were a plotting, and i thought all the engines equipped.ny noi. the solids were going. there wasn't any noise. it was about as quiet as it iss in this room, and it's, iton bu wasn't any shaking going on. thank goodness the instruments confirmed the engines were still going.o so i had a ride of my life. it actually made an estimate it seem more like two minutes. it was all encompass.t fights it was only subsequent flights e could fully appreciate the full spect of a center entering alie set we of little things comingt. off the itexternal tank. looked like popcorn to me but it was foam coming off att that point.ng a on orbit getting a chance to back at the earth, float around in zero g.ey mademe they may be take scope decks o before took off because theyr we were afraid i would get this upace sickness and upchuck all over thepch cockpit.nd reallow i was moving around real slow

trying to say heads up the t-and-updidn't i do anything, floated back to the back and we opened up the payload bay doors. as neil pointed out, as soon as i opened them it was obvious wee were missing some tiles back off the pods. but truthfully, i knew that wene had really done pole test on ali the pile that were critical forr reagan to add those were onlye o there for -- those were not i wy critical. and i was very confident tthheab once we really need, the ones on the bottom of the vehicle were still there.e big the biggest anomaly we had on orbit was that the potty broken out by the first of numerous times and i had the rubber glova on and everything.ug nevermind. [laughter] it was ugly. [laughter] butbut then reentry time came d v they vehicle flew beautifully. when we are still on the dark side odf the earth, outsideurn started to turn pink.

it was a nice soft pink about ike t like these exit signs that you see on the site.n't abi it wasn't a big fiery kind of reentry.it it was a nice soft glow, but iti was obvious it was a little ware outside on the nose of the the vehicle. ca then daylight came and youthe pa couldn't see the pink anymore. we got to be less than box elder john took over and did a couples of role overseas to amake sure the thing was flying right. but then he brought on intointos edwards was great landing. he said my primary job is to make sure the landing gear goto in which i attempted, some people speculate, but did then down that low.ut t it was again a fantastic flight. looking back on 25 years, i think the media did a good job ofof summarizing what hasding transpired during that 25 years. it's allowed us to do some fantastic things. and i know that we will get the

thing flying again this summer i emd it's going to continue withs you some of thebl international space station. it certainly hope that we will e get another visit to hubble. it is a super vehicle, and it my ono was my honor to have anty of it.t.ty to be a part [applause] >> john? >> well, i agree with everythin. crip said. by h my heart rate was as fast as his own liftoff but on something called it just wouldn't go any. faster.[laughte [laughter] it's wonderful to flyerful intot and have no problems like wewe a had. we had some anomalies like the t titles. i found out by five or six years ago that we actually had hot gas come into the right door and buckled the right landing wheelh

well.at i know that. that's bad because's that's whee three hydraulic systems and those two big tires live. you don't want to overheat of those guys. a ot it was a lot of fun on that very wel mission and to work out very well. it's a room remarkable machine and i appreciate everythingngi everybody did you test iat.everi we just got -- a lot of things we learned like crip talkedpitc about the teaching ofle liftoff because we did know the normalot forces.fects of we did know the plume effects of the big 3 million-pound solido rocket motors. we just did know that so we got medical appeal and going down range, the thrusters were amazingly quiet. i agree. the strange thing was a fellow coming to me about, dave gilbert him into the office when we were in quarantine over here and building five. he says to us, we don't know if we fixed this problem with the reaction control system. the software's been making it

fire inadvertently throughout the nation, and you can use excel pounds of reaction control system gas in several minutes. and so we hit orbit and the main engine stalled and the big engines are like this and the way 1000 pounds apiece. as as soon as the engines stowed, the reaction control system started t firing like crazy. i'm thinking oh, my gosh, dave was right. started reaching out to the drivers which is hard to do when you're wearing a pressure suits we have to know where the switches are. there are about 2000 switches and circuit breakers in the spatial and yet in every one of them. like does anybody in here know what the and open outposts which does? [laughter] i bet you don't. that's the kind of stuff we have to know. crip worked on all the software and he got it just right. there's 110 pages of software and that rascal.

you punch something and punch this a punch that and if you didn't is just right you could make the vehicle stopped flying. he had a lot of program note when he wasn't supposed to touch the computers. [laughter] so we paid attention to those kind of program notes real carefully. it was a lot of fun fly in zero gravity because you float all of the vehicle and go wherever you wanted to see a lot of stuff. those big payload bay doors have a lot of you think that we were nervous because we did know if they were close okay. we opened and closed them twice on orbit. we tested out every system, the reaction control system, the maneuvering systems, we did ops control checkouts at all kinds of things you have to do check the vehicle out. when we got all checked out everybody get up for entry, we aligned the measurement using the star trackers and we had back at things where we could online to manually.

