NASA
On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy stood before the United States Congress and announced his aspirations for American space exploration. “I believe that this Nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.” At that moment, a new space age was born. Just eight years later, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) achieved Kennedy’s goal when Apollo 11 departed Earth on July 16, 1969.
In early 2011, we said farewell to NASA’s space shuttle program. The space shuttle program leaves a lengthy list of achievements, most notably enabling the construction of the International Space Station. The space shuttle orbiters were truly a feat of human achievement and enabled us to colonize space. The orbiters will forever be an icon for American exceptionalism and triumph.
Today, NASA’s human spaceflight program is forging ahead after Congress’ approval of a new direction set forth in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-267). The Act directs NASA to develop plans for a new Space Launch System (SLS) and the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) to carry humans beyond low-earth orbit. This new program will keep the United States at the forefront of space exploration.
Rocket science is thrilling, but NASA’s greatest asset continues to be its people – the thousands of men and women across the country in both government and industry, who conceive, design, build, operate, and manage NASA’s ambitious program of space exploration on behalf of our great nation. As a member of the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee, I am working to protect funding for NASA and scientific research and development. NASA plays a vital role in maintaining America’s competitive advantage in industry and innovation.
I have supported the following legislation in the 112th Congress:
H.R. 1536 – The Space Shuttle Retirement Act
H.R. 1641 – REAL Space Act
