| 00:00:00 | MOST RECENT ASTRONAUT CLASS CREDIT NOT LONG AGO. |
| 00:00:13 | BEFORE WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION OF COLORS, LET ME DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE FLAG HERE ON STAGE. |
| 00:00:34 | IT WAS A TRADITION FOR RETURNING ASTRONAUTS TO APPEAR BEFORE A JOINT MEETING OF THE CONGRESS. |
| 00:00:38 | SENATOR GLENN DID SO ON FEBRUARY 26, 1962. |
| 00:00:49 | SEPTEMBER 16, 1969, THE CREW OF APOLLO AND 11 PRESENTED THE SPEAKER WITH THE FLIGHT THEY CARRIED TO THE MOON. |
| 00:01:01 | TODAY IT IS UNDER THE CARE OF THE HOUSE SERGEANT AT ARMS. |
| 00:01:12 | HE HOLDS AN AFFECTION FOR THE FLIGHT IT AND I'M TOLD EVEN HOLD A BIRTHDAY PARTIES FOR IT. |
| 00:01:17 | I APPRECIATE HIS WILLINGNESS TO PART WITH IT JUST FOR TODAY. |
| 00:01:19 | >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PRESENTATION OF THE COLORS BY THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES COLOR GUARD, THE SINGING OF OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM AND THE RETIRING OF OUR COLORS. |
| 00:03:02 | [DRUMROLL] (music) (music) (music) OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING? |
| 00:03:09 | WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS THRU THE PERILOUS FIGHT, O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING? |
| 00:03:44 | AND THE ROCKET'S RED GLARE, THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR, GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE. |
| 00:03:48 | OH, SAY DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE? |
| 00:05:27 | (music) (music) (music) [DRUMROLL] (music) >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE REMAIN STANDING AS THE CHAPLAIN OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE REV. |
| 00:05:32 | PATRICK CONROY, GIVES THE INVOCATION. |
| 00:05:44 | >> LET'S PRAY. |
| 00:05:46 | GOD OF THE UNIVERSE, WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THE WONDER OF YOUR CREATION. |
| 00:06:02 | A LONG TIME AGO IN A PLACE FAR, FAR AWAY YOU CALL FORTH A COMMON ANCESTOR OF FAITH TO LEAVE HIS HOME TO TRAVEL TO A PLACE YOU WOULD SHOW HIM. |
| 00:06:11 | BY THAT CALL, AND BY HIS OBEDIENCE TO AND TRUST IN YOU, WE CONTINUE TO BE CHALLENGED TO MOVE BEYOND THE LIMITS OF OUR OWN IMAGINATIONS. |
| 00:06:24 | ON THIS DAY WOULD GATHER TO GIVE YOU THANKS THAT WE ARE WONDROUSLY MADE, AND WE GIVE IT WITH THE SPIRIT AND THE WILL TO MOVE BEYOND THE HORIZON. |
| 00:06:38 | ALL OF OUR ANCESTORS AT SOME POINT LEFT A PLACE FAMILIAR TO THEM INTO AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE. |
| 00:06:42 | BUT THAT FUTURE TO THEM HAS BECOME OUR PRESENT. |
| 00:07:02 | WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THE DREAMS AND HOPES OF THIS NATION'S ANCESTORS, AND TODAY, FOR THE PERSONAL HEROISM THAT EMPOWERED THOSE BEING HONORED TODAY TO LEAVE THIS VERY PLANET FAMILIAR TO THEM TO GO TO A UNIVERSE NEVER BEFORE VISITED BY OUR KIND. |
| 00:07:16 | THE MANY ADVANCES OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MEDICINE AND PHYSICS, TO NAME ONLY THREE HAVE BETTER TO THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE. |
| 00:07:25 | THE ADVANCES HAVE BEEN PERHAPS IN MEASURABLE. |
| 00:07:33 | BLESS THESE HEROIC AMERICANS WE HONOR TODAY. |
| 00:07:44 | THEY THEY KNOW OUR PRIDE AND GREAT FOLLES TEAM FOR THEM. |
| 00:07:52 | AND MAY ALL OF THOSE WHOSE SHARED EFFORT AND INGENUITY TO ALLOW THOSE TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NONE HAS GONE BEFORE KNOW OF OUR GRATITUDE AS WELL. |
| 00:08:06 | WHERE CAN WE GO FROM YOUR SPIRIT, OH, GOD? |
| 00:08:08 | WHERE CAN WE FLEE FROM YOUR PRESENCE? |
| 00:08:10 | IF WE GO UP TO THE HEAVENS, YOU ARE THERE. |
| 00:08:16 | THANK YOU FOR THAT. AMEN. |
| 00:08:22 | >> PLEASE, BE SEATED. |
| 00:08:36 | LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE RANKING MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY, AND THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE 30TH DISTRICT OF TEXAS, THE HON. |
| 00:08:46 | EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON. |
| 00:08:52 | >> THANK YOU AND GOOD MORNING. |
| 00:08:54 | THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PERMIT ME TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS AS WE HONOR THESE DISTINGUISHED AMERICANS. |
| 00:09:02 | YOU KNOW, "HERO" IS AN OVERUSED WORD, BUT I THINK ALL ASSEMBLED TODAY WOULD NOT HESITATE TO DESCRIBE OUR HONOREES AS GENUINE NATIONAL HEROES. |
| 00:09:32 | IN FACT, THE ONLY ONES THAT MIGHT OBJECT TO THAT DESCRIPTION ARE THE HONOREE'S THEMSELVES. |
| 00:09:40 | IN AN AGE OF INFLATED EGO AND SELF-PROMOTION, EACH OF THESE GENTLEMAN HAS DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF THROUGH HIS MODESTY AND DEDICATION TO SERVING THIS NATION. |
| 00:09:54 | IN TRUTH, THIS GOLD MEDAL IS NO LESS THAN A SIMPLE RECOGNITION OF ALL THEY HAVE MEANT TO AMERICA. |
| 00:10:02 | AS I SAID TO MR. |
| 00:10:03 | ARMSTRONG WHEN HE TESTIFIED BEFORE OUR COMMITTEE EARLIER THIS YEAR, AMERICA'S SPACE PROGRAM IS AS MUCH ABOUT INSPIRATION AS IT IS ABOUT ROCKETS AND SPACE CAPSULES. |
