September 19, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 151 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
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CHRISTA McAULIFFE COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT OF 2019; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 151
(House of Representatives - September 19, 2019)
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[Pages H7796-H7800] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] CHRISTA McAULIFFE COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT OF 2019 Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 239) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in recognition of Christa McAuliffe. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: S. 239 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act of 2019''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) Christa McAuliffe was a social studies teacher at Concord High School in Concord, New Hampshire. (2) In 1985, Christa McAuliffe was selected to be the first participant in the Teacher in Space program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (3) On January 28, 1986, Christa McAuliffe and 6 other astronauts were tragically killed during the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. (4) In 1989, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (in this Act referred to as ``FIRST'') was founded to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology. (5) The mission of FIRST ``is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership''. (6) 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of FIRST. (7) Each year, more than 1,000,000 children from the United States and more than 86 countries participate in a FIRST program. (8) Studies have shown that alumni of FIRST programs are more likely to become scientists and engineers and to volunteer in their communities. (9) FIRST is dedicated to carrying on the mission of Christa McAuliffe of inspiring students and creating a new generation of dreamers and innovators. (10) 2016 marked the 30th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy. SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. (a) Denominations.--In commemoration of Christa McAuliffe, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue not more than 350,000 $1 coins, each of which shall-- (1) weigh 26.73 grams; (2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and (3) contain at least 90 percent silver. (b) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code. [[Page H7797]] (c) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS. (a) Design Requirements.-- (1) In general.--The design of the coins minted under this Act shall bear-- (A) an image of and the name of Christa McAuliffe on the obverse side; and (B) a design on the reverse side that depicts the legacy of Christa McAuliffe as a teacher. (2) Designation and inscriptions.--On each coin minted under this Act, there shall be-- (A) a designation of the value of the coin; (B) an inscription of the year ``2021''; and (C) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God We Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E Pluribus Unum''. (b) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this Act shall be-- (1) selected by the Secretary, after consultation with the family of Christa McAuliffe, FIRST, and the Commission of Fine Arts; and (2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS. (a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities. (b) Mint Facility.--Only 1 facility of the United States Mint may be used to strike any particular quality of the coins minted under this Act. (c) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins under this Act only during the period beginning on January 1, 2021, and ending on December 31, 2021. SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS. (a) Sale Price.--The coins issued under this Act shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of-- (1) the face value of the coins; (2) the surcharge provided under section 7(a) with respect to the coins; and (3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins, including-- (A) labor; (B) materials; (C) dies; (D) use of machinery; (E) overhead expenses; (F) marketing; and (G) shipping. (b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount. (c) Prepaid Orders.-- (1) In general.--The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders for the coins minted under this Act before the issuance of the coins. (2) Discount.--Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount. SEC. 7. SURCHARGES. (a) In General.--All sales of coins issued under this Act shall include a surcharge of $10 per coin. (b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code, and section 8(2), all surcharges received by the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to the FIRST robotics program for the purpose of engaging and inspiring young people, through mentor-based programs, to become leaders in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. (c) Audits.--The FIRST robotics program shall be subject to the audit requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, with respect to the amounts received under subsection (b). SEC. 8. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES. The Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that-- (1) minting and issuing coins under this Act result in no net cost to the Federal Government; and (2) no funds, including applicable surcharges, are disbursed to any recipient designated in section 7(b) until the total cost of designing and issuing all of the coins authorized by this Act, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping, is recovered by the United States Treasury, consistent with sections 5112(m) and 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California. General Leave Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from California? There was no objection. Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in 1985, Christa McAuliffe was selected out of over 10,000 applicants to be the first participant in NASA's Teacher in Space program, becoming the first private citizen to be on a space mission. Before her selection, Ms. McAuliffe was a social studies teacher at Concord High School in New Hampshire and extremely popular with her students. McAuliffe was to be part of the space shuttle Challenger's crew and the mission plan, including having her conduct not only some basic science experiments, but also teach two 15-minute classes from space that would be broadcast to millions of students. On January 20, 1986, Christa McAuliffe tragically lost her life, alongside her six crewmates, in the space shuttle Challenger disaster. Ms. McAuliffe was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 2004 and has had scholarships and schools named in her honor. This year, a pair of teachers turned astronauts, Ricky Arnold and Joe Acaba, honored Ms. McAuliffe by filming the lessons she would have taught, had she lived to complete her mission, while they were aboard the International Space Station. This film is accessible to students around the world, courtesy of a partnership between NASA and the Challenger Center for Space Science Education. The first lesson was released in August 2018, and more lessons continue to be released. Proceeds from the sale of the commemorative coin will benefit FIRST, the Nation's leading not-for-profit STEM engagement program. The mission of FIRST is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting, mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills that inspire innovation and that foster well-rounded life capabilities, including self-confidence, communication, and leadership. Each year, more than 1 million children in the U.S. and 100 countries participate in FIRST. It has a presence in every State and nearly every congressional district. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this bill and vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to first start by taking just a few minutes to recognize a dear friend of mine, a member of the Financial Services Committee, Congressman Sean Duffy of Wisconsin. Sean has been a good friend of mine since the very beginning of when he started running for Congress, and I have had the pleasure of serving with Mr. Duffy since he came to Congress in 2011. As we say on the committee, known for his punctuality, it is kind of amazing that he is here now. This might be the first time he has been on time in all his 9 years of service in the House. Sean has been a huge asset for the Financial Services Committee and his constituents in the Seventh District of Wisconsin. He has worked on national issues of importance, like flood insurance; large issues, like international regulation of insurance agreements; as well as important, smaller issues that are very important to people's lives, like mold and lead-based paint remediation and providing better options for residents of public and assisted living or assisted housing. He has been a great advocate for his constituents, and I have been honored to work with him as a colleague. He has led three separate subcommittees on the Financial Services Committee. He has had a meaningful impact on public policy. He has developed meaningful relationships on both sides of the aisle in this institution and has been willing to have some of the bigger debates on policy that, perhaps, were divided in the party. He has always done so with a joyful heart and a fantastic capacity for communicating. At some points, to the dismay of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, including the chairwoman of the committee, the debate can sometimes get rough-and-tumble, but he always does it with a smile on his face; and you can have a conversation with him afterwards, no matter how difficult or challenging the conversation or debate. While Sean has been a colleague, I have counted him as an adviser and a friend and somebody I knew I could talk to even in the toughest of times. [[Page H7798]] Sean is leaving because of his family. He has made a decision that it is the right thing for his family, to depart our institution and our schedule and the challenges of public life at this time in his family life. He has got a beautiful family, some of whom are here behind me today. So we wish Sean and Rachel Duffy the best, and we will keep them, certainly, in our thoughts, but forever in our prayers and in our hearts. I thank Sean so much for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 239, the Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act of 2019. I would like to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton), the dean of the Michigan delegation, who has the bill here in the House, H.R. 500, and who has gathered more than 309 cosponsors on this bill to see it across the line. We know the story of Christa McAuliffe. In fact, one of my first memories of understanding what NASA did was to see the tragedy of the loss of the shuttle and the human tragedy of somebody who is such a dedicated public servant, dedicated to her classroom, to teaching, but, also, her willingness to put herself on the line to be a greater advocate for teaching and for education. Christa McAuliffe had a meaningful impact on people's lives, and this is a representation of that. It is a fantastic undertaking that we have had here today. Due to the great work of Congressman Upton, we have wide, bipartisan support for this important and meaningful act before us. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the majority leader. {time} 1545 Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I want to thank Mr. McHenry for his leadership as ranking member of the committee, and for his bringing this to the floor. I want to thank my very good friend, not my Republican friend, my very good friend, Fred Upton, for his work and his leadership on this piece of legislation, and my dear friend, Annie Kuster, for her leadership. This is personal for me. I am so happy to rise in support of this legislation. I went to Georgetown Law School, and I set up practice just about 5 or 7 miles from here in the late sixties. And in the seventies, late seventies, I had a law clerk; he also went to Georgetown Law School. He was a young, bright, extraordinarily able individual. His name was Steve. Steve is now a Federal District Court Judge in New Hampshire. He had an extraordinary wife, and her name was Christa. Steve and Christa became very dear friends of Judy's and mine. In those days, I had enough time to sail, and I had a sailboat. Steve and Christa, from time to time, would go sailing with Judy and me and perhaps