[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 13 (Monday, January 28, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H467-H468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H467]]
COMMENDING LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY TIGERS FOOTBALL TEAM FOR WINNING 
        2007 BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

  Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 933) commending the Louisiana State University 
Tigers football team for winning the 2007 Bowl Championship Series 
national championship game, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 933

       Whereas the Louisiana State University Tigers football team 
     won the 2007 Bowl Championship Series national championship 
     game, defeating the Ohio State University by a score of 38 to 
     24 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on 
     January 7, 2008;
       Whereas the Louisiana State University football team won 
     the Southeastern Conference Championship, on December 1, 
     2007, defeating the University of Tennessee by a score of 21 
     to 14 in the Southeastern Conference championship game at the 
     Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia;
       Whereas the Louisiana State University football team won 12 
     games during the 2007 season;
       Whereas the Louisiana State University football team won 7 
     games against nationally ranked opponents during the 2007 
     season;
       Whereas the Louisiana State University football team set a 
     total of 12 offensive school records during the 2007 season 
     including 541 points scored, averaging 38.6 points per game 
     and 6,152 yards in total offense;
       Whereas Craig Steltz was named first-team All-American and 
     led the Southeastern Conference in interceptions;
       Whereas defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey was awarded the 
     Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Rotary Lombardi Trophy, the 
     Outland Trophy, and the Ronnie Lott Trophy making him the 
     most honored defensive player in Louisiana State University 
     history;
       Whereas quarterback Matt Flynn threw 21 touchdown passes 
     during the 2007 season, including a career-high record of 
     four touchdowns in the Bowl Championship Series national 
     championship game;
       Whereas running back Jacob Hester rushed for 1,103 yards 
     during the 2007 season, scoring 12 touchdowns, and completed 
     his collegiate football career of 363 carries without 
     fumbling or turning over the football;
       Whereas Louisiana State University head coach Les Miles has 
     led the Tiger football program to 34 wins, 20 Southeastern 
     Conference victories, 15 wins over nationally ranked 
     opponents, and three double-digit win seasons as head coach; 
     and
       Whereas Louisiana State University is the first team to win 
     two Bowl Championship Series national championship titles, 
     having won two titles in 5 years: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) commends the Louisiana State University Tigers football 
     team for winning the 2007 Bowl Championship Series national 
     championship game;
       (2) recognizes the achievements of all the players, 
     coaches, and support staff who were instrumental in helping 
     the Louisiana State University football team during the 2007 
     football season;
       (3) congratulates the citizens of Louisiana, the Louisiana 
     State University community and fans of Tiger football; and
       (4) directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to 
     make available enrolled copies of this resolution to 
     Louisiana State University for appropriate display and 
     distribution to the coaches and members of the 2007 Louisiana 
     State University football team.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. 
Boustany) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may insert additional material relevant to H. Res. 933 into the 
Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ALTMIRE. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. ALTMIRE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Louisiana State 
University Tigers football team on winning the 2007 Bowl Championship 
Series national championship game, and to congratulate the players, 
coaches, and LSU fans on a tremendous 2007 football season.
  On January 7, 2008, the LSU Tigers took on the Ohio State University 
Buckeyes in a newly reopened Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. The 
2007 BCS national championship game was a treat for fans all over the 
Nation, and a celebratory moment for New Orleans as the Superdome 
observed its return to hosting big events after the destruction caused 
by Hurricane Katrina. And it was quite a celebration as the Tigers 
defeated the Buckeyes 38-24.
  Ohio State got off to a 10-0 start, but LSU never backed down and 
went on to score 31 unanswered points. Led by game captains quarterback 
Matt Flynn, safety Craig Stelz, fullback Jacob Hester, punter Patrick 
Fisher and defensive tackle Glen Dorsey, the Tigers proved that they 
deserved to play in the championship game.
  This Tigers team played with extraordinary heart all season. In 2007, 
LSU beat seven nationally ranked teams, and their only two losses each 
came in triple overtime games. A very talented senior class created a 
sense of urgency throughout their leadership, and the rest of the team 
never stopped playing with heart throughout this record-setting season.
  Defensive tackle Glen Dorsey won four prestigious awards, including 
the Lombardi Trophy, and has been a model player off the field as well 
by encouraging young people to ``dream big'' this year. Quarterback 
Matt Flynn threw 21 touchdown passes this season and had a career high 
of four touchdown passes during the championship game. Finally, Jacob 
Hester rushed for 1,103 yards and scored 12 touchdowns during the 2007 
season. This was truly a multi-talented team.
  I want to extend my congratulations to Coach Les Miles and the rest 
of the LSU coaching staff. The players and staff have come together to 
create a preeminent football program with a record two BCS titles in 
just the past 5 years.
  In his tenure as head coach at LSU, Miles has led his team to three 
bowl victories and an impressive 34-6 record. Congratulations are also 
in order for the dedicated State and university community. The avid 
Tiger fans have supported their team all season and helped to set a 
Superdome record of 79,651 people in attendance for the BCS 
championship game.
  In the words of former Governor Kathleen Blanco, the Tigers 
``embodied Louisiana's fighting spirit.'' The entire State deserves to 
celebrate this title and begin to look forward to the 2008 season.
  Mr. Speaker, once again, I congratulate the Louisiana State 
University Tigers football team, and I urge my colleagues to pass this 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 933, 
commending the Louisiana State University Fighting Tigers football team 
for winning the Bowl Champion Series national title game.
  I would like to first thank my good friend, the dean of our Louisiana 
delegation, Richard Baker, for sponsoring the resolution, as well as 
Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon of the Education and Labor 
Committee for bringing it to the floor.
  On January 7, the LSU Tigers overcame an early first-half deficit of 
10-0 to defeat the Ohio State University Buckeyes by a score of 38-24 
in New Orleans. This was the second time the Tigers have won a BCS 
title in the Louisiana Superdome. The Tigers were led by the game's 
offensive MVP, senior quarterback Matt Flynn, who threw four touchdown 
passes, and defensive MVP, sophomore defensive end Ricky Jean-Francois, 
who blocked a field goal and had six total tackles and a half sack. 
This is the second year in a row that a Southeastern Conference team, 
arguably the most dominant conference in college football today, has 
beaten Ohio State to win the BCS national title.
  Since the birth of the Bowl Championship Series in 1998, LSU is the 
first team to win two BCS national championship titles.

