[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 34 (Thursday, March 23, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E404]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING NOTU ON ITS 50TH BIRTHDAY

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                            HON. DAVE WELDON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 23, 2000

  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the Naval Ordnance Test Unit 
(NOTU) in Florida's 15 Congressional District is celebrating its 50th 
birthday this year, and I want to extend my congratulations to the men 
and women who work at NOTU today, and to those who have supported its 
vital mission in the past.
  In 1956, NOTU became the site for all test firings of the Fleet 
Ballistic Missile Program, launching first from land and then from 
submerged submarines a continuous series of Polaris, Poseidon, and, 
today, Trident missiles. Although NASA and Air Force space launches are 
the most publicized, the Navy is the largest user of the Eastern Range 
at Cape Canaveral, conducting over half of the missile firings on the 
Range.
  NOTU's anniversary happens to fall in the same year as the 100th 
anniversary of the U.S. Submarine Force. On October 12, 1900, the U.S. 
Navy commissioned the first submarine, the U.S.S. Holland, so this year 
is even more special for the people of NOTU. I'm pleased that there is 
an effort underway in Congress to honor this important national 
achievement, and I am a proud cosponsor of House Resolution 397 that 
does just that.
  But it gets even better--this year is also the 50th anniversary of 
the first launch from Florida's Space Coast. Bumper 8, a captured 
German V-2 rocket, was launched on July 24, 1950 at 9:28 a.m.
  We'll be celebrating all three of these important anniversaries on 
April 1 in Florida, one of several events planned, and I want to thank 
everyone involved--including NOTU, the 45th Space Wing, NASA's Kennedy 
Space Center, the aerospace industry, and a very supportive community--
for their hard work during this important trio of anniversaries.
  NOTU continues to be a vital part of Florida's Space Coast. They have 
played a role in the rich heritage of Florida for half a century, and I 
know they will continue to serve this nation with honor for another 
half century and beyond.

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