[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 6, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H6019-H6021]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING THE MERCURY 13 WOMEN

  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 421) honoring the trailblazing accomplishments of 
the ``Mercury 13'' women, whose efforts in the early 1960s demonstrated 
the capabilities of American women to undertake the human exploration 
of space.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.

[[Page H6020]]

  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 421

       Honoring the trailblazing accomplishments of the ``Mercury 
     13'' women, whose efforts in the early 1960s demonstrated the 
     capabilities of American women to undertake the human 
     exploration of space.
       Whereas all of the Mercury 13 women were accomplished 
     pilots with commercial ratings or better and at least 2,000 
     hours of flying time;
       Whereas the Mercury 13 women passed the same rigorous 
     physical and psychological tests that the original Mercury 7 
     astronauts had to undergo;
       Whereas the Mercury 13 women successfully completed their 
     testing at the Lovelace Clinic, in Albuquerque, New Mexico by 
     the end of 1961;
       Whereas the Mercury 13 women were prepared to continue 
     their contributions to America's space program at the Naval 
     School of Aviation Medicine in Pensacola, Florida, by 
     undergoing advanced aeromedical examinations using jet 
     aircraft and military equipment, until they were informed 
     that their testing program was canceled;
       Whereas the Soviet Union flew the first woman in space in 
     1963;
       Whereas the United States flew the first American woman in 
     space, Dr. Sally Ride, in 1983;
       Whereas the United States flew the first woman to pilot the 
     Space Shuttle, Lt. Col. Eileen Collins, in 1995;
       Whereas the Mercury 13 women served as pathfinders for 
     NASA's female astronauts; and
       Whereas the careers of accomplishment of the Mercury 13 
     women can serve as an inspiration for other young women who 
     are considering pursuing a career in aviation, astronautics, 
     science, or engineering: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes and honors the contributions of Myrtle 
     Cagle, Geraldyn ``Jerrie'' Cobb, Jan Dietrich, Marion 
     Dietrich, Mary Wallace ``Wally'' Funk, Jane Briggs Hart, Jean 
     Hixson, Gene Nora Stumbough Jessen, Irene Leverton, Sarah Lee 
     Gorelick Ratley, Bernice Trimble Steadman, Geraldine 
     ``Jerri'' Sloan Truhill, and Rhea Hurrle Allison Woltman; and
       (2) encourages young women to follow in the footsteps of 
     the Mercury 13 women and pursue careers of excellence in 
     aviation and astronautics, as well as in engineering and 
     science.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Wu) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Feeney) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on H. Res. 421.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Oregon?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the trailblazing accomplishments 
of the Mercury 13 women, whose efforts in the early 1960s demonstrated 
the capabilities of American women to undertake the human exploration 
of space. The Mercury 13 women were Myrtle Cagle, Geraldyn ``Jerri'' 
Cobb, Jan Dietrich, Marion Dietrich, Mary Wallace ``Wally'' Funk, Jane 
Briggs Hart, Jean Hixson, Gene Nora Stumbough Jessen, Irene Leverton, 
Sarah Lee Gorelick Ratley, Bernice ``Bea'' Trimble Steadman, Geraldine 
``Jerri'' Sloan Truhill, and Rhea Hurrle Allison Woltman.
  All of these Mercury 13 women were accomplished pilots with 
commercial ratings or better and at least 2,000 hours of flying time, 
and they passed the same rigorous physical and psychological tests that 
the original Mercury 7 astronauts underwent. The Mercury 13 women were 
prepared to continue their service to America's space program, until 
they were informed that their testing program was cancelled.
  While the former Soviet Union flew the first woman in space in 1963, 
it was another 20 years before the United States flew Dr. Sally Ride as 
the first American woman in space in 1983.
  Mr. Speaker, I seek support for H. Res. 421 to honor the Mercury 13 
women pioneers and to encourage young women to follow in the footsteps 
of the Mercury 13 women in pursuing careers of excellence in aviation 
and astronautics as well as in engineering and science.
  Times do change. I spent a chunk of my time last week at home during 
recess handing out space camp scholarships. At every stop, it wasn't 
clear whether the winner was going to be a boy or a girl; and the 
enthusiasm for space seemed to be relatively equal between the boys and 
the girls in the classes where we made such awards.

