[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 185 (Wednesday, December 5, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2495]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN RECOGNITION OF COMMANDER PAMELA MELROY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES T. WALSH

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 5, 2007

  Mr. WALSH of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of 
myself and Mr. Kuhl of New York to recognize Pamela Melroy; Commander 
of the Space Shuttle Discovery Mission STS-120.
  Ms. Melroy has become just the second female shuttle commander in 
NASA's history. Despite NASA being comprised of approximately 19 
percent women, there are currently no other female pilot-astronauts 
within the agency, which makes it probable that Commander Melroy may 
also be the last woman to command a space shuttle before the program 
ends in 2010.
  As a member of a military family, Melroy spent her childhood living 
in many towns, but considers Rochester, NY, her hometown. She graduated 
from Bishop Kearney High School in Rochester and earned her bachelor's 
degree in physics and astronomy from Wellesley College. Melroy 
continued her education and received her masters of science degree from 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
  Commander Melroy served in the United States Air Force from 1983 
until 2007. During her career in the Air Force, she flew combat 
missions in Iraq, and eventually graduated from the Air Force's 
exclusive test-pilot school. Over the span of her 24-year career, she 
logged 5,000 hours of flight time in 45 different aircrafts.
  Pamela Melroy began her astronaut career in 1994 when she was 
selected as a candidate by NASA. Prior to her becoming Commander of 
Discovery, Melroy worked on a number of projects and took on a number 
of roles within NASA. She served on the Columbia Reconstruction Team, 
as deputy project manager for a crew survival investigation team, and 
as a pilot on two space shuttle missions.
  Pamela Melroy became the second female space shuttle commander on 
October 23, 2007 when mission STS-120 launched. This delivered the 
Harmony module to the International Space Station in order to prepare 
the station for future missions. Melroy follows in the footsteps of 
fellow Upstate New York native Eileen Collins, who was the first female 
space shuttle commander.
  Throughout her career Commander Melroy has served as a valuable co-
worker and leader and is highly respected by those who work with her. 
Her contributions to her country as a member of the Air Force and as an 
astronaut are invaluable. Inspired by Apollo missions when she was 
younger, Melroy herself serves as an inspiration by showing how far 
women have come in the space program.
  Representative Kuhl and I thank Pamela Melroy for her dedication and 
service to her country as a member of the Air Force and as an astronaut 
and congratulate her on a successful career thus far. She has and will 
continue to be a true leader and an excellent role model for young 
people today.

                          ____________________