it really worked well because the vehicle was really into the perfect climate and brought us back and brought into the heading alignment, struggled us around, we got updates when we're supposed to. which were surprised. we didn't realize they would work way over the horizon like you did. it was really an amazing flight. i think the google space shuttle has been absolutely incredible thing that's given us, it's cost a lot of money to plot it but the memory of the information we've gotten from the payloads, good old telescopes and all the things we put up there, the concepts and all the things, like crip says, he thinks the dod payload which are not anything about what he knows a little something about, he thinks the dod payload helps us in the cold war. if you really did it take for the space shuttle time and time again, plus the new knowledge about how our solar system works has paid for the shuttle time

and time again. you know, as i don't feel bad about how much it costs to fly the space shuttle into the international space station because things they can do on the space station like protein crystal using the file reactor and doing mentors process in zero gravity and learning all those things and bring it back to earth to use them on earth are going to revolutionize the way we do things on this planet. advanced the technology is what nasa is all about. i think you can be very proud to be associate with the exploration vehicle and getting back to do that because i think getting people off this planet to learn to live and work on the moon and mars is going to be the key to our success as a civilization. i think we'll go back to the mound to preserve civilization on earth that will go to mars to extend a civilization there. that's what he would things are all about the they are great explorers. kind of like in my backyard i got the fire anthony move around the front yard. [laughter] they are real explorers.

why are they doing that but why does anybody ever explore? over the long haul is to preserve the species and that's what it's all about. i think you can all be very proud of being part of a program that the inevitable result is the preservation of the species, our kids and grandkids and that will be just wonderful because i think you can be very proud of doing that because those little guys are going to a lot of good things for the future. appreciate everything and i really wish come have a great 25th anniversary because it's a wonderful machine, has done good things and it's got a lot of good to do yet. going in there and make it work. -- hang in there and make it work. [applause] >> we take you live to the senate on c-span2. senators will continue to work on an energy policy bill from alaska senator lisa murkowski and senator maria cantwell of washington state. their legislation would require

upgrades to the nation's electric grid, speedup permitting for natural gas exports, improve energy efficiency standards for commercial and federal buildings, and permanently extend a fund to provide state and local government money to conserve land or recreation. the chaplain, dr. barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. the chaplain: let us pray. loving god, your providence guides our going out and comng in, and we praise your great name. today, help our lawmakers to exercise that cool judgment that is worth far more than a thousand hasty words.

remind them that soft answers turn away anger and that humility precedes honor. as they work to do what is best for our nation and world, use their lips to provide more light than heat, as their words build up instead of tearing down. may the words of their mouths and the meditations of their hearts glorify you. and, lord, bless the faithful members of our fall page class as they prepare to leave us. we pray in your mighty name.

amen. the presiding officer: please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the presiding officer: the clerk will read a communication to the senate. the clerk: washington d.c, january 28, 2016. to the senate: under the provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standing rules of the senate, i hereby appoint the honorable dean heller, a senator from the state of nevada, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: orrin g.hatch, president pro tempore. mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: the last time a

broad energy bill was signed into law was back in 2007. it may as well have been a lifetime ago as far as america's energy situation is concerned. while we were once living in an era of energy scarcity, we're now living in an era of higher energy production and lower l technology costs. it's change that represents many opportunities, but also challenges. aging infrastructure, bureaucrat ic hurdles, outdated policies, and needless red tape. these are the kinds of challenges we'll need to address if we want to support america's rise as one of the world's preeminent energy super powers. if we want to support the

accompanying potential for jobs, for growth and for increased energy independence. that's why the senate is considering the energy policy modernization act. it's broad, bipartisan legislation that would modernize our energy policies to keep pace with the changing world. it will help americans produce more energy. it will help americans pay less for energy. it will help americans save energy. this bipartisan bill builds on technological progress in order to strengthen and sustain america's energy advances while protecting our environment at the same time. all without raising taxes or adding to the deficit. it's the latest reminder of what's possible with cooperation in this senate. the huge majority of the committee supported the bill when it come to a vote.

the top republican on the committee supported it. the top democrat on the committee supported it. they are the managers of this bill today. they've worked with members of both parties to line up amendments already. they're working with both parties to schedule even more. if you have an amendment you'd like considered, please work with them. let's get this process moving. let's get this bill passed so we can support more jobs, more growth, and more energy independence for our country. now before i leave the floor, let me say this as well. the chair of the energy committee knows how to write good legislation. we have proof of that before us today. but here's something else. the chair of the energy committee also knows how to pick good staff. take mike bremice as one example. he served as her communications

director, served as communications director for the senior senator of alabama too and senior director of the state's senior senator. mike also spent time covering washington back when he was a reporter. mike bremice had a lot of experience under his belt by the time he came to work for me. he was an important part of my team. he worked hard and earned positions of trust among respected members of our conference and the washington press corps. mike was there both in the minority and in the majority as we made our way through many challenges. but he never let his good humor or his zest for life get lost along the way. people tell you that mike loves history and political history in particular. it's a shared passion that kept me challenged and oftennent -- often entertained. people will tell you a few others things about mike too.

