[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1004 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1004

 Expressing sincere congratulations to the United States Navy and the 
   Department of Defense for successfully intercepting the disabled 
  National Reconnaissance Office satellite, NROL-21, on February 20, 
                                 2008.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 27, 2008

 Mr. Rohrabacher (for himself and Mr. Hunter) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing sincere congratulations to the United States Navy and the 
   Department of Defense for successfully intercepting the disabled 
  National Reconnaissance Office satellite, NROL-21, on February 20, 
                                 2008.

Whereas the National Reconnaissance Office satellite, NROL-21, was launched on 
        December 14, 2006, into low-earth orbit;
Whereas the satellite lost power and ceased communication with ground 
        controllers soon after reaching orbit;
Whereas the satellite could no longer make a safe re-entry into earth's 
        atmosphere because of its loss of power;
Whereas about half of the satellite, roughly 2,800 pounds, would have survived 
        re-entry, including a 1,000-pound hydrazine fuel tank;
Whereas hydrazine is a highly toxic substance and a risk to human health and 
        safety;
Whereas there was an approximately one-in-four chance of the satellite, 
        including the hydrazine tank, hitting land upon re-entry, dispersing 
        toxic hydrazine, and risking human exposure;
Whereas the Department of Defense, being charged with the protection of the 
        citizens of the United States, executed a technically challenging 
        mission to intercept the satellite with the United States missile 
        defense system and decrease the risk it posed to United States citizens 
        and other inhabitants around the world;
Whereas the Department of Defense was transparent in communicating its plans and 
        intent to the Congress, the American people, and, working with the 
        Department of State, the broader international community;
Whereas a Navy cruiser, USS Lake Erie, accompanied by two destroyers, the USS 
        Decatur and the USS Russell, fired a Standard Missile-3 toward the 
        satellite; and
Whereas the missile successfully intercepted the satellite while traveling 
        through space at more than 17,000 miles per hour, breaking the 
        satellite, including the hydrazine tank, into pieces to safely burn up 
        in the atmosphere: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the House of Representatives expresses sincere 
        congratulations to the Department of Defense, Secretary of 
        Defense Robert M. Gates, the Department of the Navy, and the 
        crews of the USS Lake Erie, the USS Decatur, and the USS 
        Russell, for successfully intercepting the disabled National 
        Reconnaissance Office satellite, NROL-21, on February 20, 2008; 
        and
            (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
        this accomplishment safeguarded United States citizens and 
        inhabitants around the world from potential harm.
                                 <all>