On the recordJanuary 29, 2020
Yesterday marked the anniversary of the Challenger space shuttle explosion. Mr. Speaker, 34 years ago, President Ronald Reagan addressed the Nation from the Oval Office, mourning with the entire country but paying special attention to the Nation's young people, telling them: ``The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave.'' Today, those young people have become the men and women who have taken up the mantle of space exploration, who probe the outer limits of our solar system and even join NASA to explore space for themselves. President Reagan's words are as true for these men and women as they were for the Challenger crew. As we look back on the tragedy of the Challenger, we must also look ahead. Let us recommit ourselves to space exploration by empowering the men and women who study it. We can honor our past by making space exploration a part of our future. ____________________