| 00:10:08 | AND THE SETTLEMENT ARE CONTINUING TO INSPIRE. |
| 00:10:10 | FOUR DECADES AGO, THEY LED THE WAY OF AMERICA AND VENTURED INTO THIS NEW OCEAN OF SPACE, AS PRESIDENT KENNEDY DESCRIBED IT. |
| 00:10:39 | KEEPING OUR PRE-EMINENCE IN SPACE WILL STRENGTHEN OUR ECONOMY, CREATE JOBS FOR THE FUTURE AND BENEFIT OUR SOCIETY IN COUNTLESS WAYS. |
| 00:10:54 | THAT WILL BE THE BEST WAY TO TRULY HONOR THE LEGACY OF THE FOUR HEROES THAT STAND WITH US TODAY. |
| 00:11:18 | THANK YOU. |
| 00:11:29 | [APPLAUSE] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY, AND THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE FOURTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS, THE HONORABLE RAFAH PAUL. |
| 00:11:42 | >> FIRST, MR. |
| 00:11:43 | SPEAKER, THANK YOU FOR SCHEDULING THIS CEREMONY HONORING THESE BRAVE MEN. |
| 00:11:52 | OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND OTHERS WILL BE READING ABOUT THEM FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS. |
| 00:11:56 | THEY HARDLY NEED AN INTRODUCTION. ALL AMERICANS YOUNG AND OLD TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN OUR SPACE PROGRAM AND THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE FLOWN, AS WELL AS THE SCIENTISTS AND TECHNICIANS WHO PERMITTED SAVE TRAVEL INTO SPACE. |
| 00:12:14 | WHAT UP TO VIRTUALLY ANYONE IN THE STREET AND IT WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU THE NAME OF OUR FIRST PRESIDENT. |
| 00:12:26 | THEY CAN TELL YOU WHO OUR CURRENT PRESIDENT IS, AND THE FIRST TO ORBIT THE EARTH AND THE FIRST TO LAND ON THE MOON. |
| 00:12:30 | IT IS A VERY SELECT GROUP. |
| 00:12:31 | IN 2012, IT WILL MARK THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF JOHN GLENN'S VOYAGE. |
| 00:12:33 | IT MARKS THE BRAVERY, IF NOT THE AUDACITY OF FIRST OF THE KIND MISSIONS. |
| 00:12:36 | JOHN GLENN'S FLIGHT IN THE CAPSULE WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND MISSION. |
| 00:12:40 | APOLLO 11 WAS THE FIRST MISSION TO LAND ON THE MOON. |
| 00:13:01 | IN BOTH CASES, BOTH WERE MORE THAN THE COMPONENTS THAT MADE UP THE ROCKETS AND CAPSULES. |
| 00:13:11 | THE RISKS WERE HIGH, BUT THESE MEN WERE WILLING TO EMBRACE THAT PERIL. |
| 00:13:21 | ONE OF THESE MEN, JOHN BEING THE FIRST, WAS ALSO THE ONLY ONE OF THIS GROUP TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT. |
| 00:13:30 | I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TELL ONE OF THE GREAT STORIES THAT CAME OUT OF THAT CAMPAIGN. |
| 00:13:33 | JOHN MAY NOT WANT ME TO TELL IT, BUT HE WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT AND I CAME HOME -- AND HAD COME HOME LATE FOR DINNER. |
| 00:13:51 | HIS WIFE WAS A LITTLE IRRITATED THAT HE WAS LATE. |
| 00:13:53 | HE WAS WORN OUT AND HIS DOG WAS WELCOMING HIM. |
| 00:13:54 | SHE WAS ON HIS CASE, AND FINALLY HE SAID, I AM DEAD TIRED. |
| 00:13:56 | I'M NOT DOING GOOD IN THE POLLS, AND I'M ALMOST OUT OF MONEY. |
| 00:14:00 | WHEN I COME HOME LIKE THIS, IT SEEMS LIKE I OUGHT TO AT LEAST HAVE TWO FRIENDS. |
| 00:14:05 | [LAUGHTER] SO SHE BOUGHT HIM ANOTHER DOG. |
| 00:14:16 | [LAUGHTER] MUCH OF THEIR HARDWARE ON OUR EARLY SPACE SYSTEMS WERE DESIGNED NOT WITH COMPONENTS, BUT SLIDE RULES. |
| 00:14:22 | THERE WERE VERY RUDIMENTARY BY TODAY'S STANDARDS. |
| 00:14:26 | NEIL ARMSTRONG MADE THIS POINT BEFORE CONGRESS BY HOLDING UP HIS CELLPHONE AND TESTIFYING IT HAD MUCH MORE CAPABILITY THAN THE COMPUTER THAT GUIDED APOLLO 11 AND NEPTUNE. |
| 00:14:32 | THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT BOND FROM OUR NATION'S SPACE FLIGHT PROGRAM, AND THE INNOVATIONS, IT IS THE CHALLENGE TO KNOW WHAT INFLUENCE THEY HAVE HAD ON OUR COUNTRY AND ITS INTERNATIONAL PRESTIGE. |
| 00:14:50 | BUT WE WOULD NOT BE DISCUSSING THESE THINGS IF IT WERE NOT FOR NEIL ARMSTRONG, JOHN GLENN, MICHAEL COLLINS, AND BUZZ ALDRIN. |
| 00:15:12 | CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU. |
| 00:15:14 | YOU ARE PART OF OUR NATION'S HISTORY AND ITS SUCCESS, AND FOR THAT, I SINCERELY THANK YOU. |
| 00:15:37 | [APPLAUSE] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND SPACE AND THE SENIOR SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THE HON. |
| 00:15:43 | BILL NELSON. |
| 00:15:50 | >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS SAID IN THE SONGS WERE WRITTEN BY DAVID AS HE PEERED UP INTO THE HEAVENS," THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD. |
| 00:15:56 | THE FIRMAMENT SHOWETH HIS HANDIWORK. |
| 00:16:00 | " THESE ADVENTURERS HAVE TOUCHED THE FIRMAMENT. |
| 00:16:06 | YOU THINK OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL, IT HAS ONLY BEEN AWARDED TO 100. |
| 00:16:13 | AND OF THOSE IN AVIATION AND SPACE FIRST, THINK OF THE WRIGHT BROTHERS, CHARLES LINDBERGH, DR. |
| 00:16:17 | ROBERT BRODERICK, BUT FATHER OF MODERN ROCKETRY -- ROBERT GODDARD, THE FATHER OF MODERN ROCKETRY, AND OUR HONOREES TODAY. |
| 00:16:45 | AND I DARE SAY THAT WE WILL BE GIVING THIS GOLD MEDAL TO THE FIRST CREW THAT WILL LAND ON THE PLANET MARS. |
