U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), along with Vice President Mike Pence, Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Space Subcommittee Chairman Brian Babin (R-Texas), today congratulated the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) new class of astronauts at the 2017 Astronaut Selection Announcement at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
 
Chairman Smith: “Our American astronauts are the front line of U.S. exploration and discovery. This new class of astronauts is invaluable for the inspiration they provide to future generations of astronauts and the many studying STEM fields worldwide. I join Vice President Pence in congratulating our new NASA astronauts, and I look forward to their exploration of deep space and the discoveries they will make. President Trump’s reinstatement of the National Space Council reinvigorates our American spirit and opens the door to new opportunities in space, in education, and in our economy. Today’s announcement enhances USA leadership in space on a global scale.”