December 10, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 197 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page S6954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 451--CONGRATULATING ASTRONAUTS DR. JESSICA U. MEIR 
AND CHRISTINA H. KOCH FOR THE HISTORIC ACCOMPLISHMENT OF COMPLETING THE 
                       FIRST ALL-FEMALE SPACEWALK

  Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Ms. Stabenow, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Murray, 
Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Shaheen, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Warren, 
Mrs. Fischer, Mrs. Capito, Ms. Ernst, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Hassan, Ms. 
Harris, Ms. Smith, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mrs. Blackburn, Ms. Sinema, Ms. 
McSally, Ms. Rosen, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Baldwin, and Ms. 
Murkowski) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
agreed to:

                              S. Res. 451

       Whereas, on October 18, 2019, Dr. Jessica U. Meir and 
     Christina H. Koch became the first astronauts to take part in 
     an all-female spacewalk;
       Whereas, although the first spacewalk took place in 1964, 
     the first female spacewalk did not take place until 1984, 
     when Kathryn Sullivan became the first woman of the United 
     States to perform a spacewalk with male astronaut David 
     Leestma;
       Whereas the October 18, 2019 spacewalk was the first 
     spacewalk for Dr. Meir and the fourth spacewalk for Ms. Koch;
       Whereas, during the 7 hour and 7 minute mission, the 2 
     astronauts successfully replaced a faulty 232-pound battery 
     unit that charges and discharges the solar power system of 
     the International Space Station;
       Whereas Dr. Meir and Ms. Koch continue to perform critical 
     tasks in support of the mission of the National Aeronautics 
     and Space Administration (referred to in this preamble as 
     ``NASA'') and are conducting numerous experiments to advance 
     scientific knowledge and the understanding of the long-term 
     effects of space on humans;
       Whereas Ms. Koch is expected to break the record for the 
     longest single spaceflight by a woman when she completes her 
     mission to the International Space Station, spending 328 
     total consecutive days in space;
       Whereas Dr. Meir is a native of Caribou, Maine, and her 
     impressive academic credentials include a bachelor of arts in 
     Biology from Brown University, a master of science in Space 
     Studies from the International Space University, and a 
     doctorate in Marine Biology from the Scripps Institution of 
     Oceanography;
       Whereas Ms. Koch is a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and 
     her superior academic credentials include a bachelor of 
     science in Electrical Engineering, a bachelor of science in 
     Physics, and a master of science in Electrical Engineering 
     from North Carolina State University;
       Whereas NASA did not even admit women into its astronaut 
     program until 1978;
       Whereas Dr. Meir and Ms. Koch were both members of the 2013 
     Astronaut Candidate Class of NASA, which was comprised of 8 
     astronauts and was the first class to include equal numbers 
     of men and women;
       Whereas Dr. Meir and Ms. Koch are an inspiration to girls 
     and boys across the United States and have spoken to hundreds 
     of students from the International Space Station to answer 
     their questions and to encourage them to pursue their dreams;
       Whereas developing the next generation of women astronauts 
     is a priority for the study and exploration of space: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates and expresses pride in Dr. Jessica U. 
     Meir and Christina H. Koch for successfully completing the 
     first all-female spacewalk in history; and
       (2) supports the efforts of the National Aeronautics and 
     Space Administration (referred to in this resolving clause as 
     ``NASA'') to--
       (A) fully integrate women into the astronaut corps; and
       (B) ensure that one of the next humans to walk on the Moon 
     will be a woman.

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