| 00:17:01 | LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE DREAM IS ALIVE. |
| 00:17:08 | AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT IS A PART OF US. |
| 00:17:11 | IT IS OUR CHARACTER AS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO BE ADVENTURERS AND EXPLORERS. |
| 00:17:15 | AND WE WILL NOT EVER GIVE THAT THREE OUT. |
| 00:17:37 | INDEED, IN THE HONORING OF THESE ASTRONAUTS, WE FORETELL THE FUTURE, THE GREATNESS, THE DISCOVERY, THE EXPRESSING OF OURSELVES AS PIONEERS, ADVENTURERS, AND EXPLORERS. |
| 00:17:44 | LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE DREAM IS ALIVE. |
| 00:18:02 | [APPLAUSE] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE RANKING MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE AND TRANSPORTATION, AND THE SENIOR SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE HON. |
| 00:18:08 | KAY BAILEY HUTCHESON. |
| 00:18:11 | >> WE ARE HONORING FOUR BRAVE, BUT DETERMINED, RESILIENCE MEN. |
| 00:18:16 | DAY, AND THE ASTRONAUTS TO FOLLOW, TOOK THE ENORMOUS PERSONAL RISK FOR OUR COUNTRY TO VENTURE BEYOND EARTH'S ORBIT. |
| 00:18:33 | THEIR MISSION INTO THE UNKNOWN REMINDS US OF WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED, AS WELL AS THE DANGERS OF NOT REACHING FOR THE STARS. |
| 00:18:55 | AMERICA URGENTLY NEEDS TO CONTINUE OUR PRE-EMINENCE IN MANNED SPACE EXPLORATION. |
| 00:18:58 | SENATOR -- FROM SENATOR GLENN'S FLIGHT ON ASTRONAUTS 7 TO THE LUNAR MISSION OF APOLLO 11, TO OUR RECENT SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM, TO THE SPACE STATION, WE KNOW THAT SPACE EXPLORATION IS A STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS. |
| 00:19:25 | IT WILL REQUIRE LEADERSHIP TO GET A SUSTAINED COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES, AND A CLEAR SENSE OF PURPOSE OVER TIME. |
| 00:19:30 | LOOK AT WHAT SPACE EXPLORATION HAS BROUGHT TO AMERICA. |
| 00:19:31 | THE TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCT IN SPACE SCIENCE, EARTH SCIENCE, FUNDAMENTAL AERONAUTICS RESEARCH, AND EDUCATION HAS SPURRED THE TENS OF BILLIONS OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY DOLLARS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PRODUCTIVE JOBS. |
| 00:19:45 | THE USE OF SATELLITES THAT CAN GUIDE A MISSILE INTO A WINDOW FROM 3 MILES AWAY HAS DRASTICALLY LOWERED COLLATERAL DAMAGE AND SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES IN CONFLICTS AND WARS. |
| 00:19:56 | WE HAVE ALL HEARD THE WORDS OF PRESIDENT JOHN KENNEDY WHEN HE SPOKE IN 1962 AT RICE UNIVERSITY, "FOR THE EYES OF THE WORLD NOW LOOK INTO SPACE, TO THE MOON, AND TO THE PLANET BEYOND, AND WE HAVE VOWED THAT WE SHALL NOT SEE IT GOVERNED BY A HOSTILE FLIGHT OF CONQUEST, BUT BY A BANNER OF PEACE. |
| 00:20:11 | A BANNER OF FREEDOM AND PEACE. |
| 00:20:26 | " THE MEN WHO STAND HERE TODAY SOARED INTO A DARK SKY AND DESCRIBED FROM AFAR WHAT THEY SAW. |
| 00:20:36 | IN THE PROCESS, THEY CONTRIBUTED TO A BETTER WORLD ONEROUS. |
| 00:20:44 | THEY ASSURED AMERICA WILL LEAD THE WAY. |
| 00:20:50 | -- A BETTER WORLD ON EARTH. |
| 00:20:52 | THEY ARE SURE AMERICA WILL LEAD THE WAY. |
| 00:21:03 | WHAT THEY BEGAN, WE ARE SUMMONED TO CONTINUE. |
| 00:21:08 | THANK YOU. |
| 00:21:22 | [APPLAUSE] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION, MR. |
| 00:21:26 | CHARLES BOLDEN JR. |
| 00:21:27 | >> MR. |
| 00:21:28 | SPEAKER, MR. REED, MR. |
| 00:21:30 | MCCONNELL, MS. |
| 00:21:31 | PELOSI, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, WE ARE GUESTS AS WE EMBARK ON -- MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND GUESTS, AS WE EMBARK ON THE NEXT JOURNEY IN SPACE EXPLORATION, WE STAND ON THIS -- ON THE SHOULDERS OF THOSE WE HONOR TODAY. |
| 00:21:55 | AMERICA'S CONFIDENCE THAT WE CAN GO FARTHER INTO THE UNKNOWN AND ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS AS A PEOPLE RESTS ON THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THESE MEN. |
| 00:22:05 | WHEN 50 YEARS AGO THIS YEAR, KENNEDY CHALLENGED US TO REACH THE MOON, TO TAKE LONGER STRIDES TOWARD A GREAT NEW AMERICAN ENTERPRISE, THESE MEN WERE THE HUMAN FACE OF THESE WORDS. |
| 00:22:23 | FROM MERCURY AND GEMINI I THROUGH THE LANDING ON THE MOON AND THE APOLLO PROGRAM, THEIR ACTIONS ACHIEVE THE WEB WILL OF A NATION FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF THE HUMAN KIND. |
| 00:22:40 | JUST AS WE CALL ON THE FOUR INDIVIDUALS WE HONOR TODAY TO CARRY OUT THEIR MISSION, WE NOW CALL ON ANOTHER GENERATION TO GO WHERE WE HAVE NEVER GONE BEFORE. |
| 00:22:50 | AS WE HONOR THESE HEROES, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF DEDICATED NASA EMPLOYEES AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE INCREDIBLE SUCCESS OF THE MERCURY, GEMINI, AND APOLLO PROGRAMS, AND ALL THAT HAS FOLLOWED, AND ALL THAT HAS -- IS YET TO COME. |
| 00:23:04 | I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR CONGRESS. |
