[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 91 (Thursday, June 19, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8201-S8202]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE'S NEW JERSEY DEVILS AND THE NEW 
                              JERSEY NETS

  Mr. CORZINE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Resolution No. 176, 
introduced by myself and Senator Lautenberg.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 176) recognizing the National Hockey 
     League's New Jersey Devils and National Basketball 
     Association New Jersey Nets for their accomplishments during 
     the 2002-2003 season.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. DORGAN. Reserving the right to object--and I shall not object--I 
want to be certain I will be recognized following the disposition of 
the resolution by the two Senators from New Jersey. My understanding is 
that I was to be recognized at this moment. They are asking for 10 
minutes, combined, for this resolution. Is my understanding correct 
that I will be recognized by previous unanimous consent following 
disposition of this?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. It has been ordered that the Senator from 
North Dakota shall be recognized to offer the next amendment.
  Mr. DORGAN. Thank you.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, is that reserving the time that was 
immediately available? I am a little concerned. If the Senator from 
North Dakota has that, I want to honor that. If not, we might take a 
little more time than 10 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. No time has been allocated.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, if I understand the drift of things, 
obviously Senators can reserve, we can work this out. I ask consent 
that the Senators from New Jersey be given 10 minutes to speak on a 
very important subject; following that, the Senator from North Dakota 
be authorized on his amendment to follow the order in the earlier 
unanimous consent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey.
  Mr. CORZINE. I rise today with my distinguished colleague from New 
Jersey, my friend and longstanding representative of our great State, 
Senator Lautenberg, to discuss a resolution honoring the New Jersey 
Devils and the New Jersey Nets, their accomplishments in postseason of 
the respective leagues.
  The past 2 weeks have seen the Devils host the Stanley Cup after 
defeating the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and the Nets reached the NBA finals. 
For the second year in a row, the Nets have been in the finals of the 
NBA, this year against a very talented group from Texas, the San 
Antonio Spurs. These accomplishments have made the constituents of my 
State very proud, and deservedly so.
  Over the last 9 years, the New Jersey Devils have won the NHL Stanley 
cup three times--as much as my team in hockey. During that time, a 
stifling defense led by Scott Stevens, the playmaking abilities Patrik 
Elias and Scott Gomez, and the superb goaltending of Martin Brodeur 
have become the standards of excellence in the National Hockey League.
  At the same time, the New Jersey Nets have become one of the most 
successful teams in the NBA, winning the Eastern Conference 
Championship each of the last 2 years, led by the outstanding play of 
Jason Kidd, in my view the best pointguard in the NBA.
  The Devils and the Nets both play at the Continental Airline Arena in 
East Rutherford, NJ, a town of about 10,000 folks. Many think it is the 
nexus of the sporting universe. We would like to see some of the 
Olympics in 2012. That is right, even though some of my colleagues from 
Texas might dispute some of that view.
  It is a great organization that happens to own both teams, the Devils 
and the Nets. They go beyond their supporting crowds. Both teams are 
actively involved in the community and give a tremendous amount back to 
it. Patrik Elias helps support Transplant Speakers International, an 
organization that raises funds and awareness for organ transplants. 
Dikembe Mutombo helped dedicate the Nets Reading and Learning Center at 
the Hudson County Boys and Girls Club in Jersey City. Over and over 
again the players have helped in our disadvantaged schools and 
communities. They are terrific.
  I mention one individual who sets a standard for excellence in 
business and in sports. That is the general manager--surprisingly, of 
both teams--Lou Lamoriello, whose dual role is unique in the sporting 
world. Quite frankly, I think he is the best in the business because he 
sets a standard not only on the basketball court and hockey wing but in 
how he operates in the communities, giving back and expecting people to 
behave and operate in a class way.
  This is a terrific credit to an organization, to the teams, and most 
particularly to fans who have supported them. New Jersey sometimes does 
not get the kind of recognition it needs. These two organizations have 
done that through dedication, teamwork, and sportsmanship. They have 
achieved great success. I congratulate them.
  I yield to my colleague from New Jersey.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. I thank my colleague and friend from New Jersey for 
his enthusiasm. I know he often gets on an airplane no matter what 
time, as long as our business here is done, and he gets up there, maybe 
sometimes in the fourth quarter of a game. But he gets there and roots 
the Nets on.
  I am pleased to note the great sports accomplishments of two New 
Jersey teams in recent weeks. I support this resolution. I congratulate 
the New Jersey Devils for winning the Stanley Cup and the New Jersey 
Nets for winning the NBA's Eastern Conference.
  I am going to be gracious and extend my congratulations to Senator 
Hutchison, with whom I had a wager, because the San Antonio Spurs 
played wonderful basketball, as disappointing as it was to me and other 
New Jersey Net fans. I paid off that wager with a case of beautiful New 
Jersey tomatoes for our terrible loss.
  Winning the Stanley Cup 3 of the last 9 years proves that the Devils 
are the most dominant team in hockey. I was thrilled to watch them win 
game 7 with a shutout by the Devils' exceptional goalie, Martin 
Brodeur, who recorded 7 shutouts during the playoffs alone. Special 
congratulations are in order for five players who have been with the 
team for all three championships: Brodeur, Ken Daneyko, Scott Stevens, 
Sergei Brylin, and Scott Niedermayer.
  As mentioned by Senator Corzine, general manager Lou Lamoriello has 
established a culture of success in New Jersey by molding winning teams 
each year around this core of five. The Meadowlands, where the 
Continental Airlines Arena is located, is no safe haven for opponents. 
Our Devils were a remarkable 12 and 1 on home ice during the playoffs. 
That's the most home wins in the history of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
  It's nice to congratulate the New Jersey Nets, as well, because New 
Jersey, after all, is where the first professional basketball game was 
played, in Trenton, 1898. No, I don't remember it.
  The Nets have been Eastern Conference champions and have played in 
the NBA finals for 2 years in a row. This year they compiled an amazing 
streak of 10 consecutive wins, sweeping past the Celtics and Detroit 
Pistons along the way.

