OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act

Floor Speech

Date: Dec. 5, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Higher Education Veterans

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Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in favor of H.R. 2726, legislation that will authorize the issuance of gold, silver, and clad coins in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the first time in history that mankind successfully completed a crewed lunar landing.

The Apollo 11 mission was a momentous occasion in its own right, but it was also a bittersweet achievement, as it also served as a reminder of the first Apollo mission, whose courage we will never forget.

I am pleased that, in addition to honoring the Apollo 11 crew, the legislation before us today also recognizes the estimated 400,000 Americans who contributed to make possible the Apollo 11 mission. By calling on the Treasury Department to mint and issue coins in honor of Apollo 11, I hope that we will continue to remind all Americans of the boundlessness of what can be achieved when we set our sights high and, quite literally, aim for the Moon.

I also hope the coin minted as part of this legislation will show our young people just how exciting the fields of science, mathematics, and engineering can be and how critical they are to building a brighter future for all.

By ensuring that a quarter of the proceeds raised will be made available to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation to make college scholarships available for students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the legislation before us will make one step towards opening up these fields to our best and brightest.

The remaining surcharges associated with the sale of the coins will go towards the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum's Destination Moon exhibit and be provided to the Astronauts Memorial Foundation for maintenance of the memorial and to further educational initiatives.

For these reasons, I hope all Members will support the legislation before us.

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Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, basically, I will say that it is an honor for me to support this bill and this legislation. I ask all my
colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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