some of my children. I remember Christa with the wind in her hair, beautiful outside but, more importantly, beautiful inside, full of life, full of excitement, full of vision for what she, as a teacher, could do for her children. Some of you may recall that Christa's motto as the Teacher in Space was: ``I touch the future. I teach.'' And she was looking forward with such excitement, not only to leave the bounds of Earth, but to return to Earth and engage with her students; to share her experience; to share the excitement and adventure of going into a new frontier that we call space. It is so appropriate that we pass this coin bill in her name. Christa was my friend. She was the best of us, as were her fellow astronauts on that fated day at the beginning of 1986, that, for a few seconds, burned so brightly with so much hope, and whose lives were snuffed out in an instant as the Challenger blew up. Christa, during the course of the competition to be the teacher in space, would visit my office that was in the Longworth Building, in the back of the building on the fifth floor. Mr. Speaker, every time she would come to Washington, she would come to my office, and we would visit as she was participating in the competition, and I saw her excitement and her anticipation. Obviously, NASA saw it as well because, out of those 10,000, they chose her to be the representative of the most important profession in our country, the teaching profession, without whom our society cannot succeed. It is so appropriate that this coin bill, as the chairwoman has said, will benefit a program called FIRST, that Dean Kamen, one of the great engineers and inventors in our country and, indeed, the world, established; and now we have literally thousands and thousands and thousands of young people all over this world participating in STEM activities and, particularly, robotics, who will be enabled to pursue this program more fully. Surely, no one is going to vote against this bill, but we can all be very proud of the fact that we not only memorialize an extraordinary fellow citizen, fellow human being, who, as Kennedy said, brought her energy and her faith and her devotion to making her country, her community, and our children better. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman for bringing this bill to the floor. I thank Mr. McHenry for his support. I thank Mr. Upton, and I thank Ms. Kuster. This is a thing that is good to do. America is better for Christa McAuliffe's life. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my strong support for this bill. Christa McAuliffe was more than just a teacher and an American hero who lost her life in the pursuit of science and our understanding of the universe. Christa was a friend. Her husband, Steven, now senior judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire, worked as my law clerk for two years. I got to know Christa then, and before the couple moved to New England, Christa taught in Prince George's County schools in my district. As a graduate of Bowie State University and then as a teacher for eight years in Prince George's County, she inspired so many young people in Maryland to dream big and aim for the stars. Kind, intelligent, and compassionate--Christa was a perfect choice for the ``Teacher in Space'' program, to which she was selected out of more than 11,000 applicants. Christa was the ideal candidate. She could connect with anyone; her personality was magnetic. She had a way of inspiring every student to give his or her best, and she radiated a joy and love of teaching every time she entered a classroom or stood up to speak. With trademark poise and determination, Christa approached the challenge of space travel like she did all others: with boundless passion. I remember when she spoke to over 12,000 people from Prince George's County School System after her selection for the ``Teacher in Space'' program. Everyone in the audience--from the youngest students to the oldest teachers, parents and guests--we all felt like we were about to go on the journey alongside her. Christa spoke about her goals for the spaceflight, how she wanted to get students and teachers around the country excited about science and space. She spoke of how the `new frontier' of space belongs to all of us as the children of earth. And she told us that she would be returning to teaching after her journey to space, because that was what she loved, and nothing could stop her from doing what she loved. Of course, tragically, we know that she never had that chance. Today, we have an opportunity to help make sure that Christa can continue to inspire and instill lessons about science and space. Even more than three decades after she and the six astronauts perished in the Challenger disaster, we can carry on her legacy by promoting S.T.E.M. learning with this new commemorative coin program named in her memory. The proceeds will benefit the F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Program, which engages and inspires future generations to become leaders in S.T.E.M. fields. I hope my colleagues will join me in celebrating Christa's life and building on her legacy by supporting this legislation with strong, bipartisan approval. Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, if I may inquire how much time I have remaining. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from North Carolina has 15\1/ 2\ minutes remaining. Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton), the dean of the Michigan delegation. [[Page H7799]] Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. McHenry for his leadership on this, and for his co-sponsorship. I want to particularly cite Steny Hoyer, not only as a great friend, but as one who really helped shepherd this to the floor today. These are not easy. In fact, I talked to a colleague earlier today who has got another coin bill, and I told him I don't know if I can ever do another one of these again. It takes a lot of work. This has been bipartisan from the very start, and I want to thank my friend, Mike Crapo, who used to be on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, who now chairs the Senate Finance Committee. But particularly, I want to thank my three colleagues that I see on the other side here, Debbie Dingell, Annie Kuster, and Chris Pappas, for their help to make sure that we could, in fact, get more than 290 cosponsors, which is the magic number to try and get this thing done. It is, as Mr. Hoyer, the majority leader, said, an important piece of legislation; it really is. It is, in essence, the Senate companion. Our bill, H.R. 500, is the companion to the Senate bill, S. 239, which passed at the end, just before the August break in the Senate. But we only do two coin bills a year. And as one that helped buttonhole Members about this, there is no cost to the Treasury. That is important. All of the costs are firstborn; the sale of the coins all goes to reimburse the Treasury for the costs that are associated, and then the profits from the coins go to the particular cause; in this case, it is FIRST. Many of us on both sides, all across the country, have seen FIRST competitions in high schools, with high schools, tens of thousands of high school students over the last 10, 15-some years. More than 3,500 individual corporate sponsors help to enlist people to be encouraged to go into the math and science fields, to compete, to develop robots, to compete against each other, to work with each other, build team partnerships, and it really makes a difference. In fact, there is a story that the current Air Force Academy Superintendent apparently said earlier this year that one of the first things that they look at for students for admission to the Air Force Academy is: Did they participate in FIRST. Because they know that if they did, that is an outstanding outside-school activity and they know that they are on the right path. What this coin is going to do, with Christa McAuliffe's picture, but the other six astronauts that were with her on that fateful January day, the sale of that coin is going to help FIRST, which was set up by Dean Kamen, who, in my book, is a rock star. But he, in essence, is the Thomas Edison of today. Yep, he did the Segway. He also did the kidney dialysis machine. He has done prosthetics so that our veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan are actually able to be functional in a way that makes up for the loss of those particular limbs. He is such an enthusiastic supporter of this that it is not only in every State in the Nation, but all around the world now, in terms of competition. And they have provided financial assistance, I think more than $50 million in scholarship loans, to students looking to move on to higher education, particularly in engineering. So this coin is going to be a sellout. I am looking forward to 2021 to getting my coin for sure and helping the cause. I would note that our State, in Michigan, under Governor Snyder, and now Governor Whitmer, a Republican and a Democrat, they have authorized in their budget at least $10 million a year to help offset the costs that are associated with the students as they participate in this program that often starts in January and concludes, as we saw in the worldwide competition in Detroit earlier this year, just a few months later. So it is a great program. All of us need to support it. Having more than 300 cosponsors was pretty awesome to do in just a short amount of time. And I congratulate my colleagues from New Hampshire, particularly the ones that are on the floor today for their work with our Senate colleagues to get this thing across the finish line. Knowing that you can only do two is pretty amazing. I reserve the balance of my time, just in case somebody needs it. I urge all my colleagues to support this bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Michigan cannot reserve. The gentleman from North Carolina controls the time. Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster). Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman for yielding, and I thank our colleagues on the other side of the aisle. I am so thrilled today to rise in favor of the Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act. Christa McAuliffe was a teacher at my alma mater, Concord High School, and she was my hero. Christa was smart; she was charming; she was the kind teacher who left her mark on countless students through her willingness to do whatever it took to help them succeed. The Concord and broader New Hampshire community was thrilled when she was chosen out of over 10,000 applicants as NASA's first teacher in space. Her mission was to inspire a generation of American students to look toward the sky and pursue careers in science. And her motto, as Mr. Hoyer noted: ``I touch the future. I teach.'' She cared about America, and every year she invited my mother, former State Senator Susan McLane, into her classroom so that her students would know about our government and opportunities for their future. Her husband, Steve, and their two children, were important in our community. And I am reminded of the story, when President Bush announced Christa's appointment, he whispered into Steve's ear: ``You will be making your dinner a lot more on your own.'' Tragically, on January 28, 1986, Christa, along with six other members of the Challenger Space Shuttle crew, perished when the shuttle exploded. I can't tell you the number of colleagues when I was asking for their signatures to join us in this bipartisan bill said, I remember exactly where I was when that happened. But we remember Christa because she wanted her students to seek out the best in themselves, and always to reach a little higher. Inspired by Christa's leadership, her students did just that by going on to become teachers and to pursue careers in science and education and public policy. Christa's legacy can be seen all over the State of New Hampshire; from the Christa McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, which is a planetarium in our town, to Christa McAuliffe Middle School in Concord. And I am proud that this coin will help cement Christa's place in American history for generations to come. So it is fitting that the proceeds from the coin will support FIRST Robotics, a nationwide leader in STEM education, founded, as Mr. Upton said, by New Hampshire inventor, Dean Kamen, to help fulfill Christa's legacy by helping students discover the wonders of the world through education and science. I was so proud to work with my colleagues and friends, Fred Upton, Debbie Dingell, and my new colleague from New Hampshire, Chris Pappas, to help secure the cosponsors needed to pass this bill. I appreciate Leader Hoyer's and Chairwoman Maxine Waters' willingness to move this bill and to honor Christa McAuliffe. I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill. {time} 1600 Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell). Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 239, the Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act of 2019. We all remember where we were on January 28, 1986, the day we lost the space shuttle Challenger and its crew, and Americans all across the country mourned. Among the brave crew members was New Hampshire's own Christa McAuliffe, who had been chosen as the first teacher in space. Through her spirit and enthusiasm for pioneering the unknown, she encouraged a generation to reach for the stars. Her quest for knowledge and her commitment to inspiring young people [[Page H7800]] to pursue their dreams has had a lasting impact on children everywhere. To honor her and keep her dream alive for the next generation, my dear friends Representative Upton, who has been incredible, Representative Annie Kuster, and Representative Pappas, Michigan and New Hampshire, have worked together for this, and I thank them for their leadership. The bill will mint a commemorative coin, with the proceeds going to support the New Hampshire-based nonprofit FIRST, or For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. Each year, they host the first robotics competition, and we see young people building these robots, encouraging and inspiring them to invest in science and math. I try to go to them every time I can. I was just at an all-women's one last Saturday. They strive to inspire young people to be leaders in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. There is no better way to honor the memory and life of Christa McAuliffe than to continue to inspire and encourage young people to be at the forefront of innovation and technology. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this. Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. It is amazing how a teacher can touch lives. Christa McAuliffe touched lives, not just for the students in her classroom, not just in her community, but by what she means to the American people and how her contribution is marked in the American psyche of what teachers are and what they represent in such a significant way. The Challenger tragedy was a massive loss for us as Americans in terms of human life, certainly. But it is marked in American history, and it is marked in American history in a very special way and has a quite different feel because of Christa McAuliffe. The work put in to bring a coin bill to the floor is extraordinary, and I have to say this: The challenge to get a coin bill to the House floor is enormous under our rules. Under a bipartisan understanding, we have a massive hurdle in order to get here. It is not a normal process to bring a bill to the floor. It is an onerous and difficult one. That is why we have so few bills to strike new coins that come across the House floor and get enacted into law. It is a proper thing to make it onerous and difficult because, when it happens, it shows what we are trying to represent with that coin, whether it is a person, a community, an action, that what they did was so pure, so perfectly American, and that what they did, that person, that group, what they did should be noted in American history and should be noted in a meaningful way, a meaningful enough way that it was how the Romans marked who their emperors were. This is our way of saying in a very special way that Christa McAuliffe was a wonderfully special human being who made a significant mark as an American. I thank Congressman Upton for the massive amount of passionate work that he put in to make this day possible. I thank my colleagues across the aisle for this process and for the outcome that we have here today. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, 2021 marks the 35th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger tragedy. This bill will help commemorate and further Christa McAuliffe's inspirational life and help develop a new generation of dreamers and innovators by providing FIRST with additional funding to launch young people into critically needed, well-paying STEM jobs. I thank the sponsor of the House companion to S. 239, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton), and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important piece of legislation. I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, on the morning of January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart just over a minute after launch. We will always remember the brave Challenger crew, and the sacrifice they made to help advance the exploration of space. Among those lost in the Challenger tragedy was one teacher, Christa McAuliffe, who was to be the very first teacher to go to space with NASA's new Teacher in Space project. The Teacher in Space project was created to spark students' interest in science, exploration, and discovery. Teachers are leaders and inspirers. Teachers encourage their students to reach for the stars; devoting their careers to uncovering the endless opportunities that are out there for their pupils. That is just what Christa McAuliffe was seeking to do when she joined the Teacher in Space project. Ms. McAuliffe was once asked to describe her philosophy of living, to which she answered, ``to get as much out of life as possible.'' The Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act of 2019 is an excellent way to recognize and remember Ms. McAuliffe for her contributions to education and to celebrate women in STEM. We must continue to uphold Ms. McAuliffe's mission to boost the next generation's interest in the sciences. Christa McAuliffe decided to embark on this adventure with her students in mind, knowing she would have incredible lessons to teach them when she returned from space. Although she never returned, the story of her life will continue to inspire successive generations of students to explore, to remain curious, and to keep a love of learning alive. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Titus). The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 239. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________
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