Christa McAuliffe
U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) applauded passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of a bipartisan bill honoring teacher Christa McAuliffe, the astronaut who perished in the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, and supporting the FIRST Robotics program.
“I’m so proud we were able to get this bill that continues to encourage STEM education and FIRST Robotics to the president’s desk,” Rep. Upton said.
The House on Sept. 19 approved the Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act of 2019, S. 239, which calls for the minting of a $1 silver coin to honor McAuliffe and to support the FIRST Robotics program, the nation’s leading not-for-profit STEM education program.
The U.S. Senate in July approved S. 239 and sent it to the House, where Rep. Upton had introduced his chamber’s version, H.R. 500, with more than 300 cosponsors. The bill now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law.
Under the bill, the U.S. Treasury will mint the McAuliffe coin in 2021, marking the 35th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy, according to Rep. Upton’s office. Once the Treasury recoups the money for the cost of minting the commemorative coin, the profits will go to support FIRST Robotics.
“This legislation will provide a big boost for our FIRST Robotics programs – not only in Michigan but across the country,” said Rep. Upton. “That means more resources and more opportunities for students to develop critical skills for STEM fields and careers.”
The congressman said that his home state “has more FIRST Robotics teams than any other state in the nation, and many of the students who are part of those teams have been inspired in part by the legacy left behind by Christa McAuliffe.”