To congratulate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on the 25th anniversary of the first flight of the Space Transportation System, to honor Commander John Young and the Pilot Robert Crippen, who flew Space Shuttle Columbia on April 12-14, 1981, on its first orbital test flight, and to commend the men and women of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and all those supporting America's space program for their accomplishments and their role in inspiring the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my colleague and rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 366, a resolution to commemorate the first flight of the Space Shuttle STS-1 and to honor its crew, Commander John W. Young and Pilot Robert L. Crippen.

It is hard to believe now, but 25 years have passed since the Space Shuttle Columbia took off on its maiden voyage

on April 12, 1981. The space shuttle was the first and remains the only reusable crewed orbital spacecraft in the world, and its design represented a dramatic step towards human space flight.

Parenthetically, I might say I was talking to some of my younger staff today, and we who have been around for a while remember that flight well. But when you try to explain to young people, or to anybody for that matter, that these people were landing in this enormous and weighty bird that had never been tested, and it had no power, never been tested in this kind of conditions and it had no power, you understand the undertaking that these courageous crew members had set themselves up for.

This vehicle, of course, had the capacity to carry twice the crew members of its predecessors, to launch large scientific instruments such as the Hubble Space Telescope, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, as well as interplanetary probes like Galileo and Ulysses.

On that same subject, I must say that, personally, I believe the deep space image of Hubble is something that struck me as powerful as the first images we saw of Earth in the early Apollo days. When that telescope looked off into the heavens at a tiny speck and saw thousands of galaxies, it is an awe inspiring sight that I think the entire world should perhaps contemplate what it means to us.

More recently, of course, the shuttle has served as a workhorse for the assembly of the international space station, and on April 12, 1981 those accomplishments were still in the future.

On that day as the space shuttle crew carried two intrepid astronauts, John Young and Robert Crippen, into the heavens on that courageous journey, we all held our breath because therein lay the future of manned space flight and womaned spaced flight as we would later see on shuttles.

We should not underestimate the magnitude of that task. STS was not the first time that the space shuttle would carry a crew of astronauts; it was the first time the space shuttle would be flown into space, period. The willingness of these brave commanders to accept this mission shows that they certainly had the right stuff and it is entirely fitting that this Congress commemorate their accomplishments on this, the 25th anniversary of the first flight of the space shuttle.

I think it is also appropriate to express our appreciation to all of the individuals, whether civil servants or contractors, who have worked so hard over the many years on the space shuttle program and over, particularly, the last quarter century.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the adoption of H. Con. Res. 366. I hope that action will be followed by speedy adoption in the other body.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).

(Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, there have been times that we, as a nation, have become so accustomed to successful space shuttle launches that we barely heard about them on the evening news. One hundred and fourteen successful missions have provided a wealth of information and research results that are seen and felt in our everyday lives. Yet few of us could identify these as having resulted from Space Shuttle research.

Today, the Space Shuttle is viewed by many as an over-aged relic of the past and the vehicle whose two failures in the past 24 years of its service cost the lives of 14 brave astronauts. As tragic and unforgettable as the Challenger and Columbia accidents were, we must honor the memory of their crews by honoring the task for which they gave their lives. I am proud that our Nation has chosen to learn everything possible from those tragic losses to minimize the risks that will always be present in human space flight and to move forward to keep the dream of spaceflight alive.

It is appropriate today, as we consider House Concurrent Resolution 366, to reach back to the very beginning of space shuttle nights to the day, 25 years ago next week--April 12, 1981, at 7 a.m. eastern time. On that morning, the space shuttle Columbia lifted off on her maiden voyage, carrying two brave and intrepid explorers, Commander John Young and Pilot Robert Crippen. They orbited the Earth 36 times in two days, six hours and twenty minutes, landing in California at Edwards Air Force Base on April 14, 1981, at 1:20 p.m. eastern time. This first mission of a reusable spacecraft marked the beginning of a new era in human spaceflight.

This era also provided the Nation and the world with new and incredible views of our Earth as seen from orbit. It also provided a continuous stream of important microgravity research that has found its way into medical devices, treatment procedures, computer enhancements, communications technologies, and a host of other practical applications that generally go unnoticed. The Great Telescopes, such as Hubble, Chandra and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, were all made possible by the Space Shuttle. In the case of the Hubble, its inestimable value as a research tool was both rescued by the Space Shuttle and extended by servicing missions not possible without the Space Shuttle.

In the next several years, as the Space Shuttle completes the mission for which it was designed--completing the assembly and outfitting of the International Space Station--we will move into a new era of human spaceflight. We will experience new firsts and enter new names into the history books of those who accomplish the important milestones along our way to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

None of that would be possible, however, without the service of those who have gone before, and especially those two heroes we honor and recognize today. These two men took a vehicle never flown before on a journey of over a million miles. By any standard, that is an impressive first step.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the first flight of the Space Shuttle.

On April 12, 1981, Commander John Young and Pilot Robert Crippen launched from the Kennedy Space Center in the Space Shuttle Columbia. Their successful 3-day test flight of the manned, reusable spacecraft marked the beginning of a long career for the Space Shuttle that continues today.