| 00:23:11 | OUR NATION IS A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OF MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY OF STRONG, BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR NASA'S WORK. |
| 00:23:15 | IN HUMAN EXPLORATION, SCIENCE, AND AERONAUTICS. |
| 00:23:26 | FIVE MEMBERS OF THE MOST RECENT CLASS OF 2009 ARE WITH US TODAY TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE GOLD MEDAL HONOREES, AND TO BUILD ON THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO MAKE LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR NATION'S SPACE PROGRAM. |
| 00:23:46 | THIS NEW GROUP OF ASTRONAUTS STANCE ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE GIANTS WILL RECOGNIZE AND HONOR HERE TODAY, AND THEY WILL REDEFINE SPACE EXPLORATION IN THE YEARS TO COME, AND CONTINUE TO HONOR THE LEGACY OF JOHN GLENN, NEIL ARMSTRONG, BUZZ ALDRIN, AND MICHAEL COLLINS. |
| 00:24:12 | IT IS A LASTING LEGACY, A LEGACY THAT CONTINUES TO TRANSFORM OUR MODERN WORLD. |
| 00:24:15 | THE INSPIRATION THESE FOUR HAVE PROVIDED TO GENERATIONS IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN MEASURE. |
| 00:24:18 | BUT WE CAN FEEL IT IN OUR HEARTS. |
| 00:24:19 | AS A NATION, WE WOULD NOT BE THE SAME WITHOUT THEM AND THEIR BRAVERY,, THEIR SENSE OF DUTY AND DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SUED -- PUBLIC SERVICE, AND THEY'RE GREAT SKILL IN THINKING ON THEIR FEET. |
| 00:24:49 | THEY CHANGED THE COURSE OF HISTORY AND HELPED OUR NATION ACHIEVE THE BIGGER THINGS TO WHICH ARE GREATER NATURE AS BUYERS. |
| 00:24:54 | WE OWED THEM OUR HOMELESS GRATITUDE. |
| 00:24:55 | ON BEHALF OF NASA AND ALL THE ASTRONAUTS PAST AND PRESENT, I CONGRATULATE AND THANK EACH OF YOU, JOHN, NEIL, BUZZ, AND MIKE, OUR CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL RECIPIENTS TODAY. |
| 00:25:18 | [APPLAUSE] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE SINGER/SONGWRITER NORAH JONES WILL NOW USAIN "AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL. |
| 00:25:31 | " >> (music) OH, BEAUTIFUL FOR SPACIOUS SKIES FOR AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN FOR PURPLE MOUNTAIN MAJESTIES ABOVE THE FRUITED PLAINS AMERICA, AMERICA GOD SHED HIS GRACE ON THEE AND CROWN THY GOOD WITH BROTHERHOOD FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA OH, BEAUTIFUL FOR HOUSE IN SKIES INHALCIEN SKIES FOR AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN FOR PURPLE MOUNTAIN MAJESTIES ABOVE AND AN EARLY PLANE -- EMERALD PLAIN AMERICA, AMERICA GOD SHED HIS GRACE ON THEE 'TIL THOSE WRAPPED THERE IN MUSIC THERE CALLED THE SEA (music) (music) [APPLAUSE] |
| 00:27:38 | >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE HON. |
| 00:27:43 | NANCY PELOSI. >> GOOD MORNING. |
| 00:27:44 | TODAY'S CEREMONY IS A CELEBRATION OF IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY. |
| 00:27:54 | IT IS A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA'S LEADERSHIP, TO OUR LEGACY OF EXPLORATION, OUR BELIEF IN DISCOVERY, OUR PURSUIT OF SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENT. |
| 00:28:03 | TODAY, WE HONOR FOUR COURAGEOUS AMERICANS WHO REPRESENTED, AND DO STILL, THE HIGHEST HOPES OF A GENERATION, WHO INSPIRED OUR NATION TO NEW HEIGHTS OF GREATNESS AND KNOWLEDGE WHO IGNITED THE FIRES OF INNOVATION AND REKINDLED THE FLAMES OF SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS. |
| 00:28:27 | IF WE ON OUR FOUR MEN -- WE ARE FOR MEN WHO -- WE HONOR FOUR MEN WHO EMBODIED THE NEW FRONTIER. |
| 00:28:37 | THESE ASTRONAUTS NOT ONLY ACCEPTED THOSE CHALLENGES, THEY CHALLENGED FUTURE GENERATIONS TO EXPLORE NEW HORIZONS, TO APPLY OUR SKILLS, OUR EXCELLENT, OUR DETERMINATION TO ANY OBSTACLE BEFORE US. |
| 00:28:55 | INDEED, WHEN PRESIDENT KENNEDY ANNOUNCED HIS DETERMINATION TO CHART A NEW COURSE INTERSPACE, -- INTO SPACE, ALL AMERICANS, AND MANY OF YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN BORN THEN, BUT FOR THOSE OF US WERE THERE, WE LEARNED A NEW WORD, AN ASTRONAUT. |
| 00:29:22 | SAILOR TO THE STARS. |
| 00:29:28 | IT HAS BEEN AN AGE OF DISCOVERY. |
| 00:29:31 | THE NEW AGE OF DISCOVERY, THESE ASTRONAUTS REACHED FOR THE STARS. |
| 00:29:42 | SENATOR JOHN GLENN BECAME THE FIRST AMERICAN TO ORBIT THE EARTH. |
| 00:29:45 | HE PAVED THE WAY NOT SIMPLY FOUR MORE MISSIONS IN SPACE, BUT FOR AN EXPANDED COMMITMENT TO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, AND HE ACTED UPON THAT COMMITMENT WITH HIS LEADERSHIP IN THE U. |
| 00:29:51 | S. SENATE WHERE HE BROUGHT HONOR TO THE PROGRESS, AS -- TO THE CONGRESS, AS HE AND THE OTHER RECIPIENTS TODAY BRING HONOR TO THIS METAL. |
| 00:30:13 | ON THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ACHIEVEMENT OF APOLLO AND 11, HE RECALLED HOW HE PEERED OUT OF THE WINDOWS AND SAW THE POTENTIAL FOR STUDENTS INSPIRED BY MATH AND SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. |
| 00:30:27 | AS NEIL ARMSTRONG TOOK ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND, AMERICANS KNEW WE COULD OVERCOME ANY OBSTACLE AND PREVAILED AGAINST ANY CHALLENGE. |
