WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5746, the NASA Enhanced Use Leasing Extension Act of 2021 on a voice vote. Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. was an original co-sponsor of the bill and spoke in support on the House Floor.

 

The Congressman floor speech is as follows:

 

“NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in Eastern New Orleans, Louisiana is known as ‘America’s Rocket Factory.’

 

For over 55 years, Michoud has manufactured large vehicles and components for NASA – from the Apollo Program, to the Space Shuttle, to the Space Launch System, or SLS.

 

Michoud is the main manufacturing and assembly site for SLS, which will take us to the furthest reaches of our solar system.

 

The site employs approximately 3,500 people, and supports more than 6,000 jobs nationwide.

 

This includes government civil-service workers, contractors, and staff of other government agencies and commercial firms.

 

The National Center for Advanced Manufacturing—a partnership between NASA, the state of Louisiana, Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and the University of New Orleans—also calls Michoud home.

 

The total economic output of Michoud is over $830 million.

 

All this to say, Michoud is an indispensable part of the New Orleans community and our nation’s space program.

 

Sites like Michoud would benefit greatly from the passage of H.R. 5746, which would reauthorize the enhanced use leases needed to keep up production.

 

I’m proud to be an original co-sponsor and to support this bill. I urge an “aye” vote.

 

I yield back.” 

 

 

A video of the Congressman can be found here.