III 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 76 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
APRIL 18, 2007 
Received and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Honoring the 50th Anniversary of the International Geo-
physical Year (IGY) and its past contributions to space 
research, and looking forward to future accomplishments. 
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; 
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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 co-
ordinated, synchronous, global observations and measure-
ments 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 atmos-
phere, 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 es-
tablished 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 struc-
tures that continue to promote and enable the inter-
national exchange of scientific research related to the 
Earth and space, including the International Council on 
Science’s Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), Sci-
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entific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), and 
Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR); and 
Whereas this 50th anniversary celebration offers as an oppor-
tunity to inspire our public and youth to build on the leg-
acy of success of the IGY, recognizing that a coordinated, 
international approach to interdisciplinary scientific chal-
lenges such as climate change, high energy physics, and 
space exploration contributes to the advancement of 
knowledge and sustains the cooperative spirit and good-
will 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 Inter-
national Geophysical Year (IGY) and its contribu-
tions to the scientific investigations of the Earth and 
outer space; and 
(2) encourages the public, and especially Amer-
ican 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 
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discussions about the future of space science and 
Earth science. 
Passed the House of Representatives April 17, 2007. 
Attest: 
LORRAINE C. MILLER, 
Clerk. 
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