Political Quotes

“Mr. President, we have had a very eloquent statement by the Senator from Arkansas about questions that have been raised about the international space station. Needless to say, this question has been addressed time and time again on this floor. There are those scientists who have questions and objections. Nevertheless, the vast body, I think, of scientific knowledge and scientific expertise indicates that the space station is a tremendous opportunity for us to expand our knowledge not only about space but to develop new processes, new pharmaceuticals, medical advancements, and items that can be of tremendous benefit for us here on Earth. Yesterday, for example, I note that the distinguished Senator from Ohio, our only space astronaut-Senator, talked at some length about the tremendous number of advances in scientific knowledge that have come from exploration in space. The bioreactor produces artificial human tissue potentially useful in treating colon and prostate cancer, production of kidney tissue and the cartilage tissue for implants. Fluid physics, which can be observed in space, help us understand the processes on Earth, such as how the soil behaves during earthquakes.”