Ceremony To Be Held November 16th In Washington, D.C.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and Members of Congress will hold a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony on November 16, 2011 to honor astronauts John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin.

Sen. Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth, achieving the feat onboard Friendship 7 on February 20, 1962. On July 20, 1969, Mr. Armstrong and Mr. Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon, while Mr. Collins piloted Apollo 11’s command module. All four have received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded with distinction. The Gold Medal represents Congress’s highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions.
 
Congress approved the New Frontier Congressional Gold Medal Act in July 2009 to mark the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing. S. Con. Res. 29, authorizing the use of the Capitol Rotunda for the ceremony, was recently approved by both the House and the Senate.

The four spacefarers are the first astronauts to be recognized with the prestigious award.

FMI: www.house.gov, www.senate.gov