[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 19, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H155-H157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  COMMENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1007) commending the University of Alabama for 
winning the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1007

       Whereas, on January 7, 2010, the University of Alabama 
     Crimson Tide defeated the University of Texas Longhorns, 37-
     21, in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National 
     Championship Game in Pasadena, California;
       Whereas the University of Alabama located in Tuscaloosa, 
     Alabama, has become one of the premier athletic and academic 
     institutions in the country;
       Whereas the University of Alabama has been the Southeastern 
     Conference (SEC) Football Champion a record-setting 22 times;
       Whereas the University of Alabama has made an NCAA-record 
     57 bowl appearances;
       Whereas the Crimson Tide players won many individual 
     accomplishments throughout the season including, Mark Ingram 
     as the first player from the University of Alabama to win the 
     Heisman Trophy, Rolando McClain as the Butkus Award Winner, 
     and 6 players selected as Associated Press First Team All 
     Americans;
       Whereas Mark Ingram rushed for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns 
     to be named the Offensive Most Valuable Player of the BCS 
     National Championship Game;
       Whereas Marcell Dareus returned an interception for a 
     touchdown and was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player of 
     the BCS National Championship Game;
       Whereas the Crimson Tide defense held the University of 
     Texas to 276 offensive yards and forced 5 turnovers during 
     the BCS National Championship Game;
       Whereas Nick Saban in his third year as head coach led the 
     University of Alabama to its first National Championship 
     since 1992; and
       Whereas residents of Alabama and Crimson Tide fans 
     worldwide are to be commended for their longstanding support, 
     perseverance, and pride in the team: Now, therefore, be it

[[Page H156]]

       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) commends the University of Alabama for winning the Bowl 
     Championship Series National Championship;
       (2) recognizes the achievements of the players, coaches, 
     students, and support staff who were instrumental in the 
     victory; and
       (3) directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to University of Alabama 
     President Dr. Robert E. Witt and head coach Nick Saban for 
     appropriate display.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Hawaii.


