[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 140 (Thursday, August 6, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S5289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 675--CONGRATULATING THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE 
     COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE 
   ADMINISTRATION AND SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION AND 
 ASTRONAUTS ROBERT L. BEHNKEN AND DOUGLAS G. HURLEY ON THE SUCCESSFUL 
            COMPLETION OF THE CREW DRAGON DEMO-2 TEST FLIGHT

  Mr. CRUZ (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, and Mr. Rubio) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation:

                              S. Res. 675

       Whereas, on July 8, 2011, the space shuttle Atlantis 
     launched from the Kennedy Space Center on the 135th and final 
     flight (referred to in this preamble as ``STS-135'') of the 
     Space Transportation System of the National Aeronautics and 
     Space Administration (referred to in this preamble as 
     ``NASA'');
       Whereas, following the retirement of the space shuttle 
     Atlantis, which was the last space shuttle in the fleet of 
     the Space Transportation System, and the formal end of the 
     Space Shuttle Program on August 31, 2011, the United States 
     lacked the domestic capability to launch astronauts to the 
     International Space Station (referred to in this preamble as 
     the ``ISS'') from United States soil;
       Whereas, following the end of the Space Shuttle Program in 
     2011, the only method for transporting astronauts of the 
     United States to the ISS was to purchase seats on the Soyuz 
     spacecraft of Russia at a cost of approximately $86,000,000 
     per seat;
       Whereas, in 2011, NASA began investing money in what would 
     become the Commercial Crew Program to stimulate efforts 
     within the private sector to aid in the development and 
     demonstration of safe, reliable, and cost-effective crew 
     transportation capabilities to replace the Space 
     Transportation System;
       Whereas, in August 2012, NASA awarded funding to 3 
     participants under the Commercial Crew Program, the Boeing 
     Company, Sierra Nevada Corporation, and Space Exploration 
     Technologies Corporation (referred to in this preamble as 
     ``SpaceX''), for the commercial development of fully 
     integrated crew transportation capabilities;
       Whereas, in September 2014, NASA completed the down 
     selection process and awarded contracts under the Commercial 
     Crew Program to 2 participants, the Boeing Company and 
     SpaceX, for commercially built and operated integrated crew 
     transportation systems;
       Whereas, on January 19, 2020, NASA and SpaceX completed the 
     launch escape demonstration of the Crew Dragon spacecraft and 
     the Falcon 9 rocket, which was the final major flight test of 
     the Crew Dragon spacecraft before a demonstration flight to 
     the ISS with astronauts from the United States;
       Whereas, on May 30, 2020, Robert L. Behnken and Douglas G. 
     Hurley became the first astronauts from the United States to 
     launch to the ISS on a rocket of the United States from 
     United States soil since STS-135 on July 8, 2011;
       Whereas Douglas G. Hurley had also served on the crew of 
     STS-135 as the pilot;
       Whereas, on May 31, 2020, Robert L. Behnken and Douglas G. 
     Hurley arrived safely at the ISS, docking the Crew Dragon 
     spacecraft to the Harmony module of the ISS and joining 
     Expedition 63 as crew members;
       Whereas, on August 1, 2020, Robert L. Behnken and Douglas 
     G. Hurley departed the ISS after spending 2 months as crew 
     members of Expedition 63;
       Whereas, on August 2, 2020, the Crew Dragon spacecraft 
     safely splashed down off the coast of Florida;
       Whereas the successful completion of the Crew Dragon Demo-2 
     test flight marks a new chapter in human space exploration by 
     transporting astronauts on a commercially built and operated 
     spacecraft of the United States for the first time; and
       Whereas the continued leadership of the United States in 
     space and space exploration is vital for--
       (1) both the national security and economic prosperity of 
     the United States and the friends and allies of the United 
     States; and
       (2) the continued development and exploration of space for 
     the benefit of humankind: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the men and women of the Commercial Crew 
     Program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
     (referred to in this resolution as ``NASA'') and Space 
     Exploration Technologies Corporation (referred to in this 
     resolution as ``SpaceX'') and astronauts Robert L. Behnken 
     and Douglas G. Hurley on the successful completion of the 
     Crew Dragon Demo-2 test flight;
       (2) honors the men and women of SpaceX and the Commercial 
     Crew Program of NASA, who worked tirelessly to design, build, 
     and operate the Crew Dragon spacecraft;
       (3) recognizes the contributions of all of the 
     administrators, astronauts, engineers, scientists, and 
     support staff--
       (A) who helped reach the milestone of the successful 
     completion of the Crew Dragon Demo-2 test flight; and
       (B) whose dedication and continued efforts will ensure the 
     continued leadership of the United States in space;
       (4) recognizes that NASA, through its programs of human 
     space exploration, including Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, the 
     Space Shuttle Program, the International Space Station, and 
     the Commercial Crew Program, has inspired and continues to 
     inspire generations of children to become engineers, 
     scientists, and explorers, which has led the United States to 
     maintain its precedent of leadership in human space 
     exploration; and
       (5) reaffirms the commitment of the Senate to human space 
     exploration for the benefit of humankind.

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