**Representatives helped secure passage of Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act**

**Watch Kuster’s remarks during today’s unveiling here, and Pappas’s remarks here**

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) applauded the unveiling of the design for the Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin. Kuster and Pappas introduced the bipartisan Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act of 2019 alongside Congressman Fred Upton (MI-06). The Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin is a $1 coin honoring the Concord educator who died aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986, with proceeds going toward the FIRST Robotics program, which was founded by Manchester-based inventor Dean Kamen and seeks to inspire young people to pursue an education in the STEM field. The design for the coin was unveiled during a virtual ceremony today.

“Christa McAuliffe was a smart, charming, and kind educator who left her mark on countless students by encouraging them to seek out the best in themselves and always reach a little higher,” said Rep. Kuster. “This coin will honor Christa’s enduring legacy and benefit the FIRST program to engage and inspire young people to become leaders in STEM fields. Christa represented the best of New Hampshire and this coin will help to cement her place in American history for generations to come.”

“Christa McAuliffe understood that ordinary people doing extraordinary things can change the world,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “She dared to touch the future as a teacher and an astronaut and furthered our nation's commitment to exploration inside and outside the classroom. I was proud to help introduce the legislation that created this coin and supports FIRST Robotics and STEM education. I congratulate Dean Kamen and the team at FIRST for making this a reality. There is no better way to honor Christa McAuliffe’s memory than to spark the imaginations of our young people and inspire the next generation of leaders, explorers, innovators, and dreamers.”

Last year, Kuster and Pappas co-led and helped secure passage of the Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act of 2019, to create a commemorative coin to honor Christa McAuliffe and reaffirm Congress’ commitment to invest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. President Trump signed the bill into law in October. The proceeds of the $1 commemorative coin go toward the FIRST Robotics program, which was founded by Manchester-based inventor Dean Kamen. Last year, Kuster wrote an op-ed for the Concord Monitor on the significance of the legislation.

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