View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Calhoun, Institutional Archive of the Naval Postgraduate School Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive Others Look at NPS Congressional Record Tributes 2003-02-04 Tribute to the Space Shuttle; Columbia Astronauts ; Douglas, Rick ; McCool, William C. ; Kalpana, Chawla ; Anderson, Michael P. ; Clark, Laurel Blair Salton ; Ramon, Ilan ; Brown, David M. United States Government Printing Office 732 North Capitol Street, NW, Washington, DC 20401-0011 Vol. 149 : no. 20 Congressional Record ; S1847 - S1864 http://hdl.handle.net/10945/24507 E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 108 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 149 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2003 No. 20 Senate The Senate met at 4 p.m. and was SCHEDULE EXPRESSING GOOD WISHES called to order by the President pro Mr. BOND. Mr. President, on behalf Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I join with tempore [Mr. STEVENS]. of the majority leader, I announce that my good friend from Nevada in express- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. To- today the Senate will be in a period for ing our good wishes to the distin- day’s prayer will be offered by our morning business from now until 6 guished Senator from Kentucky, as guest Chaplain, Dr. William J. Carl III, p.m., with the time equally divided. well as our good friend, the distin- First Presbyterian Church, Dallas, TX. Senators have requested time to me- guished Senator from Florida, who also morialize and reflect upon the Space has undergone a very serious oper- PRAYER Shuttle Columbia disaster. ation. We are a family and our The guest Chaplain offered the fol- There will be no rollcall votes today thoughts and concerns of those in this lowing prayer: because many of the Senators are in body who have had illnesses are with O God, who made Heaven and Earth, Houston for the memorial service for them. We wish them a very speedy re- we pause in this moment of national the space shuttle crewmembers. An covery. The Senate will be a bit duller grief to remember heroes who have early adjournment this evening is ex- and quieter until they return, but I am gone on before us. We watched a tear pected. confident they will do so soon. streak across Heaven’s face as Colum- I yield to the distinguished assistant f bia’s brave crew gave their lives for us minority leader. all. Into Thy hands we commit their TRIBUTE TO THE SPACE SHUTTLE f spirits as we recommit ourselves to the ‘‘COLUMBIA’’ ASTRONAUTS causes for which they died. WISHES AND HOPE FOR A SPEEDY Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I rise As they reached for the stars, they RECOVERY today with a heavy heart, which was lifted with the inspiring and thoughtful touched pioneer places that gave us Mr. REID. Mr. President, I want the words of our guest Chaplain. I thank glimpses of Heaven and Earth. So we record to reflect my expectation that him for helping us see the greater de- here on Earth release them into Heav- the majority whip will return to work sign, the hope for the future, and the en as we say, ‘‘Well done, good and soon. I was saddened to learn that Sen- good news that we have been given by faithful servants.’’ Recalling the sober ator MITCH MCCONNELL had triple by- the Lord. days of September 11, we realize how pass surgery. We all know the spunk, As did millions of Americans, I spent fragile all our lives are, and yet how re- spirit, and tenacity he has, and I am Saturday watching the dreams of seven silient our Nation can be. When our confident he will return stronger than brave astronauts streak back to Earth lives come apart, You are always there ever from that surgery. in sadness. The sadness we still feel to help us pick up the pieces. On behalf of all Senators, I extend to today, and we will feel for many days, Pick us up now, Lord. Give us cour- MITCH and his lovely wife, the Sec- is because those seven astronauts car- age and hope for the future that lies retary of Labor, Elaine Chao, our best ried our dreams with them. ahead as we continue to be one people, wishes and hope for a speedy recovery. under God, with liberty and justice for That is the wonder and the magic of all. Amen. f our space program. Our astronauts go RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME into space in large part for those of us f who cannot go. Our hearts and our spir- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE its are their cargo. We soar and ride CHAFEE). Under the previous order, the with them into a realm that is beyond The President pro tempore led the leadership time is reserved. the grasp of most men but not beyond Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: f the grasp of mankind. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Even while we engage in the somber United States of America, and to the Repub- MORNING BUSINESS work of recovering from this terrible lic for which it stands, one nation under God, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under accident, in recovering the crew and indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the previous order, there will now be a the Columbia itself, our thoughts have f period for the transaction of morning already returned to the work of ensur- business not to extend beyond the hour ing the safety of the U.S. manned space RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING of 6 p.m., with the time to be equally flight program and of the remaining MAJORITY LEADER divided between the two leaders or shuttles. That is one of the responsibil- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The their designees. ities entrusted to us with the funding acting majority leader is recognized. The Senator from Missouri. and oversight of the space agency. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S1847 . VerDate Dec 13 2002 06:00 Feb 05, 2003 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04FE6.000 S04PT1 S1848 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 4, 2003 Shuttle safety is not a new issue to flected in our reports. It is all in the be able to bring them home in com- those of us on the Appropriations Com- public record. I know NASA has always plete safety. mittee—or the authorizing com- placed the safety of our astronauts as The administration is moving for- mittee—which funds the space agency its highest priority, we have an obliga- ward with two commissions to under- and its operations. It is our job—my tion to ensure that the analysis of safe- stand what happened, and to make sure wonderful friend, the Senator from ty, no matter what the cost, is fully it does not happen again. In addition, I Maryland, Ms. MIKULSKI, and me—to disclosed, understood, and addressed. believe it is appropriate to hold a hear- ensure we know and understand each We have labored to do so in the past ing in the appropriations sub- crucial element of the budget that and will continue to do so in the fu- committee on shuttle funding upgrades safeguards the lives of our brave astro- ture. and safety needs. This is too important nauts. We recognize that Congress, NASA, an issue not to receive the full atten- Whether during my service as chair- and the administration have to live tion of the Senate. I assure my col- man or under the leadership of my able within a budget. At the same time, we leagues that we will work to provide colleague from Maryland, the direction cannot allow a budget to force our whatever funding is necessary to meet of the VA–HUD and Independent Agen- hand on safety decisions. We have not the immediate needs of the space agen- cies Appropriations Subcommittee has done so, nor will we. I do not believe cy through the remaining months of been consistent throughout. Space NASA has done so, nor this, nor the the fiscal year. shuttle safety is paramount. previous administration. Nevertheless, We are currently waiting to hear I am proud the subcommittee I cur- our concerns on VA–HUD appropria- back from NASA at this moment, and rently chair has consistently fully tions were heightened by the March clearly we will provide whatever addi- funded NASA’s request for manned 2002 NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory tional funds are necessary for NASA in space flight program safety. Neverthe- Panel Report which stated that the the 2003 supplemental, as appropriate, less, nothing about manned exploration current budget projections for the or even if we receive a request in time of space is or will ever be free of risk. space shuttle were insufficient to ac- in the conference report on the 2003 Manned space flight is, by its very na- commodate significant safety up- measure that is pending. I will convene ture, life threatening. Flying a space grades, infrastructure needs, and the a hearing on safety needs as soon as shuttle is nothing less than hurtling maintenance of critical workforce practicable, as soon as NASA has infor- across the heavens where a slightest skills over the long term. mation for us, understanding full well mistake guarantees instantaneous Our most recent report to the appro- that the immediate needs focus on re- death. priations bill endorsed these concerns covery of the Columbia, the crew, and No matter how successful we are, and as well as the need for additional fund- the twin investigations now underway.