                              {time}  1110

  In an aside, I would like to welcome China as a new nation among 
space-faring nations. There is an old Chinese saying, as there always 
is, that women hold up half the sky, and this recognition that American 
women have been participating in space long before 1983 is very, very 
appropriate at this point in time.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FEENEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend from Oregon for his 
resolution. I want to rise today in support of House Resolution 421, 
which honors the accomplishments of the so-called Mercury 13 women 
whose efforts in the early 1960s demonstrated the capabilities of 
American women to undertake human space exploration.
  At a time when there were many prejudices against women, the Lovelace 
Clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico, began testing female pilots to 
undertake human exploration of space under the same rigorous, physical 
and psychological standards as NASA's male astronauts.
  In 1960, the first of the Mercury 13, Geraldyn ``Jerrie'' Cobb went 
to Lovelace Clinic, and by the end of 1961, 13 women had successfully 
completed this rigorous training. Following their testing program, the 
13 women were prepared to continue their contributions to America's 
space program at the Naval School of Aviation Medicine in Pensacola, 
Florida and undergo advanced aeromedical examinations using jet 
aircraft and military equipment, but their program was canceled.
  The careers and accomplishments of these great American women served 
as an inspiration for many other young women that followed in their 
careers in aviation, astronautics, science and engineering.
  This resolution recognizes the accomplishments of Myrtle Cagle, 
Geraldyn ``Jerrie'' Cobb, Jan Dietrich, Marion Dietrich, Mary Wallace 
``Wally'' Funk, Jane Briggs Hart, Jean Hixson, Gene Nora, Stumbough 
Jessen, Irene Leverton, Sarah Lee, Gorelick Ratley, Bernice Trimble 
Steadman, Geraldine ``Jerri'' Sloan Truhill, and Rhea Hurrle Allison 
Woltman.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 421 and 
again thank the gentleman from Oregon.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Wisconsin, Dr. Kagen, and thank him for his leadership in bringing this 
legislation to the floor.
  Mr. KAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues from Oregon and 
Florida. I appreciate their support on this important resolution.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 421, to honor the first 
American women to participate in the United States space program. Known 
as the Mercury 13, they were extremely accomplished pilots and aviators 
and were selected from a pool of women to become astronauts. Conducted 
in secret at the Lovelace Clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico, they 
excelled in the same physical and psychological tests as the male 
candidates for astronautic school did, the Mercury 7.
  Although many of these women outshined and outperformed their male 
counterparts, they were never allowed to fly into space. The prejudice 
of the day grounded their mission before they could reach the stars, 
but it did not ground their dreams.
  In 1961, just before their final phase of training at the Naval 
Aviation Center in Pensacola, Florida, the Mercury 13 women received 
notice that the program had been canceled. Twenty-two years later, NASA 
sent our first American woman into space, Sally Ride.
  In these past decades, the groundbreaking achievements of the Mercury 
13 women have often been overlooked. Author Martha Ackmann wrote this 
about the Mercury 13 and their quest for flying into space:
  ``While the Mercury 13 did not get their shot at space--at least not 
yet--

[[Page H6021]]

