[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 26 (Monday, February 9, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H1051-H1053]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA QUARTERBACK SAM 
              BRADFORD FOR WINNING THE 2008 HEISMAN TROPHY

  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 60) recognizing and commending University of 
Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford for winning the 2008 Heisman Trophy 
and for his academic and athletic accomplishments.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                               H. Res. 60

       Whereas Sam Bradford was born on November 8, 1987, to Kent 
     and Martha Bradford;
       Whereas Sam Bradford's mother and father have instilled in 
     him an unparalleled work ethic, outstanding leadership 
     qualities, and a desire to excel;
       Whereas Sam Bradford is an active citizen of the Cherokee 
     Nation of Oklahoma;
       Whereas Sam Bradford is a dedicated student at the 
     University of Oklahoma, majoring in Finance and maintaining a 
     3.95 grade point average;
       Whereas Sam Bradford is a member of the University of 
     Oklahoma's Fellowship of Christian Athletes;
       Whereas Sam Bradford is the quarterback for the University 
     of Oklahoma's football team (Oklahoma) and has played an 
     integral role in such team's 2008 National Collegiate 
     Athletic Association's (NCAA) national championship bid;
       Whereas Sam Bradford completed 48 touchdown passes in the 
     regular season, setting a University of Oklahoma record for 
     touchdowns in a single season, and also leading the nation in 
     touchdown passes in the 2008 season;
       Whereas in 2008 Sam Bradford surpassed the NCAA record for 
     most touchdowns by a quarterback through his freshmen and 
     sophomore years;
       Whereas in 2008 Sam Bradford led the nation in passing 
     efficiency with a percentage of 186.28;
       Whereas on October 18, 2008, Sam Bradford passed for 468 
     yards against the University of Kansas, setting a University 
     of Oklahoma record for most passing yards in a single game;
       Whereas in 2008 Sam Bradford guided Oklahoma to a 12-1 
     record and played an essential role in Oklahoma's victory 
     over the University of Missouri in the 2008 Big 12 
     Championship game on December 6, 2008; and
       Whereas on December 13, 2008, Sam Bradford became the 5th 
     Oklahoma football player to win the Heisman Trophy, college 
     football's most coveted and prestigious award: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) commends Sam Bradford for his academic and athletic 
     accomplishments;
       (2) congratulates Sam Bradford for winning the 2008 Heisman 
     Trophy; and
       (3) directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to University of Oklahoma 
     President Boren and Head Football Coach Bob Stoops for 
     appropriate display.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from the 
Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan) and the gentleman from Kentucky 
(Mr. Guthrie) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days in which 
Members may revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous 
material on House Resolution 60 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today to congratulate the University of Oklahoma Sooners' 
quarterback, Sam Bradford, for winning the Heisman Trophy Award, and I 
thank Congresswoman Fallin for introducing this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, the Heisman award is the Nation's most prestigious 
collegiate football award, and while Sam Bradford's outstanding 
athletic record has made him a most deserving candidate for the award, 
his qualities off the field also deserve to be recognized.
  Sam Bradford received the Heisman Trophy on December 13, 2008, and 
became the first person of Native American descent and only the second 
sophomore in Heisman history to win the award. Bradford won the 
recognition of Heisman voters by breaking the NCAA freshman touchdown 
passing record with 36 touchdown passes and by breaking the NCAA record 
with a passing efficiency rating of 186.28. He set two school records 
by throwing for 48 touchdown passes in a single season and by passing 
for 468 yards in a single game against the University of Kansas.
  With Bradford at the helm, the Sooners posted more points in a single 
season than any other team and brought the team to a 12-1 season 
record. Winning the Heisman award is a tremendous accomplishment, but I 
believe we should also recognize his accomplishments off the field.
  Excelling in the classroom with a 3.95 grade point average, Sam 
Bradford epitomizes what a student athlete should be. He is an active 
citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, and is a member of the 
University of Oklahoma's Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Considering 
the demands of a Division I football program, his involvement off the 
field is to be commended.
  Mr. Speaker, once again, I congratulate the University of Oklahoma's 
quarterback, Sam Bradford, for his outstanding year, and I urge my 
colleagues to pass this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 60, a resolution 
recognizing the academic and athletic achievements of Sam Bradford, the 
2008 Heisman Trophy winner.
  Samuel Jacob Bradford, the University of Oklahoma's quarterback, beat 
out the University of Florida's Tim Tebow and the University of Texas' 
Colt McCoy to win the Heisman Trophy

