[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 12, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E193]
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''

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                               speech of

                          HON. SILVESTRE REYES

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 5, 2003

  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I wish to honor the lives of the seven 
courageous individuals who tragically perished aboard the Space Shuttle 
Columbia on Saturday morning. Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana 
Chawla, Laurel Clark, Rick Husband, William McCool, and Ilan Ramon are 
true heroes who leave behind a legacy of cooperation, hard work, and 
friendship that will live on and inspire future generations of 
scientists and space explorers. I offer my deepest condolences to the 
astronauts' families.
  In the midst of this tragedy, may our Nation and the international 
community also pay homage to all of the selfless, courageous astronauts 
of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and other space 
agencies around the world. These men and women venture into the unknown 
in search of new knowledge. These complex, grueling, and dangerous 
missions have been the source of some of the greatest technological 
gains in history.
  The goal of every astronaut is ultimately the betterment of mankind, 
and the seven explorers we lost on Saturday were working towards 
exactly that. They were working to understand complex mechanisms in the 
human body, collecting samples of their own blood, urine, and saliva to 
detect possible bone loss, kidney stones, muscle loss, or weakening of 
immune systems, to lead to developments in healthcare--like the 
dialysis equipment that my mother uses.
  As the astronauts watched the Earth spin below them, observing 
climatic and atmospheric phenomena, they worked on projects to help 
lessen our footprint on the planet, including researching low-level 
combustion for use in leaner-buming automobile engines. The data from 
their research will have impact far into the future.
  As people in my district of El Paso and across the Nation watched the 
Columbia fall from the sky on Saturday morning, we were gripped with 
awe and fear. We will rise out of this tragedy. The lessons that we 
learn from this day will bring us to a brighter tomorrow, a future in 
which more passionate young men and women truly become citizens of the 
universe, looking at the world from the vantage point of the stars. The 
crew of the Columbia lived an adventure which most of us can only 
imagine. As long as children look up to the sky and dream of touching 
the stars or standing on the moon, our memories of these brave men and 
women will live on.

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