Political Quotes

“I wanted to come to the floor and talk about one aspect of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act that we haven't had time to fully address out here on the floor, although we had some discussion during the amendment process, and that is that the underlying bill in S. 1260 also reauthorizes NASA and puts support in for the Artemis Program. On October 5, 1957, our Nation's relationship with space changed forever with the launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik 1. With a rival power's satellite flying overhead, the geostrategic importance of outer space was undeniable, and within a year, the Nation had two new science agencies: the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. That launch ignited the American competitive spirit and inspired the Nation to rapidly develop its space capabilities. Only 12 years later, from that moment, an American was the first man to set foot on the Moon, and the race to the Moon set the stage for the vibrant, commercial space economy we have today. We like the fact that Seattle and the region is now called the ``Silicon Valley of Space.'' I know there are many aspects to our country where space is a key industry, whether that is in Florida, Alabama, Texas, or other Southern States we know, but in the innovation and in the next phases of innovation, a lot is happening in the nexus between software and space in the Pacific Northwest.…”