110 HRES 1004 IH: Expressing sincere congratulations to the U.S. House of Representatives 2008-02-27 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.

IV 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1004 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

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.