[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 16, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S2794]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 646--HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF LIEUTENANT 
                       GENERAL THOMAS P. STAFFORD

  Mr. LANKFORD (for himself and Mr. Mullin) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 646

       Whereas, on September 17, 1930, Lieutenant General Thomas 
     Patten Stafford (referred to in this preamble as ``General 
     Stafford'') was born in Weatherford, Oklahoma, to Thomas and 
     Mary Ellen Stafford;
       Whereas, in 1952, General Stafford graduated with honors 
     from the United States Naval Academy, after which he joined 
     the newly formed Air Force;
       Whereas, in 1958, General Stafford entered the United 
     States Air Force Experimental Test Pilot School at Edwards 
     Air Force Base, California;
       Whereas, in 1959, General Stafford graduated from the 
     United States Air Force Experimental Test Pilot School, 
     receiving the A.B. Honts Award as the outstanding graduate, 
     and thereafter became an instructor and wrote flight 
     performance and aerodynamics textbooks for the school;
       Whereas, in 1962, General Stafford was chosen among the 
     second group of astronauts by the National Aeronautics and 
     Space Administration (referred to in this preamble as 
     ``NASA'') to serve in projects Gemini and Apollo;
       Whereas, in 1965, General Stafford developed techniques for 
     and piloted Gemini VI, completing the first rendezvous in 
     space;
       Whereas, in 1966, General Stafford commanded Gemini IX, 
     demonstrating 3 different types of rendezvous, including the 
     rendezvous that would be used in future Apollo lunar 
     missions;
       Whereas, in 1969, General Stafford commanded Apollo 10, 
     piloted the first lunar module to descend within 9 miles of 
     the Moon, designated the first lunar landing site, performed 
     reconnaissance of future Apollo landing sites, and completed 
     each of the essential steps in the final preparation for the 
     upcoming Moon landing, including the first rendezvous around 
     the Moon;
       Whereas General Stafford and his crew won the National 
     Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Special Trustees 
     Award (commonly known as an ``Emmy Award'') for initiating 
     development of and taking the first colored images from 
     space;
       Whereas, during the return of the Apollo 10 mission, 
     General Stafford set the record for the fastest speed 
     traveled by a human, at 24,791 miles per hour (or Mach 36), 
     which, as of 2024, is still the record and is documented in 
     the Guinness World Book of Records;
       Whereas, in 1975, General Stafford took command of the 
     Apollo-Soyuz Test Project for his final space mission, during 
     which General Stafford and Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov shook 
     hands during docking, completing the first international 
     space flight and helping to diminish Cold War tensions;
       Whereas General Stafford was nominated for the Nobel Peace 
     Prize for his role in the Apollo-Soyuz mission;
       Whereas, in 1975, General Stafford left NASA to serve as 
     the commander of the Air Force Test Center at Edwards Air 
     Force Base, California;
       Whereas General Stafford, as Air Force Deputy Chief of 
     Staff for Research, Development, and Acquisition, established 
     requirements for, and initiated development of, the first 
     stealth attack aircraft, the F117A, which was the only 
     stealth attack aircraft in the world for 25 years, and 
     initiated the Air Force roadmap for the air superiority 
     fighter that is still in use in 2024;
       Whereas General Stafford, just before his retirement in 
     1979, wrote the specifications for, and initiated the 
     development of, the Advanced Technology Bomber, now known as 
     the B-2 Stealth Bomber, the only stealth bomber force in the 
     world as of 2024, and initiated the development of the AGM-
     129 Advanced Cruise Missile;
       Whereas, from 1991 to 1993, General Stafford led the 
     efforts of NASA to repair and service the Hubble Space 
     Telescope and was presented with the NASA Public Service 
     Award;
       Whereas, in 2011, General Stafford was awarded the Wright 
     Brothers Memorial Trophy for pioneering achievements that 
     have led the way to the Moon, to greater international 
     cooperation in space, and to a safer United States;
       Whereas General Stafford completed more than 507 hours in 
     space flight time and flew more than 127 types of aircraft 
     and helicopters during his career, along with 4 kinds of 
     spacecraft and 3 types of boosters;
       Whereas General Stafford advised several Presidents on 
     space policy and served as the Chairman of the NASA Advisory 
     Task Force on the International Space Station;
       Whereas General Stafford gave a lifetime of service to the 
     United States--
       (1) as a member of the Armed Forces;
       (2) as an astronaut and commander at NASA; and
       (3) while serving in other positions in the executive 
     branch;

       Whereas General Stafford contributed immensely to the space 
     race and the advancement of the United States in space policy 
     and exploration; and
       Whereas General Stafford demonstrated extraordinary 
     dedication and service to the United States throughout his 
     distinguished career: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors the life and legacy of Lieutenant General Thomas 
     P. Stafford for his contributions to the Armed Forces and the 
     space mission of the United States; and
       (2) extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and 
     friends of Lieutenant General Thomas P. Stafford.

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