Boehlert Meets with Shuttle Crew
Commends NY Native/Mission Commander Eileen Collins

(L to R) STS-114 Crew Members Jim Kelly, Soichi Noguchi, Wendy Lawrence, Steve Robinson, U.S. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, Commander Eileen Collins, Dr. Charles Camarda and Andy Thomas.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The crew of the recent Space Shuttle Discovery mission, including its Commander, Col. Eileen Collins, met with House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-New Hartford) in his Capitol Hill office on September 20, 2005.

 Boehlert pointed out that two of the seven Discovery astronauts are New Yorkers: Commander Eileen Collins is from Elmira, and Mission Specialist Dr. Charles Camarda is from Brooklyn.

 The astronauts discussed with Boehlert their recent mission, STS-114, which blasted off from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on July 26 and flew to the International Space Station before returning to Earth and landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California on August 9. They also discussed the President's Space Exploration Vision, which calls for returning humans to the Moon by 2020 and preparing for eventual manned missions to Mars and beyond. 

 In July, the Science Committee unanimously passed a NASA authorization bill, sponsored by Boehlert that would enact into law the President's Exploration Vision. The legislation later passed the full House of Representatives by a vote of 383-15.

 Citing the 383-15 vote for his NASA Authorization bill, Boehlert said, "When I met with the crew of STS-114 today, I reminded them that just two months ago, Congress, gave them an overwhelming, bipartisan vote of confidence. But I also pointed out that the vote signified Congress' endorsement of maintaining NASA's status as a multi-mission agency. Indeed more than half of NASA's budget is spent on important programs in aeronautics, space science and Earth science that provide vital information to us about the most important planet in our solar system, the one we live on."

 Boehlert added, "Col. Collins and her crew performed their mission with exemplary skill and carried out their mission duties with flawless precision. Because of the fine work they conducted flying in the heavens, we now know more about the Shuttle than we ever have before, which will help NASA's talented team of engineers and technicians further improve the safety of future Shuttle flights.

 "It also should not go unnoticed that two of the seven astronauts who flew on the Discovery mission - including it's commander, Col. Eileen Collins of whom we are all so proud - are New Yorkers. I think that's about the right ratio."