[[Page H1052]]

last year. Bradford was the second sophomore and the fifth Oklahoma 
football player to ever win the Heisman Trophy. He is only the second 
person of Cherokee descent to ever start as quarterback for a Division 
I institution. During the quest for the Heisman, Bradford led the 
Sooners to the national championship game against Florida while 
maintaining an exemplary grade point average of 3.95 as a finance major 
at Oklahoma.
  I am pleased to stand in support of this resolution honoring the fine 
academic and athletic achievements of Sam Bradford, but I would be 
remiss if I did not speak up on his behalf and on behalf of all the 
young people in America today to express my reservations about the 
massive increase in our national debt and in our budget deficit that 
would come from the stimulus spending package currently making its way 
through Congress.
  We need economic stimulus and we need it now, but if we do not 
provide the right mix of tax relief and benefits to working families 
and to small businesses, I am afraid that we may well make this 
recession far more worse than it already is. I hope we can work 
together to develop a conference agreement on the stimulus package that 
excludes nonemergency government spending but works to truly stimulate 
job growth and a more stable economy. I encourage my colleagues to vote 
in favor of this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlelady from 
Oklahoma (Ms. Fallin).
  Ms. FALLIN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to urge the passage of a 
resolution honoring an outstanding young man from my home State of 
Oklahoma and from my district, Sam Bradford, who is the winner of 
college football's highest honor, the Heisman Trophy, and of course he 
is from the great university, the University of Oklahoma.
  It has been said that sports build character, and we always hope that 
is true, but Sam Bradford brings character to sports. He is a 
remarkable athlete, honor student and is a member of the Fellowship of 
Christian Athletes. Most recently, he reminded us as to how to set 
priorities in life.

                              {time}  1615

  He could have earned millions by entering the professional football 
draft, but yet he chose to return to college next fall and complete his 
degree.
  Sam Bradford graduated from Putnam City North High School which is in 
my district, and he is the son of a former college football player. Two 
years ago, he stepped in as quarterback for the University of Oklahoma 
Sooners, his father's alma mater, and by the end of the his first 
season, he had thrown 36 touchdown passes, an NCAA record for a 
freshman.
  Last year, he passed for 48 more touchdowns, setting another record 
along the way, and in January, he led his team, OU Sooners, into the 
national championship game. They did not win, but they played very 
well, and I guarantee you they played with honor. And after the game, 
we were treated to the image of two fine young men embracing on the 
field: Tim Tebow, last year's Heisman winner, and Sam Bradford. There 
are no better role models today in the sport than those two fine young 
men. And America would be better served, well-served if these two young 
men were to meet again next January in a national championship rematch, 
which I hope they do.
  Of course, we are very partial to Sam Bradford and Oklahoma, and for 
a very good reason. He's a proud member of the Cherokee Indian Nation, 
and before each game, he rereads the biblical story of David and 
Goliath to remind himself that he must be his very best each day.
  In both of his first two seasons, he has made the conference all-
academic team as a scholar athlete, and I can assure you that there are 
hundreds, maybe even a thousand, small boys, young boys in Oklahoma 
that would love to grow up to be the next Sam Bradford, and they could 
hardly pick a better role model than Sam.
  In an age where athletic success too often translates into what could 
be arrogance or even misbehavior, Oklahoma is proud of our most recent 
Heisman Trophy winner. He is a great quarterback. He is a great young 
man. He is humble in victory, and he is gracious in defeat.
  Mr. Speaker, I'd like to urge this body to approve H. Res. 60, 
commending an Oklahoma Sooner who reminds us all that success on the 
playing field and true humility can go hand in hand.
  I know that some of my colleagues from Oklahoma are also very proud 
of Sam Bradford. I know that some of them wanted to come today, but 
they were all catching their flights, but all the Oklahoma delegation 
in the House, in a bipartisan way, are supporting this resolution.
  I would urge its adoption.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Oklahoma (Mr. Cole).
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. As the 
gentleman from Kentucky knows, I was racing over here as my colleague 
from Oklahoma was extolling our Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford. I 
was caught on the barber's chair as this momentous event began, and so 
the gentleman has been kind enough to allow me to address some of my 
remarks toward Mr. Bradford's achievement.
  I want to begin by thanking my good friend, the gentlelady from 
Oklahoma, Mary Fallin, for bringing the resolution to the floor 
honoring Sam Bradford and his remarkable achievements. He was born in 
my colleague's district, but his distinction was really earned in mine 
because he plays at the University of Oklahoma, and we're 
extraordinarily proud of him as a player, as any college would be.
  He frankly has won two Big 12 titles in his 2 years. He's had the 
opportunity to play for a national championship. We came up a little 
bit short in that game, and we congratulate our friends at the 
University of Florida who played a great game with a great quarterback, 
Mr. Tebow, but we look forward to having the opportunity to meet them 
or somebody else somewhere down the road.
  We're proud of everything he's done. He's led the country in passing. 
He's one of the most accurate throwers, led the country in touchdown 
passes. You could literally list the achievements at great length, but 
frankly, we're proud of him as a student.
  In a day when a lot of athletes are there simply to play football or 
basketball or track or whatever their sport is, Sam Bradford is a 3.95 
major in finance at the University of Oklahoma. So he's pretty serious 
about his academic life.
  We're proud of him as a person. Frankly, he's active in the 
Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is active in Read Across America. 
Obviously, we're very proud of his native heritage as a member of the 
Cherokee Nation. And that's important to us in Oklahoma, certainly 
important to me as a member of the Chickasaw Nation, to see the kind of 
role model he is, not only for Cherokees but, frankly, for young men 
and women all across Indian country, regardless of tribal affiliation.
  I think we're probably most proud of him, Mr. Speaker, for the manner 
in which he leads. He is a quiet leader. He's not a shouter. He's not 
somebody that is theatrical on the field. You don't see him engaging in 
taunting for the type of celebration that frankly glorifies the 
individual at the expense of the team. You see him lead by example.
  And all of his fellow players comment on this repeatedly, that in the 
huddle, he's quiet, he's professional, he's business-like, he's quick 
to give the credit to the people that he plays with; and, frankly, he's 
quick to give the credit to his opponents who he regards with respect 
and as worthy adversaries and people who bring their own traits of hard 
work and character to the field.
  The relationship that he had with not only Mr. Tebow but also with 
our rivals in the south, Colton McCoy of the University of Texas, is 
the kind of relationship you like to see on the football field, and 
frankly probably something all of us in this Chamber could take a 
lesson from.
  I doubt there is any fiercer rivalry in college football than there 
is between the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma. And 
I also doubt that there are any two schools that are prouder of their 
two quarterbacks, and

