[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 28, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H752]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    SOMBER ANNIVERSARY WEEK FOR NASA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I ran for this office and serve in this 
Chamber with great hope for our future, but on this occasion it is 
fitting that we take a moment to remember a very important part of our 
past.
  The success of our Nation's space program rests not just in 
technology and rockets, but in the ingenuity, innovation and bravery of 
its people. And I am proud to represent many of the thousands of 
dedicated workers who support our manned space program at the Johnson 
Space Center, an important component of our nation-wide NASA family.
  But today I rise to specifically recognize the 17 brave men and women 
who paid the ultimate cost to further the exploration of space. It's an 
odd quirk of history that NASA commemorates the anniversary of three of 
its most tragic episodes during the same calendar week. Yesterday, 
January 27, was the 42nd anniversary of the Apollo I fire that took the 
lives of the crew of Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee.
  Today, January 28, is the 23rd anniversary of the Challenger disaster 
and her crew, Commander Dick Scobee, pilot Michael Smith, mission 
specialists Judy Resnick, Ellison Onizuka and Ron McNair, and payload 
specialists Gregory Jarvis and Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher in 
space.
  This Sunday, February 1, is the sixth anniversary of the loss of the 
Shuttle Columbia and her crew of Commander Rick Husband, pilot William 
McCool, mission specialists David Brown, Laurel Clark and Dr. Kulpana 
Chawla, payload specialist Michael Anderson and payload specialist Ilan 
Ramon. One mission was on the pad, one had just launched, and one was 
coming home. Yet all three crews willingly took the risks inherent in 
space flight to help push man and science farther into the future.
  I will never forget President Reagan's stirring words when he 
addressed the American people following the Challenger tragedy. He 
said, ``We will never forget them nor the last time we saw them this 
morning, as they prepared for their journey and waived goodbye and 
slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God.''
  During this anniversary week, we must never forget and never stop 
exploring.

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