they refused to let someone else trim their dreams. They fought for 
what they wanted, what they believed in, and spoke out against 
discrimination.''
  The Mercury 13 women, as already stated, were Jerrie Cobb, Gene Nora 
Jessen, Wally Funk, Irene Leverton, Myrtle ``K'' Cagle, Jane Hart, 
Jerri Truhill, Rhea Hurrle Woltman, Sarah Ratley, Bernice ``B'' 
Steadman, Jean Hixson, Jan Dietrich, and Marion Dietrich.
  I had the honor of meeting several of these very tough and spirited 
women at the University of Wisconsin in Oshkosh in a commencement 
ceremony, and I was privileged and honored to present to the Mercury 13 
women an honorary degree, an honorary doctorate. Today, I have the 
extreme privilege to honor these phenomenal and extraordinary women on 
the floor of the United States House of Representatives.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and their pioneering 
spirit that has advanced the rights of women everywhere. As these 
Mercury 13 women have demonstrated, the sky is not the limit.
  Mr. FEENEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform my friend from Oregon 
that I have no further speakers and am prepared to reserve my time 
until it is appropriate to close.
  Mr. WU. There are no further speakers on this side, either, if the 
gentleman would care to close.
  Mr. FEENEY. Mr. Speaker, again I want to thank my colleagues for 
their support for the great history of the Mercury 13. I should say 
since that Mercury 13 program, there have been 34 women that have flown 
aboard the space shuttle, including four who made the ultimate 
sacrifice in the Challenger and Columbia accidents.
  In order to honor such dedication after the Columbia accident, 
America committed to a vision for space exploration that will return 
Americans to the Moon. Undoubtedly, several women will make that 
journey. I look forward to that moment when the first American woman 
steps on the Moon and shares her experience with the rest of the world.
  This resolution by the gentleman from Oregon and others recognizes 
the first 13 women that helped propel an entire gender and an entire 
nation into space.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WU. I thank the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. Speaker, again, I would like to recognize the good work of my 
colleague from Wisconsin, Dr. Kagen, for bringing this legislation to 
the floor. It is timely and it is timely recognition of a space program 
that includes everyone from America and now, because of the 
international space station and international space efforts, includes 
many people from around the world.
  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer strong support for House 
Resolution 421, honoring the extraordinary accomplishments and 
courageous journey of the Mercury 13 women. Though largely unrecognized 
in history, these 13 female pilots displayed determination, bravery and 
strength in their quest for space exploration.
  Selected from a large group of women, the Mercury 13 pilots endured 
and passed the same grueling physical and psychological tests as the 
Mercury 7 male astronauts. These women however, were tested not only on 
their ability to withstand the toils of space exploration but also on 
their capacity to overcome extensive discrimination in both their 
careers and personal lives. When championing their cause, the women 
were repeatedly told by government officials that any effort to put a 
woman in space was a waste of time and money. Given this lack of U.S. 
support, Valentina Tereshkova, a Russian engineer, became the first 
woman in space on June 16, 1963. It would be many years later, in 1983, 
that Dr. Sally Ride would become the first American woman in space.
  Although the women of Mercury 13 were barred from space travel, 
disappointment did not lessen their pioneering spirit and quest for 
equality. We must follow their lead. Given our country's shortcomings 
in 1963, it is our responsibility today to ensure that future 
generations of women are granted equal opportunities to follow their 
dreams.
  These courageous women demonstrate that the sky is not the limit and 
that as a Nation we must ensure that all individuals, regardless of 
gender, race or ethnicity, are encouraged to venture into the fields of 
math, science, technology and engineering. I believe we must instill 
the spirit of the Mercury 13 into our children today, by supporting 
innovative programs such as the National Science Foundation that 
promote technology in the classroom. By creating an environment in this 
country that fosters innovation and growth, we will ensure our 
businesses and workforce can stay competitive in the global economy of 
the 21st century. From new education technology and better math and 
science teachers to train the next generation of innovators, to the 
promotion of new sources of energy and the expansion of markets for our 
products, this comprehensive agenda will create a strong foundation to 
build the economy of the future.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to capitalize on this opportunity 
to extend an honor to the women of Mercury 13 and to ensure we never 
again allow gender inequality to restrict our citizens' ambition and 
potential.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 
support of H. Res. 421.
  This resolution recognizes the brave ``Mercury 13'' women who in the 
early 1960s undertook the human exploration of space.
  The members of the ``Mercury 13'' include Myrtle Cagle, Geraldyn 
``Jerrie'' Cobb, Jan Dietrich, Marion Dietrich, Mary Wallace ``Wally'' 
Funk, Jane Briggs Hart, Jean Hixson, Gene Nora Stumbough Jessen, Irene 
Leverton, Sarah Lee Gorelick Ratley, Bernice Trimble Steadman, 
Geraldine ``Jerri'' Sloan Truhill, and Rhea Hurrle Allison Woltman.
  The ``Mercury 13'' women successfully passed the same physical and 
psychological tests as those of their male counterparts, the ``Mercury 
7.''
  Just before leaving for the next phase of training at the Naval 
Aviation Center in Pensacola, Florida, they were told not to come.
  In 1961, their efforts marked a milestone in American history and 
these women paved the way for those who would follow in their 
footsteps.
  The Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas has been the leading NASA 
center for more than 40 years and continues to encourage women to 
participate in the area of space exploration.
  H. Res. 421 is an important way to help young women understand the 
importance of space and science.
  As of today, there have been 34 women in space, and although this is 
a great accomplishment, there should be more.
  It is my hope that this resolution encourages girls to pursue what 
they may feel is impossible.
  The ``Mercury 13'' continue to inspire women of all ages to go above 
and beyond, so that they can fulfill their dreams. The sacrifices of 
these women deserve to be honored.
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 
support of H. Res. 421, a resolution to honor the achievements of women 
in space exploration.
  In the 1960s, a courageous group of women challenged themselves, and 
the stereotypes of our Nation, to become the First Lady Astronaut 
Trainees.
  These women were all accomplished pilots with a dream to explore the 
unknown.
  Thirteen of these women--``the Mercury 13''--were chosen to be part 
of America's space team, breaking boundaries with their passion and 
determination.
  Though the program was discontinued before these women could actually 
fly in space, they paved the way for future female astronauts through 
their hard work and relentless efforts.
  Finally, NASA got the message and began recruiting women again, 
starting with the class of 1978 astronauts and culminating in the first 
American woman in space in 1983.
  Without the efforts of the Mercury 13, women with skills and interest 
in science and exploration would have had a much tougher time breaking 
through gender barriers.
  The Mercury 13 women saw roadblocks as challenges to overcome.
  I hope that all of the young women in my district and across America 
may be inspired to make change by their example.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
resolution.
  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 421.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________