Political Quotes

“I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a dear friend, someone whom I admire, and someone whom the whole world cheered on, Dr. Sally Ride. Dr. Ride was the first American woman in space. When she went out there, she blazed a trail out into the stars for women in science and women in technology, inspiring not only American girls but girls around the world. Last night, we got the very sad news that Dr. Ride passed away after a brave fight against pancreatic cancer. I wanted to come to the floor to speak about her. We all know the biography. Dr. Ride became an astronaut after answering an ad in her college newspaper. She had earned a Ph.D. in physics from Stanford. She also earned a graduate degree in Shakespeare. She joined the first group of women in the astronaut corps and trained to be a mission specialist. I knew Sally Ride both professionally and personally. I have had the great honor in my years in the Senate to be on the committee that funds the American space program. I have important space assets in my own State of Maryland: the great Goddard Space Flight Center and Wallops Island, from where we hope to do some new launches later this summer. But for me, my journey into space, my love for space began not only when John Glenn went into space, and when we walked on the Moon, but I will never forget that day Sally Ride, in 1983, boarded that shuttle, strapped herself in, put on her helmet, the rockets roared, and out she went.…”