[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H7656-H7657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               COLUMBIA SPACE SHUTTLE MEMORIAL STUDY ACT

  Mr. GOHMERT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5692) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a 
study to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing 
memorials to the Space Shuttle Columbia on parcels of land in the State 
of Texas, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 5692

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Columbia Space Shuttle 
     Memorial Study Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Memorial.--The term ``memorial'' means a memorial to 
     the Space Shuttle Columbia that is subject to the study in 
     section 3(a).
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National 
     Park Service.

     SEC. 3. STUDY OF SUITABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING 
                   MEMORIALS TO THE SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date on 
     which funds are made available, the Secretary shall conduct a 
     special resource study to determine the feasibility and 
     suitability of establishing a memorial as a unit or units of 
     the National Park System to the Space Shuttle Columbia on 
     land in the State of Texas described in subsection (b) on 
     which large debris from the Shuttle was recovered.
       (b) Description of Land.--The parcels of land referred to 
     in subsection (a) are--
       (1) the parcel of land owned by the Fredonia Corporation, 
     located at the southeast corner of the intersection of East 
     Hospital Street and North Fredonia Street, Nacog doches, 
     Texas;
       (2) the parcel of land owned by Temple Inland Inc., 10 
     acres of a 61-acre tract bounded by State Highway 83 and 
     Bayou Bend Road, Hemphill, Texas;
       (3) the parcel of land owned by the city of Lufkin, Texas, 
     located at City Hall Park, 301 Charlton Street, Lufkin, 
     Texas; and
       (4) the parcel of land owned by San Augustine County, 
     Texas, located at 1109 Oaklawn Street, San Augustine, Texas.
       (c) Additional Sites.--The Secretary may recommend to 
     Congress additional sites in the State of Texas relating to 
     the Space Shuttle Columbia for establishment as memorials to 
     the Space Shuttle Columbia.

[[Page H7657]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Gohmert) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 5692, introduced by myself, would authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the 
feasibility and suitability of establishing a memorial to the Space 
Shuttle Columbia in the State of Texas and for its inclusion as a unit 
in the National Park System.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to properly commemorate and memorialize 
one of this Nation's most heroic, yet heartbreaking, tragedies, the 
disintegration of the Space Shuttle Columbia as it reentered earth's 
atmosphere in the spring of 2003.
  This legislation will serve to begin the process of appropriately 
honoring the bravery and sacrifice not only of the seven heroic souls 
of her crew and their families, but also of the numerous citizens that 
lent a hand in the recovery effort following the catastrophe by 
initiating a study of the Secretary of the Interior to determine the 
suitability and feasibility of establishing memorials to the Space 
Shuttle Columbia on parcels of land in East Texas where the major 
debris from the shuttle was recovered.
  Tragically, it was strewn over hundreds of miles in my district. The 
commitment by my constituents in the effort to recover as much of the 
wreckage as possible was pivotal in determining the cause of the 
incident. These contributions, as well as those made by the crew of the 
Columbia, deserve this recognition.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5692 and commemorate 
ultimately the sacrifice by Commander Rick Husband, Pilot William 
McCool, Payload Commander Michael Anderson, Mission Specialist David 
Brown, Mission Specialist Kalpana Chalwa, Mission Specialist Laurel 
Blair Salton Clark, and Payload Commander Ilan Ramon deserve a memorial 
befitting their devotion to their fellow man, their spirit of 
exploration and discovery, along with their courage.
  I urge adoption of the bill.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. KIND asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I commend the leadership the gentleman from 
Texas has shown on this important initiative, and we continue to mourn 
the loss of the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia. It is our hope this 
evening that the study we authorize today will help guide efforts to 
appropriately memorialize the brave explorers who lost their lives in 
that great tragedy.
  Again, I thank my friend from Texas for his leadership and initiative 
and encourage passage of this legislation.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the remainder of our time.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I have no 
additional speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 5692, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to direct 
the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to 
determine the feasibility and suitability of establishing a memorial to 
the Space Shuttle Columbia in the State of Texas and for its inclusion 
as a unit of the National Park System.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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