Because of the design of the Shuttle, the spacecraft is uniquely qualified to help America build and supply the International Space Station. As we work with our international partners to complete the Space Station, the Shuttle will help us achieve that goal. For 25 years, the men and women of our Shuttle program have done a remarkable job returning the Shuttle to flight year after year to continue America's prominence in space. This resolution not only commends the first flight of the Shuttle, but it also recognizes and honors these dedicated citizens who work every day to this singular goal.

The Shuttle has seen glory and it has seen tragedy. The loss of Challenger and Columbia remind us that space travel is difficult and dangerous. Astronauts are today's Columbuses and Magellans--and their mission is a fragile and dangerous one. And yet, the Space Shuttle program continued on because of the men and women dedicated to the important work of the space program--work that benefits all sectors of society and improves the quality of all our lives.

America now has a new Vision for Space Exploration. We have already achieved the first step in the new Vision for Space Exploration when the Space Shuttle returned to flight last summer. Commander Eileen Collins and her crew successfully executed the 14-day mission into outer space and delivered more than 6 tons of needed supplies to the Space Station. Like many of my colleagues, I am eagerly anticipating the Shuttle's next flight this summer.

I am also looking forward to our next step in the process--the development of a new vehicle to replace the Shuttle. We need to make sure that the transition between these two spacecrafts is as seamless at possible because we cannot afford to lose the very specialized and highly valued Shuttle workforce. We also need to make sure that the new spacecraft includes a crew escape system because our astronauts deserve to be as safe as possible. I am pleased that NASA will require this system on the new crew exploration vehicle, and I will be continuing to monitor that development.

America leads the world in space exploration, and this is due, in large part, to the men and women of the Space Shuttle program. And this is only the beginning. With astronauts like the ones who traveled over the years on the Space Shuttle, and specialists and staff at NASA, America will continue to push frontiers and lead the world in space exploration and discovery.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the resolution (H. Con. Res. 366) to congratulate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on the 25th anniversary of the first flight of the Space Transportation System, to honor Commander John Young and the Pilot Robert Crippen, who flew Space Shuttle Columbia on April 12-14, 1981, on its first orbital test flight, and to commend the men and women of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and all those supporting America's space program for their accomplishments and their role in inspiring the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 366.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall).

(Mr. HALL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, on April 12, 1981, two American heroes, Commander John Young and Pilot Robert Crippen, were strapped into their seats in the Space Shuttle Columbia and took off into history, orbiting the Earth for 54 hours, 20 minutes, and 53 seconds. This was the boldest test flight in history.

The space shuttle was the first reusable spacecraft to be flown into orbit without the benefit of previous unmanned orbital test flights, and was the first spacecraft to land on a conventional runway at Edwards Air Force Base in my home State of California.

Like the explorers Lewis and Clark who explored our great Nation and who opened up the West, John Young and Robert Crippen opened a new era of human exploration beyond our planet Earth. Now, as we move forward with the vision for space exploration, the successful return to flight of the space shuttle represents the first step toward going to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Today as a Nation, we want to pay tribute to the National Space and Aeronautics Administration on the 25th anniversary of the first flight of the space shuttle. We want to honor Commander John Young and Pilot Robert Crippen, who flew the first Space Shuttle Columbia, on April 12- 14, 1981, on its first orbital test flight. We want to commend the men and women of NASA and our aerospace industry for the roles they play in inspiring the American people. This is what provides the inspiration to our next generation to study math and science. This is what keeps our Nation competitive.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), a champion of America's space program.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 366 to congratulate NASA on the 25th anniversary of the inaugural Space Shuttle mission.

Twenty-five years ago on April 12th, all Americans were riveted to the activities taking place at Kennedy Space Center. The excitement was even more palpable in my Congressional District--America's Space Coast.

How proud Americans were that day when, after 2 years of training and preparation, Space Shuttle Columbia lifted into space, boosted not only by 7 million pounds of thrust but, more importantly, by the ingenuity and imagination of the American people.

America had selected two incredibly capable astronauts for this first shuttle mission--Bob Crippen, a decorated Naval aviator, and John Young, a veteran of the Gemini and Apollo programs. Our Nation needed the best astronauts for this mission since the risks were immense. As the most complex spacecraft ever built, the Shuttle Columbia had countless possibilities for error and serious disaster.

STS-1 served as a 2-day test flight of the first reusable, piloted spacecraft's ability to go into orbit and return safely to Earth. NASA's goal was to herald in a new era of spaceflight and it succeeded.

The astronauts are obviously the most visible face on Space Shuttle missions. And while I, like everyone else, extend the utmost praise to Young and Crippen for their extraordinary talent and boldness, it was the highly skilled and competent NASA and contractor workforce that made this shuttle mission possible. As with the astronauts, America needed its best and brightest to build and launch the Space Shuttle back in 1981 and it remains so today.

From the scientists and engineers to the launch crews and contractor personnel, each Shuttle launch is a manifestation of the pride that the people of the Space Coast have in America's space program.

Each launch lifts the spirits of all Americans and nothing gives those from the Space Coast more honor than serving as America's entryway to space. Today, the people of the Space Coast feel as honored to be America's space launch center as they did 25 years ago.

And as a representative from America's Space Coast, I share in the feelings of pride in past achievements as well as the expectation of success in the new NASA missions that will launch from our community.