[[Page S8202]]

  Nets coach Byron Scott has led the Nets to the most wins in franchise 
history. The Nets, led by their superb point guard Jason Kidd, lost a 
tough 6-game series to the Spurs, who are undoubtedly championship 
material. But the Nets are in that class, as well. I hope that this 
team will stay intact and continue on its quest to winning an NBA 
title.
  New Jersey is a haven for great professional sports teams, and on 
behalf of the whole State of New Jersey, I congratulate the Devils and 
Nets and wish both teams the best of luck in the future.
  Mr. CORZINE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the resolution 
and preamble be agreed to en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid 
upon the table, and any statements relating thereto be printed in the 
Record, without intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 176) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 176

       Whereas the New Jersey Devils defeated the Anaheim Mighty 
     Ducks 3-0 on June 9, 2003 to win the Stanley Cup in 7 games;
       Whereas the New Jersey Nets won the National Basketball 
     Association (NBA) Eastern Conference Championship and reached 
     the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year before losing 
     a closely contested series to the San Antonio Spurs in 6 
     games;
       Whereas the Devils won their third Stanley Cup in the last 
     9 years, as many as any other team in that period;
       Whereas the Devils and Nets have won over the State of New 
     Jersey (where the first professional basketball game took 
     place in 1898) with their skillful offenses and stifling 
     defenses;
       Whereas the Devils and Nets have come to epitomize the 
     never-say-die spirit of the people of New Jersey and have 
     both become an important part of the State and its identity;
       Whereas the fans of both New Jersey teams have shown the 
     same spirit and determination in support of their teams and 
     deserve commendation for their loyalty in this season's 
     playoffs;
       Whereas the Devils had a 12 win, 1 loss record at the 
     Continental Airlines Arena, the most home wins in the history 
     of the Stanley Cup playoffs;
       Whereas the Nets swept both the Boston Celtics and the 
     Detroit Pistons during a 10-game winning streak in this 
     season's playoffs;
       Whereas Pat Burns, head coach of the New Jersey Devils, has 
     enjoyed the kind of success that has eluded so many other 
     great coaches, winning his first Stanley Cup title in his 
     first season as head coach of the Devils;
       Whereas Byron Scott, head coach of the New Jersey Nets, has 
     guided the Nets to the most wins in franchise history, and 
     has led them to the NBA Finals in 2 of his 3 seasons as head 
     coach;
       Whereas Martin Brodeur, regarded by many as the premier 
     playoff goaltender in hockey history, recorded 3 shutouts in 
     the Finals, giving him 7 shutouts during this season's 
     playoffs and 20 during his illustrious postseason career;
       Whereas the outstanding playmaking abilities of Jason Kidd, 
     widely regarded as the best point guard in the NBA, has been 
     key to the success of the Nets during the past 2 seasons;
       Whereas the outstanding play of Ken Daneyko, Martin 
     Brodeur, Scott Stevens, Sergei Brylin, and Scott Neidermayer 
     has been a vital part of each of the 3 Stanley Cup 
     Championships enjoyed by the New Jersey Devils organization;
       Whereas Jason Kidd has superb teammates in Brandon 
     Armstrong, Jason Collins, Lucious Harris, Richard Jefferson, 
     Anthony Johnson, Kerry Kittles, Donny Marshall, Kenyon 
     Martin, Dikembe Mutombo, Rodney Rogers, Brian Scalabrine, 
     Tamar Slay, and Aaron Williams, allowing the team to win its 
     second consecutive NBA Eastern Conference championship; and
       Whereas the name of each Devils player will be inscribed on 
     the Stanley Cup, including Tommy Albelin, Jiri Bicek, Martin 
     Brodeur, Sergei Brylin, Ken Daneyko, Patrik Elias, Jeff 
     Friesen, Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez, Jamie Langenbrunner, John 
     Madden, Grant Marshall, Jim McKenzie, Scott Niedermayer, Joe 
     Nieuwendyk, Jay Pandolfo, Brian Rafalski, Pascal Rheaume, 
     Mike Rupp, Corey Schwab, Richard Schmelik, Scott Stevens, 
     Turner Stevenson, Oleg Tverdovsky, and Colin White: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate congratulates--
       (1) the New Jersey Devils for their determination, 
     perseverance, and excellence in winning the National Hockey 
     League's 2003 Stanley Cup; and
       (2) the New Jersey Nets for their success during the 2002-
     2003 NBA season.

     

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