110 HCON 225 : Honoring the 50th anniversary of the dawn U.S. House of Representatives 2007-10-18 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

III 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 225 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 17, 2007 Received October 18, 2007 Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 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

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.

Passed the House of Representatives October 16, 2007. Lorraine C. Miller, Clerk.