee on which I serve, as well as Ranking
Member Lampson of the Space Subcommittee, for their leadership in
giving space exploration the attention it deserves today. I hope that
this resolution, and all of the celebrations of this exciting
anniversary, will help re-kindle the American passion for the NASA
manned-space mission. This week, as the Appropriations Committee is
considering the future of the NASA budget, I hope we can all remember
the tremendous dividends that our investment in NASA makes.
NASA and Johnson Space Center have touched the people of Houston in
so many ways. I will continue to be a strong supporter of NASA even as
I work with my colleagues in the Science Committee to make NASA
missions safer. I will continue to push for my bill H.R. 525, which
would honor the fallen crew of the Shuttle Columbia with the
Congressional Gold Medal. With over 300 co-sponsors, it would be sad to
see this Congress adjourn without showing our appreciation for those
astronauts who made the ultimate sacrifice to advance this nation.
Working together, we can keep NASA moving forward into space, for the
good of the American people, and the world.
We humans are truly at our best when we are working together toward
peaceful and noble goals. The Apollo lunar landing 35 years ago truly
was the epitome of such peaceful and noble pursuits. My hat is off to
the Apollo team, and their surviving families, and to the entire NASA
community, for their spectacular contribution to our today, and to our
future.
Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Feeney), another member of the Space and Aeronautics
Subcommittee.
Mr. FEENEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Feeney) for his great leadership over many years of space.
Mr. Speaker, today's Florida Today editorial started out by saying
this: ``On July 20, 1969, humanity changed forever. The moment the boot
of astronaut Neil Armstrong touched the surface of the Moon, the future
of humanity no longer was tethered to Planet Earth.'' And, indeed, 35
years ago a mesmerized Nation and a mesmerized world watched as
Americans landed on the moon. Today we celebrate that accomplishment.
Looking back at the history of the Cape, the human space flight
program began in June, 1959, when a Mercury boilerplate capsule was
brought down for a test flight called Big Joe, when NASA needed tools
at that time, they went to Sears Roebuck in Orlando. They used a
flatbed truck, a wooden cradle, and mattresses to transport the Mercury
capsule to the launch pad. Just a few years later, Saturn V rockets,
the largest rocket ever built, were assembled in the Vehicle Assembly
Building, the second largest building in the world, and transported 3
miles by the Crawler Transporter, then the largest tracked vehicle in
the world.
Thousands of men and women viewed Apollo as a calling and not just a
career. They overcame the tragedy of Apollo 1, guided Apollo 11 through
some frightening moments during descent to the lunar surface and
shortly after landing, and brought home a crippled Apollo 13 safely.
Inspired by what they witnessed on television, hundreds of thousands
of children dedicated themselves to math and to science, thereby giving
birth to many of today's science and engineering leaders.
Unfortunately, Apollo was not designed to sustain itself forever. By
the end of 1972, mankind retreated to spaceflight around the Earth.
America now possesses a great vision for space exploration under
which we will become a spacefaring people once again. We will undertake
a paced, sustainable, and affordable journey that breaks free from
merely orbiting the Earth. We will not be fixated on a destination and
a timetable, but rather pursue an evolving program of exploration and
science.
Along the way we, like all explorers, will be surprised by our
discoveries. We will unleash the imaginations and talents of thousands
of aerospace professionals, reminding all of them why they chose their
calling.
Earlier this year, Americans watched in awe as the pictures from Mars
came back from the Mars Rovers. In a few months, thousands will line
the banks of the Indian and Banana rivers to watch the Shuttle once
again return to space. We are a restless, inquisitive, pioneering
people. We yearn to go.
Mr. Speaker, I include the full editorial from Florida Today for the
Record.
[From Florida Today, July 9, 2004]
Ready for New Goals
On July 20, 1969, humanity changed forever.
The moment the boot of astronaut Neil Armstrong touched the
surface of the moon, the future of humanity no longer was
tethered to planet Earth.
