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 date the Artemis II crew surpassed the Apollo 13 record for the farthest distance traveled by astronauts from Earth, reaching 252,760 miles. It celebrates the successful completion of the mission, honors the four crew members by name, and reaffirms the Senate's commitment to U.S. leadership in space exploration. The resolution carries no legal force, appropriates no funds, and creates no new programs or obligations.
Who benefits
The four Artemis II crew members — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — who are formally honored by name. NASA employees, contractors, and the more than 2,700 companies involved in the Artemis program receive public recognition. The Canadian Space Agency and its personnel are acknowledged as international partners. The broader U.S. aerospace and manufacturing workforce receives symbolic recognition of their contributions.
Who is hurt
No group is materially harmed by a commemorative resolution. There are no direct costs, regulatory burdens, or displaced resources associated with this bill.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that formally recognizing historic achievements in human spaceflight honors the thousands of workers whose efforts made the mission possible and reinforces public and institutional commitment to continued space exploration. They contend that the Artemis II mission achieved multiple firsts — including the first woman, first African American, and first non-U.S. astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit — making congressional recognition both historically appropriate and symbolically significant.
Opponents argue
Opponents could argue that commemorative resolutions consume limited Senate floor time without producing any binding policy outcome, funding, or structural commitment to the space program. They might contend that symbolic recognition, while well-intentioned, does not address substantive questions about NASA's long-term budget, mission priorities, or the sustainability of the Artemis program beyond individual missions.
Constitutional context
No constitutional issues are raised by this resolution. Commemorative resolutions are a routine exercise of Congress's inherent authority to express the sense of the chamber and do not implicate any enumerated powers, rights, or active areas of constitutional litigation.
Checks and balances
The Senate expresses a non-binding commemorative position; no branch gains or loses authority, and no executive action or judicial review is triggered by this resolution.
Historical precedent
Congress has a long tradition of passing commemorative resolutions honoring space missions and their crews, including resolutions recognizing the Apollo 11 moon landing and the crews of the Space Shuttle Columbia and Challenger.