Resolution honoring NASA employees who rode out Hurricane Katrina Passes House

Washington – Congressman Ken Calvert was pleased to submit for the record a statement in support of H. Res. 892-Recognizing the dedication of the employees at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Michoud Assembly Facility. The resolution passed by a voice vote Monday afternoon.

Thirty eight NASA employees stayed on duty during Hurricane Katrina to protect the Space Shuttle’s external tank assembly facilities from flooding and other damage. Their bravery is credited with preventing damage to the external tank and keeping NASA’s manned space program intact and on schedule.

“The brave members of the Michoud Ride-out Team deserve to be recognized for their selfless dedication to America’s space program. I look forward to visiting the Michoud Assembly Facility and thanking these heroes in person in the near future,” said Calvert, who serves as Chairman of the House Science Committee Subcommittee on space and Aeronautics.

Congressman Calvert’s floor statement and the text of H. Res. 892 are included below.

Floor Statement
Honorable Ken Calvert (R-CA)
July 24, 2006
H. Res. 892-Recognizing the dedication of the employees at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Michoud Assembly Facility

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 892, which recognizes the dedication of the employees at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Michoud Assembly Facility. The end of next month is the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall on our Gulf coast. Today we celebrate the bravery exhibited by the “Michoud Hurricane Ride-out Team,” which saved not only the facility, but also our Nation’s manned space program.

Last week, both Houses of Congress passed H. Con. Res. 448, which commended the men and women of NASA, the crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery, and NASA Administrator Mike Griffin for the successful conclusion of the second return to flight test mission-STS-121. This would not have been possible without the thirty-eight brave members of the Michoud Ride-out Team. Many of the members of this team lost their homes and did not know the fate of their families until days after the Hurricane. They risked their lives manning generators and pumps at the Michoud Facility to protect the Shuttle’s external tank program and, hence, the future of the manned space program.

Despite the Facility’s proximity to the center of the hurricane’s destructive path, only one external tank was damaged when a concrete panel fell and bounced off the side of the tank. Despite the extensive damage to the 832 acre facility and the entire surrounding area, the Ride-out team exhibited the bravery and the pride for the importance of the space program not only to our Nation, but also to the area in Louisiana.

In September, as Chairman of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, I am planning to travel to both the Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana and the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. I am looking forward to meeting some of these brave individuals, both at Michoud and at Stennis. Since I became the Chairman of this Subcommittee in 2005, I have visited 7 of NASA’s 10 facilities around the country. I am looking forward to visiting and to learning even more of the importance of these NASA centers to our Nation’s space program. Today, I want to extend thanks and gratitude from the American people for the outstanding work of these brave individuals at both the Michoud Assembly Facility and at the Stennis Space Center.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 892
Recognizing the dedication of the employees at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Michoud Assembly Facility, the `Michoud Hurricane Ride-Out Team’, who risked their lives during Hurricane Katrina’s assault on southeast Louisiana, and kept the generators and pumps running to protect the facilities and flight hardware, and whose dedication kept the Michoud Assembly Facility an island of dry land, which made it possible to resume External Tank production less than 5 weeks after the storm passed.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 26, 2006

Mr. MELANCON (for himself, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. GORDON, Mr. CALVERT, and Mr. UDALL of Colorado) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Science

RESOLUTION Recognizing the dedication of the employees at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Michoud Assembly Facility, the `Michoud Hurricane Ride-Out Team’, who risked their lives during Hurricane Katrina’s assault on southeast Louisiana, and kept the generators and pumps running to protect the facilities and flight hardware, and whose dedication kept the Michoud Assembly Facility an island of dry land, which made it possible to resume External Tank production less than 5 weeks after the storm passed.

Whereas the Michoud Assembly Facility plays a vital role in the United States manned space flight program, including production of the Shuttle External Tank, a vital component of the Shuttle program;

Whereas the 37 members of the `Michoud Hurricane Ride-Out Team’ who stayed behind during Hurricane Katrina risked their lives in dedication to the space program and faced down one of the greatest natural disasters in this Nation’s history, at great personal risk; and

Whereas, if not for the dedication of this team, the Michoud facility would have suffered a great loss of National Aeronautics and Space Administration assets and technology, which would have severely limited the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s mission: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives commends the dedication of the 37 members of the `Michoud Hurricane Ride-Out Team’ who stayed behind at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Michoud Assembly Facility and protected vital program assets, which enabled the facility to resume production of the Shuttle External Tank within 5 weeks of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, including Ronald L. Adams, Jr. of New Orleans, LA, Joseph Charles Barrett of Metairie, LA, Donald K. Bollich of Metairie, LA, Frederick H. Castle of Bay Saint Louis, MS, Daniel Alvine Doell of Terrytown, LA, John Lee Fisher of Slidell, LA, James E. Ford II of Madisonville, LA, Stephen Lynn Francis of New Orleans, LA, Monroe Lewis Frazier Jr. of Harvey, LA, William Carl Hale III of Slidell, LA, Willie Frederick Henderson III of New Orleans, LA, Simmie Paul Herrin of Slidell, LA, Royal Kenneth Holland of New Orleans, LA, Ivory Jordan, Jr. of Lacombe, LA, Joe E. Kennedy of Pearl River, LA, Donald P. Leon Jr. of New Orleans, LA, Michael Wilson Moore of Metairie, LA, Daryl Ordes of Pearlington, MS, Michael A. Parquet of Slidell, LA, George Elson Rogers, Sr. of Kenner, LA, Steven L. Roshto Jr. of Slidell, LA, Alan J. Rovira of New Orleans, LA, Joan B. Savoy of Saint Bernard, LA, Vickie Ann Schmersahl of Slidell, LA, Patrick Shawn Shea of Mandeville, LA, Henry Peter Sissac Jr. of New Orleans, LA, Aline H. Sullwold of Picayune, MS, Richard Leowen Treat of Picayune, MS, Stephen Avery Turner of Slidell, LA, Byran Dale Walker of Picayune, MS, Edward Perry Watts Jr. of Metairie, LA, Reginald Bruce Williams of New Orleans, LA, Terry Michael Winchester of Slidell, LA, Malcolm Wayne Wood of Picayune, MS, Guy Mitchell Jackson of Chalmette, LA, and John Melvin Pucheu of Waveland, MS.