[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1035 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1035

 Congratulating Commissioner Paul Tagliabue on his retirement from the 
                       National Football League.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 21, 2006

  Mr. Meeks of New York submitted the following resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Congratulating Commissioner Paul Tagliabue on his retirement from the 
                       National Football League.

Whereas, under the leadership of Paul Tagliabue, the National Football League 
        (NFL) has grown from 28 to 32 teams, revised its divisional alignment 
        and scheduling formula, operated under successive long-term labor 
        agreements with the NFL Players Association, and secured the largest 
        television contracts in entertainment history;
Whereas during this time the NFL also has expanded league and team commitments 
        to community service and refocused the NFL's efforts in developing 
        public-private partnerships for new stadiums;
Whereas the NFL under Tagliabue has been the new media leader in sports, 
        creating the first leaguewide Internet network for fans and the first 
        satellite television subscription service, and launching the NFL Network 
        on cable and satellite television;
Whereas Commissioner Tagliabue has presided over the adoption of a range of 
        services to assist NFL players and their families, including the 
        enforcement of stringent policies on the use of steroids and other 
        drugs;
Whereas the Tagliabue era has seen the NFL expand its presence internationally 
        and create the NFL Youth Football Fund to support the game at amateur 
        levels;
Whereas Tagliabue's leadership of the NFL was featured in a Business Week cover 
        story (``The NFL Machine'' published January 27, 2003) and in a article 
        in TIME Magazine (``The American Money Machine'' published December 6, 
        2004), and was recognized as the ``best manager'' in articles by 
        Business Week (published January 12, 2004) and FORTUNE (published 
        December 12, 2005);
Whereas Tagliabue was named the 2004 and 2001 ``Most Powerful Person in Sports'' 
        by The Sporting News, the 2001 ``Sports Executive of the Year'' by The 
        Sports Business Journal, and the 2000 ``Sports Industrialist of the 
        Year'' by The Sports Business Daily;
Whereas Commissioner Tagliabue showed tremendous leadership after the terrorist 
        attacks of September 11, 2001, by canceling NFL games so that the nation 
        could mourn and by using the NFL family to help America heal in the 
        weeks and months following 9/11;
Whereas Tagliabue became the first CEO of a professional sports league to 
        implement a model of racial diversity which has resulted in new 
        opportunities for African-American general managers, African-American 
        head coaches, and African-American assistant coaches;
Whereas before becoming the league's CEO, Tagliabue represented the NFL as an 
        attorney in many important areas as a partner at Covington & Burling, a 
        Washington, D.C., law firm that was the NFL's principal outside counsel 
        (At Covington & Burling he also represented organizations engaged in the 
        global development of professional soccer and tennis (North American 
        Soccer League and World Championship Tennis) and other professional and 
        amateur sports organizations.);
Whereas earlier in his career Tagliabue served in the Office of the Secretary of 
        Defense as a policy analyst and today he remains abreast of public 
        policy matters as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations;
Whereas Paul Tagliabue was born in New Jersey in 1940, attended Georgetown 
        University in Washington, D.C., on an athletic scholarship, and 
        graduated from Georgetown University with honors with a degree in 
        political science (He subsequently received his law degree with honors 
        at New York University School of Law.);
Whereas Paul Tagliabue has given back to the public by his numerous public 
        service and charitable activities, including serving as founding 
        chairman of the board of directors of the Neil D. Levin Graduate 
        Institute of International Relations and Commerce (part of the State 
        University of New York (SUNY)) and serving as a member of the boards of 
        directors of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Local Initiatives 
        Support Corporation, the United Way of America (chairing it during 1998-
        99), the National Urban League, and other nonprofit organizations; and
Whereas Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has provided the National Football League 
        with a level of stability, unprecedented growth and a strong commitment 
        to community that is unmatched in the modern sports era, and has created 
        an organization beloved by millions of fans around the world: Now 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives congratulates Paul 
Tagliabue on his retirement from the NFL and wishes him well in his 
future endeavors.
                                 <all>