[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 17, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4887-S4890]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the nomination.
The legislative clerk read the nomination of Donald R. Tapia, of
Arizona, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the
United States of America to Jamaica.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa.
50th Anniversary of ``Apollo 11''
Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, July 20 marks the 50th anniversary of the
first step man took on the Moon. For that brief moment, all mankind
stood united, watching an awesome spectacle transpire few would have
imagined possible just years earlier. It stands as one of the greatest
achievements in the history of mankind, and it cemented the United
States as the world leader in science, technology, and discovery.
In 1961, when President Kennedy boldly challenged the Nation to land
a man on the Moon and return him safely to Earth by the end of the
decade, the technology needed to do so, for the most part, didn't even
exist.
That we accomplished this monumental goal is a testament to American
ingenuity and innovation. In fact, some of the very technology
developed for the Apollo missions is still having a positive impact on
the lives of Iowans nearly half a century later. Our first responders
wear fire-resistant textiles developed for the use in Apollo space
suits. Our communities rely on water purification technology designed
for the Apollo spacecraft. Our soldiers in the field depend on the
MREs, Meals Ready to Eat, created to safely feed Neil Armstrong, Buzz
Aldrin, and Michael Collins on their half-million-mile journey to the
Moon and back. My daughter Libby, who is a cadet at West Point, was
recently sharing some very strong opinions about these MREs, but maybe
she will feel differently after I tell her this was actually food for
astronauts.
Yet, in all seriousness, when the government makes wise and sound
investments in the development of emerging technology, the benefits can
be tremendous.
GPS is a great example of this, especially in Iowa. GPS has its roots
in the military and has a strong Air Force stewardship, and its
significance only continues to grow with the advancements of satellites
and the development of drones. Yet GPS has evolved beyond just military
use; it impacts the everyday lives of Iowans. From driving directions
in rideshare services to the electric power grid, GPS is utilized by
businesses and consumers across the country. This important technology
supports new and emerging applications, including water quality,
driverless vehicles, and precision agriculture. It is estimated that
civilian and commercial access to GPS added $90 billion in annual value
to the U.S. economy in 2013.
Examples like these demonstrate why it is so important this body and
our Nation as a whole continue to push the envelope when it comes to
science, technology, and discovery, and that is exactly what Senate
Republicans have been doing.
As chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging
Threats and Capabilities, I have made it a priority to ensure that the
United States remains the world's leader in the development of
artificial intelligence, or AI. From novel defensive capabilities and
data analysis to the predictive maintenance of military hardware, there
is no overstating the value of AI to our national security.
I also fought to ensure the recent Defense bill prioritized the
continued development of advanced manufacturing techniques, otherwise
known as 3D printing. Look no further than Rock Island Arsenal, which
employs so many of my fellow Iowans. They are doing some truly
innovative work in this arena--work that has the potential to transform
the way we supply our men and women in uniform. As a former company
commander who oversaw supply convoys into a war zone, I know personally
how important this is.
Of course, there is a consensus on both sides of the aisle that we
can do more to get our students--especially young girls--excited about
futures in STEM and STEAM. I hope we can work together to advance that
effort in the near future. After all, the Moon landing could have never
happened without the contributions of thousands of women from across
the Nation. These unsung heroes did everything from developing Apollo's
onboard software to weaving the copper wire for the spacecraft's
guidance system.
As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, there
will be countless commemorations and tributes to this monumental event.
We will look back on President Kennedy's bold call to action, the
hundreds of thousands of hard-working American men and women who
answered that call, and the three heroes who rode Apollo 11 to the Moon
and back. Then, in that same spirit, we will turn our gaze to the
future--to the innovation, to the
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technology, and to discovery. Be it here on Earth or out amongst the
stars, the United States will continue to lead the way as we look to
take that next great step for mankind.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleagues in
commemorating the 50th anniversary of American astronauts becoming the
first humans to walk on the Moon.
