[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 87 (Friday, July 1, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 1, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
DEPARTMENTS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND 
             INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1995

                                 ______


                               speech of

                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 29, 1994

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4624) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs and 
     Housing and Urban Development, and for sundry independent 
     agencies, boards, commissions, corporations, and the offices 
     for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1995, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Chairman, I have always believed that the space 
station is a vital step in allowing us to continue meeting our future 
space objectives. As a member of the Science, Space, and Technology 
Committee, I am continuing my support of the program today because the 
space station will be an international research laboratory advancing 
science and technology, as well as expanding the human presence in 
space.
  The recent incarnation of the space station, known as international 
space station Alpha, which we are debating, is vastly different from 
the structure which Congress has considered in past years. For the 
first time, we are debating a space station which includes Russian 
participation.
  With Russian participation, the space station will be more powerful 
and will have greater capabilities than ever before. As a result, NASA 
estimates that the space station will be constructed faster, by 15 
months, and at a cost saving to the United States of approximately $2 
billion. In addition, international space station Alpha will be able to 
tap into the Russian expertise in long-duration space flight and allow 
United States industry to receive increased access to Russian civil 
aerospace high technology.
  There are foreign policy benefits as well. This project complements 
the President's goal of democratization and free market movement in 
Russia, and is a strong inducement for Russia to adhere to the missile 
technology control regime. Russia will be joining the United States and 
our original international space station partners, Japan, the European 
space agency, and Canada, in a cooperative benefit-sharing and cost-
sharing relationship. The space station is truly a tangible example of 
international cooperation at an unprecedented level.
  Mr. Chairman, there is virtue and promise in the continued support of 
the space station since it assures U.S. leadership and preeminence in 
both space and in the new world order. However, although it is being 
conceived by, and constructed in our generation, the real beneficiaries 
of the space station's unique laboratory environment and its 
discoveries will be our future generations. In addition, the true 
promise of the space station lies in its impact upon our educational 
system and upon our Nation's youth. The space station is capturing the 
imaginations of American students and is helping guide many of them to 
careers in technically demanding fields, such as math, science, and 
engineering, which are necessary to maintain a work force capable of 
competing in the global marketplace.
  As a final point, it is important to note that due to the 
appropriations procedure, NASA has the unenviable task of competing 
with some very important social programs. Yet, it has been often 
overlooked that NASA is the only major account in this appropriations 
bill to be cut below last year's funding level. The facts show that 
NASA and the space station are simply not taking the much needed funds 
away from veterans, housing, the National Science Foundation, or other 
worthy activities in this bill. Nor is the space station robbing other 
NASA research accounts since this bill fully funds the President's 
request for science and technology in the NASA budget.
  Mr. Chairman, wile we must be vigilant through our congressional 
oversight to ensure that future costs are contained in the construction 
and operation of international space station Alpha, Congress must 
continue its bipartisan support of the project and reject the amendment 
to terminate space station funding. Perhaps it is fitting that we are 
taking this vote as we approach the silver anniversary of the Apollo 11 
lunar landing. Just as we did after Neil Armstrong stepped onto the 
Moon 25 years ago and after we vote to continue space station funding 
today, we can point confidently to the Stars, and recognize our future 
and the future of our Nation.

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