[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 17, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H5917]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ``APOLLO 11''

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, as a number 
of my colleagues have, to recognize that this Saturday, July 20, is the 
50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing.
  Fifty years ago, Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on 
the surface of the Moon and declared the moment ``one small step for 
man, one giant leap for mankind.''
  Along with Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, he launched from the 
Kennedy Space Center in Florida and embarked on a journey that would 
change the course of human history forever.
  At the age of 8, I can remember watching the coverage of the landing 
from my family living room, where we had moved the dining room table to 
eat dinner and watch this historic occasion. I remember the landing 
that occurred at 4:18 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on July 20. Along with 
many other children of that time across the country, I was filled with 
a sense of awe and wonder.
  This consequential moment was sparked years before in 1961 when 
President Kennedy stood before Congress and set forth an ambitious goal 
of putting a man on the Moon before the decade's end, long before, as 
he acknowledged, the materials had been yet invented to make that a 
reality.

  His bold vision became a reality on July 20, 1969. This achievement 
would not have been possible without American innovation and work 
ethic, paired with the support of the public.
  Now, we are tasked with safely sending the first woman and another 
man to the south pole of the Moon, where no human has traveled.
  This mission, called Artemis, will send astronauts back to the Moon 
by 2024, allowing us to establish a permanent presence on the Moon by 
2028.
  None of this can be achieved without a strong public-private 
partnership between NASA and the commercial industry and the strong 
support of the American people.
  NASA works with companies, both large and small, from across the 50 
States to prepare for the Artemis mission, as well as many other 
projects NASA conducts in space.
  In Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District, there are several 
local businesses working with NASA. Just recently, NASA announced a 
contract for infrastructure support service from the H.F. Lenz Company 
in Johnstown to provide their engineering expertise.
  In Bellefonte, Actuated Medical is working with NASA on additive 
manufacturing methods and custom medical devices.
  Public-private partnerships like these will fuel the next generation 
of exploration.
  Space is more than just a place of academic study, however. It is 
instrumental to our national security, discovers new technologies that 
have everyday applications, and encourages us to push the boundaries of 
what is possible.
  Mr. Speaker, the legacy of the Apollo 11 Moon landing is forever 
enshrined in the hearts and the minds of Americans who witnessed the 
moment 50 years ago this week. We must reignite our curiosity for space 
exploration as we prepare to return to the Moon and seek further 
horizons in the decades to come.

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