It was 50 years ago that the United States met one of the biggest
challenges it had ever set for itself. Through determination, hard
work, invention, and innovation, the United States fulfilled President
Kennedy's vision of reaching the Moon before the end of the 1960s.
I remember that time very well, for July 16, 1969, was my dad's 37th
birthday. We were vacationing in Florida, at the Spyglass Inn on the
beach. We were so excited to be close to Merritt Island, FL, where
Apollo 11 was being launched. We were in our hotel room, watching the
television. That is one vacation I will never forget. As a young girl,
I remember watching those first astronauts step foot on the Moon. It
was with great awe that I watched Apollo 11 lift off from the Earth and
watched the lunar module land safely on the surface of the Moon. With a
lot of amazement, I watched Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin as they
announced ``the Eagle has landed'' and then as they took those first
brave steps on the Moon. It was with great pride that I watched them
plant the American flag on the Moon.
Those brave NASA astronauts of the Apollo program today continue to
serve as an inspiration that we are capable of anything we set our
minds to. Equally important is the reminder that those astronauts could
not have reached the Moon without their having the support of the
thousands of men and women who were both in NASA and in the aerospace
industry. It is a reminder that we are at our best when we work
together.
While NASA's mission has changed and evolved over the last 60 years,
the aerospace industry continues to play a vital role in our quest for
knowledge and America's national security mission.
In my home State of Mississippi, we are very proud of the conspicuous
roles our citizens play in our Nation's space exploration and
endeavors. Since the earliest days of America's space program,
Mississippi has played an important role in the quest to explore the
stars.
For more than 50 years, the John C. Stennis Space Center, in Hancock
County, MS, has dutifully tested and approved NASA's largest rocket
engines, including the Saturn V rockets that took our astronauts to the
Moon and, later, the engines for the space shuttle program. Stennis is
today testing engines and rocket stages for NASA's Space Launch System,
which will again take humans beyond low-Earth orbit. I am pleased, much
like in the Apollo days, that Mississippi has an important role in the
SLS program. As we are fond of reminding everyone, ``The road to space
goes through Mississippi.''
However, Stennis isn't only known for its rocket testing to support
NASA missions; it also proudly bears the title of the ``Federal City''
and is one of the Federal Government's best places to work. With a
13,800-acre area that is surrounded by a 125,000-acre buffer zone, it
has allowed dozens of our Federal and private sector tenants to take
advantage of its unique isolation and security to serve our Nation's
interest across many sectors, perhaps most notably in the field of
oceanography and meteorology.
The meteorological and oceanographic modeling and forecasting
capabilities at Stennis provide naval commanders with the information
they need to make good decisions that affect the safety of ships and
sailors around the world every single day. The Navy's largest
supercomputer is located at Stennis.
The unique Federal city of Stennis Space Center covers exploration
from the bottom of the ocean to the far reaches of the universe. It is
America's largest rocket test complex--an impressive tsunami and
weather buoy production site--and is a place where elite Naval Special
Warfare personnel conduct highly advanced riverine and jungle training
by using cutting-edge unmanned systems technology. Stennis also houses
several private initiatives, such as Aerojet Rocketdyne's engine
assembly facility, Lockheed Martin's Mississippi Space & Technology
Center, a Rolls Royce test facility, and Relativity Space. The national
and international scope of work that takes place at Stennis every day
creates a local, direct economic impact of nearly $600 million and has
nearly $1 billion in its global impact.
As we mark this 50th anniversary, I am pleased that Stennis Space
Center is helping to inspire, encourage, and prepare students to pursue
science, technology, engineering, and math-related careers--the talents
we will need to get to Mars and beyond.
Since its inception more than 60 years ago, NASA has pioneered
scientific discovery and captivated the Nation. These capabilities are
especially important in today's world, where innovation and fostering
an interest among our youth in the science, technology, mathematics,
and engineering fields are vital to the United States' continuing to be
a success in this world.
I am proud that Mississippi plays a vital role in our Nation's work
to meet the technological challenges of today and tomorrow. This work
occurs not only at Stennis Space Center but also at so many other
related businesses across the State of Mississippi.
