[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 47 (Tuesday, March 25, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H2619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         INVESTING IN SPACE EXPLORATION AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

  (Mr. McNERNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. McNERNEY. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. has always been the world leader 
in space exploration. We were the first and only nation to put humans 
safely on the Moon and the only nation to send unmanned ships to Mars, 
among other extraordinary missions.
  In 2011, NASA flew its last space shuttle mission. Without any new 
human lift system ready, the U.S. has had to depend on Russia to send 
our astronauts to space. This arrangement has worked because of a sense 
of cooperation and mutual respect between our two great nations' space 
programs.
  But American innovation cannot be stopped. Several private companies 
are working with NASA to ensure that Americans can once again fly on 
American spaceships.
  As a Nation, we should support this effort and encourage private 
American companies to accelerate their programs. These public-private 
partnerships will ensure that the U.S. does not rely solely on Russian 
spacecraft.
  I urge my colleagues to consider the long-term benefits of investing 
in space exploration and scientific research.

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