[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 117 (Wednesday, July 16, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H6597]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   GOLF TOURNAMENT TO HONOR VETERANS

  (Mr. EDWARDS of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. EDWARDS of Texas. Members, I know there are many people across 
our country that wonder if there are any bipartisan traditions and 
relationships left in this House. Today, Mr. Wamp and I come to the 
floor to say the answer to that is yes.
  On Monday, we continued for the 37th year a great tradition of the 
golfers from the Republican side of the aisle and those from the 
Democratic side of the aisle in friendly competition, along with our 
former colleagues.
  While some may have said there were a lot of VIPs at that golf course 
on Monday, there is no question about who the real heroes were; they 
were the amputees, our service men and women who are the beneficiaries 
of this competitive event through the Sports USA Foundation, which 
supports amputees and our service men and women, our veterans who have 
paid a dear price for their service to country.
  I do want to congratulate my colleague, Mr. Wamp, the chairman of the 
Republican team. It appears, Mr. Speaker, that the burdens of being in 
the majority have weighed down the athletic talents of my Democratic 
colleagues.
  I want to salute my cochairman in the event and the leader of the 
Republican team. It was a great cause for tremendous Americans who have 
done so much for your family, for my family, and American families. And 
I was proud to be part of that great tradition.
  I yield time to my colleague.
  Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, if I may, let me tell the Members that for 37 
years we've had this tradition in a bipartisan way of Members and 
former Members getting together, but this is the first year that we 
brought in this extraordinary charity, the Disabled Sports Foundation. 
And these wounded warriors, mostly amputees, that got joy out of 
playing golf with us on Monday, we raised a lot of money for them. This 
was so important.
  We took the venue to Army-Navy Golf Club, where they are under 
construction with renovations. The PGA of America cosponsored it with 
us. The co-chairmen from the former Members were Ken Kramer and Dennis 
Hertel. We had 33 Republican Members and only eight Democratic 
Members--that's one reason the trophy is back over here this year--but 
y'all had a conflict, so you do have an excuse this year. But next year 
we should really bring people together to help these wounded warriors.
  I want to say Steve Buyer was the low gross on the Republican side 
for the whole House, and Gene Green from the Democratic side was the 
low net. Republicans reclaimed the trophy.
  The big winners are these disabled athletes who are great American 
patriots. We honor them. We had fellowship. We came together. And the 
full House joins us in our salute to all these men and women in uniform 
that are disabled.

                          ____________________