Thirty-five years ago today, as millions worldwide watched
televised images transported more than 250,000 miles through
space, a silent but mighty shift roiled the river of history.
Humankind had become residents of the solar system.
The question now is, will America return to that path of
manned exploration and discovery? Or be satisfied to rest on
great deeds of the past, reported on the yellowing pages of
crumbling newspaper?
For those who remember, that magnificent day and the four
fantastic years that followed made up an odyssey that dwarfed
all other human efforts.
Historians called the human exploration of the lunar
surface mankind's greatest technological achievement.
That claim would get no argument from those lucky enough to
have lived in Brevard County in those breathtaking times.
The vigorous, patriotic and enthusiastic space workers who
poured into this county through the 1960s helped turn Brevard
from a backwater into the single spot on the globe from which
man has journeyed to another celestial body.
They came in response to a challenge by an equally vigorous
president, John F. Kennedy, who in 1961 declared it was
``time for this nation to take a clearly leading role in
space achievement, which in many ways, may hold the key to
our future on earth.''
The goal was clear: The United States must, ``before this
decade is out,'' land a man on the moon and return him safely
to the Earth.
Those words triggered a serendipitous combination of the
leader, the people and the times, to launch a technology that
altered our world.
From communications and telemetry to computers, what came
to be known as the Apollo project generated knowledge that
sent the national economy on a long road of technological
innovation that reverberates today.
Not surprisingly, Brevard in those years averaged among the
highest of any U.S. county in levels of educational
achievement,
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creating a legacy of interest that's reflected today in
Brevard schools' strong performance in science and math.
Locally and nationally, the benefits of the Apollo remain
immeasurable.
That's why it's incredible that for more than 30 years, the
moon's cold surface has not felt another human step.
What might science have discovered, 35 years after
Armstrong and fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin made those giant
lunar leaps, if the nation had continued that dazzling
trajectory of human exploration, instead of letting the
banner fall?
Such a softening of national purpose must not--must never--
be the story of the American future.
Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Colorado (Mr. Udall).
Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding me this time.
I join my colleagues in congratulating the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Hall) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Lampson) for bringing this
important resolution to the floor.
As we have heard, 35 years ago today, the Apollo 11 mission landed on
the Moon, and in that short 8-day mission we accomplished miraculous
goals, and that mission has stood to inspire us for many years since.
I am also reminded that on the same date in the 1970s, the Viking
Mars Lander, the first time we reached Mars, also in penetrating our
solar system, July 20, holds a special significance for us.
As many of my colleagues have mentioned here, we have an opportunity
now to rekindle that spirit, and that is certainly the intent, I think,
of this resolution, as I look at my good friends from Texas. And I know
that Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins and Neil Armstrong together would
say it is on our shoulders to reinvigorate and lead NASA into this new
century. And I look forward, as I stand here today, to working with a
bipartisan group in the House with the gentleman from New York
(Chairman Boehlert) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon),
ranking member, with the NASA leadership, with the private sector, and
with the public that has shown great interest to ratify a new vision
for this century and to put the energy and the resources in place to
implement that new vision.
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That new vision can, like President Kennedy's challenge in 1961,
begin a new age of space exploration, inspire our Nation's youth to
pursue math, science and engineering and stimulate our U.S. aerospace
industry and underline the fact that we are a great Nation that has
shown leadership in many, many sectors, including this important area.
So again I want to join my colleagues in endorsing this very
important resolution to honor the men and women who so gallantly have
gone into outer space
Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), a member of the Subcommittee on VA, HUD and
Independent Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations, which oversees
the Space Station, and one of the major leaders in the space thrust.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for his
leadership on this issue and for his leadership here in the Congress on
this issue of space exploration for many years.
Today, it has already been mentioned that we celebrate the
accomplishments of NASA's Apollo 11 mission. Of course, it was back in
1961 that President Kennedy challenged NASA to meet the goals of
sending people to the Moon and back. It was an exciting day only 8
years later when Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins
represented all Americans when the first human steps were taken on the
Moon.
