Political Quotes

“I rise this morning to praise the men and women of NASA, and to applaud the vision and leadership of NASA Administrator Dan Golden. The landing of the Pathfinder explorer on Mars and the subsequent exploration by the Sojourner rover, named after that great American hero, Sojourner Truth, demonstrates that the United States is the global leader in science, technology, and space exploration. It is especially fitting, Mr. Speaker, that the United States is making one of its most substantial achievements in space at the same time that President Clinton is expanding NATO, our most successful military alliance in contemporary history. In 1960, at the height of the cold war, President Kennedy challenged the Nation to send a man to the Moon by the end of the decade. Spurred by strategic competition with the Soviet Union, we met that challenge. Today, however, Mr. Speaker, the cold war is over, but the challenge to inspire our people in the national interest still exists today. If we expect to build on the successes of the Pathfinder mission and to make NATO a success well into the 21st century, we must recommit ourselves to educating our people, educating our young people, and educating those who are going off to college. A national commitment to education will enable us to produce the scientists, engineers, astronauts, and diplomats that will ensure our national security and make future space exploration a reality.”