| 00:30:53 | AS A BUZZ ALDRIN WALKED ON THE MOON, AN ENTIRE NATION SOUGHT A PROMISE FULFILLED AND A CHALLENGE MET. |
| 00:30:58 | THESE MEN PERSONIFY KENNEDY'S CALL TO STUDENTS AT RICE UNIVERSITY WHEN HE SAID, THE VOWS OF THIS NATION CAN ALL LIVE BE FILLED IF WE ARE FIRST. |
| 00:31:05 | AND THEREFORE, WE INTEND TO BE FIRST. |
| 00:31:09 | OUR LEADERSHIP IN SCIENCE AND IN INDUSTRY, OUR HOPE FOR PEACE AND SECURITY, OUR OBLIGATION TO OURSELVES AS WELL AS OTHERS ALL REQUIRE US TO MAKE THIS EFFORT. |
| 00:31:16 | THOSE OF US WHO REMEMBER THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT THOUGHT IT WAS UNIMAGINABLE THAT WE COULD SEND A MAN TO THE MOON AND BACK SAFELY WITHIN 10 YEARS. |
| 00:31:23 | BUT THESE ASTRONAUTS KNEW IT WAS POSSIBLE. |
| 00:31:38 | THEY ENSURED WE WERE FIRST, FIRST TO SET FOOT ON THE MOON, FIRST IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION, FIRST TO PURSUE PEACE AND PARTNERSHIP, AND TO SECURE PEACE FOR OUR COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. |
| 00:31:50 | AND WE STILL MUST BE FIRST TODAY. |
| 00:31:52 | WE MUST SUSTAIN THOSE FLIGHTS WHERE AMERICANS THUS NO LONGER BE BOUND BY THE PAST, BUT INSPIRED BY THE PRESENT AND THE FRONTIERS OF THE FUTURE. |
| 00:32:10 | AND THAT THE SAME ADDRESS AT RICE UNIVERSITY, PRESIDENT KENNEDY REMINDED US THE UNITED STATES WAS NOT BUILT BY THOSE WHO WAITED AND RESTED AND WISH TO LOOK BEHIND THEM. |
| 00:32:28 | THIS COUNTRY WAS BUILT BY THOSE WHO MOVE FORWARD. |
| 00:32:35 | SENATOR JOHN GLENN, MICHAEL COLLINS, NEIL ARMSTRONG, BUZZ ALDRIN, THESE ASTRONAUTS DID NOT REST OR WEIGHT OR WISH. |
| 00:32:40 | THEY DID NOT LOOK BACK OR BEHIND. |
| 00:32:48 | THEY MOVED FORWARD AND OUR COUNTRY MOVE FORWARD WITH THEM INTO SPACE, INTO A NEW GENERATION, AND INTO DISCOVERY AND PROGRESS FOR OUR FUTURE. |
| 00:33:02 | FOR THEIR SPIRIT AND THEIR INSPIRATION IN THIS TIME OF THANKSGIVING SEASON, WE THANK THEM AND HONOR THEM AND CONGRATULATE THEM FOR RECEIVING THE HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOR THIS COUNTRY CAN BESTOW, THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. |
| 00:33:21 | AND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR LEADERS. |
| 00:33:23 | THANK YOU. |
| 00:33:35 | [APPLAUSE] >> LADIES AND MELLMAN, THE REPUBLICAN LEADER OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE, THE HON. |
| 00:33:38 | MITCH MCCONNELL. |
| 00:33:47 | >> IN EARLY 1959, ABOUT SIX MONTHS AFTER CONGRESS FORMALLY CREATED THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION, A GROUP OF TEST PILOTS WAS SUMMONED TO A TOP-SECRET BRIEFING AT THE PENTAGON. |
| 00:34:07 | ONCE THERE, THEY WERE TOLD THAT NASA WAS DEVELOPING A PROGRAM AIMED AT PUTTING A MAN IN NORGARD AND IT NEEDED VOLUNTEERS. |
| 00:34:11 | -- IN ORBIT AND IT NEEDED VOLUNTEERS. |
| 00:34:20 | THE TRAINING WOULD BE LONG, DANGEROUS, AND UNLIKE ANYTHING ANYONE HAD EVER EXPERIENCED. |
| 00:34:27 | AND THOSE CHOSEN WOULD BE CALLED ASTRONAUTS. |
| 00:34:37 | A 37-YEAR-OLD MARINE AND FATHER OF TWO NAMED JOHN GLENN WAS AMONG THOSE WHO ATTENDED THAT MEETING. |
| 00:34:46 | HE VOLUNTEERED WITHOUT HESITATION. |
| 00:34:51 | AND THREE FEBRUARIES LATER, HE FOUND HIMSELF CIRCULATING IN THE HEAVENS AT 17,000 MILES AN HOUR, STARING AT THE SUNSET THAT WAS EVEN MORE SPECTACULAR THAN HE HAD EVER IMAGINED, AS THE NATION LOOKED ON. |
| 00:35:04 | IN NEW YORK, THOUSANDS OF COMMUTERS STOOD STILL IN GRAND CENTRAL STATION TO WATCH THE TAKE OFF. |
| 00:35:17 | AND EVEN WALTER CRONKITE ALLOWED HIMSELF A LITTLE SHOW OF NATIONAL PRIDE FROM THE BROADCASTERS CHAIR AS GLENN'S ROCKET LIFTED OFF, CRONKITE ROOTED FOR THE HOME TEAM, SAYING, "GO, BABY, GO. |
| 00:35:26 | " THE CONTEXT WAS IMPORTANT. |
| 00:35:28 | FIVE YEARS EARLIER, RUSSIA HAD -- THE SOVIET UNION HAD BEGUN INTO SPACE WITH AN UNMANNED SATELLITES. |
| 00:35:40 | SEVEN YEARS AFTER GLENN CIRCLE THE EARTH, NEIL ARMSTRONG, BUZZ ALDRIN, AND MICHAEL COLLINS PUT TO REST ANY DOUBTS ABOUT THE POSITION OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE WORLD. |
| 00:35:59 | THE COLD WAR WAS NOW BEING FOUGHT IN SPACE, AND THESE MEN PROVED THAT THE U. |
| 00:36:05 | S. WAS WINNING. |
| 00:36:15 | IT WAS NOT EASY. |
| 00:36:20 | AS PRESIDENT EISENHOWER HAD STATED AT THE OUTSET, AMERICA'S SPACE PROGRAM WOULD BE CIVILIAN RATHER THAN MILITARY LEAD. |
| 00:36:33 | SO NO ONE WOULD DOUBT OUR INTENTIONS. |
| 00:36:47 | BUT THIS ALSO MEANT THAT IT WOULD BE CONDUCTED IN THE OPEN, SO EVERY HITCH AND HOLD UP COULD BE SEEN AND SCRUTINIZED. |
| 00:36:53 | AND THIS IS JUST AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. |
| 00:36:55 | THESE MISSIONS, SPANNING TWO DEMOCRATIC AND TWO REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATIONS, SHOW NOT ONLY THE POWER OF THE MEN WE ARE TODAY, BUT THE POWER OF A NATION UNITED IN A COMMON PURPOSE. |
| 00:37:00 | IT TOOK VISION, WILL, LEADERSHIP AND GUTS. |
| 00:37:03 | AND IT TOOK A REMARKABLE COURAGE OF JOHN GLENN, NEIL ARMSTRONG, BUZZ ALDRIN AND MICHAEL COLLINS. |
| 00:37:08 | THEY WILL TELL YOU THEY ARE NOT HEROES. |
