[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 8, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2764-S2765]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM FOR WINNING
THE 2008 NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (NCAA) DIVISION I
BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 505, which was submitted
earlier today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 505) commending the University of
Kansas men's basketball team for winning the 2008 National
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball
championship.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, it is my privilege today to submit S.
Res. 505, along with Mr. Brownback. It is my hope it will be considered
hot-lined on both sides and passed later this afternoon.
This resolution is a commendation resolution on behalf of the
University of Kansas Men's Basketball Team for winning the 2008
National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA, Division I, basketball
championship as of last night.
This might be a little unique in that I am a graduate of Kansas State
University, home of the ever-optimistic and fighting Wildcats.
Sometimes we are rivals. In this particular case, all of Kansas,
including every K State fan, stands in salute of the Jayhawks. It is
clearly ``Rock Chalk, Jayhawk'' time in Kansas.
Mr. President, I will skip to the bottom line of the resolution,
where it says:
Whereas, the families of the players, students, alumni, and
faculty of the University of Kansas, and all the supporters
of the University of Kansas, are to be congratulated for
their commitment to, and pride in, the basketball program at
the university: Now, therefore be it resolved the Senate
commends the University of Kansas men's basketball team for
winning the 2008 NCAA Division I Basketball Championship.
The Secretary of the Senate will transmit enrolled copies of this
resolution to the University of Kansas so they can display it; the
chancellor of the university, Bob Hemenway, a great friend; the
athletic director of the university, Lew Perkins; and the head coach of
the team, Bill Self, who should remain at the University of Kansas.
Those remarks were not prepared, but that is my advice.
For those of you who did not see the game last night--and it started
at 9 p.m. and I know most Senators are probably asleep at 9 o'clock at
night--trailing 60 to 51, with 2:12 seconds left in regulation, Kansas
closed the second half with a 12-3 run, capped off by a Mario Chalmers'
three-point basket, with 2.1 seconds remaining to force overtime.
Kansas then outscored Memphis 12 to 5 in overtime to claim its third
national championship.
As General Petraeus is here testifying before four committees in
regard to national security and the war with Iraq, and when this Senate
is considering a housing bill and stimulus package to help the economy,
let us hope the example of the University of Kansas men's basketball
team, in regard to their perseverance and dedication, will enable us to
achieve our goals as well.
If you listen hard, from the mountains from which our acting
Presiding Officer is so familiar, from Montana and further west, on to
the high plains, to the Midwest, across the Appalachians, and clear to
the east coast and our Nation's capital--if you listen hard, you can
hear that chant, ``Rock Chalk, Jayhawk, KU-U-U.'' If we listen hard,
maybe we can work together, follow their example of perseverance and
unbelievable heroics to win the NCAA championship. Thus, sayeth this
champion of Kansas State athletics on behalf of the University of
Kansas and their basketball team.
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider
be laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 505) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 505
Whereas, on April 7th, 2008, the University of Kansas men's
basketball team won its third NCAA Division I Basketball
Championship and fifth national title with its 75-68 overtime
win over the University of Memphis--on the twentieth
anniversary of the historic win by the team led by Danny
Manning known as ``Danny and the Miracles'';
Whereas, with this win the Jayhawks achieved a school
record for all-time season wins, posting a 37-3 win-loss
record during their run for the title, and finished the
season with a thirteen-game winning streak, securing the Big
XII Conference Championship title after starting the season
with a twenty-game undefeated record, in addition to the 2008
NCAA Division I men's basketball crown;
Whereas, Head Coach Bill Self improved his all-time record
at Kansas to 142-32 and 12-4 in the tournament assisted by a
miraculous last-minute three-point shot by guard Mario
Chalmers;
Whereas, Kansas guard Mario Chalmers was chosen as the Most
Outstanding Player of the Final Four and was named to the
all-tournament team along with guards Brandon Rush and
Darrell Arthur;
=========================== NOTE ===========================
On page S2764, April 8, 2008, the Record reads: . . . guards
Brandon Rush and Sherron Collins;
The online Record has been corrected to read: . . . guards
Brandon Rush and Darrell Arthur;
========================= END NOTE =========================
Whereas, each player, coach, trainer, and manager dedicated
his or her time and effort
[[Page S2765]]
to ensuring that the Kansas Jayhawks reached their goal of
capturing a national championship; and
Whereas, the families of the players, students, alumni, and
faculty of the University of Kansas, and all the supporters
of the University of Kansas, are to be congratulated for
their commitment to, and pride in, the basketball program at
the University: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) commends the University of Kansas men's basketball team
for winning the 2008 NCAA Division I Basketball Championship;
(2) recognizes the achievements of all of the players,
coaches, and support staff who were instrumental in helping
the University of Kansas men's basketball team win its third
NCAA Division I Basketball Championship and fifth national
championship;
(3) respectfully requests the Secretary of the Senate to
transmit enrolled copies of this resolution to--
(A) the University of Kansas for appropriate display;
(B) the Chancellor of the University of Kansas, Robert
Hemenway;
(C) the Athletic Director of the University of Kansas, Lew
Perkins;
(D) the Head Coach of the University of Kansas men's
basketball team, Bill Self.
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