HR 9077

1	House Resolution
2	A resolution recognizing Joseph Michael Acaba, Mission
3	Specialist Educator of Space Shuttle Discovery mission
4	STS-119.
5
6	WHEREAS, Joseph Michael "Joe" Acaba was born on May 17,
7	1967, in Inglewood, California, graduated from Anaheim's
8	Esperanza High School, and received his bachelor's degree in
9	geology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and
10	his master's degree in geology from the University of Arizona,
11	and
12	WHEREAS, following his postgraduate studies, Joe Acaba
13	served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, where he
14	attained the rank of Sergeant, and later spent 2 years in the
15	United States Peace Corps training over 300 teachers in the
16	Dominican Republic in modern teaching methodologies, and
17	WHEREAS, following his service in the United States Peace
18	Corps, Joe Acaba moved to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and
19	served as Island Manager of Caribbean Marine Research at Lee
20	Stocking Island, and
21	WHEREAS, upon his return to the United States, Joe Acaba
22	moved to Florida where he became the Shoreline Revegetation
23	Coordinator in Vero Beach and taught science and math for 1 year
24	at Melbourne High School and for 4 years at Dunnellon Middle
25	School, and
26	WHEREAS, on May 6, 2004, Joe Acaba and 10 others were
27	selected from 99 applicants by NASA as candidates for NASA
28	Astronaut Training Group 1, becoming the first person of Puerto
29	Rican heritage to be named as a NASA astronaut candidate, and
30	WHEREAS, Joe Acaba was assigned the position of Mission
31	Specialist Educator of Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-119
32	that was launched on March 15, 2009, at 7:43 p.m., and
33	WHEREAS, on March 20, 2009, Joe Acaba provided support to
34	the first STS-119 mission spacewalk, and
35	WHEREAS, on March 21, 2009, Joe Acaba performed a spacewalk
36	in which he helped to successfully unfurl the final "wings" of
37	the solar array that augmented power to the International Space
38	Station as it prepared to double its capacity to house six
39	future astronauts, and
40	WHEREAS, on March 28, 2009, the Space Shuttle Discovery and
41	its crew of seven, including Joe Acaba, safely touched down at
42	NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NOW, THEREFORE,
43
44	Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of
45	Florida:
46
47	That the House of Representatives congratulates Joseph
48	Michael Acaba for his outstanding achievements and recognizes
49	and commends his service as Mission Specialist Educator of Space
50	Shuttle Discovery mission STS-119.
51	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be
52	presented to Joseph Michael Acaba as a tangible token of the
53	sentiments expressed herein.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.