| 00:37:10 | DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM. |
| 00:37:15 | AMERICA IS ONLY AS STRONG AS THE CITIZENS WE PRODUCE, AND HERE ARE FOUR OF THE BEST. |
| 00:37:44 | [APPLAUSE] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE MAJORITY LEADER OF THE U. |
| 00:37:46 | S. SENATE, THE HON. |
| 00:37:47 | HARRY REID. >> A COUPLE OF POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. |
| 00:37:48 | A FIRST, NORAH JONES, I AM ONE OF YOUR BIG FANS AND IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO LISTEN TO YOU IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL VOICE AND YOUR WONDERFUL PRESENTATION. |
| 00:38:14 | [APPLAUSE] SECONDLY, I HAVE BEEN SO IMPRESSED WITH WHAT THIS MAN HAS DONE IN SPACE AND WHAT HE HAS DONE ON EARTH. |
| 00:38:22 | COULD WE ALL GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO MARK KELLY? |
| 00:38:35 | [APPLAUSE] MARK, YOU COULD AT LEAST STAND SO WE CAN ALL SEE YOU. |
| 00:38:49 | [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] >> IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE OVER THE YEARS TO MEET NEIL ARMSTRONG, MICHAEL COLLINS, AND BUZZ ALDRIN. |
| 00:38:57 | I WILL SPEND SOME TIME TODAY TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE I NOT ONLY MET, BUT HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF SERVING WITH IN THE U. |
| 00:39:02 | S. SENATE, JOHN GLENN. |
| 00:39:04 | BARBARA MIKULSKI IS HERE AND SHE WILL REMEMBER AS I HAVE AS A COUPLE OF YOUNG SENATORS THAT WE WERE GOING ON A CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TRIP LED BY JOHN GLENN AND TED STEVENS. |
| 00:39:17 | IT WAS A WONDERFUL TRIP. |
| 00:39:26 | TO BE WITH THESE TWO FINE SENATORS, I WAS SO HAPPY I COULD GO. |
| 00:39:32 | I CAN REMEMBER MANY THINGS ABOUT THAT TRIP, AND I WILL TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS. |
| 00:39:36 | WE LEFT VIENNA TO GO TO CZECHOSLOVAKIA, AS IT WAS CALLED AT THAT TIME, AND WE CAME TO THE BORDER, THE IRON CURTAIN WAS STOPPED AT THE TRAIN AND THEY BROUGHT OUT THE DOGS AND THE SECURITY RIFLES. |
| 00:39:50 | THEY WERE LOOKING AROUND AND UNDER THE TRAIN AND WE WERE ASKED TO GET OUT OF THE TRAIN. |
| 00:39:58 | AS THINGS CALMED DOWN A LITTLE BIT, ONE OF THE SOLDIERS, LOOKING AROUND SO NO ONE WOULD SEE WHAT HE WAS DOING, CAME OVER TO JOHN GLENN QUICKLY AND SAID, COULD YOU GIVE ME AN AUTOGRAPH? |
| 00:40:19 | [LAUGHTER] WE THEN WENT TO PRAGUE AND HAD A MEETING WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THERE. |
| 00:40:24 | AS WE WERE WALKING UP THE STREET, SOMEONE CAME OUT OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING WITH AN ENCYCLOPEDIA AND HAD IT OPEN TO JOHN GLENN'S PICTURE AND CAME TO HIM AND SAID, WOULD YOU AUTOGRAPH OVER YOUR PICTURE? |
| 00:40:37 | WE FOCUS ON HOW THESE MDOT -- THESE HOW IMPORTANT THESE ASTRONAUTS ARE TO US -- WE FOCUS ON HOW IMPORTANT THESE ASTRONAUTS ARE TO US IN THE U. |
| 00:40:43 | S., BUT KEEP IN MIND HOW POOR THEY ARE ARE AROUND THE WORLD. |
| 00:40:46 | A SOVIET SOLDIER ON A TRAIN GOING INTO CZECHOSLOVAKIA, A PERSON OF MINIMAL STATUS, I GUESS WE WOULD SAY, IN PRAGUE, WHO WANTED TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT JOHN GLENN AND SAY, I HAVE HIS PICTURE -- THIS PICTURE, WOULD YOU SIGN IT FOR ME. |
| 00:41:12 | BUT JOHN GLENN'S PROWESS HAS BEEN MORE THAN JUST HIS TRIP TO CZECHOSLOVAKIAN AND THE OTHER PLACES WE WENT. |
| 00:41:24 | I HAVE BEEN SO IMPRESSED WITH WHAT HE IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE -- WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE. |
| 00:41:28 | I HAVE A STORY I HAVE TO TELL. |
| 00:41:30 | IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES OF ALL TIME. |
| 00:41:36 | I HAD SOME PEOPLE VISIT US IN MY OFFICE AT THAT TIME. |
| 00:41:39 | THEY WERE YOUNG TEENAGERS FROM NEVADA WHO HAD BEEN IN THE DOUBLE DUTCH JUMP ROPE CHAMPIONSHIP NATIONWIDE. |
| 00:41:52 | THERE WERE IN ONE OF THE HALLWAY IS THERE -- ONE OF THE HALLWAYS IN A WIDE, SPACIOUS AREA. |
| 00:42:06 | THESE KIDS LOOKED SO GREAT JUMPING IN AND OUT OF THAT ROPE. |
| 00:42:09 | THEY SAID, "TRIET IT" TO ME. |
| 00:42:10 | I TRIED IT AND MADE A SMALL FOOL OF MYSELF. |
| 00:42:14 | [LAUGHTER] I DID NOT REALIZE IT, BUT JOHN GLENN HAD BEEN WATCHING THESE KIDS DURING THE DOUBLE DUTCH JUMP FROM BRITAIN. |
| 00:42:22 | -- DOUBLE DUTCH JUMP ROPING. |
| 00:42:25 | HE WAS JUST A KID THEN, PROBABLY ABOUT 75. |
| 00:42:33 | [LAUGHTER] HE SAID, MAY I TRIED THIS, AND HE WAS JUST LIKE ONE OF THE TEENAGERS. |
| 00:42:43 | I HAVE SO MANY FOND MEMORIES OF JOHN GLENN AND THE ROLE MODEL HE HAS BEEN FOR ME AS A SENATOR. |
| 00:42:49 | SOMETIMES IT SEEMS THAT THE MORE WE LEARN ABOUT THE HEAVENS, THE MORE WE HAVE TO LEARN. |
| 00:43:04 | BUT SPACE TRAVEL HAS TAUGHT US ABOUT THE MYSTERY THAT LIES BEYOND, AND FOR THAT, WE HAVE THESE FOUR PIONEERS TO THANK. |
| 00:43:12 | THANK YOU VERY MUCH. |
| 00:43:28 | [APPLAUSE] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE SPEAKER OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE HON. |