                              {time}  1500

  Led by seniors Matt Flynn, Jacob Hester, Ali Highsmith, Chevis 
Jackson, Jonathan Zenon, Craig Steltz, and Glenn Dorsey, the Tigers won 
12 games

[[Page H468]]

during the 2007 season. Seven games were won against nationally ranked 
opponents, as well as seven games against conference opponents, 
including the University of Tennessee Volunteers in the Southeastern 
Conference championship game by a score of 21-14.
  Since his first season as LSU head coach in 2005, Les Miles has 
fearlessly led the Tiger football program to 34 overall wins, 20 SEC 
victories, and 14 wins over nationally ranked opponents. He has brought 
the Tigers to two SEC championship games, three consecutive bowl wins, 
two of which were BCS games, and one BCS national championship. Coach 
Miles has also had three consecutive double-digit win seasons, a school 
record. And he's clearly well known for the fourth and short 
conversions. He's fearless as a leader.
  We must not also forget that, foremost, these student athletes 
perform just as hard in the classroom as they do on the football field. 
Coach Miles insists that his first goal for his team is a 100 percent 
graduation rate. And I'm proud to say that 14 members of this national 
championship football team were placed on the 2007 SEC Fall Academic 
Honor Roll.
  The 2007 Tigers fought through great adversity, thanks to a grueling 
schedule, injuries, and conference losses, to secure their place in the 
national championship game against Ohio State. This championship is 
very special to the LSU system and to my great State of Louisiana. And 
it's my honor to recognize Coach Les Miles and the 2007 LSU Tiger 
football team for all its great accomplishments this season and for 
bringing home the BCS crystal ball.
  Geaux Tigers.
  I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, there is no greater fan of the LSU Tigers 
than Mr. Melancon from Louisiana, and I yield him such time as he may 
consume to speak about this championship for the LSU football team.
  Mr. MELANCON. I thank my colleague very much for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to associate myself with Mr. Boustany's 
remarks. Of course most people from most States are very proud when 
their colleges become the national champion, and particularly in this 
past year I have had conversations over the last several days with 
friends about the Presidential election and the analogy is it's almost 
the same as the NCAA season of who's going to be first and second in 
any given week.
  But at the end of the day, LSU rose to the occasion. They had a very 
successful year, a very successful and accomplished coach in Les Miles 
to take them where they did go, having beat No. 9 ranked Virginia Tech. 
Then, unfortunately, in overtime, losing to 17th ranked Kentucky and 
then the unranked Arkansas Razorbacks, which I caught a little grief 
from those guys that are from the Arkansas delegation. But in the end, 
it was worth all that occurred.
  My wife went to a small university where when the coach makes the 
team a winning team and gets into the national rankings, somebody 
usually steals them, pays them more money and moves them on. 
Fortunately, for us at LSU, I think we have the stature and a nature 
that we can keep our coach and continue to bring the talent to the 
university to go forward over the next couple of years, or into the 
future, for that matter.
  But I would like to commend LSU for the great win in the BCS bowl, 
for being number one. I would like to commend the SEC. I believe that 
the SEC is probably the number one conference in the country. Maybe 
some of our colleagues would disagree with us, but at the same time, 
until they prove that they can win two BCS games in the short history 
of the BCS bowl, then we will take that gauntlet and we will run 
forward.
  And as Mr. Boustany said, Geaux Tigers.
  Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague from Louisiana's 
remarks and associate myself with them as well.
  As an alumni of the LSU Medical School, I want to thank two members 
of my staff, both of whom were LSU graduates, Ryan Evans and Michael 
Hare, who helped me prepare my remarks for today. And I want to thank 
them and congratulate them on their work.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my friend from 
Texas (Mr. Gohmert).
  Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, it may seem a little unusual for a Member 
from Texas to stand in tribute to Louisiana State University, but I do. 
I take off my hat and hair in tribute to the Louisiana State University 
Tigers and also to the relationship that Texas and Louisiana have 
shared. Through the years, Louisiana has helped Texas. After Katrina, 
Texans were proud to assist Louisiana. When we heard that Louisiana 
State University needed a quarterback, then my hometown, Tyler, Texas, 
was proud to yield one of its best, Matt Flynn, to LSU to help them in 
their time of need.
  I watched Matt Flynn play high school football 4 years there at 
Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler, and we are so proud of Matt. He 
comes from good lineage. His dad, Alvin Flynn, played quarterback for 
Baylor University. His mother was the director for many years of the 
Tyler Junior College Apache Belles and took them to national fame. And 
Alvin did take a lot of Flak because his son didn't follow his 
footsteps and play quarterback at Baylor University, but such is the 
nature of Texans and East Texans. When they see someone in need, as 
they saw LSU, it was their heart-rending desire to help them and to 
send them our best, Matt Flynn.
  So congratulations to LSU. We're proud of Matt Flynn, and we're proud 
of what the Tigers did in making actually the whole Nation proud.
  Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I just want to thank my colleague from 
Texas for his remarks and thank him for sending Matt Flynn over to LSU. 
But I want to remind him that Jim Bowie shed blood at the Alamo for 
Texas. He's a very famous Louisianian from my district, my neck of the 
woods, and since he sacrificed so much, I would ask my colleague to 
keep sending plenty more quarterbacks over to Louisiana. We'll take 
them.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 933, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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