[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 138 (Tuesday, September 29, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H10018-H10019]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATING LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES CHAMPION CHULA VISTA PARK 
                                  VIEW

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 725) congratulating the Chula Vista Park View 
Little League team of Chula Vista, California, for winning the 2009 
Little League World Series Championship.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 725

       Whereas on Sunday, August 30, 2009, the Chula Vista Park 
     View Little League Baseball Team from Chula Vista, 
     California, rallied to defeat the Taoyuan, Taiwan (Chinese 
     Taipei) Little League Team by a score of 6 to 3 to win the 
     2009 Little League World Series Championship at South 
     Williamsport, Pennsylvania;
       Whereas Chula Vista Park View is in its 41st season of 
     playing little league baseball and is the fourth team from 
     San Diego County to play in the Little League World Series 
     championship game;
       Whereas the 2009 Chula Vista Park View Little League World 
     Championship Team consists of players Isaiah Armenta, Oscar 
     Castro, Jr., Nick Conlin, Kiko Garcia, Bulla Graft, Seth 
     Godfrey, Markus Melin, Jensen Petersen, Daniel Porras, Jr., 
     Luke Ramirez, Andy Rios, and Bradley Roberto;
       Whereas the 2009 Chula Vista Park View Little League World 
     Championship Team is led by Manager Oscar Castro, Coach Ric 
     Ramirez, and Park View Little League President Rod Roberto;
       Whereas the Chula Vista Park View Little League team was 
     successful because of solid coaching and execution of 
     fundamentals and discipline;
       Whereas the fans of the Chula Vista Park View Little League 
     team showed enthusiasm, support, and courtesy for the game of 
     baseball and all of the players and coaches;
       Whereas the performance of the Chula Vista Park View Little 
     League team demonstrated to parents and communities 
     throughout the United States that athletic participation 
     builds character and leadership in children; and
       Whereas the achievement of the Chula Vista Park View Little 
     League Baseball Team is the cause of enormous pride for the 
     Nation, the State of California, and especially for the city 
     of Chula Vista: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) congratulates the Chula Vista Park View Little League 
     Baseball Team from Chula Vista, California, on winning the 
     2009 Little League World Series Championship;
       (2) recognizes and commends the hard work, dedication, 
     determination, and commitment to excellence of the members, 
     parents, coaches, and managers of the Chula Vista Park View 
     Little League team;
       (3) recognizes and commends the people of Chula Vista, 
     California, for the outstanding loyalty and support that they 
     displayed for the Chula Vista Park View Little League team 
     throughout the season; and
       (4) respectfully requests that the Clerk of the House 
     transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the City of 
     Chula Vista and each player, manager, and coach of the Chula 
     Vista Park View Little League Baseball Team.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the lead sponsor of this 
resolution, the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner).
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Lynch, I thank you. I thank Chairman Towns and the 
Speaker for getting us this resolution so quickly.
  We celebrate today and congratulate the Chula Vista Park View Little 
League team for winning the 2009 Little League World Series.
  I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, for several weeks last month, our whole 
region, the San Diego region and the city of Chula Vista in particular, 
was enthralled by these 12 young men on the little league team who 
managed to win victory after victory, some with dramatic comebacks from 
behind.
  They hit home runs whether they were 5 foot 1 or 6 foot 2 and, in 
fact, set the little league world series record for number of home 
runs. Their defensive play was incredible, making some fantastic double 
plays that were worthy of the Major Leagues.
  Running the bases or just cheering on the team, every one of these 12 
young men played a very important role, and our whole region was 
enthralled by them.
  So we want to thank Isaiah, Oscar, Nick, Kiko, Garcia, Bulla, Seth, 
Markus, Jensen, Daniel, Luke, Andy, and Bradley for their incredible 
play in this World Series. The manager, Oscar Castro; the coach, Ric 
Ramirez; and the little league president, Rod Roberto, were key 
figures, of course, in this incredible victory.
  These young men were dubbed the Blue Bombers. Their final victory was 
over Taipei in a 6-3 victory. They come from behind in that one, too.
  They displayed the success that solid coaching brings and the 
execution of the fundamentals that little league stresses. Again, the 
whole region was thrilled by their performance--playing with poise, 
with class, with sportsmanship. They even invited the Chinese Taipei 
team to join them on their victory lap around the field at Williamsport 
to show their own incredible team spirit and sportsmanship.

