[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 11, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E182-E183]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES OF THE HOUSE TO THE FAMILIES OF THE CREW OF THE 
                       SPACE SHUTTLE ``COLUMBIA''

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 5, 2003

  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my great sadness at 
the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia, its astronauts, and the symbol 
of global harmony that the Columbia and America's globalized space 
program represents.
  On February 1, 2003, the people of the United States, India, the 
State of Israel and, in fact, all of the people of our world community 
lost seven heroic patriots.
  A patriot is defined as a person who loves, supports and defends his 
or her country. And these 7 were patriots, but in a different sense; 
they were global patriots.
  Space is, as the old adage goes, the last great frontier. It is a 
place claimed by no one and everyone. It is a place where people are 
not labeled by their race, gender or ethnic origin. Rather, it is a 
place where all are one--simply human beings working together to 
advance science, peace and unity of mankind.
  Their seven global patriots were representing their own country 
patriotically while also representing the love, support and defense of 
all of the people and nations of our world. Space is where two former 
adversaries, the United States and Russia, now work together to build 
an international space station to advance our shared goals of peace and 
understanding; where astronauts from all of over the world, of all 
languages, cultures, and backgrounds, travel to for the purpose of 
working, sharing, learning and teaching themselves, each other and all 
of us back on the planet Earth.
  They are the global patriots who are dedicated to each other and 
everyone, flying under their respective national flags yet united by 
the cloth of freedom and peace. That is why the loss of the Columbia is 
a loss not only to those who lost a relative, a friend, or a national, 
but also to everyone.
  While our space program must be put on hiatus temporarily so that 
NASA can work with all relevant parties to solve the problems that 
created this sad situation, we cannot--and should not--stop this 
exploration of our world and of our better selves. We must as a nation 
and as a global community continue the path laid down by people like 
Commander Rick D. Husband, Pilot William C. McCool, Payload Commander 
Michael P. Anderson, Mission Specialists David M. Brown, Dr. Kalpana 
Chawla, and Laurel Blair Salton Clark, and Payload Specialist Colonel 
Ilan Ramon.

[[Page E183]]

  Of the seven, I had the honor of meeting Colonel Ilan Ramon and I can 
tell you many will miss him. Mr. Ramon was a decorated war veteran of 
the Israeli military, a top student and scientist and, having the 
opportunity to meet him, blessed with a warm personality. This is a 
great loss for Israel and the greater global community.
  This is a particular hit to the school children of the high school in 
Iryat Motzkin in northern Israel. Almost four years ago, this school 
selected about 35 of its students to compete in a NASA program to send 
high school experiments into space. The students gathered after classes 
for extra work in astrophysics, as they tried to dream up an experiment 
worthy of a trip into space. In the end, they wanted to know how 
crystals would grow if they were freed of gravity.
  The experiment was envisioned as pure science and they were so proud 
to have one of their own citizens representing them in this mission of 
global patriotism. Unfortunately, like too much else of late in their 
corner of the world, the mission did not end in glory but sadness.
  Additionally, while I never had the honor of meeting Dr. Kalpana 
Chawla, I do know of her great accomplishments. She was only the second 
Indian-born astronaut and the first woman from India to travel into 
space, with this tragic Columbia mission serving as her second space 
flight. She is a great inspiration to India, representing the 
technological advances and know how that this country has contributed 
to all of us. She also served as a patriot to the people of her native 
India, to her adopted homeland of America and to all people, especially 
women, as a sign that there are no boundaries to dreams.
  Additionally, our Nation lost 5 other heroes--patriots who loved 
their country and loved their world. People like Rick Husband, William 
C. McCool, Michael Anderson, David Brown and Laurel Blair Salton Clark.
  These seven are our modern day global pioneers, trekking a new world 
where war and poverty and the divisions of people will hopefully not be 
known. Space represents a clean new start and a massive but exciting 
challenge for the people of our global community.
  The world mourns them.
  But the global exploration of our universe and our selves will 
continue, so that one day, so many more of us will have the opportunity 
to tell our children and grandchildren that our often tortured Earth 
looks much better, much more peaceful and much more as one, from afar; 
and that we can use this physical vision of unity to promote the 
greater inner vision of global unity of mankind.
  In fact, it was Colonel Ramon, himself, who summed up best the hopes 
of space and of global patriotism will benefit all when he stated that 
as the son of a Holocaust survivor, he carries on the suffering of the 
Holocaust generation yet serves as proof that despite all the horror 
the Jewish people went through, our world is moving forward.
  Mankind must continue to move forward, and if we embody the spirit 
and dedication of these 7 global patriots and heroes, we will go 
forward to the benefit of everyone in space and on Earth.
  I thank the Speaker for allowing me to address the House today to 
express my condolences to all of us.

                          ____________________