President Bush has issued a new challenge for NASA, the vision for
space exploration. I wholeheartedly support NASA in this endeavor, and
I encourage my colleagues to do the same. NASA is important to this
country's economic well-being, and it inspires our children to dream of
distant worlds that they may actually see in their lifetime. It may be
one of our children or one of our grandchildren who take the first
steps on Mars.
Although achieving the President's new vision may be some years in
the future, we should all be aware of the many benefits and the spin-
offs from NASA that reach all citizens of the United States, including
those in each of our districts every day.
NASA-inspired communications satellites connect the world. Other
NASA-launched satellites enable weather forecasters to track
hurricanes, wildfires, volcanoes, and also assist emergency workers in
those areas to prepare ahead in time of events that could have
devastating impacts. The NASA power source used to separate the solid
rocket boosters from the Space Shuttle is used in Lifeshears, a rescue
tool which quickly cuts debris to free victims when they have been in
accidents.
NASA has also made tremendous contributions to the medical field.
NASA, technology first used to monitor the health of astronauts in
space, has enabled health workers in today's hospitals to monitor many
patients. One NASA researcher realized that his work study in small
particles suspended in liquids could possibly help to detect cataracts,
a condition that his father had suffered from. Now the instrument he
designed is being adapted to identify other eye diseases, diabetes, and
possibly even Alzheimer's.
Another NASA researcher, driven by his own hearing problem, used
expertise that he had gained as an electronics instrumentation engineer
at NASA's Kennedy Space Center to develop the Cochlear Implant. This
device has restored hearing for thousands and allowed others born deaf
to hear for the very first time.
A silicone chip originally developed for the Hubble Space Telescope
makes breast cancer screening less painful, less expensive, and results
in less scarring than the traditional biopsy.
If that is not enough for you to support NASA's budget, consider
their dedication to the youth of this Nation. NASA-sponsored or
cosponsored programs such as the Student Launch Initiative, the Annual
Moonbuggy Race and the Team America Rocketry Challenge reach out
directly to our young people and inspire them to look within themselves
to invent, create, dream and strive for accomplishments.
NASA's Explorer Schools Programs have touched hundreds of minority
and poverty-stricken communities to help educators in those systems
with grants, materials, teaching guides and support for their math and
science programs. NASA continues to benefit students even after they
reach the college and university level through numerous grants,
fellowships and programs.
Through these and other programs, NASA and Vision for Space
Exploration will inspire this Nation's youth, motivating future
generations to study math, science and engineering. The work these
young people will aspire to assists them to reach dreams beyond their
imagination. What better memorial could there be for the noble
astronauts who have given their lives in pursuit of space and
exploration than to create a brand-new generation of explorers and
visionaries?
As I have detailed here, all citizens of the United States of America
benefit in some way from NASA, whether from the thousands of jobs that
were created in support of the programs, the commercial spin-offs from
the research and technology developed, or by the impact of our young
people through NASA's education initiative.
I hope my colleagues this afternoon will join me as we look forward
to supporting NASA's budget for fiscal year 2005 and as we celebrate
the 35th anniversary of the Apollo mission.
Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my friend the
gentlewoman from Dallas, Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), another
active member of the Committee on Science.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, allow me to thank
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Lampson) and the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Hall) for getting us to this point.
I rise in support of their resolution, H. Res. 1723, recognizing the
35th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. I am proud to be a
cosponsor.
Apollo 11 was the first mission in which humans walked on the lunar
surface and returned to Earth. On July 20, 1969, two astronauts, Apollo
11 Commander Neil Armstrong, whom I saw on television this morning, and
LM pilot Edwin E. ``Buzz'' Aldrin, Jr., landed in the Mare
Tranquilitatis, the Sea of Tranquility, on the Moon in lunar module,
while the Command and Service Module continued in lunar orbit.
