September 19, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 151 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
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HIDDEN FIGURES CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 151
(House of Representatives - September 19, 2019)
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[Pages H7812-H7814] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] HIDDEN FIGURES CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1396) to award Congressional Gold Medals to Katherine Johnson and Dr. Christine Darden, to posthumously award Congressional Gold Medals to Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, and to award a Congressional Gold Medal to honor all of the women who contributed to the success of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration during the Space Race, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1396 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 ``Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) In 1935, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (referred to in this section as ``NACA'') hired 5 women to serve as the first ``computer pool'' at the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory where those women took on work making calculations that male engineers had made previously. (2) During the 1940s, NACA began recruiting African- American women to work as computers and initially separated those women from their White counterparts in a group known as the ``West Area Computers'' where the women were restricted to segregated dining and bathroom facilities. (3) Katherine Johnson was born on August 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. (4) In 1953, Katherine Johnson began her career in aeronautics as a computer in the segregated West Area Computing unit described in paragraph (2). (5) As a member of the Flight Research Division, Katherine Johnson analyzed data from flight tests. After NACA was reformulated into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (referred to in this section as ``NASA''), Katherine Johnson-- (A) calculated the trajectory for Alan Shepard's Freedom 7 mission in 1961, which was the first human spaceflight by an individual from the United States; (B) coauthored a report that provided the equations for describing orbital spaceflight with a specified landing point, which made her the first woman to be recognized as an author of a report from the Flight Research Division; (C) was asked to verify the calculations when electronic computers at NASA were used to calculate the orbit for John Glenn's Friendship 7 mission; and (D) provided calculations for NASA throughout her career, including for the Apollo missions. (6) Katherine Johnson retired from NASA in 1986. (7) Dr. Christine Darden was born on September 10, 1942, in Monroe, North Carolina. (8) In 1962, Dr. Christine Darden graduated from Hampton Institute with a B.S. in Mathematics and a teaching credential. (9) Dr. Christine Darden attended Virginia State University where she studied aerosol physics and earned an M.S. in Applied Mathematics. (10) Dr. Christine Darden began her career in aeronautics in 1967 as a data analyst at NASA's Langley Research Center (referred to in this section as ``Langley'') before being promoted to aerospace engineer in 1973. Her work in this position resulted in the production of low-boom sonic effects, which revolutionized aerodynamics design. (11) Dr. Christine Darden completed her education by earning a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from George Washington University in 1983. (12) While working at NASA, Dr. Christine Darden-- (A) was appointed to be the leader of the Sonic Boom Team, which worked on designs to minimize the effects of sonic booms by testing wing and nose designs for supersonic aircraft; (B) wrote more than 50 articles on aeronautics design; and (C) became the first African American to be promoted to a position in the Senior Executive Service at Langley. (13) Dorothy Vaughan was born on September 20, 1910, in Kansas City, Missouri. (14) Dorothy Vaughan began working for NACA in 1943. Dorothy Vaughan-- (A) started at NACA as a member of the West Area Computing unit; (B) was promoted to be the head of the West Area Computing unit, becoming NACA's first African-American supervisor, a position that she held for 9 years; and (C) became an expert programmer in FORTRAN as a member of NASA's Analysis and Computation Division. (15) Dorothy Vaughan retired from NASA in 1971 and died on November 10, 2008. (16) Mary Jackson was born on April 9, 1921, in Hampton, Virginia. (17) Mary Jackson started her career at NACA in 1951, working as a computer as a member of the West Area Computing unit. (18) After petitioning the City of Hampton to allow her to take graduate-level courses in math and physics at night at the all-White Hampton High School, Mary Jackson was able to complete the required training to become an engineer, making her NASA's first female African-American engineer. (19) Mary Jackson-- (A) while at NACA and NASA-- (i) worked in the Theoretical Aerodynamics Branch of the Subsonic-Transonic Aerodynamics Division at Langley where she analyzed wind tunnel and aircraft flight data; and (ii) published a dozen technical papers that focused on the boundary layer of air around airplanes; and (B) after 21 years working as an engineer at NASA, transitioned to a new job as Langley's Federal Women's Program Manager where she worked to improve the prospects of NASA's female mathematicians, engineers, and scientists. (20) Mary Jackson retired from NASA in 1985 and died in 2005. (21) These 4 women, along with the other African-American women in NASA's West Area Computing unit, were integral to the success of the early space program. The stories of these 4 women exemplify the experiences of hundreds of women who worked as computers, mathematicians, and engineers at NACA beginning in the 1930s and their handmade calculations played an integral role in-- (A) aircraft testing during World War II; (B) supersonic flight research; (C) sending the Voyager probes to explore the solar system; and (D) the United States landing the first man on the lunar surface. SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS. (a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of 5 gold medals of appropriate design as follows: (1) One gold medal to Katherine Johnson in recognition of her service to the United States as a mathematician. (2) One gold medal to Dr. Christine Darden for her service to the United States as an aeronautical engineer. [[Page H7813]] (3) In recognition of their service to the United States during the Space Race-- (A) 1 gold medal commemorating the life of Dorothy Vaughan; and (B) 1 gold medal commemorating the life of Mary Jackson. (4) One gold medal in recognition of all women who served as computers, mathematicians, and engineers at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration between the 1930s and the 1970s (referred to in this section as ``recognized women''). (b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the awards under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike each gold medal described in that subsection with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. (c) Transfer of Certain Medals After Presentation.-- (1) Smithsonian institution.-- (A) In general.--After the award of the gold medal commemorating the life of Dorothy Vaughan under subsection (a)(3)(A) and the award of the gold medal in recognition of recognized women under subsection (a)(4), those medals shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution where the medals shall be-- (i) available for display, as appropriate; and (ii) made available for research. (B) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medals received under subparagraph (A) available for-- (i) display, particularly at the National Museum of African American History and Culture; or (ii) loan, as appropriate, so that the medals may be displayed elsewhere. (2) Transfer to family.