Hon. Michael G. Oxley: “two and a half years ago we all watched in horror as the space shuttle Columbia fell apart during re-entry over the…”

“two and a half years ago we all watched in horror as the space shuttle Columbia fell apart during re-entry over the Southwest. Nearly two decades ago, we all watched in horror as the Challenger blew up on launch. And before that, we remember other space tragedies. But, Mr. Speaker, despite all the sense of sorrow and loss that those events brought, we also remember the successes of NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratories--spacewalks and moon walks, moon rocks and rocket jocks. The history of NASA and the JPL are a glorious celebration of all that is American, the right stuff, the elation and the tragedy, the bravery and the genius. And so today I rise in strong support of the proposal by the gentleman from Texas to honor the 50th anniversary of NASA and the JPL with commemorative coins to be issued in 3 years. Mr. Speaker, just like the space exploration program, this program is big and reaches for the stars. The coins will have symbolic, though trace, amounts of metal that has actually flown in space. Though the coins will be available individually, the prize no doubt will be sets representing the solar system that will become prized collector items for space fans and coin collectors alike who will be glad to fork over the $1,200 or $1,500 that will be necessary to buy nine silver dollars and one gold $50 coin.…”