Date: 2005-09-20
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speak- The first African American woman in er. I yield myself such time as I may space was my good friend Dr. Mae consume. Jemison. She served as the science Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support mission specialist on STS47 Spacelabof House Resolution 450. a resolution to J in 1992. honor the women -of NASA for their In 1999. Mr. Speaker. we had another hard work and dedication. In 360 B.C.. first: Eileen M. Collins was the first fethe great philosopher Plato bemoaned male commander of the space shuttle. that "nothing can be more absurd than Collins and her crew launched aboard the practice that prevails in our coun- Space Shuttle Columbia in July of 1999. try of men and women not following My State of Texas has a strong focus the same pursuits with. all their in space and aeronautics as the home strengths and with one mind. for thus. of the Johnson Space Center. I am esthe state instead of being whole is re- pecially proud of all the women who duced to half." have made significant contributions to It has been more than 2.000 years the space flight. and I honor their coursince Plato made this simple. common- age. Dr. Mary Ann Webber is another sense observation. It has not been easy. astronaut. who is now employed in my but in the intervening centuries. district at the University of Texas women have proven time and time Southwest Medical School and working again that they can excel in any field and encouraging- young ladies now to they choose. Along the way. there have -think of a career of that sort. been many trailblazers: Barbara Jor- Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker. I yield 2 dan. the stateswoman. Marie Curie. the minutes to the gentleman from New scientist. Amelia Earhart. the pilot. York . Dr. Antonia Novello. the first woman (Mr. BOEHLERT asked and was given and the first Hispanic Surgeon General. permission to revise and extend his reToday. we honor some new additions marks.) to this august list. the talented women Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker. what a of NASAs astronaut core. Commander pleasure it is to come to the floor. as I .Collins and Mission Specialist Law- just left Colonel Eileen Collins and rence performed flawlessly on their lat- Wendy Lawrence and the rest of the est mission aboard Space Shuttle Dis- STS114 crew. and they are an inspiracovery. tion to all of us. not just those of us in They are but the latest examples of a this Chamber but to people around the long tradition of excellence among our world. .I female astronauts that stretches back I stand today in support of the.resoover two decades to Sally Rides his- lution offered by my colleague and toric mission as the first American fe- good friend from the great State of male astronaut. New York . These astronauts stand as inspira- This resolution recognizes the valutions to young women. not only in this able contributions that women have country but around the globe. who look made at NASA and particularly praises at them and understand that no dream those who played a role in the success is out of reach because they realize of STS114. The accomplishments of that they too can do what others have the STS crew are the result of a rich done. history of women in NASA. Long beThey should be very proud of their fore STS114 women like Sally Ride. accomplishments. the first American woman in space. Of course. in praising the astronauts. Kathryn Sullivan. the first American we should not neglect the contribu- woman to perform a space walk. Mae tions of other women of NASA: the sci- Jemison. the first African American in entists. the engineers. the program space. and Shannon Lucid. the previous managers. and all of the others who American record holder for the length contribute to our space program. of time spent in space on a single misAll of these talented women are trail- sion. they pushed the boundaries of blazers in their own right. I commend human space flight. them for their hard work and the excel- Women have also paid a dear price in lent example they set. the name of human space flight. I want to thank the gentlewoman. Christa McAuliffe. Judith Resnick. from New York. not only for her initia- Kalpana Chawla. and Laurel Clark will tive in introducing this most thought- always be remembered for their courful. resolution but also for helping age and heroism. And Eileen Collins make real Platos ideal of equality of and Wendy Lawrence and the rest of opportunity for all. STS114 crew stand on the shoulders of I think it is a great resolution. and I those great women who came before urge its adoption. them. and this resolution rightly recMr. Speaker. I am pleased to yield 2 ognizes that fact. minutes to the distinguished gentle- Once again. I thank the gentlewoman woman from Texas (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE from New York for inJOHNSON). troducing this important resolution.