[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 704 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 704

    Honoring the accomplishments of General Thomas P. Stafford and 
    recognizing his contribution to the United States Space Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 17, 2020

   Mr. Inhofe (for himself and Mr. Lankford) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Honoring the accomplishments of General Thomas P. Stafford and 
    recognizing his contribution to the United States Space Program.

Whereas General Thomas Patten Stafford was born in Weatherford, Oklahoma, on 
        September 17, 1930, to Thomas and Mary Ellen Stafford;
Whereas General Stafford graduated with honors from the United States Naval 
        Academy in 1952, after which he joined the newly formed United States 
        Air Force;
Whereas General Stafford entered the United States Air Force Experimental Test 
        Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in 1958 and graduated in 1959, 
        receiving the A.B. Honts Award as the outstanding graduate, and 
        thereafter becoming an instructor and writing flight performance and 
        aerodynamics textbooks for the school;
Whereas, in 1962, General Stafford was chosen among the second group of 
        astronauts by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 
        to serve in projects Gemini and Apollo;
Whereas General Stafford developed techniques for and piloted Gemini VI in 1965, 
        completing the first rendezvous in space, and commanded Gemini IX in 
        1966, demonstrating 3 different types of rendezvous, including the 
        rendezvous that would be used in future Apollo lunar missions;
Whereas, in 1969, General Stafford commanded Apollo 10, piloted the first lunar 
        module to descend within 9 miles of the Moon, designated the first lunar 
        landing site, performed reconnaissance of future Apollo landing sites, 
        and completed each of the essential steps in the final preparation for 
        the upcoming Moon landing, including the first rendezvous around the 
        Moon;
Whereas General Stafford and his crew won the National Academy of Television 
        Arts and Sciences Special Trustees ``Emmy'' Award for initiating 
        development of and taking the first colored images from space;
Whereas General Stafford set the record for the fastest speed traveled by a 
        human during the return of the Apollo 10 mission, a record standing 
        today and documented in the Guinness World Book of Records, at 24,791 
        miles per hour or Mach 36;
Whereas General Stafford's final space mission took place in 1975 as commander 
        of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, during which General Stafford and 
        Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov shook hands upon docking, completing the first 
        international space flight and helping set into motion the end of the 
        Cold War;
Whereas General Stafford received the Nobel Peace Prize nomination for his role 
        in this mission;
Whereas General Stafford left NASA in 1975 to serve as commander of the Air 
        Force Test Flight Center at Edwards Air Force Base;
Whereas General Stafford, as Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, 
        Development, and Acquisition, established requirements for and initiated 
        development of the first stealth aircraft, the F-117A, which was the 
        only stealth attack aircraft in the world for 25 years, and initiated 
        the Air Force roadmap for the Advance Superiority Fighter still in use 
        today;
Whereas, just prior to his retirement in 1979, General Stafford wrote the 
        specifications for and initiated the development of the Advance 
        Technology Bomber, now known as the B-2 Stealth Bomber, the only stealth 
        bomber force in the world today, and initiated the development of the 
        AGM-129 Stealth Cruise Missile;
Whereas, from 1991 to 1993, General Stafford led NASA's efforts to repair and 
        service the Hubble Telescope and was presented with the NASA Public 
        Service Award;
Whereas, in 2011, General Stafford was awarded the Wright Brothers Memorial 
        Trophy for pioneering achievements that have led the way to the Moon, to 
        greater international cooperation in space, and to a safer United 
        States;
Whereas General Stafford completed over 507 hours in space flight time and flew 
        more than 127 types of aircraft and helicopters during his career, along 
        with 4 kinds of spacecraft and 3 types of boosters;
Whereas General Stafford has advised several presidents on space policy and is 
        currently the Chairman of the NASA Advisory Task Force on the 
        International Space Station;
Whereas September 17, 2020, marks General Stafford's 90th birthday; and
Whereas General Stafford has given a lifetime of service to the Nation as a 
        member of the Armed Forces, at NASA, and in other positions within the 
        Executive branch: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes General Stafford's immense contribution to 
        the Space Race and the United States' advancement in space 
        policy and exploration;
            (2) commends General Stafford for his extraordinary 
        dedication and service to the United States throughout his 
        distinguished career; and
            (3) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit an 
        enrolled copy of this resolution to General Stafford.
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