[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 225 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 225

  Honoring the 50th anniversary of the dawn of the Space Age, and the 
     ensuing 50 years of productive and peaceful space activities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 3, 2007

 Mr. Gordon of Tennessee (for himself, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Hall 
    of Texas, Mr. Feeney, and Mr. Lampson) submitted the following 
 concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Science 
                             and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Honoring the 50th anniversary of the dawn of the Space Age, and the 
     ensuing 50 years of productive and peaceful space activities.

Whereas the dawn of the Space Age took place on October 4, 1957 with the launch 
        of Sputnik 1, an event that was followed soon after by the American 
        launch of Explorer 1;
Whereas the exploration of space evolved from cold war competition into an 
        endeavor that has been marked by significant international cooperation, 
        with results that have benefitted all humanity;
Whereas a new chapter in space exploration was opened when cosmonauts and 
        astronauts first orbited the Earth in the early 1960s, culminating in 
        the historic first steps taken by astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. 
        Aldrin Jr. on the Moon in 1969;
Whereas robotic explorers have ranged throughout the solar system, with Voyager 
        and Pioneer spacecraft now on the verge of entering interstellar space;
Whereas from space, we have been able to increase significantly our 
        understanding of the universe and its origin;
Whereas observations from space have enabled large scale monitoring of the 
        Earth's weather and climate;
Whereas satellites have become a part of our daily lives, transforming 
        communications, navigation, and positioning;
Whereas the competition that accompanied the dawn of the Space Age reinvigorated 
        the Nation's interest in science and technology, leading to an increased 
        investment both in research and in science, technology, engineering, and 
        mathematics education;
Whereas these investments contributed to the development of a technologically 
        skilled generation of Americans that has led the world in innovation and 
        accomplishment;
Whereas the new global competition for preeminence in science and technology and 
        innovation has led to a call for a renewed commitment to research and to 
        science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education akin to that 
        which followed the dawn of the Space Age; and
Whereas Congress has responded by renewing our national commitment to science, 
        technology, engineering, and mathematics education with the recently 
        enacted America COMPETES Act: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) honors the 50th anniversary of the dawn of the Space 
        Age;
            (2) recognizes the value of investing in America's space 
        program; and
            (3) declares it to be in America's interest to continue to 
        advance knowledge and improve life on Earth through a sustained 
        national commitment to space exploration in all its forms, led 
        by a new generation of well educated scientists, engineers, and 
        explorers.
                                 <all>