[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 32, Number 40 (Monday, October 7, 1996)]
[Pages 1908-1909]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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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 
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. 
This item was not received in time for publication in the appropriate 
issue.

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