Around 9 a.m. EST Saturday morning, February 1, the space shuttle "Columbia" broke apart over Texas as it prepared to land in Florida.   All souls aboard are lost.   At 11:08 a.m., NASA lowered the Flag beside the countdown clock at Cape Canaveral to half mast.

All America mourns the loss of the shuttle Columbia and its brave astronauts.
 
Those who are lost followed in the worthy footsteps of our nation's forebears. They all risked great personal danger to discover, to explore, to establish, and to expand this great country, its culture, and its people.
 
Today, as in many times past, that struggle has exacted a tragic cost. But the fruit of that labor, sometimes tinged with sorrow, has been the creation and prospering of a nation and a people unlike any the world has ever witnessed -- forever independent, forever free.
 
Our hearts go out to those who lost their lives today. They lived lives of courage, determination, and hope that were at once extraordinary, and yet embody the very nobility of the American character and the heart of its dream. They sought to ennoble our people, to expand our horizons, to reach out and touch the stars that have always captivated the mind of man.
 
The members of the America First Party join in offering prayers for the families of those who are lost. Their loved ones and friends must bear their own personal and private grief. Those of us who had not the pleasure of their friendship should take time to reflect upon the frailty of life and it's precious value. Let each of us reaffirm our love and commitment to our families, our communities, and our country on this day of grief and loss.
 
May the Good Lord comfort and safely keep all those who mourn this day.