SRES-695-119
Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2076-2077; text: CR S2085)
Sponsored by Ted Cruz (R-TX)
What it does
This resolution commemorates April 6, 2026, as the day the Artemis II crew surpassed the record for the farthest distance traveled by astronauts into deep space. It celebrates the success of the Artemis II mission. As a Senate resolution, it expresses the sense of the Senate and has no binding legal or regulatory effect.
Who benefits
The four Artemis II crew members receive formal congressional recognition. NASA as an agency gains institutional prestige. The U.S. aerospace industry and contractors involved in the Artemis program receive indirect recognition. Space exploration advocates and the broader public interested in human spaceflight may benefit from the symbolic affirmation of the program.
Who is hurt
No group is materially harmed by this resolution. There is no regulatory, fiscal, or legal effect on any party.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that formally recognizing historic achievements in human spaceflight honors the courage and sacrifice of astronauts and affirms the national commitment to space exploration. They contend that the Artemis II mission represents the farthest humans have traveled into deep space, a milestone worthy of the same congressional recognition afforded to past achievements like the Apollo missions.
Opponents argue
Opponents might argue that commemorative resolutions consume limited Senate floor time without producing any binding policy outcome, and that the resources devoted to ceremonial recognition could be better directed toward substantive oversight or legislation. They could contend that symbolic resolutions, while well-intentioned, do not translate into the sustained funding commitments or policy direction that NASA and the Artemis program actually require.