[[Page H6070]]
During their stay on the Moon, the astronauts set up scientific
experiments, took photographs and collected lunar samples. The lunar
module took off from the Moon on July 21, and the astronauts returned
to Earth on July 24.
The performance of the spacecraft was excellent throughout the
mission. The primary mission goal of landing astronauts on the Moon and
returning them to Earth was achieved.
The space exploration research program has been one of the most
successful research programs in the history of this country. The space
program has yielded many life-saving medical tests, accessibility
advances for the physically challenged and products that make our lives
more safe and enjoyable.
Specific technological advances made possible by space research
include arteriosclerosis detection, ultrasound scanners, automatic
insulin pumps, portable x-ray devices, invisible braces, dental arch
wire, palate surgery technology, clean room apparel, the implantable
heart aid, MRI, bone analyzer, and cataract surgery tools, to name some
of them.
I also know that over 40 years ago, the foresight of persons that
came along before us caused us to get into this type of research. We
also owe those leaders some homage for their foresight, and I am hoping
we will then have the foresight to continue this type of research.
Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon). Cape Canaveral is in his district.
He is a long-time member of the Committee on Science and Subcommittee
on Space, and is now a member of the Committee on Appropriations.
Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Florida.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kline). The gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Weldon) is recognized for 4 minutes.
Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am honored that the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Hall) would allow me the balance of the time, and thank
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Lampson) for yielding as well.
Today, July 20, marks the 35th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11
lunar landing. President Kennedy set us on a race against the Soviet
Union to land a man on the Moon and return them safely to Earth.
America obviously rose to this challenge and succeeded beyond our
expectations.
All Apollo missions were comprised of a crew of three men. Apollo 11
had Mission Commander Neil Armstrong, Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin
and Command Module Pilot Michael Collins. All three carried the hopes
and prayers of a Nation on the greatest mission of exploration since
the dawn of mankind.
The Apollo lunar mission comprised of three main components: the
massive Saturn 5 booster, the command module and the lunar module. The
Saturn 5 was and still is the most powerful rocket ever built. At lift-
off, it contained 5.6 million pounds of propellant. At 363 feet tall,
the mighty Saturn 5 stood 60 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty.
One of the Saturn 5's main engines was more powerful than 30 diesel
locomotives. Take that, Superman.
On the morning of July 16, the Apollo 11 Saturn 5 lifted off from
Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center with a total of 7.5
million pounds of thrust. Twelve minutes, later Armstrong, Aldrin and
Collins were in Earth orbit and well on their way to the Moon.
After 1\1/2\ orbits, they broke away from Earth's gravity and Command
Module Columbia and went off with the Lunar Lander Eagle on their great
mission of exploration.
President Nixon at the time heralded the mission as the most historic
week since creation. Apollo not only enabled manned exploration of the
Moon, but enabled the construction and operation ultimately of
America's first space station, Skylab.
The name of the command module was, of course, Columbia, the same
name as our first Space Shuttle. In February of 2001 we lost Columbia
and her brave crew. One of the findings of the Columbia Accident Review
Board was that NASA needed a new overarching mission, much like it had
during Apollo.
President Bush has agreed, and we now have a vision for NASA that
calls for picking up the mantle of Apollo and returning Americans to
the Moon. First, we will return the Space Shuttle to flight, complete
the International Space Station, and once again break away from low
Earth orbit and return to the Moon.
Today, with this resolution, we honor that great work of the past,
and I am honored to be able to rise and speak in support of this
legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to share one additional thing. I practiced
medicine for 15 years before I was elected to this position
representing Florida's Space Coast, and one of the greatest honors and
pleasures was to have the working people who made the Apollo program a
success coming in to see me and the sense of tremendous pride they had
in having been a part of that process.
So we here today are not just honoring Aldrin and Armstrong and
Collins, but all the people at Johnson Space Center and Marshall Space
Flight Center, the rank-and-file people.
