Newsroom

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn made the following statement regarding the one-year anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia explosion:"This weekend marks the one-year anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia explosion, a day that will forever remind us of the risks of space exploration—but one which should not deter us from further discoveries."This is an opportunity to pause and pay tribute to the courage of those seven brave men and women, who volunteered for a mission of danger and discovery, and left the limits of this earth behind once and for all."Most Americans did not know these seven astronauts during their life. But we can all recognize them for the national spirit they represent, the hope and adventure that dwells within the heart of every freedom-loving man, woman and child. It is the voice that calls us to run faster, to climb higher, and to challenge the very boundaries of human achievement."The President has outlined a bold vision of optimism for the future of manned space flight and exploration, and I believe we should rededicate ourselves to this goal. As we pause to reflect on the lives of the Columbia Seven, let us never forget that our reach should always exceed our grasp.” Sen. Cornyn is an original co-sponsor of the Columbia Space Shuttle Memorials Act of 2004 (S. 2034) which was introduced by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison on January 28.Following the terrible disaster of the Space Shuttle Columbia explosion, Cornyn traveled to JSC for the memorial honoring the astronauts who lost their lives. His first speech on the Senate floor was a special tribute to the seven astronauts who died, and he traveled to Nacogdoches to thank the recovery workers for their efforts after the Columbia explosion. And in October, he toured the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) to express his support for their mission and its importance to Texas and the nation.