Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 272, the Astronaut Safe Temporary Ride Options Act, or, for short, the ASTRO Act. As the bill's sponsor, I thank Chairman Comer for his help in getting the bill to the floor. One of the great honors of serving as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics is having the opportunity to meet our astronauts preparing to go to space and to hear from them after they return from their missions. The ASTRO Act is a result of these conversations and NASA's advocacy for increased astronaut safety. The brave men and women who wear the iconic blue flight suit risk their lives to advance America's leadership in space. We owe it to them to ensure that when they return from long-duration space missions, their recovery and health studies are not hampered by bureaucracy. The space environment poses significant medical issues, such as osteoporosis, muscle atrophy, broken bones from reentry, vision and ocular changes, and disrupted equilibrium, which prevent astronauts from being able to drive when they come back home. However, NASA astronauts' participation in physiological research and longitudinal studies upon their return from space informs future exploration efforts and how we treat future astronauts. It is imperative that they get these things checked.…”