Published: 05-12-08
WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX-01) announced today that the Columbia Space Shuttle Memorial Study Act has been officially signed into law and he is grateful that efforts to construct a lasting tribute to the seven Columbia crew members will now be able to officially move forward. Gohmert stated:
“This is a tremendous step in truly honoring the heroic Columbia crew their families and the courageous east Texans who volunteered in the recovery efforts. Many people still remember the pain they felt on that fateful day when the Columbia Space Shuttle was tragically destroyed but they will also remember that from that tragedy emerged a stronger community determined to unite together and show the world what big hearts our folks have in east Texas.
Now five years later our dedication to properly tribute those involved with the ill-fated event has not diminished.”
“Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison deserves overwhelming applause for her hard work in helping to push this legislation through the Senate. We eagerly look forward to the commencement of this memorial study so that the Columbia Shuttle crew will receive the lasting tribute they deserve.”
The law will direct the Secretary of Interior through the National Park Service to study at least four areas of land in Lufkin Nacogdoches San Augustine and Hemphill TX where large amounts of shuttle debris fell in order to determine the feasibility of establishing a memorial to the Space Shuttle Columbia. The tragic event felt by the entire nation became a personal experience for east Texas when volunteers from all over the community overwhelmingly offered their own time and resources to aid wreckage recovery efforts.
Congressman Gohmert’s bill H.R. 807 the Columbia Space Shuttle Memorial Study Act was originally introduced in the House and passed as a stand alone bill in March of 2007. The legislation recently became part of the larger omnibus bill S. 2739 the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 which was signed by the President into Public Law No: 110-229.
