[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 23468-23469]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE X PRIZE WINNERS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. RICK LARSEN

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 8, 2004

  Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my 
congratulations to Paul Allen, Scaled Composites founder Burt Rutan, 
and SpaceShipOne pilots Mike Melvill and Brian Binnie for winning the 
Ansari X Prize. SpaceShipOne's two successful flights into space 
indicate a bright future for space travel and exploration. Just over 
100 years after the Wright brothers' flight at Kitty Hawk, North 
Carolina, Paul Allen has proven that we continue to dream and dare to 
tackle ever-more daunting challenges each day. The success of 
SpaceShipOne is truly a great victory for Scaled Composites and for 
innovators around the world, as well as an indication of great things 
to come.
  It is my pleasure to specifically congratulate Paul Allen for his 
crucial role in this endeavor.

[[Page 23469]]

SpaceShipOne's success would not have been possible without his vision 
and confidence. Communities in my district have long benefited from Mr. 
Allen's investments in businesses and charities. Now the whole world 
will have the opportunity to benefit from his efforts to make Scaled 
Composites a success and to never hold back from pushing Americans' 
innovation to the next level.
  Private space travel has been nothing more than a dream since the 
advent of space flight. The success of Spaceship One has prompted new 
fields of business and recreation. It is this kind of innovation that 
will bring the next generation of jobs and strengthen our economy. This 
breakthrough will provide the economic stimulus to financially and 
scientifically motivate individuals around the globe to look toward the 
sky. It will inspire us to surpass current scientific limitations and 
travel to places our grandparents could only imagine.
  Innovation is the key to our future. Mr. Allen and the talented team 
at Scaled Composites have shown us that any goal is achievable when 
coupled with ambition and the drive to succeed. I congratulate all 
involved and look forward to seeing Paul Allen, Burt Rutan and others 
reach new heights and overcome new challenges.

                          ____________________