[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1189 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1189

Commending Lance Mackey on winning a record 4th straight Iditarod Trail 
                             Sled Dog Race.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 17, 2010

   Mr. Young of Alaska submitted the following resolution; which was 
      referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Commending Lance Mackey on winning a record 4th straight Iditarod Trail 
                             Sled Dog Race.

Whereas Lance Mackey was born and raised in Alaska and currently resides in 
        Fairbanks, Alaska;
Whereas Lance Mackey comes from a long line of successful mushers, including his 
        father Dick and his brother Rick, each of whom has won the Iditarod 
        Trail Sled Dog Race;
Whereas Lance Mackey is married to his high school sweetheart Tonya, who is also 
        a musher, and has three children: Amanda, Brittney, and Cain and one new 
        grandchild, born on the seventh day of the nine-plus-day Iditarod Trail 
        Sled Dog Race;
Whereas Lance Mackey and his family run the Comeback Kennel in Fairbanks, 
        Alaska;
Whereas Lance Mackey was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2001, took a year off 
        from sled-dog racing to recover from the disease, and is now cancer-
        free;
Whereas the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which has been called the ``Last Great 
        Race on Earth'', is a grueling 1,150-mile sled dog race across Alaska's 
        jagged mountain ranges, frozen rivers, dense forests, and windswept 
        tundra;
Whereas running the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is a year-long commitment to 
        training and caring for one's sled dogs;
Whereas the Yukon Quest is an equally grueling 1,000-mile sled dog race from 
        Fairbanks, Alaska, to Whitehorse, Yukon;
Whereas Lance Mackey is the only 4-time consecutive Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race 
        Champion, the only 4-time Yukon Quest Race Champion and the only man to 
        win both the Yukon Quest and Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Races in the same 
        year, which he did in both 2007 and 2008;
Whereas Lance Mackey, guided by his two lead dogs ``Maple'' and ``Rev'', mushed 
        his team of Alaskan Huskies along the path of the 38th Iditarod Trail 
        Sled Dog Race from its start in Anchorage to the finish line in Nome in 
        just 8 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 9 seconds;
Whereas both ``Maple'' and ``Rev'' exemplify all the essential qualities for 
        good lead dogs, including intelligence, initiative, common sense, and 
        the ability to find a trail in bad conditions;
Whereas Lance Mackey, who despite retiring ``Larry'', the lead dog with whom 
        Mackey won his first three Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Races, was still able 
        to convincingly win his 4th consecutive Iditarod;
Whereas the Iditarod Trail, a National Historic Trail, is staffed by thousands 
        of volunteers who monitor and assist all competitors; and
Whereas each checkpoint along the Iditarod Trail has coordinators, health care 
        professionals, and licensed veterinarians who carefully monitor the 
        health and safety of all dogs and mushers: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) commends Lance Mackey on his record-breaking 4th 
        consecutive Iditarod victory during the 2010 Iditarod Trail 
        Sled Dog Race;
            (2) applauds each and every musher who was courageous 
        enough to compete in the 2010 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race; and
            (3) expresses appreciation to all volunteers and staff who 
        help make this great Alaskan race possible each and every year.
                                 <all>