[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 55 (Thursday, April 14, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E720]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING NICOLE PASSONNO STOTT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GUS M. BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 14, 2011

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor NASA Astronaut 
Nicole Passonno Stott, who served on the final mission of the Space 
Shuttle Discovery.
  So many Americans look to the space program with pride and 
admiration. Many children aspire to one day become astronauts, which is 
where Mrs. Stott found her calling. Mrs. Stott is alumna of Clearwater 
High School, which is in my congressional district. She began her 
career at NASA in 1988, holding various positions within NASA Shuttle 
Processing, the Space Station Hardware Integration Office, the NASA 
Aircraft Operations Division, and the Astronaut Office Station 
Operations Branch.
  In 2000, Mrs. Stott began astronaut candidate training and in 2009 
completed her first long duration space flight on the International 
Space Station. She returned to the International Space Station in 2010, 
as part of the 39th and final mission for Discovery.
  The space program is a huge economic engine for the state of Florida. 
Not only are breakthroughs made in science and technology, but the 
byproducts of this research also spur tremendous advancements in the 
medical field. I am particularly intrigued by the work NASA has done 
with prosthetics research that has benefitted our wounded warriors.
  I look forward to watching the continued success of the space program 
in the future and watching future generations of my constituents 
advance science and technology, just as Mrs. Stott has done.

                          ____________________