I remember a great story. Once, I think it was President Johnson,
asked a custodian at Johnson Space Center what he did, and he said, ``I
am putting a man on the Moon.'' We are acknowledging that great
anniversary today.
Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) for
sponsoring this bill and for allowing me to join him and all of those
who spoke.
The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon) is so very right about the
people who made this happen. When we sat here on Earth, I guess I can
put it in the context of what is happening today.
When I come to this floor of the House of Representatives, it is such
a magnificent thrill to me. I cannot imagine the thrill that it must
have been to Neil, Buzz and Mike and all those other folks who went up
there. When they were standing on the Moon, they took with them the
hopes, the dreams, the breath of millions of Americans; not just the
thousands who helped them get there, because it took a tremendous team
to make it happen, but a little bit of piece of each one of us went up
there with them.
We thank them for those feelings, we thank them for the magnificent
advances to humankind that they gave to us. What a wonderful way to
commemorate them.
Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 723.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, at 10:56 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, 35
years ago tonight, the United States achieved the greatest single feat
of ingenuity in human history when Neil Armstrong stepped onto the
surface of the moon.
In the three and a half decades that have passed since that awesome
night, an entire generation of humanity has been born never knowing a
time before the Apolo 11 mission.
And while this is the necessary and proper way to human progress,
those of us who remember staying up that night, glued to the living
room television--our muscles tired from tension and fear and
anticipation--we know what our children have missed.
In the last 35 years, space travel has been made--because of the
brilliance and courage of NASA--into something seemingly almost
routine. but those of us who were there 35 years ago know it is not--
and never was--routine. Space exploration, then and now, represents the
apex of humanity's quest for knowledge and of every obstacle standing
between us and the unknown.
For thousands of years, mankind dreamed of what it would be like to
fly birds, and then in less than 70, the people of Earth got from Kitty
Hawk to the moon. ``One giant leap'' indeed.
Thirty-five years ago, the world stopped to watch and listen--to
learn--as two men walked into history. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and
Michael Collins command as much respect today as they did when they
left their footprints on the lunar surface, and it is for us--we who
remember--to not let those who do not, every forget.
A generation of Americans have been inspired by what they saw 35
years ago. What will our children remember of us 35 years from now?
Will we have sought our great challenges, sought to take the next
``giant leap for mankind''? Will we have dared mighty deeds to leave
our own footprints on history?
There can be only one truly American answer to that question, and it
was answered for all times by the men of Apollo 11.
[[Page H6071]]
Mr. CRAMER. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the
Apollo 11 mission this week, I rise to pay tribute to the achievements
of the past, and to urge my colleagues to set our sights on the
potential of the future.
The historic steps taken by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin 35 years
ago will be remembered by future generations as one of the greatest
accomplishments of the 20th Century. While these steps were taken on
another world, they were born right here on Earth. That was an exciting
time in my district in North Alabama, which is the home of NASA's
Marshall Space Flight Center, and the von Braun rocket team. Wernher
von Braun, Marshall's first Director, led the development of the
roadmap for putting humans on the Moon. Through bold thinking,
ingenious engineering, and a lot of good old-fashioned hard work,
NASA's engineers and scientists built the colossal Saturn V--a rocket
powerful enough to take our astronauts out of the tight grasps of
Earth's gravity.
Apollo 11 established the U.S. as the world's leader in space and
boosted our economy with technology and innovation. But the most
important benefit realized from the Apollo 11 moon landing may have
been the effect it had on the children of that era--it inspired them--
us--to dream--to reach for the starts. Like generations before, those
who come after us have an inherent desire to explore the unknown.
It is appropriate during this special week for us to give
consideration to the future of space exploration, which has been put
before us in NASA's new space exploration vision. It begins with the
return to flight of the Space Shuttle, and the completion of the ISS as
a unique scientific laboratory. It includes the robotic exploration of
our solar system and the universe beyond. And it includes the extending
of human exploration beyond Earth's orbit--first to the Moon, and then
ultimately onto Mars.
