[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 79 (Wednesday, June 21, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1067]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1067]]



CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO ASTRONAUTS NEIL A. ARMSTRONG, BUZZ ALDRIN, 
                          AND MICHAEL COLLINS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 20, 2000

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2815, 
authorizing a Congressional Gold Medal to astronauts and national 
heroes Neil A. Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, in 
recognition of their monumental and unprecedented feat of space 
exploration, as well as for their achievements in the advancement of 
science and promotion of the space program.
  The Apollo program was designed to land humans on the Moon and bring 
them safely back to Earth. Six of the missions achieved this goal, but 
Apollo 11 was the first and with this amazing feat accomplished, three 
men became national heroes to millions of Americans.
  These three men set out on their historic voyage on July 16, 1969 at 
9:32 a.m. from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida 
powered by the mighty Saturn V rocket. Their spacecraft reached lunar 
orbit 76 hours later and after a rest period, Armstrong and Aldrin 
entered the Lunar Module and prepared for the descent to the moon's 
surface. On July 20, 1969 at 4:18 pm, their small craft touched down at 
what has become known as the Sea of Tranquility. After eating their 
first meal on the moon, Armstrong and Aldrin began their surface 
operations earlier than planned.
  At 10:56 pm millions around the world were glued to their television 
sets as a live television feed provided the first images from the 
moon's surface as Neil Armstrong uttered those now famous words, 
``That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.'' Minutes 
later Buzz Aldrin joined him on the surface and they began their task 
of collecting 47 pounds of lunar surface material which would return to 
earth for analysis. Two and a half hours later, the crew returned to 
the Lunar Module and prepared to dock with the Service and Command 
modules.
  While Armstrong and Aldrin were on the moon's surface, Michael 
Collins was responsible for providing critical assistance to his fellow 
astronauts by piloting the Command Module `Columbia' in the Moon's 
orbit and communicating with Earth, thereby allowing his fellow Apollo 
11 astronauts to successfully complete their mission on the surface of 
the Moon. In addition, he was responsible for helping the Lunar Module 
dock after the lunar surface mission had been completed.
  Apollo 11 splashed down on July 24, 1969 at 12:50 pm in the Pacific 
Ocean and the mission was declared a success as the mission went beyond 
landing Americans on the Moon and returning them safely to Earth by: 
establishing the technology to meet other national interests in space; 
achieving preeminence in space for the United States; carrying out a 
program of scientific exploration of the Moon; and developing man's 
capability to work in the lunar environment.
  Upon their return to earth, these men became instant national heroes 
as they became the first men to land on the moon. Apollo 11 once again 
sparked the interest and wonder of all Americans regarding the space 
program, which would carry on through to the birth of the Shuttle 
program in the 1970s and which still exists today.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with a great deal of pride that I support this 
legislation authorizing the presentation of Congressional Gold Medals 
to Neil A. Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. Accordingly, I 
urge my colleagues to do the same.

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