[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 149 (Wednesday, October 3, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2059]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF H. CON. RESOLUTION HONORING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
                         DAWN OF THE SPACE AGE

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                            HON. BART GORDON

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 3, 2007

  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about 
the 50th anniversary of the dawn of the Space Age, an event that took 
place on October 4, 1957 with the launch of Sputnik 1. To recognize the 
importance of that event, I also am introducing a House Concurrent 
Resolution, and Reps. Mark Udall, Ralph Hall, Tom Feeney, and Nick 
Lampson are joining me as original cosponsors of that resolution.
  Madam Speaker, 50 years ago America found itself in the midst of the 
Cold War, and the launch of Sputnik 1 was seen as yet another challenge 
in our ongoing and deadly serious rivalry with the Soviet Union. In the 
aftermath of Sputnik 1, America rose to the challenge that it faced. We 
invested in our own space program, and we undertook a fundamental 
reexamination of the Nation's educational system, focusing increased 
attention on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
education--what we now call ``STEM'' education.
  America prevailed. Moreover, our accomplishments in space exploration 
opened a new era for humankind. Forever after, human aspirations and 
activity will extend beyond our home planet. Equally importantly, the 
exploration of space has evolved from Cold War competition into an 
endeavor that has been marked by significant international cooperation, 
with results that have benefited all humanity.
  For example, our meteorological and environmental satellites have 
monitored weather and climate, ocean currents, polar ice, fires, and 
pollution. Communications satellites--or ``comsats''--have linked the 
people of the world in ways not thought possible five decades ago. 
Precise positioning provided by navigational satellites has brought 
dramatic benefits to a wide swath of human activities, and ``GPS'' has 
become a household word.
  Our understanding has been irreversibly enhanced by the many 
scientific satellites and space probes that have enabled significant 
advances in our knowledge of the universe. In addition, human 
spaceflight, including the successful Apollo lunar landings, has 
inspired successive generations of young people to pursue careers in 
science and engineering.
  Finally, our national security space systems have helped defend the 
Nation and have provided us with the means to monitor the actions of 
potential adversaries.
  Madam Speaker, today we again find our Nation locked in a competitive 
struggle. A ``flat'' world, an increasingly technological world, has 
America competing economically in the global marketplace against well 
trained and well educated rivals.
  The competition that accompanied the dawn of the Space Age 50 years 
ago reinvigorated the Nation's interest in science and technology, 
leading to an increased investment both in research and in science, 
technology, engineering, and mathematics education.
  These investments contributed to the development of a technologically 
skilled generation of Americans that has led the world in innovation 
and accomplishment.
  The new global competition for preeminence in science and technology 
and innovation has led to a call for a renewed commitment to research 
and to STEM education akin to that which followed the dawn of the Space 
Age. Congress has responded by renewing our national commitment to 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education with the 
recently enacted America COMPETES Act, but we will need to sustain our 
efforts in this area year after year--there is no ``quick fix''.
  Madam Speaker, I believe that America has received a significant 
return on its past investments in the Nation's space program, and we 
need to continue to maintain our commitment to a strong and productive 
space program. As a result, I and my fellow cosponsors want to honor 
this historic anniversary by offering the concurrent resolution that I 
have introduced today. To that end I would just like to close by 
quoting a few of the key phrases of that resolution, namely:
  ``Now, therefore, be it
  Resolved by the House of Representatives, that the Congress--
  Honors the fiftieth anniversary of the dawn of the Space Age;
  Recognizes the value of investing in America's space program; and
  Declares it to be in America's interest to continue to advance 
knowledge and improve life on Earth through a sustained national 
commitment to space exploration in all its forms, led by a new 
generation of well educated scientists, engineers and explorers.''
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

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