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From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           REMEMBERING THE SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER AND CREW

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, 33 years ago today, we 
lost the Space Shuttle Challenger.
  I rise to remember and honor the seven crew members whose passion for 
exploration has inspired generations of Americans.
  On January 28, 1986, the 25th mission of the United States space 
shuttle program was set to transport cargo and crew into orbit. 
Tragically, the mission was cut short over the skies of Cape Canaveral.
  More than three decades later, we remember the sacrifice of each crew 
member: Dick Scobee, Michael Smith, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, 
Ronald McNair, Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. Their legacy is 
forever enshrined in our Nation's Capital with the Space Shuttle 
Challenger Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.
  As President Reagan said in his address to the Nation: ``The 
Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to 
follow them.''
  Mr. Speaker, may our American curiosity for space exploration never 
fade, and as we continue to seek farther horizons, it is my hope that 
we fuel the interest of future generations.
  Today, we honor and remember the brave crew of the Space Shuttle 
Challenger.

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