--After the award of the gold medal in honor of Mary Jackson under subsection (a)(3)(B), the medal shall be given to her granddaughter, Wanda Jackson. SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. Under regulations that the Secretary may promulgate, the Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medals struck under this Act, at a price sufficient to cover the cost of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. (a) National Medals.--The medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. (b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE. (a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of the medals struck under this Act. (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund. SEC. 7. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Guam (Mr. San Nicolas) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Guam. General Leave Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within 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 gentleman from Guam? There was no objection. Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1396, the Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019. I thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Johnson) for her work on this bill, which honors the women mathematicians and engineers who helped win the Space Race. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Moon space landing, a shining beacon of bold American innovation and ingenuity, made possible by tireless and often unacknowledged and under-appreciated contributions of the women working as computers, mathematicians, and engineers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. These women faced challenges that exemplified the period of segregation in which they lived and the male-dominated culture at NASA and its precursors, despite the contributions they made to space exploration. They faced lower pay, were not allowed to submit their work under their own names and did not receive the promotions that their male colleagues did. They also faced segregated dining facilities, water fountains, and bathrooms. It was only right that the experiences of these women were brought to light by a popular book by Dr. Christine Darden published in 2016, which also became a successful movie. This book described her and the struggles of Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Dorothy Vaughan in this difficult environment. The women computers, mathematicians, and engineers of NACA and NASA overcame these challenges. They made critical contributions not only to the Space Race, as depicted in the film based on Dr. Darden's book, but also to World War II aircraft development and research into faster- than-sound flight. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian award bestowed by the Congress. It is awarded to persons who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field long after the achievement. The Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act awards five Congressional Gold Medals; one each to Katherine Johnson, Dr. Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, and one medal to honor the contributions of the hundreds of women computers, mathematicians, and engineers whose names have largely been lost to history. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Johnson) for introducing this bill this Congress, and I urge members to vote ``yes''. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McHENRY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1396, the Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act. I thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Johnson) for her work on this important bipartisan legislation. This bill awards a Congressional Gold Medal to Katherine Johnson, Dr. Christine Darden, and posthumously, to Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, to honor all the women who contributed to NASA's successful race to space. {time} 1730 These women worked tirelessly to send a man to space, despite being segregated in workrooms, bathrooms, and cafeterias in the workspace of NASA. They provided invaluable work, as has been outlined in a very popular, well-received, highly regarded movie. Without their effort, it is possible we may not have been able to witness John Glenn orbit the Earth, Apollo 11's flight to the Moon, or watch the astronauts of Apollo 13 return safely to Earth and land in the South Pacific Ocean. In fact, Madam Speaker, when Apollo 13's James Lovell and John Swigert--who is actually here in the National Statuary Hall collection, a statue from his home State--when they famously announced, ``Houston, we've got a problem,'' when that message reached mission control, it was Katherine Johnson who crunched the numbers to get our folks home. This was at a time when everything was going wrong, and she had a cool head and an incredibly brilliant mind to put this complex data together. This is not hoping the computer spits out the right information. This is the long work that we all dreaded as kids when it was simple math, and this was of the longest, most complex nature, the type of math that they had to do very quickly. These women deserve the Congressional Gold Medal. They deserve this recognition. Madam Speaker, I support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to pass this piece of legislation. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman [[Page H7814]] from Texas (Ms. Johnson), chairwoman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1396, the Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act. I thank the ranking member of the committee, Mr. Lucas, for joining me in introducing this bill and for his efforts to help secure the necessary support to bring the bill to the floor. I also thank Senator Coons for his leadership in championing an identical companion bill in the Senate, which passed out of the Senate by unanimous consent in March. I also wish to thank the 309 bipartisan cosponsors in the House. The ``Hidden Figures'' of NASA include the now-well-known women mathematicians and engineers Katherine Johnson, Dr. Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson. Their stories, portrayed in the 2016 ``Hidden Figures'' book and film, represent the stories of hundreds of women computers, mathematicians, and engineers working at NASA and its precursor organization, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, NACA, from the 1930s to the 1970s. In the early days of the space program, women and their talents were critically important but often overlooked. Women were typically not permitted to serve in any visible position or recognized publicly for their contributions. Women of color faced the additional daily indignity of racial discrimination. In spite of these challenges, these women chose to apply their considerable talents to help achieve what was, arguably, one of the Nation's crowning technological achievements: landing the first humans on the Moon. The success of the NASA space program was due, in large part, to their brilliance, hard work, and perseverance in the face of adversity. What better example can we hope to give our sons and daughters? This bill will bestow Congress' highest civilian honor in recognition of the achievements of Katherine Johnson, Dr. Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and all the other women computers, mathematicians, and engineers at NACA and NASA during this important time in our history. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. McHENRY. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I am pleased that this bill has wide bipartisan support, and I thank the entire House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology for its efforts in ensuring that this incredible story is not lost in the annals of history. Given the place the Moon landing holds in our Nation's collective consciousness, a national expression of gratitude for these women and their contributions is long overdue. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Guam (Mr. San Nicolas) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1396, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________
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