Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today released the following statement on the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's speech setting the goal of landing a man on the Moon.

"On the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's famous speech to a joint session of Congress, we are reminded of an achievement that has become part of our identity as a nation," said Hultgren. "No narrative of America is complete without mentioning the Apollo 11 spacecraft landing on the Moon on July 20, 1969. That accomplishment is an eternal reminder that free people and free enterprise overcame the communist model of command and control.

"Even today, American endeavors in space serve as the best way to inspire our children to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and spaceflight continues to be a strategic capability, as critical to our national defense as it is to our scientific endeavors.

"As we retire the space shuttle fleet after 30 years, with no clear path from the Administration to return to orbit, we are ceding control of space to Russia and China. A half-century after Kennedy’s speech, this is our opportunity to reflect and reaffirm our commitment to manned spaceflight. It is my hope that this momentous anniversary will inspire Congress and this Administration to expediently restore our capabilities to launch our own astronauts into space."