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REMARKS BY:  DONNA E. SHALALA, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
PLACE:       Visit of the Shuttle Discovery Astronauts to the National Institutes of Health
	     Bethesda, Maryland
DATE:	     January 8, 1999

"Welcoming the Magnificent Seven"

It's an honor to welcome the "magnificent seven" from the Space Shuttle Discovery's latest mission to the National Institutes of Health-the world's preeminent center for science. From the release of the Spartan spacecraft to the scores of bio-medical experiments-the work of these astronauts will help us learn not only about our stars, but about ourselves.Will help us unlock the mysteries of the heavenly bodies and our human bodies.Will help us chart new paths to a better understanding of the universe and to a better life here on earth.

Because of your collaboration with NASA, all of you at NIH are very much partners in this historic mission-and in all shuttle missions. By working with our colleagues at NASA on cutting-age research, everyone at NIH-especially the National Institute of Aging-is helping all of us live longer and better. Because of our long-standing partnership with NASA, we're learning that there are many parallels between what happens to our bodies in space, and what happens to our bodies as we age. That's why we sent Senator and Payload Specialist John Glenn into space. Thirty-six years ago he showed us the way to the heavens. Now he's helping to show us the way to age. And sending John Glenn back into space is consistent with this Administration's policy to support "active aging."

Much has changed since astronaut and Colonel John Glenn first encountered the awesome silence and infinite serenity of space. But some things have remained the same. The men and women whose spirits cannot be held by the restraints of earth-like the seven we have with us today-continue to exhibit that rare combination of intellect and imagination. And they prove that the poet Schiller was right when he noted that the stars of our own destiny are found not above us-but within us. They are special individuals who take to the heavens to improve life on earth. And now I have the honor of introducing seven of these remarkable individuals:

Commander Curt Brown. Commander Brown is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force and has a Bachelor's Degree in electrical engineering from the Air Force Academy. Brown is also one of the space programs most well-traveled heroes. He's been on five shuttle missions; has logged over 1,000 hours in space; and has flown over 6,000 hours. Where does he go next? He says to Disney World.

Pilot Steve Lindsay. Pilot Lindsay is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force and holds a Master's Degree in aeronautical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He's a veteran of two shuttle missions. Lindsay's statistics are impressive-over three thousand hours flying fifty different aircraft; over 500 hours in space-and two appearances with Jay Leno.

Mission Specialist Steve Robinson. Mission Specialist Robinson has a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Stanford University. He's also been on two shuttle missions. Robinson can't deny that he literally threw himself into his work onboard Discovery-the gash on his forehead only recently healed.

Mission Specialist Dr. Scott Parazynski. Mission Specialist Parazynski received his Medical Degree from Stanford University, and did his residency in emergency medicine. Discovery was his third shuttle flight. He is also the perfect person to visit Washington-he's a recognized expert on how humans adapt to stressful environments.

Mission Specialist Pedro Duque. Mission Specialist Duque is Spain's first astronaut, and he has a Bachelor's Degree in engineering from the Polytechnic University in Madrid. He has also worked with the Russian cosmonauts, and was awarded the "Order of Friendship" by President Yeltsin. Duque was a shuttle rookie-which probably explains why he kept asking, "So are we there yet?"

Payload Specialist Dr. Chiaki Mukai. Payload Specialist Mukai is a cardiovascular surgeon and holds Doctorates in both medicine and physiology from KeioUniversity in Japan. Mukai is a veteran of two shuttle flights, and she's credited with approximately sixty scientific publications since 1979. In Japan, she's bigger than Godzilla.

Payload Specialist John Glenn. Payload Specialist Glenn is a retired Colonel in the United States Marine Corp. He has a Bachelor's Degree in engineering from Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. He served with distinction as Ohio's senior senator for 24 years. He's received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. One of America's original seven Mercury astronauts-he was the first American to orbit the earth. Today, John Glenn shows us that if we stay active and engaged we'll still age-but we won't grow old. And no one can ever accuse Senator Glenn of being one of those politicians who never got outside the Beltway.

Taken together, this crew certainly proves that no matter what our age, there is always more to learn.always more to explore.and always more to discover. Now please join me in welcoming the leader of our magnificent seven, Commander Curt Brown.

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