[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 117 (Thursday, August 18, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 18, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                          MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL

  (Mr. HOKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HOKE. Mr. Speaker, midnight basketball. How many of us have heard 
about midnight basketball. We on this side of aisle have used it as a 
laughline for the past couple of weeks. We have heard Members try to 
define it on the other side of the aisle.
  Let us think about midnight basketball for just a minute. What is the 
history of evening sports leagues in our country?
  Think about this: the YMCA has been running evening sports leagues 
for a long time. Maybe not at midnight but certainly the 7, 8, 9, 10 at 
night. It gives people something to do at night. It uses their 
facilities at night. It is a good idea.
  What about this idea of spending Federal money at $40 million for 
midnight basketball? If you are going to have a basketball game that 
starts at midnight or at 12:15 or 12:30 and it goes for a couple of 
hours, you are finished at 2, 2:30, shower. What on Earth are we 
thinking about? Why are people up, and we are talking about youth, I 
assume, why are people up until 3 in the morning and we are spending 
Federal dollars so that they can be up playing basketball? Should not 
kids be in bed between 12 and 3 in the morning? Or is this some sort of 
legislative blackmail that would suggest if they are not playing 
basketball they are going to be committing crimes. It does not make any 
sense. Think about it.

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