                             General Leave

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for 5 legislative 
days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous 
material on H. Res. 1007 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the University of Alabama 
football team for their victory in the 2010 Bowl Championship Series 
National Championship Game.
  On January 7, football fans all across the country were treated to an 
exceptional game as the University of Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the 
University of Texas Longhorns to win the national title. With the 
defeat of the Longhorns team by a score of 37-21, the championship game 
marked an NCAA record of 57 bowl appearances for the Crimson Tide.
  This was the Crimson Tide's first title since 1992, its eighth since 
the advent of the polls in the 1930s, and its seventh number one 
Associated Press title. This year's team earned a 14-0 season record 
and won the Associated Press title unanimously. The team's win brought 
a fourth consecutive title back to the Southeastern Conference. The 
Crimson Tide had won all season on the strength of their defense and 
running game, and they did so again in the championship game.
  The outstanding players and coaches produced a great season, winning 
numerous awards and gaining exceptional praise from all over the 
athletic world, including the National Football Foundation and the 
Football Writers Association. Both rewarded the team with honorary 
awards.
  Congratulations to Mark Ingram, who received the Heisman Trophy, 
becoming the first University of Alabama player and the third sophomore 
in history to win the award. Ingram won the award by only 28 points, 
the closest finish in the Heisman award's 75-year-long history. A 
Dean's List student at the University of Alabama, Ingram excels both on 
and off the field. He ran 116 yards in the championship game and scored 
2 touchdowns on 22 carries, leading his team to victory and to his 
being named the offensive most valuable player of the game.
  Congratulations are also due to defensive end Marcell Dareus, also a 
sophomore at the university, who was named defensive most valuable 
player of the game. Dareus made the game's key defensive play in the 
second quarter with an interception return for a 28-yard touchdown run.
  I want to extend my congratulations to Head Coach Nick Saban. In the 
short span of 3 years, Saban took a program that had struggled to find 
success and brought it back to championship caliber. A two-time 
National Coach of the Year, Saban has achieved resounding success as a 
head coach. Over the years, he has earned a reputation as an 
outstanding leader, organizer, and motivator. His commitment to 
rebuilding the total college football program at the University of 
Alabama, paired with his conviction to make his players the best that 
they can be, has led his team to be leaders on and off the field. His 
team has repeatedly exhibited grit, determination, and resilience, 
often overcoming adversity to achieve victory.
  The extraordinary achievement of this year's team is a tribute to the 
skill and dedication of all the players, as well as coaches, students, 
alumni, families, and fans that have helped to make the University of 
Alabama a premier football program. Winning the national championship, 
finishing the season with a 14-0 overall record, and leading the 
Southeastern Conference to another championship has brought national 
acclaim to the University of Alabama and great pride to those that care 
for the school. I know the fans of the university will revel in this 
great triumph as they look forward to the 2010 season.
  Mr. Speaker, once again I congratulate the University of Alabama 
football team for their tremendous success.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1007, 
and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today commending the University of Alabama for 
winning the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in 
Pasadena. It is special to me for three quick reasons, among others. 
One, my brother is a graduate of the University of Alabama, both the 
undergrad and the law school, in Tuscaloosa. And really good friends of 
mine had a son, number 75, Barrett Jones, the right guard--I think he 
played both sides--but an outstanding young man. His mother was a high 
school classmate of mine, and his father and his father's family are 
good friends of ours, and I wish them a lot of luck.
  Another thing is, there have been two coaches in the SEC to win SEC 
championships from two different schools. One is Nick Saban, who won it 
at LSU and now at Alabama, and Bear Bryant who won it at Alabama and 
the University of Kentucky.
  The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa. It was founded in 
1831. The University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the 
State's major research universities, with student enrollment of 
approximately 29,000. The university has 12 academic divisions and 
houses the only publicly supported law school in Alabama.
  The University of Alabama is widely recognized as a premier 
university. The university is consistently ranked among the top 50 
public universities by U.S. News & World Report and has the most 
students of any institution named to the USA Today All-USA College 
Academic Team. The University of Alabama is widely known as one of the 
Nation's flagship public universities. And one special person to be 
affiliated and attend the law school is Harper Lee, who wrote ``To Kill 
a Mockingbird,'' a very special lady to the citizens of Alabama and the 
country.
  The University of Alabama's athletic program has excelled throughout 
the history of the institution. The Alabama Crimson Tide football 
program was started in 1892 and is the university's most nationally 
known athletic program. The program has won 22 SEC titles, 13 national 
championships, and, this year, one Heisman Trophy. The Crimson Tide has 
also produced 18 Hall of Famers and 96 All-Americans.
  On January 7, the University of Alabama won the 2009 BCS championship 
game against the University of Texas. Sophomore running back and 
Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram was named the team's offensive MVP, 
and sophomore defensive end Marcell Dareus was named the defensive MVP.
  I congratulate the University of Alabama, the team, and Head Coach 
Nick Saban on winning this BCS championship. And I congratulate Mark 
Ingram and the team for winning the 2009 Heisman Trophy. After Alabama 
won the 1978 national championship in a very famous and legendary 
college game against Penn State in the Sugar Bowl on December 31, 1978, 
just the previous spring the University of Kentucky had won the 
national championship in basketball; so immediately the next weekend or 
so they played each other in basketball, and I will never forget the 
University of Kentucky fans unfolding a banner that said 
``Congratulations from one champion to another.''

                              {time}  1500

  It showed a lot of class for my fellow Kentuckians to do that to 
another school. But it showed a lot of spirit in the SEC and the pride 
we have in each other. And of course after last night, and we expect 
this weekend, the University of Kentucky's basketball team will be 
ranked number one. So hopefully, after this spring, the University of 
Alabama fans, like my friend from Birmingham here with me today, will

[[Page H157]]

