[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 81 (Tuesday, June 2, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H6031-H6033]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     CONGRATULATING UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

  Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 196) congratulating the University of Tennessee 
women's basketball team (the ``Lady Vols") and Head Coach Pat Summitt 
on her 1,000th victory.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 196

       Whereas, on February 5, 2009, Head Coach Pat Summitt 
     recorded her 1,000th win with a victory over Georgia 73-43;
       Whereas Coach Summitt has a lifetime record of 1,000-188 in 
     her more than 35 years of coaching, all with the Lady Vols;
       Whereas Coach Summitt's first win as Coach of the Lady Vols 
     was on January 10, 1975, against Middle Tennessee State 69-
     32;
       Whereas, on March 22, 2005, Coach Summitt passed Dean Smith 
     for most NCAA collegiate basketball wins of all-time with a 
     75-54 victory over Purdue on March 22, 2005;
       Whereas Coach Summitt and the Lady Vols own a 404-62 all-
     time record verses 12 teams from the Southeastern Conference 
     (SEC);
       Whereas Coach Summitt and the Lady Vols have won 27 SEC 
     titles;
       Whereas Coach Summitt has never had a losing season;
       Whereas Coach Summitt and the Lady Vols have had 32 
     consecutive seasons with at least 20 wins;
       Whereas Coach Summitt and the Lady Vols teams have gone 
     undefeated in SEC play 8 times;
       Whereas since Tennessee began contesting games with SEC 
     opponents, the Lady Vols have produced a 168-12 record in 
     home games;
       Whereas Coach Summitt has been named SEC Coach of the Year 
     7 times;
       Whereas Coach Summitt has been named NCAA Coach of the Year 
     7 times;

[[Page H6032]]

       Whereas Coach Summitt and the Lady Vols have an NCAA 
     Tournament Best record (men or women) of 104-19, including 18 
     NCAA Tournament number 1 seeds;
       Whereas Coach Summitt and the Lady Vols have won 8 NCAA 
     Championships;
       Whereas Coach Summitt is recognized as a leader and role 
     model for her work not only on the basketball court but also 
     for her work off the court; and
       Whereas Coach Pat Summitt's Lady Vols continue their 
     remarkable 100 percent graduation rate, with every student 
     athlete who has completed her eligibility at the University 
     of Tennessee either graduating or working toward all of the 
     requirements for graduation: Now, therefore, be it
         Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
         (1) congratulates the University of Tennessee women's 
     basketball team and Head Coach Pat Summitt on her 1,000th 
     victory;
         (2) recognizes the significant achievements of the 
     players, coaches, students, alumni, and support staff whose 
     dedication and hard work have contributed greatly to the 
     success of the Lady Vols program and Coach Summitt; and
         (3) respectfully requests the Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives to transmit copies of this resolution to the 
     following for appropriate display--
         (A) Dr. John D. Petersen, President of the University of 
     Tennessee;
         (B) Dr. Loren Crabtree, Chancellor of the University of 
     Tennessee, Knoxville;
         (C) Joan Cronan, Women's Athletics Director; and
         (D) Pat Summitt, Women's Basketball Head Coach.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Tonko) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 
196 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TONKO. I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the University of 
Tennessee's women's basketball team and Head Coach Pat Summitt on 
winning her 1,000th NCAA basketball game.
  On February 5, 2009, basketball fans witnessed Head Coach Pat Summitt 
lead her Lady Volunteers to her 1,000th basketball victory. The 
University of Tennessee easily defeated the University of Georgia 73-
43. This 30-point victory over Georgia not only reflects the Lady Vols' 
dominance but this victory reflects another milestone in the great 
Coach Summitt's illustrious career.
  Pat Summitt started coaching at the age of 22 and recorded her first 
win for the Lady Vols on January 10, 1975.

