For photos from the event, click HERE.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) today welcomed the NASA Artemis II crew to Capitol Hill. Committee members had the opportunity to meet the crew and ask questions regarding their 10-day mission around the moon, which set a record for the furthest distance traveled by humans into deep space.
For photos from the event, click HERE.
For B-roll from the event, click HERE
During the event, Chairman Cruz said: “Artemis II wasn’t simply a successful mission – it was proof that this nation still has extraordinary talent, the capability, and the resolve to do hard things at the very highest level. It showed the world that when America commits itself to a mission, we lead and we succeed. … The Orion Integrity spacecraft carried more than just four astronauts. It carried the work of thousands of engineers, technicians, manufacturers, and suppliers across the country who made the mission possible. It carried the hopes of a nation that still looks up and believes in what comes next. … To Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy: you have inspired millions of people. … The Senate Commerce Committee is proud to congratulate them, and say a job well done.”
To view Chairman Cruz’s remarks, click HERE.
Ranking Member Cantwell said: “We’re here to honor you and your travel around the moon, farther from Earth than any human before, in their vehicle, aptly named Integrity. I had the opportunity to speak with them during the mission and was especially moved by Victor’s insights into the value of human perspective in space exploration. Human space flight turns exploration into a shared national and civilization event, and the world watched as Artemis II, and the people who are on board, inspired a new generation of Americans.”
To view Ranking Member Cantwell’s remarks, click HERE.
Background
Johnson Space Center, the heart of American spaceflight in Houston, Texas, served as the hub for Artemis II’s mission planning, astronaut training, and operations. Across Texas, 172 suppliers contributed to the Artemis II mission by supporting the Space Launch System, Orion spacecraft, and Exploration Ground Systems.
Last month, the Committee unanimously advanced the NASA Authorization Act of 2026, landmark legislation to secure American dominance in the new space race. Separately, Chairman Cruz led the successful effort in Congress to secure $10 billion in long-term funding for NASA in last year’s Working Families Tax Cut Act, commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill.
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