Congressional Resolution Recognizes 40 Years of The Planetary Society

Rep. Judy Chu: “We are so fortunate to have an organization like The Planetary Society working to encourage science and exploration.”

For Immediate Release
September 23, 2020

Contact
Danielle Gunn
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1-626-793-5100

Pasadena, CA (September 23, 2020) — Representatives of the United States Congress acknowledged the 40th anniversary of The Planetary Society—the world’s largest, independent, nonprofit space organization—by introducing a formal resolution recognizing the event.

The congressional resolution, H.Res. 1109, commends The Planetary Society for “introduc[ing] people to the wonders of the cosmos by bridging the gap between the scientific community and the general public to inspire and educate people from all walks of life.”

The resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives by Judy Chu (CA-27) and 5 co-sponsors: Representatives Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Brad Sherman (CA-30), Susan Davis (CA-53), Raul Grijalva (AZ-03), and Jamie Raskin (MD-08).

Congresswoman Chu, whose district includes the headquarters of The Planetary Society, stated:

“Few things can capture the human imagination quite like space exploration. And thanks to their decades of outreach and advocacy, The Planetary Society has put outer space in reach for so many people. I am privileged to represent some of the greatest minds in science who have taken us to Mars and beyond. But these accomplishments would not have been possible without the amazing people at The Planetary Society who have helped Americans and people around the world understand the importance of space and space exploration. That includes the Federal government.

As a Member of Congress, I have counted on the Planetary Society’s voice on Capitol Hill to advocate for the funding and resources that are necessary to advance this work. But they’re not only helping us to understand the accomplishments of today. Through education, The Planetary Society is helping to inspire the next generation of leaders who will take us even further. We are so fortunate to have an organization like The Planetary Society working to encourage science and exploration and I congratulate them on an incredible 40 years of success.”

Bill Nye, CEO of The Planetary Society, added:

“I want to express our deepest appreciation to Congresswoman Chu, her fellow Members of Congress, and her team for introducing this resolution.

The Planetary Society is unique. For the last 40 years we have worked to advance space exploration, the search for life elsewhere in the cosmos, and the protection of Earth from a catastrophic impact by an asteroid. We are proud to work with important congressional decision-makers across the political spectrum to learn more about the cosmos and our place within it.”

About The Planetary Society

With a global community of more than 2 million space enthusiasts, The Planetary Society is the world’s largest and most influential space advocacy organization. Founded in 1980 by Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman and today led by CEO Bill Nye, we empower the public to take a meaningful role in advancing space exploration through advocacy, education outreach, scientific innovation, and global collaboration. Together with our members and supporters, we’re on a mission to explore worlds, find life off Earth, and protect our planet from dangerous asteroids. To learn more, visit www.planetary.org.

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