[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 87 (Tuesday, June 18, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       INTRODUCTION OF THE SALLY K. RIDE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SCOTT H. PETERS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 18, 2013

  Mr. PETERS of California. Mr. Speaker, today on the 30th anniversary 
of Dr. Sally Ride's historic journey into space, I am introducing the 
Sally K. Ride Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2013 because of what Dr. 
Ride meant to this country as a pioneer.
  Dr. Ride was the first American woman to fly into space. Flying on 
the seventh space shuttle flight, which was launched on June 18, 1983, 
she helped deploy two communications satellites including piloting the 
shuttle's robotic arm to capture a satellite for the first time. Dr. 
Ride's flight into space came at a time when women in the United States 
were shattering the glass ceiling becoming leaders in science and math.
  Dr. Ride's extraordinary courage and pioneering spirit paved the way 
for future female astronauts. Her ride to space was an inspiration for 
young women to dream. As Gloria Steinem wrote at the time, ``millions 
of little girls are going to sit by their television sets and see they 
can be astronauts, heroes, explorers and scientists.'' As the Associate 
Administrator for the Shuttle Program, Lieutenant General James 
Abrahamson stated in 1983, the next ``milestone'' would be ``when 
ladies go into space and nobody notices, they just take it for 
granted.'' Thirty years after Sally Ride's historic flight we know that 
to be true.
  What made Dr. Ride truly extraordinary was her work after 1983 to 
ensure that the children of our country would be able to follow in her 
footsteps and create their own legacies. After flying into space one 
more time in 1984, serving on the Rogers Commission investigating the 
Challenger disaster, and leading NASA's long range and strategic 
planning efforts, Dr. Ride left NASA in 1987. She received numerous 
awards including Jefferson Award for Public Service, the von Braun 
Award, the Lindbergh Eagle and the NCAA's Theodore Roosevelt Award. She 
has also twice been awarded the NASA Space Flight Medal. Dr. Ride was 
also inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and the Astronaut 
Hall of Fame. She became a Professor of Physics and Director of the 
California Space Institute at the University of California, San Diego. 
While teaching college students, she also endeavored to reach out to 
young children. Dr. Ride and her life-partner Tam O'Shaughnessy co-
wrote six children's books which focused on encouraging children to 
study science. Dr. Ride also founded EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired 
by Middle school students) in 1995, a NASA educational outreach program 
using cameras onboard the Shuttle and now the International Space 
Station to enable students, teachers, and the public to learn about 
Earth from the unique perspective of space. In 2001, she founded a 
company with the goal of creating entertaining science programs and 
publications for elementary and middle school students with a focus on 
girls.
  As we look to honor Dr. Ride, it is important to note that Dr. Ride 
never let her symbolic accomplishments overshadow the importance of her 
life's work pushing our country to explore and continuing to lead the 
charge of getting more women into the sciences. Commenting on her 
inspiring flight in 1983, Dr. Ride stated, ``It's too bad this is such 
a big deal. It's too bad our society isn't further along.'' This Medal 
is meant to serve both as a testament to the extraordinary American 
that Dr. Sally Ride was and as a reminder that we must protect her 
legacy by being forever vigilant to ensure that future Sally Rides are 
able to pursue their dreams.
  The Navy recently named the next ocean-class auxiliary general 
oceanographic research ship after her to honor her legacy. As Secretary 
of the Navy Ray Mabus said, ``Sally Ride's career was one of firsts and 
will inspire generations to come.''
  In closing, I believe that awarding this congressional gold medal 
will be a fitting, though long overdue, recognition by Congress of all 
Dr. Ride contributed to our great nation.

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