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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Joan Higginbotham is contributing to the long-term |
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progress and prosperity of this great nation as an esteemed member |
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of the NASA astronaut corps; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Chicago, Ms. Higginbotham began her |
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career at the Kennedy Space Center in 1987 after earning a |
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bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Southern Illinois |
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University at Carbondale; she quickly proved herself a talented |
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engineer and an astute leader, and by the end of her nine-year |
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tenure at the center, she had participated in more than 50 space |
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shuttle launches; moreover, she obtained master's degrees in |
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management and space systems from the Florida Institute of |
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Technology; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Higginbotham was selected to join the NASA |
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astronaut corps in April 1996 and reported to the Johnson Space |
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Center that same year; since then, she has completed intensive |
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training and gained vital experience in various branches of the |
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agency; in December 2006, she completed her first space flight as a |
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crew member of shuttle mission STS-116, for which she served as |
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mission specialist; considered one of NASA's most complex missions, |
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STS-116 entailed rewiring the space station, and for her part, |
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Mission Specialist Higginbotham successfully operated the robotics |
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arm and oversaw the transfer of equipment from the shuttle to the |
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station; and |
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WHEREAS, This highly regarded professional credits much of |
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her success to the encouragement she received early on from her |
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parents, and today she serves as a motivational speaker for young |
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people; throughout her career, she has won numerous honors, and she |
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is the recipient of a prestigious NASA Exceptional Service Medal; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Joan Higginbotham is dedicated to advancing |
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science, technology, and human potential through space exploration |
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and research, and she indeed merits the admiration of her fellow |
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citizens for her remarkable service in behalf of this nation; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend Joan Higginbotham for her exemplary |
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service to NASA and extend to her sincere best wishes for continued |
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success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Higginbotham as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |