Political Quotes

“I want to honor a remarkable woman who has retired after three decades at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. In her 30 years at NASA, Karen Nyberg spent 20 of them as an astronaut, including 180 days in space on two spaceflights. Along with other Americans, I enjoyed following her space shuttle mission in 2008 and the International Space Station's 6-month expedition in 2013. During her space shuttle mission, she became the 50th woman in space. While on the International Space Station, she shared unique personal messages, including videos on how to wash hair in space, make a stuffed animal, and work on a quilt. I have since become acquainted with her as an alumna of the University of North Dakota, where she earned a mechanical engineering degree in 1994. A native of Vining, MN, she is one of 11 NASA astronauts who have ties to the Dakotas and Minnesota. Karen has given back to her alma mater, where she has served on the foundation board of the UND School of Aerospace Sciences. There students from across the globe in the Department of Space Studies learn about cutting-edge technologies and scientific breakthroughs in space exploration. Their coursework includes studying future space trips, including a mission to Mars. Last July, our Nation observed the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon.…”