National Aeronautics And Space Administration Authorization Act Of 2010
Mr. Speaker, I also would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, tonight we consider legislation of great importance to Florida's Space Coast and to our Nation, the NASA…
Mr. Speaker, I also would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, tonight we consider legislation of great importance to Florida's Space Coast and to our Nation, the NASA Authorization Act.
I want to echo the sentiments of my colleagues who have suggested that the uncertainty surrounding NASA and our manned space exploration has caused a great deal of anguish and difficult times for my constituents, literally thousands of individuals, families and businesses.
This legislation will define NASA's future by building on its past. The legislation mandates one additional shuttle flight next year, which will provide additional job stability for thousands of workers and ensure the long-term viability of the international space station, a national laboratory, 200 miles above our heads, only now complete after 10 years of construction, which has endless research and education possibilities.
The bill also directs the development of new NASA-led heavy lift vehicles utilizing shuttle and constellation work, which will make our astronauts have the opportunity for even greater exploration to asteroids and eventually to Mars sooner than the current program. This exploration mission will drive technological innovation as we strive to address its challenges, as well as to inspire our students to become engineers and astronauts. And the bill provides funding to update the infrastructure at Kennedy Space Center so it will truly be America's 21st-century gateway to space.
Finally, the authorization bill seeds the commercial spaceflight industry, which includes new entrepreneurial small businesses, along with the giants of aerospace and decades of experience sending our astronauts and cargo into space.
This will provide new job opportunities for our skilled workforce and options for researchers and tourists to experience spaceflight.
On Friday in my district, about 900 workers will lose their jobs as the shuttle program begins to wind down. We must do everything that we can possibly do to preserve this unique workforce, as was referred to my by colleague earlier.
We cannot afford to lose our technological supremacy because we have failed to act. Failure is not an option. Please vote ``yes'' on the bill.