[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 15 (Monday, February 9, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S756]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CONGRATULATING THE ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL TEAM

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 297 submitted earlier 
today by Senators Dayton and Coleman.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 297) congratulating the Saint John's 
     University, Collegeville, Minnesota, football team for 
     winning the 2003 National Collegiate Athletic Association 
     Division III Football Championship.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution and preamble be agreed to en bloc, the motions to reconsider 
be laid upon the table en bloc, and that any statements relating to the 
resolution be printed in the Record as if read, without any intervening 
action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 297) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                               S. Res. 297

       Whereas Saint John's University defeated Mount Union 
     College of Alliance, Ohio, by a score of 24-6 in Stagg Bowl 
     XXXI on Saturday, December 20, 2003;
       Whereas Saint John's University finished the season 14-0, 
     with the football program holding the all-time record for 
     victories in Division III at 508-213-24 in 93 seasons;
       Whereas the 2003 Championship is the first National 
     Championship won by the Saint John's University football team 
     since 1976 and the fourth in the history of the school;
       Whereas the 2003 Championship capped a season in which 
     Coach John Gagliardi of Saint John's University became the 
     winningest football coach in the history of the National 
     Collegiate Athletic Association;
       Whereas Blake Elliott, the senior wide receiver of Saint 
     John's University, was the recipient of the 2003 Gagliardi 
     Trophy as the most outstanding Division III football player 
     in the United States in 2003;
       Whereas the Saint John's University Johnnies, by winning 
     the championship game, cracked Mount Union's National 
     Collegiate Athletic Association-record winning streak of 55 
     games in a row;
       Whereas loyal fans of Saint John's University, enough to 
     fill 3 chartered planes, were among the crowd of 5,073 who 
     attended the 2003 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in the freezing cold 
     of Salem, Virginia, with many more watching the nationally 
     televised game; and
       Whereas all of the players of the Saint John's University 
     team showed tremendous dedication throughout the season to 
     realize the goal of winning the National Championship: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends the Saint John's University football team for 
     winning the 2003 National Collegiate Athletic Association 
     Division III Football Championship;
       (2) recognizes the achievements of all of the players, 
     coaches, and support staff of the team and invites them to 
     the United States Capitol Building to be honored; and
       (3) directs the Secretary of the Senate to make available 
     enrolled copies of this resolution to Saint John's University 
     for appropriate display.

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