VIDEO: Sen. Moran Speaks on Senate Floor to Honor 150th Anniversary of Burdett’s Founding

Sen. Moran's full remarks as delivered:

"This summer, from July 17th to the 19th, not too far away, residents of Burdett, Kansas, will come together to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the town's founding. Burdett is a small community of fewer than 250 residents, and it's particularly meaningful to me as a place that I have represented since I was first elected to public office as a state senator.

"The community is special to me because on election night of that state senate race, Browns Grove Township was the very first township to report its voting totals and the tally showed that I just might win my uphill race for the Kansas State Senate.

"Some of my best remembrances are the Monday community potluck lunches and the annual Tri-County picnic in the city park. I've knocked on every door in Burdett and talked with members of the community about their hopes, their concerns and how we can preserve our special way of life for another generation of Kansans.

"This summer, as local residents commemorate Burdett's history, they will also pay tribute to one of their own, Clyde Tombaugh, whose significant contributions advanced the fields of scientific discovery and space exploration. It's impossible to visit Burdett without seeing the pride the community has in his accomplishments.

"Born February 4th, 1906, Clyde was raised on a farm just outside Burdett, and he quickly developed a love of astronomy and learning. As a teenager, he taught himself how to build his own telescopes out of spare parts he found around the family farm. Later, his commitment to research and exploration would lead him to make a remarkable discovery that made history and helped unlock a new understanding of our solar system.

"On February 18th, 1930, at the age of just 24, Clyde discovered the existence of Pluto, the only major planet discovered here in the United States.

"Following this achievement, Clyde earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in astronomy from the University of Kansas, and he went on to make many more contributions to advancing the fields of scientific research and space exploration.

"In 2015, NASA honored him by carrying a portion of his ashes aboard the New Horizons spacecraft on its mission to Pluto. The heart-shaped region on Pluto's surface was officially named Tombaugh Regio in his honor, paying tribute to his accomplishments and cementing the legacy of a Kansas farm kid in one of the most remote parts of our solar system.

"As Burdett celebrates its 150th anniversary, and I say congratulations to them, it's a history that is embodied by the story of Clyde Tombaugh, someone who with determination, hard work, curiosity, whose discoveries helped to shape how future generations understand our universe.

"For decades, this tight-knit community of Burdett has reserved his legacy and made certain the world remembers his contributions to science, research and discovery.

"I hope everyone passing through southwestern Kansas will take the time to visit Burdett to learn the history and the legacy of this little town on the plains of Kansas.

"On behalf of the United States Senate, to the citizens of Burdett, past, present and future, I congratulate the community of Burdett on its 150th anniversary and express my gratitude for the way in which its residents have honored and preserved the memory of one of our most notable Kansans and how kind they have always been to me."

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