Stunned Lawmakers Hold Prayer Sessions

The explosion that destroyed the space shuttle Challenger stunned and shocked the Capitol today. The House, after observing a moment of silent prayer, adjourned for two hours and the Senate, which was not meeting, held a prayer session in the afternoon.

“Terrible thing, terrible thing,” said Speaker Thomas P. (Tip) O’Neill Jr., shaking his head as he walked from the floor of the House to his office nearby.

The explosion over the Atlantic Ocean just off Cape Canaveral occurred just before the House went into session. House Chaplain James David Ford took the chair and said, “At this special moment, let us remember in silent prayer” those who were aboard the shuttle.

Afternoon Prayer Session

Vice President George Bush, who serves as president of the Senate, and virtually all members attended an afternoon Senate prayer session.

Rep. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), the last member of Congress to fly aboard the shuttle, was watching the launch on television with staff members in his office, the walls of which were decked with color photographs of past launches and of the crew on Nelson’s flight.

“It was really just dead silence in the room,” said David Dickerson, Nelson’s press secretary. “Frankly, no one said a word. The TV spoke for itself. There was not much to say. . . . It’s a grim situation.”

All over Capitol Hill, staff members, senators and representatives gathered around television sets and watched the developing tragedy in silence.

Sen. Jake Garn (R-Utah), who last year became the first member of Congress and the first civilian astronaut to ride the space shuttle, was said to be gathering his thoughts and preparing a statement.

Re-Examination Expected

Sen. Robert T. Stafford (R-Vt.) called the accident “a very regrettable thing” and said: “I’m sure it will lead to a re-examination of the program.

“But I think we have to remember that even though launches have become routine, each one is doing something on the cutting edge of technology and there is a significant risk.”

At the moment of the explosion, Dr. William R. Graham, the NASA administrator, and his legislative assistant were meeting with Rep. Manuel Lujan Jr. (R-N.M.) to discuss the agency’s budget.

“They had just started the meeting, and decided to cut on the television,” said Steve Goldstein, Lujan’s assistant. After the explosion, the men were “momentarily stunned and startled,” he said, and then Graham called his office and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials quickly returned to their Washington headquarters.