| 00:43:35 | JOHN BOEHNER. |
| 00:43:36 | >> I THINK I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SAY WHAT I THINK EVERYBODY HERE IS THINKING. |
| 00:43:38 | THIS IS PRETTY COOL. |
| 00:43:45 | [LAUGHTER] WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA ADDRESS THE CONGRESS LAST MARCH, SHE SAID THAT AS OF LITTLE GIRL -- AS A LITTLE GIRL WATCHING THE MEN LAND ON THE MOON, IT PROVED JUROR THAT AMERICANS COULD DO ANYTHING. |
| 00:44:04 | SHE GREW UP -- IT PROVED TO HER THAT AMERICANS COULD DO ANYTHING. |
| 00:44:10 | SHE GREW UP IN A CITY WHOSE RESIDENTS TURNED ALL THEIR LIGHTS ON TO AGREE TO JOHN GLENN AS HE FLEW BACK ACROSS AUSTRALIA. |
| 00:44:21 | THE WORLD LOOKS TO AMERICA BECAUSE WE ARE FREE, AND IT IS TO OUR VALUES TO WHICH PEOPLE ASPIRE. |
| 00:44:32 | ONE OF THOSE VALUES IS HUMILITY, THE IDEA THAT YOU ARE PART OF A CAUSE GREATER THAN YOURSELF, THAT NOTHING IN LIFE IS A DO-IT-YOURSELF PROJECT. |
| 00:44:53 | AND OFTEN UNSUNG VIRTUE, HUMILITY HAS FIGURED PROMINENTLY IN THE PINNACLE OF HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT. |
| 00:44:59 | TO THIS DAY, JOHN GLENN INSIST HE IS NO HERO, JUST A PATRIOT SERVING HIS COUNTRY, WHICH IN THOSE DAYS WAS CORRECT -- WAS GRIPPED BY THE THOUGHT THAT AMERICA HAD FALLEN BEHIND. |
| 00:45:18 | THESE WERE VITAL MISSIONS. |
| 00:45:19 | NEIL ARMSTRONG WAS ASKED ONCE, WHY DID YOU, ONE MAN, CHOOSE TO SPEAK FOR ALL OF US AS YOU SET FOOT ON THE LUNAR SURFACE? |
| 00:45:29 | AS IT TURNS OUT, THERE WAS NO SCRIPT AND NO NOTES. |
| 00:45:38 | WHEN THE MOMENT CAME, AND AS HIS THOUGHTS TURNED TO THE 400,000 PEOPLE THAT WORKED ON THE PROJECT, THE DESIGNERS, THE TESTERS, THE ENGINEERS, NAVIGATORS, OF WHO DEVISED THAT ONE SMALL STEP, HE SAID, THAT HE KNEW IT WOULD BE A BIG STEP FOR ALL OF THOSE FOLKS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT. |
| 00:46:06 | AND SO IT WAS. |
| 00:46:07 | BUZZ ALDRIN, CAUGHT UP IN THE ADRENALINE, PAUSED TO REFLECT. |
| 00:46:10 | HE PULLED OUT A WAY FOR AND SOME WIND -- PULLED OUT A WAFER AND SOME WINE AND TO COMMUNION ON THE MOON. |
| 00:46:25 | THERE WAS ONE PERSON WHO COULD NOT OBSERVE THE SCENE LIVE. |
| 00:46:30 | THAT IS ALL RIGHT. |
| 00:46:32 | I DO NOT MIND, SAID MICHAEL COLLINS FROM APOLLO 011'S COMMAND MODULE. |
| 00:46:48 | HE WAS FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THE ENGINEERS GOT HOME. |
| 00:46:55 | HE ROSE ABOUND, BUT DO NOT COUNT ASTRONAUTS AMONG THEM. |
| 00:47:04 | WE WORKED VERY HARD, DID OUR PROFESSION, BUT THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN HIRED TO DO. |
| 00:47:08 | WHEN AMERICANS TAKE ON OUR WORK WITH HUMILITY AND DEDICATION, THERE IS TRULY NOTHING WE CANNOT ACCOMPLISH. |
| 00:47:15 | WE CAN DO ANYTHING. |
| 00:47:16 | IF WE HOBBLE OURSELVES AND IF WE HAVE GOT THE RIGHT STUFF -- HUMBLE OURSELVES AND IF WE HAVE GOT THE RIGHT STUFF. |
| 00:47:19 | GENTLEMEN, YOUR TAX WAR RELIC, AND TODAY WE ADD TO YOUR MANY -- YOUR ACTS WERE HEROIC, AND TODAY WE ADD TO YOUR MANY HONORS THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. |
| 00:47:54 | [APPLAUSE] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE REMAIN SEATED FOR THE UNVEILING AND PRESENTATION OF THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS BY MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS. |
| 00:49:34 | [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FIRST PERSON TO LAND A SPACECRAFT UPON THE MOON AND THE FIRST PERSON TO SET FOOT UPON ITS SURFACE, MR. |
| 00:49:39 | NEIL ARMSTRONG. |
| 00:50:11 | [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. |
| 00:50:13 | MR. SPEAKER, MR. REID, MR. |
| 00:50:19 | MCCONNELL, MS. PELOSI, MEMBERS, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, WE GATHER IN THIS REMARKABLE MONUMENT TO AMERICAN HISTORY, THIS ROOM, CONNECTING THE HOUSES OF CONGRESS. |
| 00:50:35 | THIS ROOM, WHERE IDEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES FADE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE OVERPOWERING FORCE OF PRIDE IN WHAT WE DO AND WHAT AMERICANS HAVE ACHIEVED. |
| 00:50:44 | IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE IN THIS ROTUNDA. |
| 00:51:07 | HIGH ABOVE US BELOW THE WINDOWS STRETCHES A FREEZE WITH 19 PANELS -- FRIESE WITH 19 PANELS DEPICTING MOMENTS OF AMERICAN HISTORY. |
| 00:51:13 | THAN MOST RECENT OF THEM, NUMBER 19 JUST ABOVE -- THE MOST RECENT OF THEM, NUMBER 19 JUST ABOVE ME HERE, THE PICKS THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT OF A MAN IN A POWERED AIRCRAFT. |
| 00:51:34 | BY THE BROTHERS WRIGHT 108 YEARS AGO. |
| 00:51:38 | THE DEPICTION, INDEED -- IN ADDITION TO THE CRAFT AND THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDES AN AMERICAN BALD EAGLE CARRYING AN OLIVE BRANCH. |
| 00:51:52 | THE WRIGHT BROTHERS WERE THE 45TH RECIPIENT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL, AND THE FIRST FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN THE WORLD OF FLIGHT. |
| 00:52:03 | SUBSEQUENTLY, CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO NINE TIMES FOR AVIATION AND ROCKETRY ACHIEVEMENTS. |