[[Page H10019]]

  Chula Vista is a city hard hit by foreclosures and the national 
recession. It often feels overshadowed by the bigger city of San Diego 
and affluent suburbs further north, so this victory was particularly 
sweet for the city of Chula Vista. It helped us all through some tough 
times. When our professional teams in the area were losing, the little 
league team was, in fact, victorious.

                              {time}  1530

  So all of us here today commend the hard work, dedication and 
determination of the members, the parents who came out always to 
support them and were with them the whole way, their coaches, their 
managers, and the community itself for the outstanding loyalty and 
support that they displayed to the team throughout the whole season. 
The welcome home ceremony was attended by 12,000 people in the stadium.
  So I thank the House. I thank the Speaker. I thank Mr. Lynch and 
Chairman Towns for joining me in congratulating and honoring the Chula 
Vista Park View Little League team for winning the 2009 World 
Championship game of the Little League World Series. I urge my 
colleagues to support the resolution.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today to urge passage of the resolution, to congratulate the 
Chula Vista Park View Little League team of Chula Vista, California, 
for winning the 2009 Little League World Series championship. The 
players kept their sights high, even after falling behind by three runs 
early in the game. Through their perseverance, the players were able to 
come through with the win by a score of 6-3.
  ``We knew we could come back,'' said 13-year-old Kiko Garcia. ``We 
always do.'' The fantastic attitude of these players definitely helped 
them in achieving victory. There were many notable achievements on the 
field, including Bulla Graft's single, which scored the go-ahead run in 
the fourth inning, and Kiko Garcia pitched three-plus scoreless innings 
of relief to lead the team to victory.
  The amazing attitude and determination of the Chula Vista Little 
League team is not unique to this championship game. It is something 
that they have learned through hundreds of hours of practice and 
previous games played. Our Nation should be proud of the great 
sportsmanship displayed by the players, coaches and fans of the Chula 
Vista Park View Little League team.
  After the win, the Chula Vista players invited the Taipei team 
players to join them in a victory lap around the stadium. These young 
men should be proud of the way they played the game of baseball, even 
more, the way that they represented their country.
  It is for these reasons that I rise today to honor the Chula Vista 
Park View Little League team of Chula Vista, California, for winning 
the 2009 Little League World Series championship.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I am pleased to support House Resolution 725 for 
consideration. This resolution congratulates the Chula Vista Park View 
Little League team of Chula Vista, California, for winning the 2009 
Little League World Series championship. The measure before us was 
introduced on September 9 by my colleague and friend, Representative 
Bob Filner of California, and it was favorably reported out of the 
Oversight Committee on September 24 by unanimous consent. Notably, this 
measure enjoys the support of over 50 Members of Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 725 applauds the Chula Vista Park View 
Little League baseball team's Little League World Series championship 
run. Led by Coach Ric Ramirez and Manager Oscar Castro, this group of 
young men clinched the sixth Little League World Series title for the 
State of California and extended America's Little League World Series 
championship streak to 5 years.
  In the championship game, the California club overcame a three-run 
deficit to beat a formidable team from Taipei, China, 6-3. These young 
men demonstrated the type of teamwork, camaraderie and never-say-never 
spirit necessary to succeed in all facets of life. I wish them the best 
in their future endeavors, and I hope if any pursue a career in 
baseball, they find their way to my beloved Red Sox.
  I also want to applaud the Little League World Series organizers for 
orchestrating another successful tournament. The Little League World 
Series was first held in 1947, and although only American teams 
competed in the inaugural tournament, today the competition is a truly 
international event, welcoming teams from Canada, the Caribbean, Latin 
America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
  In closing, let us, as a body, applaud the Chula Vista Park View 
Little League baseball team for their hard work and success and 
congratulate the organizers of the Little League World Series for 
helping to instill the indispensable values of teamwork, sportsmanship, 
and dedication in today's youth. I encourage all of my colleagues to 
support this measure.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of 
H. Res. 725.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. I thank my colleague for his remarks. I want to ask all of 
our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with Mr. Filner of 
California, the lead sponsor of this measure, to congratulate the Chula 
Vista Park View Little League team by agreeing to House Resolution 725.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 725.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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