    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [September 27, 1996]
    [Pages 1703-1704]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Welcoming Returning Astronaut Shannon Lucid in Houston, Texas
    September 27, 1996

        Thank you very much. Thank you. I want to say first how very much I
    appreciate the work that is done here by all of you at NASA. Thank you,
    George Abbey. Thank you, Dan Goldin. Thank you, every one of you who
    worked for America's space program, for a job well done. This is all of
    your triumph here today, and America is very proud of you. Thank you
    very much.
        Of course, like all of you, I'm here to say welcome home to Shannon
    Lucid. There's so many things to say about the incredible skill and
    stamina and dedication it takes to be in space for 6 months. Her
    achievements: the longest single flight by an American in space; the
    longest duration for any woman in space; five shuttle missions now for
    her. It's a monument to the human spirit. One of the wits on my airplane
    remarked as we were coming down, he said, ``You know, Mr. President,
    you're always talking about bringing the deficit down for 4 years in a
    row; it's a good thing you haven't been giving her frequent-flier miles
    or we'd be in debt again.'' [Laughter] It's an amazing, amazing
    achievement.
        And I know I speak for all Americans when I say I think we all feel
    at least that we've gotten to know Dr. Lucid, watching her grin and bear
    it as the mission was extended, hearing her eagerness to see her family,
    her yearning for what she called the wind and the sun. Perhaps more than
    she knows, she has also set a remarkable example for a new generation of
    young Americans and especially young girls all across this country who
    look up to her and now see new possibilities for themselves. And we
    thank her for that as well.
        Let me also salute Bill Readdy and the crew of the Atlantis. What
    seems to me remarkable about their launch and return is that they make

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    it now seem easy, and we know it's not. But we know that their bravery
    and their professionalism make possible for all of us regular space
    travel with all of the scientific, military, and commercial benefits it
    brings. Now it's a part of our lives thanks to this crew and others like
    them.
        The mission from which Dr. Lucid returns continues to cement the
    close and growing bonds of cooperation between the United States and the
    Russian space programs, something that we have worked very hard for, not
    only the cooperation between our Nation and Russia but between our
    Nation and other nations as well in the space station project.
        We are committed to continuing the strong United States space
    program. We have to keep the space shuttle flying; work toward the
    international space station with all of its promise and challenges;
    develop the X-33, which will replace the shuttle and help to create a
    revolution in global communications; and continue robotic exploration of
    Mars and the solar system.
        I was told, in preparing these remarks, that when Dr. Lucid was in
    the eighth grade, she wrote an essay saying she wanted to be a rocket
    scientist. She was told by her teacher there is no such thing as a
    rocket scientist and if there were, it wouldn't be a woman. Well, how
    lucky we are that not everyone can foresee the future.
        I say that today to make this point: The children here, whether when
    they grow up they have anything to do with the space program or not,
    many of these children will be doing work that has not been invented
    yet. Many of these children will be doing work that has not been
    imagined yet. And we owe it to them, their future, and their children's
    future to continue in the American tradition of pushing back the
    frontiers of knowledge, exploring the frontiers that we don't yet
    understand.
        Our space pioneers reflect the very best of America's spirit of
    exploration, our never-ending search for new horizons. And Dr. Shannon
    Lucid today stands tall among them all. We are grateful for her. We
    welcome her home.
        Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 4:30 p.m. at Ellington Field. In his
    remarks, he referred to space shuttle Atlantis commander William Readdy.