be able to congratulate our team, the University of Kentucky, on 
winning the national championship following Alabama this year. That is 
our hope. And I endorse this resolution. I urge my colleagues to 
support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I notice my friend, Mr. Bachus, the 
introducer of this resolution, probably awaiting a chance to make some 
remarks. So I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to 
Mr. Bachus from Alabama.
  Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlelady from Hawaii 
and the gentleman from Kentucky, and the Education and Labor Committee 
for expediting this resolution, and for your kind words in support of 
the University of Alabama and its fine football team upon winning the 
national championship.
  And Mr. Speaker, I thank you and the Congress for giving the Alabama 
delegation the opportunity to congratulate the University of Alabama 
and its football team for winning the national championship. All 
members of the Alabama delegation have joined with me and Congressman 
Artur Davis. I and he are the lead cosponsors of this resolution.
  This is a celebration of the culmination of a very successful season 
on and off the field of play. And as I say, it culminated in the game 
between the University of Alabama and University of Texas, two teams 
that exemplify college football and college athletics at its best.
  In the previous year, Alabama was undefeated, but then lost to 
Florida in the SEC championship game and Utah in the Sugar Bowl. 
Disappointing losses like that might tear some teams apart. Instead, it 
made the university's coaching staff and players even more committed 
and determined to put in the hard work and dedication needed to make it 
all the way to the top. The hard work started in spring practice and 
continued through the long fall schedule.
  One important lesson is never allow your defeats to hold you back. 
Last week we honored Mark Ingram, who also has overcome challenges to 
win the Heisman Trophy. Alabama did this, they put the last two defeats 
of the former season behind them and dedicated them to the year ahead.
  To make it to the national championship game, you must have the 
discipline to win in the regular season week in and week out. Alabama 
always came prepared to play to the very end, whether it was in the 
season opener against a talented Virginia Tech team, or against the 
demanding competition in the SEC, which many believe is presently the 
toughest football conference in the Nation, although I am sure some of 
my colleagues would debate that.
  There were games won by comfortable margins, and there were close 
calls against the University of Tennessee and Auburn University. There 
was the return match-up with Florida, the defending SEC champion and 
the defending national champion, and its outstanding quarterback, Tim 
Tebow, in the SEC title game.
  Each game and each victory was a building block towards the BCS 
championship game on January 7, where the team achieved its ultimate 
goal. The match-up in Pasadena was fitting because the University of 
Alabama and the University of Texas both have proud football histories, 
with legendary coaches, with coaches like Paul ``Bear'' Bryant and 
Darrell Royal.
  The fans on both sides were avid and dedicated, who came out so to 
support their teams in great number and with great enthusiasm. But in 
doing so, they were very respectful and hospitable towards each other. 
That is the way college athletics should be. That is the way that 
things should be on the floor of this House. And we should all be 
committed to that. And I think that we are.
  The game itself had inspiring personal stories. The quarterback for 
Texas, Colt McCoy, is a fine young man. When he was injured, his team 
took from his example and never gave up, fighting until the end. 
Alabama's quarterback, Greg McElroy, quietly played with two broken 
ribs. Alabama running back Mark Ingram, the MVP of the game and the 
first Heisman Trophy winner in school history, is a student-athlete of 
outstanding character and spirit. But it was a team effort. In the end, 
Alabama came out on top, and finished the season with a perfect 14-0 
record, and its first national championship season since 1992, under 
Coach Gene Stallings.
  There was another undefeated team, and that was Boise State 
University. And I congratulate coach Chris Peterson of Boise State. 
When someone said they should be invited to the White House together 
with the University of Alabama, he graciously said there is only one 
national champion, that is the University of Alabama, and they should 
be invited. So I congratulate Boise State University on their 
successful undefeated year, as do all citizens of Alabama.
  The passionate fans in Alabama can be very proud of the way that 
their student-athletes have represented both the university and the 
state. I commend President Dr. Robert Witt and his administration, and 
Coach Nick Saban and his fine staff, for setting high standards on and 
off the field. And last but not least, we congratulate the alumni, the 
fans, and the students of the University of Alabama for their support.
  But most of all, it was the players, the athletes, each and every one 
of them. Through their hard work, these players have earned the right 
to be called champions. We at Alabama salute them, are proud of them, 
and we appreciate the opportunity to honor them with this resolution.
  Ms. HIRONO. I would like to ask whether the gentleman from Kentucky 
has any further speakers.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. I have no further requests for time.
  In closing, and I should have said before about Boise State, they had 
an outstanding team this year. And I also want to close with Texas. I 
didn't mention the University of Texas. What a quality program, quality 
athletes, quality coach. And there was a special relationship with a 
Colt McCoy, the quarterback, and Jordan Shipley, the wide receiver. If 
people had a chance to watch the game, Colt McCoy I think went out on 
the second possession injured.
  If the story that I have heard is correct, which has been told to me, 
is their fathers played together at Abilene Christian University in 
Abilene, Texas. And so these kids have known each other their entire 
life, and probably were sitting on the stage that they had always 
dreamed of played together their entire life, and then within the 
second series Colt McCoy was injured. If you watched the game, there 
was nobody that played as well on the field that night as Jordan 
Shipley. And I imagine he just increased his game to make up for his 
friend. And that just shows the class of Texas. Those are two athletes 
I mentioned. All of them are wonderful and fantastic young men. And I 
want to congratulate them as well.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, once again I would like to congratulate the 
University of Alabama for their tremendous win. And I in particular 
would like to thank my friend, Mr. Bachus, for his comments about how 
good sportsmanship should be played on all fields, including this 
field.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1007.
  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.

                          ____________________