he's always smiling, always laughing. he's always got a story to tell and a recipe to share. the aspiring chef and endeavoring fly fisherman is happiest when he's with his family, his delightful wife ann and his sons alec and will. and mike is best when he's outdoors camping or biking or simply enjoying life beyond these walls. when mike told me it was his time to retire from the senate, i was sad to see him go, but at the same time i was glad to see him able to spend more time around the people and things that make mike mike. ronald michael bremice came to my office as a colleague and leaves as a friend. i thank him for his many years of dedicated service to me and to this body, and i send him best wishes for a retirement that promises to be anything but boring.

mr. reid: mr. president? the presiding officer: the democratic leader. mr. reid: i joined with the republican leader the last couple of days saying good things about the bill that's on the floor. but my friend, the republican leader, today states that nothing's happened with energy in this country since 2007. that simply is not right. it's not true. we have done a lot of stuff in the senate under president obama to do good things about energy. for example, the first major bill under president obama was the so-called america recovery act, the stimulus bill. and in that bill, there were lots and lots of stuff to change the energy delivery system in this country, to allow the

creation of new power lines which so badly needed all over america and for those who represent nevada, we have the power line that now goes from northern nevada to southern nevada. that would never happen but for that legislation we passed. and now there was an announcement made two weeks ago that line is now going to be taken even farther to allow to make it easier to transport power to california, renewable energy power. and i spoke to the owner of that line who owns half of it with nv energy that will soon be taken it clear up the northwest. of course in the stimulus bill it was the first time there had been major legislation allowed for tax credits, tax incentives for doing renewable energy. and the bill we just passed, the omnibus bill, the tax extenders, tremendous stuff in that bill for renewable energy and other

electricity problems. i like this bill on the floor. it's a good bill on the floor. it simply is not valid to talk about nothing's happened since 2007 because that is a gross overstatement. mr. president, the bill that's on the floor, i really hope we can pass it. the vast majority of this bill contains the shaheen-portman legislation that we tried valiantly to get done in the past. it was blocked by republican filibusters, and sadly, the cosponsor of the bill twice voted against his own bill. the senator from ohio voted against his own legislation, so i hope that doesn't happen again. mr. president, the united states deserves the right to choose a team to carry out the work

that's to be done here, and the leader of that work to be done here is the president. it's the same whether it was president bush or president reagan, president clinton. they deserve a team, a team they choose to help effectuate the policies that they see necessary for this country. nobody cares, mr. president, but i ate some blackberries on the way in here, and that was a big mistake because the blackberries are still here and not where they're supposed to be. mr. president, the president of the united states deserves the right to choose a team to carry out division -- out a vision here at home and around the world. his vision. my friend, the senior senator from arizona, senator mccain, said -- and i quote -- "the president, in my view, has a clear right to put into place

the team he believes will serve him best." close quote. sadly, since president obama was elected, republicans have stopped at nothing to undermine the president's team, seeking to undermine the progress by denying the personnel he wants to carry out his agenda. despite obstruction president obama has achieved remarkable progress. i talked about some of that just a minute ago. imagine what president obama could have accomplished if senate republicans took their constitutional duties seriously. regrettably during the obama presidency republicans have done everything within their power to block qualified public servants from serving. in the first year of republican control the senate confirmed the fewest nominations of any first session in memory. this blatant strategy of obstruction is shameful and dangerous to the economy and the national security of our country. headlines around the world remind us each day of the

turmoil that exists in the global financial market and basic terrorism that threatens the world. today we learned of multiple bombings yesterday and last night in nigeria. lots of people killed. we can only wait and see where else that turmoil will arise. most americans agree that we need a full complement of appointees to address the challenges we face. republicans are preventing our government from doing its job at home and around the world. according to the congressional research service, the senate banking committee has reported out at least one nomination every year for the past 50 years, but not last year. not a single nominee. currently nominees to the federal reserve board, securities and exchange commission and other important financial assignments are stalled in the banking committee. the committee has been operator under republican leadership for the past 13 months and yet to

report a single nomination out of that committee. that's the definition of an historic obstruction. if there's any nominee that deserves to be confirmed immediately, it's a man by the name of adam szubin. the president nominated him to combat terrorism financing. think about that. terrorism financing. he's desperately needed at the treasury department. i've been called on many occasions talking about how this man needs to have his assignment filled. he's expressed to me the importance of this job in trying to slow up isis and their financial network and other terrorism activities around the country. as under secretary of terrorism and financial crimes, szubin will lead a team that cuts off money from terrorists so they can't finance their evil deeds. he served as career civil servant under republican and

democratic presidents. despite the importance of his work, the republicans are preventing a vote in the banking committee and thus preventing adam szubin from even having a vote here on the senate floor. he's currently acting -- he is certainly acting in a role that is not permanent. he is called an acting member of the treasury department, and he lacks the stature that his counterparts have around the world, so he's not able to do all that should be done to disrupt terrorists' financial networks throughout the world. in the september hearing on his nomination, the quhairn of the banking committee -- the chairman of the banking committee, the senior senator from alabama, said "mr. szubin iseminently equal foi eminent qs wogs." why are republicans holding up this nomination, this critical nomination?