To be sure, realizing such a vision will require advances in space
transportation systems. But advances in transportation have always
opened new frontiers for our civilization. Examples include the first
ocean-crossing ships of the New World explorers, the stage coaches and
trails of the Great American West, the first transcontinental steam
locomotives, the first automobiles off the assembly line, the flight of
the Wright Brothers, and the historic escape of the Earth's gravity by
the Apollo program. During the era, each of these advances required
valuable resources and an unusually high degree of risk-taking, but the
return on investment, unpredictable at the time, turned out to be
tremendous. Each of these advances would ultimately change the very
fabric of our society.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take a few seconds to highlight
some results from a Gallup poll on Space Exploration that was just
released yesterday.
According to this Gallup poll, over two-thirds of the respondents are
interested in America's space program, and only 11% were not interested
at all. A majority of the adults surveyed--68%--agree that it is
important for the Nation to have a space program that uses both human
and robotic exploration. Almost two-thirds of the adults surveyed
believe that space exploration should be funded at or above the current
level. And 68% of the public supports the space exploration vision, at
the funding level of 1% of the Federal budget.
So you see that while we stand here today to honor the epic
accomplishments of the past, Americans look forward to realizing the
great achievements of the future. Mr. Speaker, I close by extending my
congratulations to the many people across our Nation who had a hand in
that historic mission 35 years ago.
Today, as Americans, we remember Apollo's race to the Moon with
pride, wonder, and awe. And we look forward to many more missions of
extraordinary achievement and discovery from our Nation's space
program.
Mr. OXLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the Apollo 11
mission and honor a native of the 4th district of Ohio, Neil Armstrong.
As mission commander, Armstrong was first to step on the lunar surface
at 10:56 p.m., EDT on July 20, 1969. His immortal words--``That is one
small step for man, one giant leap for mankind''--will resonate in our
hearts and minds forever.
Neil Alden Armstrong took his first steps in Wapakoneta, Ohio. Born
to Stephen and Viola Armstrong, Neil developed an early interest in
flying. At age six, he took his first airplane ride in Warren, Ohio in
a Ford Tri-Motor plane nicknamed the ``Tin Goose''. He began taking
flying lessons at the age of fifteen and had his student pilot's
license before graduating from Blume High School in 1947.
While in college at Purdue University, he was called up for active
duty in the Navy and was sent to Korea as an aviator. During the war,
he flew seventy-eight combat missions from the aircraft carrier USS
Essex. Following the war, Armstrong joined the National Advisory
Committee for Aeronautics and was sent to the Lewis Research Center
near Cleveland, Ohio (today the Glenn Research Center) where he was an
engineer and test pilot. At Lewis and later at NASA's Flight Research
Center in Edwards, California, Armstrong flew over 200 different models
of aircraft while pursuing a master of science degree in aerospace
engineering from the University of Southern California.
In 1962, Armstrong was transferred to astronaut status and moved to
El Lago, Texas, where he underwent four years of training for the
Apollo program. He commanded his first space mission as pilot for
Gemini VII, but his most famous mission came when Apollo 11 launched on
July 16, 1969. Armstrong and the two other astronauts, ``Buzz'' Aldrin
and Michael Collins, spent eight days in space and 2\1/2\ hours on the
Moon's surface.
For his work as an astronaut, Armstrong received the Medal of
Freedom, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the NASA Exceptional
Service Medal, and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. Neil
Armstrong went where no one had gone before and helped our Nation
become the leader in space exploration. This man from rural Ohio paved
the way for generations to continue to explore and dream of the far
reaches of our universe. As our Nation embarks on future space travels,
we need to take time to honor those explorers who carved out a new path
for us to follow.
{time} 1700
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kline). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) that the House suspend
the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 723.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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