Whereas space remains at the frontier of science, as expressed in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy at Rice University in Houston, Texas; Whereas space exploration has been integral to the global technological leadership of the United States and to inspiring a STEM workforce for more than 60 years; Whereas astronauts of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have bravely given their lives in pursuit of exploration; Whereas, on February 1, 2003, the United States and the global space community joined together in mourning the loss of Space Shuttle Columbia and the 7 astronauts of the STS–107 mission, who perished on their return home; Whereas United States Air Force Colonel Rick D. Husband, Mission Commander, of Amarillo, Texas, died in service to his nation; Whereas United States Navy Commander William Willie C. McCool, Pilot, of San Diego, California, died in service to his nation; Whereas United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Michael P. Anderson, Payload Commander and Mission Specialist, of Spokane, Washington, died in service to his nation; Whereas United States Navy Captain David M. Brown M.D., Mission Specialist, of Arlington, Virginia, died in service to his nation; Whereas United States Navy Captain Laurel B. Clark, Mission Specialist, of Racine, Wisconsin, died in service to her nation; Whereas Kalpana Chawla, Ph.D., Mission Specialist, of Karnal, India, became a United States citizen and the first woman of Indian origin in space and died in service her nation; Whereas Israeli Air Force Colonel Ilan Ramon, Payload Specialist, of Tel Aviv, Israel, became the first Israeli in space and died in service to his nation; Whereas the people of the United States will not forget the sacrifice of the crew of STS–107 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia , as well as others who perished in the exploration of space