[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 23, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E912]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING CAPTAIN KENT ROMINGER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 23, 2001

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
congratulate Del Norte's Kent V. Rominger for his induction into the 
Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame at the Air Force Academy in Colorado 
Springs. The 44-year-old Colorado native is one of those lucky few that 
has had the privilege of traveling into the final frontier. I would 
like to thank him for all that he has done for the space program and to 
congratulate him on his introduction into the Hall of Fame.
  Captain Rominger has served in the U.S. Navy since receiving his 
commission through the Aviation Reserve Officer Candidate Program in 
1979. His Naval service included assignments with the Fighter Squadron 
Two aboard the USS Ranger and the USS Kitty Hawk and Fighter Squadron 
Two Hundred Eleven aboard the USS Nimitz. Kent is now a NASA Astronaut 
and Shuttle Commander. He is the first to have commanded two shuttle 
dockings with the International Space Station Alpha. He holds the 
record for the most earth orbits and the most time in space.
  Kent has traveled into space five times and has logged over 1,500 
hours in space. He has piloted the STS-73 in 1995, the STS-80 in 1996 
and the STS-85 in 1997 and has served as crew commander twice, on the 
STS-96 in 1999 and STS-100 this year. His last mission, the STS-100 on 
the Space Shuttle Endeavour was on April 19. The mission involved 
installing the Space Stations robotic arm.
  Mr. Speaker, Captain Kent Rominger is an American Hero. Many kids 
grow up dreaming that they will one day be an astronaut, Kent is living 
that dream. I would like Congress to join me in congratulating Kent on 
his achievements and wish him good luck on future missions to space.

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