| 00:52:14 | SUBSEQUENTLY, CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO NINE TIMES FOR AVIATION AND ROCKETRY ACHIEVEMENTS. |
| 00:52:21 | TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME, THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN FOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN SPACE FLIGHT. |
| 00:52:32 | IN AN APPROPRIATE COINCIDENCE, APOLLO 11'S MISSION EMBLEM AND GROUP PATCH ALSO FEATURED AN AMERICAN BALD EAGLE CARRYING AN OLIVE BRANCH. |
| 00:52:44 | THE APOLLO 11 CREW IS HONORED TO TO RECEIVE THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL AND ACCEPT ON BEHALF OF OUR FELLOW APOLLO TEAMMATES ALL THOSE WHO PLAYED THEIR ROLE IN THE EXPANDED PRESENCE OUTWARD FROM EARTH, AND ALL THOSE WHO PLAYED A ROLE IN EXPANDING HUMAN KNOWLEDGE OF THE SOURCE SYSTEM AND BEYOND, WE THANK THE CONGRESS VERY MUCH -- OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND BEYOND, WE THANK THE CONGRESS VERY MUCH. |
| 00:53:42 | [APPLAUSE] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FORMER UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF OHIO AND THE FIRST AMERICAN TO ORBIT THE EARTH, THE HON. |
| 00:53:49 | JOHN GLENN. |
| 00:54:07 | [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH. |
| 00:54:11 | LEADERS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FIRST, THANKS TO EACH OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO SHARE THIS VERY SPECIAL OCCASION WITH US. |
| 00:54:25 | FROM OUR FOUNDING DAYS, AMERICANS HAVE BEEN MOTIVATED BY CURIOSITY ABOUT THE NEW AND THE UNKNOWN, WHETHER IT WAS GEOGRAPHICAL EXPLORATION THAT HAS PUSHED BACK THE FRONTIERS OF A CONTINENT, OR MICRO EXPLORATION IN OUR LABORATORIES, THAT CURIOSITY AND RESEARCH, COUPLED WITH AN EDUCATION SYSTEM THAT LET ALL OUR CITIZENS BENEFIT AND CONTRIBUTES FOR THE TWIN ENGINES OF PROGRESS THAT CATAPULTED AMERICA INTO PRE-EMINENCE. |
| 00:55:04 | BUT THERE WERE OTHER FRONTIERS NEVER BEFORE BELIEVED TO BE APPROACHABLE. |
| 00:55:10 | AND FOR MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF YEARS PEOPLE HAVE LOOKED UP AND WONDERED. |
| 00:55:17 | THEY HAVE BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT WAS UP THERE. |
| 00:55:23 | WE MUST CONSIDER OURSELVES AMONG THE MOST FORTUNATE OF ALL GENERATIONS, FOR WE HAVE LIVED AT A TIME WHEN THE DREAM BECAME A REALITY, WHEN WE COULD FINALLY TRAVEL ABOVE THE ATMOSPHERE ABOVE THE EARTH, WHERE WE COULD ESTABLISH LABORATORIES IN SPACE AND DO RESEARCH. |
| 00:55:43 | AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, LEAVE HUMAN FOOTPRINTS ON SOMEPLACE OTHER THAN OURS. |
| 00:55:50 | -- OTHER THAN EARTH. |
| 00:55:53 | AS NEIL AND BUZZ AND MIKE MADE THEIR JOURNEY, IT COULD BE SAID WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND. |
| 00:56:11 | THE REASON THESE DREAMS WERE BROUGHT TO LIFE BY ONE OF THE MOST DEDICATED AND CAPABLE TEAMS EVER PUT TOGETHER, WORKERS, TECHNICIANS, ENGINEERS, SCIENTISTS, HONORED AS WE ARE TODAY, WE CERTAINLY SHARE THIS RECOGNITION WITH THAT GREAT TEAM. |
| 00:56:33 | ALMOST 50 YEARS AGO FOLLOWING THE ORAL FLIGHT OF FRIENDSHIP, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO MARRIAGE -- TO ADDRESS A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS. |
| 00:56:46 | AND I CLOSED MY REMARKS WITH WORDS I WILL REPEAT TODAY. |
| 00:56:50 | AS OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNIVERSE IN WHICH WE LIVE INCREASES, MAY GOD GRANT US THE WISDOM AND GUIDANCE TO USE IT WISELY. |
| 00:57:00 | THANK YOU. |
| 00:57:39 | [APPLAUSE] >> HAVE LISA DEVIN, PLEASE REMAIN STANDING AS THE CHAPLAIN OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE GIVES HIS BENEDICTION. |
| 00:57:44 | >> LET US PRAY. |
| 00:57:48 | LORD OF HOSTS, YOU STRETCHED OUT THE HEAVENS LIKE A CURTAIN. |
| 00:57:56 | HER THANK-YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR FOUR PIONEERS. |
| 00:58:02 | YOU EMPOWER THEM TO ENTER A NEW FRONTIER, SLIPPING THE SURLY BONDS OF EARTH TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH YOUR SOVEREIGN FACE. |
| 00:58:17 | MAYBE INSPIRATION WE RECEIVE FROM THESE WELL-LIVED LIVES SAVED US FROM THE LOVE OF THESE HUTUS THE COMFORTABLE WAY AND FROM THE PROCRASTINATION WHICH PUTS THINGS OFF UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. |
| 00:58:38 | BLESS AND KEEP US AND ALL OF OUR TOMORROWS END OUR GOING OUT AND COMING IN, OUR RISING UP AND LYING DOWN, FROM THIS TIME FORTH EVEN FOREVER MORE, AMEN. |
| 00:59:16 | (music) >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE REMAIN IN YOUR SEATS FOR THE DEPARTURE OF THE OFFICIAL PARTY. |
| 01:00:09 | (music) >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS CONCLUDES TODAY'S CEREMONY. |
| 01:00:13 | THANK YOU AND HAVE A NICE DAY. |
| 01:00:18 | [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE] |
| 01:00:20 | [CAPTIONS COPYRIGHT NATIONAL CABLE SATELLITE CORP. |
| 01:01:57 | 2011] >> AND TOMORROW, WASHINGTON POST FINANCIAL REPORTER YLAN |
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