[[Page H1053]]

I also doubt there are any two quarterbacks that respect one another's 
talents more and are quick to praise the other's achievements not only 
over the course of the season but in the contest in which they're in.
  So we are extraordinarily proud, obviously, of Sam Bradford, Mr. 
Speaker, because he's led us to victory on the athletic field, because 
he's been a student; because, frankly, he's engaged in activities 
beyond being an athlete and beyond being a student to help others and 
to help his community, because of his Native American heritage. But 
most of all, simply because of the kind of person that he is.
  He's a role model not just in athletics and not just from my State 
but, frankly, he's the kind of person that all of us should aspire to 
be. And he's wise beyond his years, and he conducts himself in a manner 
well beyond his years.
  With that, again, I thank my colleague, Ms. Fallin from the State of 
Oklahoma, for bringing this resolution. It's a privilege for me to 
speak on it.
  Mr. SABLAN. Does the gentleman from Kentucky have any further 
speakers?
  Mr. GUTHRIE. I have no further speakers, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this resolution, House Resolution 60, and urge 
my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes.''
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, once again I congratulate University of 
Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford for his outstanding year, and I urge 
my colleagues to pass this resolution.
  Mr. BOREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sam Bradford and the 
entire OU Football team on their success, both individually and as a 
team, in the '08-'09 season.
  Sam would be the first person to remind you that one doesn't win an 
award like the Heisman Trophy without the hard work, determination, and 
success of your fellow teammates, coaches, and staff.
  He has said as much on many occasions. But in this instance, Sam 
Bradford also deserves special recognition for his poised leadership 
and his dedication to excellence on and off the field.
  His exceptional play is matched only by the outstanding example that 
he sets for young student-athletes in Oklahoma and across the nation.
  Congratulations, Sam, on winning the 2008-2009 Heisman Trophy.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 
60 ``Recognizing and commending University of Oklahoma Quarterback Sam 
Bradford for winning the 2008 Heisman Trophy and for his academic and 
athletic accomplishments.'' I want to thank my colleague Congresswoman 
Mary Fallin of Oklahoma, for introducing this resolution.
  Sam Bradford of the University of Oklahoma was selected as the 74th 
winner of the Heisman Memorial Trophy as the Most Outstanding College 
Football Player in the United States for 2008. Bradford, Oklahoma's 
amazingly accurate and quick-thinking passer, won the Heisman Trophy 
after leading the highest-scoring team in major college history to the 
BCS title game.
  Bradford hails from Oklahoma City, OK. This year, he completed 302 of 
his 442 passes this year, which amounted to 4,464 yards and 48 
touchdowns while throwing only 6 interceptions during the regular 
season. He also rushed for 5 touchdowns.
  While leading the highest scoring offense in the history of Division 
I College Football, Bradford broke the Oklahoma season and career 
touchdown records both previously held by 2003 Heisman winner Jason 
White. Bradford's 84 career touchdowns are the most ever for a player 
at the end of his sophomore season.
  The Big 12 Athletic Conference was at the epicenter of college 
football this season, with both the national championship race and 
Heisman chase turning weekly on games played by its three powerhouse 
teams, including the pride of Texas, the University of Texas Longhorns. 
Bradford is the fifth Oklahoma player to win the award, and second 
during coach Bob Stoops' 10 seasons with the Sooners.
  Mr. Bradford is not only outstanding on the football field, but he is 
a scholar in the classroom as well. He puts the student in student-
athlete, as he has outstanding academics as a finance major. One of his 
professors acknowledged that ``without reservation, if all of my 
students were like Sam, my job would be really easy.''
  Even though Sam Bradford was victorious over Quarterback Colt McCoy 
of my beloved University of Texas Longhorns, I extend my hand of 
congratulations on this wonderful accomplishment of winning the Heisman 
Trophy.
  I know that Congresswoman Fallin and the other Representatives from 
the State of Oklahoma are quite proud of this amazing feat.
  Mr. Speaker, this commendation today recognizes Sam Bradford from the 
University of Oklahoma, and his 2008 Heisman Trophy win. This 
resolution also notes the extraordinary commitment and daily sacrifices 
made by this exceptional young man. I urge my colleagues to support 
this resolution.
  Mr. SABLAN. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 60.
  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. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  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.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________