astronauts chosen for Project Mercury Maj. Gen. Francis D. Vavala - Adjutant General, Delaware Army National Guard Humbert Roque Versace - United States Army officer and POW in Vietnam Gen. Anthony Zinni - USMC, former Commander in Chief of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Politicians Founding Fathers of the United States William Paca - signer of the Declaration of Independence, and President of Maryland Caesar Rodney - signer of the Declaration of Independence, and President of Delaware Members of Congress Mark Amodei - American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Nevada's 2nd congressional district John Barrasso - American physician and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Wyoming (2007–present) David Cicilline - American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Rhode Island's 1st congressional district since 2011 Catherine Cortez Masto - American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Nevada (2017–present) Ted Cruz - United States senator for Texas is of mixed Cuban, Irish and Italian ancestry (2013–present) Emilio Q. Daddario, American Democratic politician from Connecticut. He served as a member of the 86th through 91st United States Congresses. John Ensign - Congressman and United States Senator from Nevada (1994–2011) James Joseph Lanzetta - American engineer and lawyer member of the United States House of Representatives from New York (1933-1935) and 1937–1939) Kevin McCarthy - American businessman and politician currently serving as House Minority Leader in the United States House of Representatives (2007–present) Joe Manchin - American politician serving as the senior United States senator from West Virginia Nancy Pelosi - Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (2007–2011, 2019–2023) Steve Scalise - United States House of Representatives minority whip and representative for Louisiana's 1st congressional district (2008–present) Thomas Suozzi - Member of the United States House of Representatives from New York's 3rd Congressional District (2017–present) Minister Leon Panetta - U.S. Secretary of Defense 2011–2013 Mike Pompeo - U.S. Secretary of State 2018–2021 Diplomats Richard F. Celeste - U.S. Ambassador to India, 1997–2001 Paul Cellucci - U.S. Ambassador to Canada, 2001–2005 Peter Cianchette - U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica, 2008–2009 Luigi R. Einaudi - acting Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) Thomas M. Foglietta - U.S. Ambassador to Italy, 1997–2001 John J. Maresca - U.S. Ambassador, United States Delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, 1992–1994 Joseph A. Mussomeli - U.S. Ambassador to