[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16730]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE INTERNATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL YEAR

  The concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 76) honoring the 50th 
Anniversary of the International Geophysical Year (IGY) and its past 
contributions to space research, and looking forward to future 
accomplishments, was considered and agreed to. The preamble was agreed 
to.

                            H. Con. Res. 76

       Whereas the year 2007-2008 is the 50th anniversary of the 
     International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957-1958;
       Whereas the IGY initiated the Space Age with the successful 
     launch of the first artificial satellites, Sputnik by the 
     former Soviet Union, and Explorer I by the United States;
       Whereas the interdisciplinary approach of IGY and the use 
     of new space-based platforms enabled fundamental changes in 
     the conduct of research concerning the Earth and its 
     surrounding space environment;
       Whereas the interdisciplinary approach of IGY enabled 
     coordinated, synchronous, global observations and 
     measurements of the Earth, oceans, atmosphere, ice, and near-
     Earth space environment;
       Whereas the IGY increased our understanding of the causes 
     of magnetic storms, ionospheric disturbances, and the origins 
     of cosmic rays;
       Whereas the use of new space-based platforms enabled the 
     discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts, which are 
     trapped, charged particles in the Earth's upper atmosphere, 
     showed that those particles form belts of energy around the 
     Earth, and contributed to the understanding of the Northern 
     Lights;
       Whereas the IGY, involved thousands of scientists from 67 
     nations;
       Whereas the IGY, which occurred during the height of Cold 
     War tensions, facilitated international cooperation in 
     science and helped lead to the Antarctic Treaty, which 
     established the use of Antarctica for peaceful purposes and 
     promoted continued, cooperative scientific investigations on 
     the continent;
       Whereas the IGY led to the creation of institutional 
     structures that continue to promote and enable the 
     international exchange of scientific research related to the 
     Earth and space, including the International Council on 
     Science's Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), Scientific 
     Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), and Scientific 
     Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR); and
       Whereas this 50th anniversary celebration offers as an 
     opportunity to inspire our public and youth to build on the 
     legacy of success of the IGY, recognizing that a coordinated, 
     international approach to interdisciplinary scientific 
     challenges such as climate change, high energy physics, and 
     space exploration contributes to the advancement of knowledge 
     and sustains the cooperative spirit and goodwill among 
     nations set forth in the IGY: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),  That the Congress--
       (1) honors the 50th anniversary of the International 
     Geophysical Year (IGY) and its contributions to the 
     scientific investigations of the Earth and outer space; and
       (2) encourages the public, and especially American youth, 
     to attend IGY celebrations and seminars, such as those being 
     planned at locations around the United States by the National 
     Academy of Sciences and other organizations, and participate 
     in discussions about the future of space science and Earth 
     science.

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