On the recordJune 23, 2017
Today I rise to recognize Kayla Barron of Richland, Washington, who was recently selected for NASA's 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class. Kayla was chosen 1 of 12 from over 18,000 applicants to join just 338 people who have held the prestigious title of American astronaut. Before applying to the NASA program, Ms. Barron attended the U.S. Naval Academy, where she received several medals and unit commendations while earning a bachelor's degree in systems engineering. She went on to earn a master's degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Cambridge. She was a member of the first class of women commissioned into the submarine community as a submarine warfare officer. Kayla is an exemplary role model for students interested in science and technology. I commend her for her hard work, and I wish her luck in her training and her future exploration endeavors. ____________________