The people of Mississippi look with pride at our role in the United
States' having reached the Moon 50 years ago, and we look forward to
the decades ahead when the testing, technology, and innovation taking
place in our State helps the American space program reach new,
monumental achievements. I believe the 50th anniversary of the Apollo
11 Moon landing can and should inspire generations of people around the
world to explore and push the boundaries of what they believe to be
possible.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, I am honored to join my colleagues today
to commemorate this anniversary of an incredible event.
Fifty-eight years ago in May of 1961--the year in which I was born--
President John F. Kennedy appeared before Congress and boldly declared
the United States would send an American to the Moon before the end of
the decade. This was no small task, obviously, as programs had to be
funded, as scientific advancements had to be made, and as foreign
adversaries had to be kept at bay. As the head of NASA's Space Task
Group said, ``Flying a man to the Moon required an enormous advance in
the science of flight in a very short time.'' Yet President Kennedy was
not deterred. In his ignoring conventional wisdom and the ever-present
naysayers, he pressed on, and so did the patriotic Americans who were
charged with making this happen.
A few years later, NASA began its Apollo missions, and the necessary
scientific advancements became a reality. In October of 1968, Apollo 7
was the first Apollo mission in space, and it conducted the very first
live TV program of a U.S. spacecraft. Apollo 8 launched 2 months later
and successfully orbited the Moon. Apollo 9 carried the first lunar
module into orbit in March of 1969. We were getting closer. Apollo 10
launched in May. It was a full dress rehearsal for the Apollo 11
mission. It was successful. We were ready.
Fifty years ago yesterday, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael
Collins launched the Apollo 11 mission to fulfill President Kennedy's
promise of landing on the Moon. That week, my 8-year-old self and an
estimated 650 million of my closest friends from around the world
watched Neil Armstrong land on the Moon and plant our Nation's flag. He
offered the famous phrase: ``That's one small step for man, one giant
leap for mankind.''
That giant leap was a monumental moment in history, for sure, and it
didn't happen in the abstract. It was really the result of hundreds of
years of scientific discovery and decades of work from countless public
servants who devoted their lives to this cause. Apollo 10 gave Apollo
11 the confidence that the operation would be successful. Apollo 7 gave
us the opportunity to see its success with our own eyes. The astronauts
of Apollo 1, in a fatal 1967 tragedy, gave their lives to this mission.
That giant leap happened because
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of the small steps that had been taken before it, and those who took
that giant leap are pressing on even today.
The scientific discovery and space exploration that were made
possible because of those missions continue to this day, including in
my great State of North Dakota. Just a few years after the Moon
landing, the University of North Dakota's John Odegard asked Buzz
Aldrin to come to our State to help him start a space education program
within the University of North Dakota, and Buzz Aldrin said yes.
He left the State, of course, ultimately, but the program stayed, and
it grew.
Today, students from across the globe enroll in the University of
North Dakota to learn about the cutting-edge technologies and
scientific breakthroughs in space exploration. Some of their recent
endeavors provide vital insights for future space exploration,
including for a mission to Mars.
North Dakotans don't just learn; they get involved. Some even become
astronauts. New Rockford's own James Buchli joined NASA in 1979 and 6
years later became the first North Dakotan to go to space, and he is
now in the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.
Shortly after Buchli's space flight came West Fargo's Tony England,
who launched into space 6 months later. England's career is marked by
his work 15 years earlier at Mission Control, where he and others heard
the chilling words, ``Houston, we have a problem.'' England's team
helped save the lives of those on the Apollo 13 mission that day.
Then Jamestown's Rick Hieb launched into space three times starting
in 1991. The University of North Dakota's 1994 graduate Karen Nyberg
was the 50th woman ever to launch into space. She did it first in 2008.
She also spent 6 months on the International Space Station in 2013 and
now serves on the board of the University of North Dakota School of
Aerospace Sciences' foundation, giving back to her alma mater.
