Duncan Faircloth: “Today I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of legislation being introduced by Senator Helms--the two Senators from…”

“Today I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of legislation being introduced by Senator Helms--the two Senators from Ohio--that would establish a National Commission to oversee the 100th anniversary of the first flight. Mr. President, on a cold, windy December morning in 1903, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the Wright brothers changed the history of the world. Orville Wright flew for just 12 seconds--but it was the first manned flight. Today, many people take for granted what was accomplished by the Wright brothers that day, but at the time it was a historic achievement. Man had been thinking of flight for thousand of years--and yet the Wright brothers, here in the United States, were the first to do it. The development of flight grew rapidly. A little over a decade later, airplanes were used in the battles of World War I. Two decades after the 12-second first flight--Charles Lindbergh flew over the Atlantic. And of course, in 1962, in just a half century after the first 12-second flight, our distinguished colleague John Glenn was the first man to fly around the world in space. Seven years after that, we landed a man on the Moon. It is hard to believe that all of this has taken place in the span of less than 100 years. This is why the centennial anniversary of first flight is so significant to us, the sponsors of this legislation. The Commission will coordinate the plans for the celebration.”