                              {time}  1530

  From the moment she started coaching, she excelled in every facet of 
the game. During her tenure, the Lady Vols have won eight NCAA titles, 
as well as 27 Southeastern Conference tournament and regular season 
championships. Tennessee has made an unprecedented 27 consecutive 
appearances in the NCAA Sweet 16 and produced 12 Olympians, 19 Kodak 
All-Americans named to 33 teams, and 71 All-SEC performers. Her 1,000-
188 lifetime record leaves basketball fans in complete awe. She has 
collected more wins than any other NCAA collegiate basketball program, 
men's or women's.
  Coach Summitt garnered a multitude of awards. The NCAA recognized her 
great success by awarding Summitt with seven Southeastern Coach of the 
Year awards and seven NCAA Coach of the Year awards. Coach Summitt and 
the Lady Volunteers have left a legacy of greatness that will certainly 
place them in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
  Along with her success on the court, Summitt's student athletes have 
had tremendous productivity in the classroom. Coach Summitt has a 100 
percent graduation rate for all Lady Vols who have completed their 
eligibility at Tennessee. She still considers the academic success of 
her athletes as one of her greatest accomplishments.
  While Coach Summitt and the Lady Vols produced remarkable success, 
congratulations also go to the assistant coaches, the fans, the alumni, 
and students for their unyielding support and contributions.
  Once again, I congratulate Coach Summitt and the Lady Vols for their 
unprecedented success. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman Duncan 
for bringing this resolution forward, and I urge my colleagues to 
support this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
sponsor of the resolution, the gentleman from Tennessee, my colleague, 
Mr. Duncan.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for 
yielding me this time. It is a very special honor and privilege for me 
to rise to urge support for a resolution honoring a personal friend of 
mine, the head women's basketball coach at my alma mater, the 
University of Tennessee, and that is our great coach, Pat Head Summitt.
  The gentleman from New York has very succinctly outlined many of the 
accomplishments and honors that Coach Summitt has received in her 
career, but I would like to reiterate some of these things. It is 
really a phenomenal record that she has.
  Coach Summitt has coached for more than 35 years, all with the Lady 
Vols. Her overall record is 1,005 wins and 192 losses for a winning 
percentage of better than 84 percent. Coach Summitt and the Lady Vols 
have won 27 Southeastern Conference titles. Coach Summitt and the Lady 
Vols have won eight NCAA championships. She has been named the NCAA 
Coach of the Year seven times and SEC Coach of the Year seven times.
  Coach Summitt also coached the U.S.A. women's basketball team to the 
Olympic Gold Medal in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. She is the 
author of two books, ``Reach for the Summitt'' and ``Raise the Roof.'' 
They are both very inspiring books.
  In 1999, Coach Summitt was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall 
of Fame, and in 2000 she was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame 
in Springfield, Massachusetts, becoming only the fourth women's 
basketball coach to receive that distinction. Also in 2000, she was 
named the Naismith Coach of the Century.
  On February 2, 2007, Wheaties unveiled a Breakfast of Champions box 
in her honor, making her the first women's basketball coach to be 
honored on such a box. Coach Summitt has two streets named in her 
honor: Pat Head Summitt Street on the University of Tennessee-Knoxville 
campus, and Pat Head Summitt Avenue on the University of Tennessee-
Martin campus.
  Coach Summitt also has a remarkable 100 percent graduation rate, as 
the gentleman from New York mentioned, with every student athlete who 
has completed their eligibility at UT either graduating or working 
toward all of the requirements for graduation within the NCAA-allotted 
time of 6 years. I don't think there is any other coach, men or women's 
coach, in this country that can say that. And I will tell you that she 
also insists on her students taking tough courses that lead to good 
careers. And we often read in the Knoxville newspapers about the great 
success of many of her graduates.
  Pat Head Summitt is simply an outstanding woman and an outstanding 
individual in every way, both personally and professionally. And it is 
a great honor for me to stand here before you today to bring this 
resolution to the floor honoring Coach Pat Head Summitt and the Lady 
Vols and congratulating her on achieving that tremendous, just almost 
unbelievable mark of 1,000 victories.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support the resolution.
  Mr. PETRI. I have no further requests for time. I urge all of my 
colleagues to join me in supporting the resolution of our colleague 
from Tennessee honoring Head Coach Pat Summitt on her exceeding 1,000 
victories.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, it is most obvious that Coach Summitt and the 
Lady Vols have set basketball history with more than five times the 
number of wins in relation to the number of losses. And while they have 
excelled on the basketball court, it is important to note that they 
have also excelled in the classroom. And so for those records, both 
athletically and academically, and for the great career to date of 
Coach Summitt, we acknowledge that this is a very worthy resolution and 
that H. Res. 196 should be supported in the House, Mr. Speaker.

[[Page H6033]]

  Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join our colleagues in 
honoring a very gifted leader and my friend, University of Tennessee 
Lady Vol Head Coach Pat Summitt. Earlier this year, Coach Summitt 
marked her 1000th victory, the first coach in women's or men's college 
basketball to reach that hallmark.
  I have had the pleasure of getting to know Coach Summitt over the 
years, and my chief of staff, Vickie Walling, is a long-time friend of 
Pat's, from their days together at the University of Tennessee-Martin, 
which I now have the honor of representing in this chamber. Summitt 
became the winningest coach in college basketball in 2005, passing Dean 
Smith's 879 career wins. You can imagine our Tennessee pride when, on 
February 5 of this year, the Lady Vols helped Pat achieve another 
hallmark: winning her 1000th game as head coach.
  During Pat's time at UT, the Lady Vols have won eight NCAA titles, as 
well as 27 Southeastern Conference tournament and regular season 
championships and 28 consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament. 
Tennessee has produced 12 Olympians, 19 Kodak All-Americans and 71 All-
SEC performers.
  As an alumnus of the University of Tennessee and of the UT basketball 
program, I understand the importance of the Lady Vols to the university 
and to our state. The talented women led by Coach Summitt not only 
demonstrate great athletic ability but also understand the importance 
of academic accomplishment; under Pat's leadership, the Lady Vols have 
a 100 percent graduation rate for those who have completed their 
eligibility at Tennessee.
  Pat's continued dedication to the academic, athletic and personal 
growth of her players is a trademark of her coaching style and a 
testament to her tireless commitment to women's basketball and the 
well-rounded development of young women.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend Jimmy Duncan for introducing 
this resolution and giving us the opportunity to congratulate Pat 
Summitt on accomplishing this feat, recognize her outstanding career, 
and wish her and the Lady Vols all the best in their future successes.
  Mr. TONKO. I yield back my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 196.
  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. TONKO. 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.

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