Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 35–Senators Raggio, Titus, Amodei, Care, Carlton, Coffin, Jacobsen, James, Mathews, McGinness, Neal, O’Connell, O’Donnell, Porter, Rawson, Rhoads, Schneider, Shaffer, Townsend, Washington and Wiener

 

April 18, 2001

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Joint Sponsors: Assemblymen Dini, Perkins, Anderson, Angle, Arberry, Bache, Beers, Berman, Brower, Brown, Buckley, Carpenter, Cegavske, Chowning, Claborn, Collins, de Braga, Freeman, Gibbons, Giunchigliani, Goldwater, Gustavson, Hettrick, Humke, Koivisto, Lee, Leslie, Manendo, Marvel, McClain, Mortenson, Neighbors, Nolan, Oceguera, Ohrenschall, Parks, Parnell, Price, Smith, Tiffany, Von Tobel and Williams

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Read and Adopted

 

SUMMARY—Commends Buzz Aldrin for his lifetime achievements. (BDR R‑1521)

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

Senate Concurrent RESOLUTION—Commending Buzz Aldrin for his lifetime achievements.

 

1-1     Whereas, Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., was born in Montclair, New Jersey, on

1-2  January 20, 1930, and is now known worldwide as “Buzz” Aldrin, after

1-3  legally changing his name to reflect the nickname given to him by his

1-4  sister, who called him “Buzzer” when she couldn’t quite pronounce

1-5  “brother”; and

1-6     Whereas, Buzz Aldrin was influenced by the interests of his father, a

1-7  pioneer in aviation who studied rocket development, and one must wonder

1-8  whether his mother’s name, Marion Moon, was just a coincidence; and

1-9     Whereas, Buzz graduated with honors in 1951 from the United States

1-10  Military Academy at West Point, ranking third in his class of 475, was

1-11  commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force and received his

1-12  wings in 1952; and

1-13     Whereas, During the Korean War, Buzz Aldrin distinguished himself

1-14  by destroying two enemy MIG-15s and flying F-86 Sabre jets in 66 combat

1-15  missions; and

2-1     Whereas, Buzz pursued his career in the Air Force by serving as an

2-2  Aerial Gunnery Instructor at Nellis Air Force Base, attending the Squadron

2-3  Officers’ School at the Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, in

2-4  Alabama and flying F-100 aircraft as a Flight Commander with the 36th

2-5  Tactical Fighter Wing at Bitburg, Germany; and

2-6     Whereas, The desire to excel led him to the Massachusetts Institute of

2-7  Technology, where he earned a doctorate degree in astronautics in 1963;

2-8  and

2-9     Whereas, After completing an assignment in the Gemini Target Office

2-10  of the Air Force Space Systems Division in Los Angeles, California, Dr.

2-11  Aldrin was transferred to the United States Air Force Field Office at the

2-12  Manned Spacecraft Center, where he was introduced to the Gemini

2-13  program and worked on integrating experiments of the Department of

2-14  Defense with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA);

2-15  and

2-16     Whereas, In October 1963, the dream of a lifetime came true when

2-17  Buzz was accepted into NASA’s astronaut program, and after 3 years of

2-18  training, he was launched into space on November 11, 1966, for a 4-day

2-19  flight with James Lovell aboard the Gemini XII; and

2-20     Whereas, On that flight, Colonel Aldrin set a new record for

2-21  extravehicular activity by spending more than 5 hours outside the

2-22  spacecraft, and because of problems with the radar, “Dr. Rendezvous”

2-23  cemented a second nickname by performing a successful docking

2-24  rendezvous using, for the first time ever, only the backup charts aboard the

2-25  spacecraft; and

2-26     Whereas, On July 20, 1969, Colonel Buzz Aldrin participated in the

2-27  unprecedented heroic event that was witnessed by the largest worldwide

2-28  television audience in history, as he stepped out of Apollo XI onto the

2-29  surface of the moon and stamped into millions of minds the lasting image

2-30  of an earthling in his space suit, facing the United States flag; and

2-31     Whereas, Colonel Aldrin has logged an incredible 4,500 hours of

2-32  flying time, of which 289 hours and 53 minutes were in space, including

2-33  extravehicular activity time of 7 hours and 52 minutes, and he has received

2-34  over 50 special honors, ranging from the Presidential Medal of Freedom to

2-35  the National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Medal; and

2-36     Whereas, Buzz Aldrin is an accomplished author of four books and a

2-37  coauthor of two others, and he participates in many organizations, such as

2-38  the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Society of

2-39  Experimental Test Pilots, the International Academy of Astronautics and

2-40  Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society; and

2-41     Whereas, After retiring from the Air Force and NASA, Dr. Aldrin has

2-42  remained at the forefront of efforts to ensure a continued leading role for

2-43  America in manned space exploration, as evidenced by his development of

2-44  a master plan of evolving missions for sustained space exploration, his

2-45  patented design for a permanent space station, the founding of a company

2-46  that designs rockets and the establishment of a nonprofit foundation that is

2-47  devoted to opening the doors to space tourism for all; and

2-48     Whereas, Buzz Aldrin continues to quench his thirst for adventure

2-49  through such journeys as a trip to the North Pole and an 11-hour

3-1  underwater dive to observe the recovery attempt of part of the Titanic, and

3-2  as the new millennium beckons, his enthusiasm for such adventure is

3-3  transplanted into audiences all over the world when this well-loved,

3-4  enthralling international speaker motivates, captivates and entertains with

3-5  tales of his experiences; and

3-6     Whereas, Colonel Buzz Aldrin will honor Carson City with such a

3-7  speaking engagement on April 18, 2001, at the Carson City Community

3-8  Center to help raise money for the Jack C. Davis Observatory soon

3-9  scheduled for construction on the campus of Western Nevada Community

3-10  College in Carson City; now, therefore, be it

3-11     Resolved by the Senate of the State of Nevada, the Assembly

3-12  Concurring, That the members of the Nevada Legislature do hereby

3-13  commend Colonel Buzz Aldrin for his lifetime achievements that have

3-14  made him unquestionably one of the world’s most dynamic forces in

3-15  aeronautics and space exploration; and be it further

3-16     Resolved, That it is with great pride we welcome him to Carson City

3-17  and salute his efforts to make possible a new observatory where thousands

3-18  can study and be entranced with the beauties of space and heavenly bodies

3-19  that he has actually visited; and be it further

3-20     Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy

3-21  of this resolution to Buzz Aldrin.

 

3-22  H