[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 11993]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        AMERICA LOST A TRUE HERO

  (Mrs. DAVIS of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we lost a true hero 
in Sally Ride. Dr. Ride was a constituent, and I recall my excitement 
in first meeting her years ago.
  At the age of 32, Sally K. Ride broke her first barrier when she flew 
on the space shuttle Challenger in 1983. She was the first American 
woman ever to fly in space. But her journey didn't end there. She went 
back to space in 1984, and later on became director of the California 
Space Institute at UCSC, as well as a professor of physics.
  She was a trailblazer in every sense of the word. She cracked open 
the door for women to enter the fields of science and engineering and 
helped inspire countless young girls to follow in her footsteps. I 
think of what it will mean to my granddaughter Jane to see her in our 
history books.
  Dr. Ride will be missed by all those who knew her and all those whom 
she touched and will continue to reach with her courage, her 
determination, and fearless spirit.

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