Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 104 Part 1.djvu/417

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PUBLIC LAW 101-339 —JULY 31, 1990 104 STAT. 383 Public Law 101-389 101st Congress Joint Resolution Relating to NASA and the International Space Year. July 31, 1990 [S.J. Res. 75] Whereas in 1985 Congress proposed an International Space Year (ISY) for 1992, commemorating the 500th anniversary of Columbus' voyage to the New World and the 35th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year that ushered in the space age; Whereas Congress also requested the President to endorse the ISY and to initiate interagency and international discussions for an ISY; Whereas in 1986 President Reagan endorsed the ISY and reported to Congress that NASA had found worldwide support for an ISY in 1992, consisting of space activities coordinated on a global basis, and the President directed NASA to move the concept forward internationaly and to lead an interagency effort for domestic activities; Whereas NASA has exercised admirable leadership, through the Office of Space Science and Applications and the Division of International Relations, in establishing the Space Agency Forum on ISY (SAFISY) to coordinate ISY planning, with a current worldwide membership of 25 national space agencies or equivalent bodies; Whereas SAFISY planning is accelerating, with particular emphasis on coordinating current and planned space agency activities so as to improve efficiency and maximize scientific and economic return on space investments; and Whereas the ISY also is generating numerous educational activities, including classroom activities, films, television programs, that will greatly improve public understanding of the significance and potential of the space age: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it is the sense of the Congress that the President should— (1) reaffirm support for the ISY and invite foreign leaders to do the same; (2) support the World Space Congress, to be convened in 1992, in its efforts to encourage cooperative space activities among nations in space science, space exploration, and the application of space technology; 39-194O-91-14:QL3Part1