North Dakotans leave an outsized mark in the world of space
exploration, and they are just getting started. The University of North
Dakota touts over 100 students taking graduate classes in the
Department of Space Studies, and they have handed out nearly 800 master
of science degrees in space studies since the program began.
I am optimistic about the roles these leaders will play in the
future, following the leads of giants like Buzz Aldrin and Karen
Nyberg.
I was only 8 years old during the Apollo 11 mission. Like most
Americans, I found it to be an exhilarating experience, even watching
it on my parents' black and white television. But I know I didn't fully
grasp the importance of what I was watching that day. I worry sometimes
that many people still don't. Space was, is, and will be integral to
our way of life, and we must continue to maintain our commercial,
technological, and military edge in this important domain.
I hope we will use this anniversary as an opportunity to reaffirm our
commitment to space exploration and to remind ourselves of the impact
investments made today can have on our future, and along the way,
perhaps we can renew that unifying American spirit that was so
prevalent on that day 50 years ago and perhaps even give inspiration to
aspiration once again.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, if the Senator from North Dakota was here
to speak about Apollo 11 and got here a moment or two before me, I am
happy to yield.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I thank the good Senator from Mississippi.
This weekend, our Nation will mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo
11 Moon landing. This was a tremendous feat for our country.
In recognition of this true American triumph, I am cosponsoring a
Senate resolution celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing.
Our resolution recognizes the vision of President Kennedy and the hard
work and the ingenuity of the men and women of NASA who made it
possible for our Nation to achieve what seemed to be an impossible goal
at the time.
Like many Americans, I can still remember the excitement of seeing
the American flag planted on the Moon and hearing Neil Armstrong say
the famous line, ``That's one small step for man, one giant leap for
mankind.''
Truly it was a giant leap. NASA not only helped develop technologies
to put astronauts on the Moon, but these technologies have benefited
industries, including our military, the medical field, energy, and many
others.
We all know NASA is a premiere center for scientific research and
technological advancement, but it is important to remember that NASA's
mission includes not only space but also aeronautics.
As our Nation did during the space race, we are now working to stay
at the forefront of new technologies, including unmanned aerial
systems. In particular, I want to highlight the research NASA is doing
right now in support of unmanned aviation. NASA is designing an
unmanned air traffic management system that will provide air traffic
control for unmanned aircraft operations. This traffic management
project is critical to unlocking the potential of unmanned aviation,
from package delivery to pipeline inspections.
NASA is at the forefront of this effort to make unmanned flights safe
and efficient for a multitude of operators. North Dakota works right
along with NASA toward this goal, with a UAS test site that is helping
advance all aspects of unmanned aviation. In fact, they were recently
selected by the FAA to host an unmanned traffic pilot program and have
developed a strong partnership with NASA to research, develop, and
demonstrate this technology.
I continue to support funding for unmanned traffic management
research because I am confident that NASA, with the help of its
industry partners, as well as our test site in North Dakota, will meet
this complex technological challenge. By making a relatively small
investment in unmanned traffic management research today, NASA is going
to help unlock billions of dollars in economic activity in the not-too-
distant future.
We have worked hard to ensure that North Dakota is an important part
of exploring this new NASA frontier, and we are thrilled to help
realize the wide variety of benefits that unmanned aviation will bring,
making our Nation more prosperous and secure, and we can only imagine
where we will be 50 years from today.
I yield the floor to the great Senator from the great State of
Mississippi.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, I thank my friend from North Dakota, and I
thank all of the people who have arranged for this special recognition.
Mr. INHOFE. Will the Senator yield for a unanimous consent request?
Mr. WICKER. I am delighted to yield to my friend from Oklahoma.
Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at the
conclusion of the remarks of the Senator from Mississippi, I be
recognized for such time as I may consume.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, it is really hard to believe that the
first Moon landing was 50 years ago, but, in fact, 50 years ago today,
three Americans were on their way to the Moon--Neil Armstrong, Buzz
Aldrin, and Michael Collins.
I had the honor of actually meeting with Buzz Aldrin just the other
day, shaking his hand, and being able to listen to his perspectives
about what has happened in the last 50 years. What a great American.
At this moment, I would also honor the names of Neil Armstrong and
Michael Collins. While Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin got to step foot
on the Moon, Michael Collins' assignment was to stay in the vehicle and
orbit solo above. It was not at all guaranteed that his two colleagues
would get back. We certainly thought we had the technology; we thought
we could do it, and indeed we did, but it was not a given.
Michael Collins wrote during that lonely flight while his two
colleagues were walking on the face of the Moon:
I am . . . absolutely isolated from any known life. I am
it. If a count were taken, the score would be three billion
plus two over on the other side of the Moon, and one plus God
knows what on this side.
[[Page S4890]]
Those are the words of American hero Michael Collins.
These three men were separated from the rest of humanity, but they
certainly were not alone. Hundreds of millions of people watched and
prayed and gave them their best wishes.
It is hard to believe--and I still have to pinch myself--that I was a
freshman in college for this Moon walk, and that was 50 years ago. How
could 50 years have passed by so quickly?
Men and women have always looked up at the night sky and seen their
heroes in the constellations. Now we still look up at the sky, and we
see our heroes, but among them are astronauts who go to the stars and
return and will go to the Moon and to Mars and return.
I want to salute the people who have done it before and the people
who are making plans to put a man and woman on the face of the Moon
within 5 years.
I was so honored to chair a hearing just this morning featuring NASA
Administrator Bridenstine, who has put forward a bold proposal from the
Trump administration, which has moved the deadline up from 10 years to
5 years. Indeed, I can tell you, it is the goal of NASA and it is the
goal of this Member of the U.S. Senate and the committee that I chair
to facilitate making this go and actually putting a man and a woman
back on the face of the Moon in 5 years and then, beyond that, on Mars.
These are ambitious goals, which match and rival the ambition of
President Kennedy, who announced this plan in 1961. Credit goes to
President Johnson, who took up the cause after the assassination of
President Kennedy, and President Nixon, a Republican succeeding two
Democrats, who saw it to fruition in 1969.
I am proud to salute all of the people--some nameless, faceless
people who are not famous--for their role in this magnificent
accomplishment.
I am proud to say that Mississippians were among the first to answer
President Kennedy's call. After all, the Saturn V rocket used for the
Apollo Program was tested at Stennis Space Center in Hancock County in
Mississippi, where we still do almost all of the rocket testing in the
United States of America.
As Wernher von Braun, one of the leaders of U.S. early space efforts
once said, ``I don't know yet what method we will use to get to the
Moon, but I do know that we [will] have to go through Mississippi to
get there.'' That was true back in the sixties, and it is true today as
we approach the one-fifth mark of the 21st century.
We owe so much to the pioneers. Humankind owes so much to the people
who answered President Kennedy's charge not only to win the space
race--our country against those cosmonauts of the Soviet Union--but
also for all of the peaceful results that have come from this.
Technologies behind CT scans came from the space program. Intensive
care monitoring equipment, which saves lives every day around the
globe, came from the scientific discoveries that were accomplished
during our race to the Moon. GPS and smart phones all have their
origins in Apollo.
The commercial space sector is now valued at more than $400 billion,
and it is reminding us all of the power of free enterprise to open up
new frontiers. Clearly, that $400 billion will grow over the next
decade, perhaps to trillions and trillions of dollars.
Certainly the writers of Newsweek were correct when they called the
Moonshot ``the best return on investment since Leonardo da Vinci bought
himself a sketch pad.'' They were exactly right, and this next shot
should give us an opportunity also to get our money's worth.
We will go back to the Moon; we will go on to Mars. So as we
celebrate the 50th anniversary, we look toward the future to all the
missions that will come and go, and we remind ourselves of this
country's common purpose and potential. The Moon landing was not the
end of an age of discovery; it was only the beginning.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cotton). The Senator from Oklahoma.