[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 149 (Tuesday, November 16, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7481-H7482]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    CONGRATULATING COACH JOE PATERNO

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1715) congratulating Joe Paterno on his 400th win 
as Penn State Nittany Lions football coach.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1715

       Whereas Joe Paterno reached the milestone of 400 wins as 
     head coach on November 6th, 2010;
       Whereas Joe Paterno has served the Pennsylvania State 
     University (Penn State) with honor and distinction for 60 
     years since starting as an assistant coach in 1950;
       Whereas in 2009, the graduation rate of Joe Paterno's 
     players was 89 percent, and the graduation success rate was 
     85 percent--both of which were the greatest among all 
     football teams in the final 2009 Associated Press Top 25 
     poll;
       Whereas the legacy Joe Paterno has left at Penn State 
     reaches far beyond football, as he has personally given 
     millions of dollars to the university and raised hundreds of 
     millions more for the library and need-based scholarships;
       Whereas Joe Paterno has been very active in the community 
     as a strong supporter of the Pennsylvania Special Olympics 
     and a national spokesperson for the Charcot-Marie-Tooth 
     Association;
       Whereas Joe Paterno has more wins as head coach than any 
     other in NCAA Division 1A FBS history, surpassing legendary 
     coaches Bear Bryant in 2001 and Bobby Bowden in 2008;
       Whereas Penn State is one of just seven teams with more 
     than 800 wins in its history, and Joe Paterno has been active 
     with the program for 692 of those games over 60 seasons with 
     an amazing record of 504-181-7 (72.8 percent);
       Whereas among Joe Paterno's accolades in 45 years as head 
     coach are two National Championships, seven undefeated 
     seasons, 23 finishes in the top 10 rankings, and three Big 
     Ten Conference Championships since joining the conference in 
     1993;
       Whereas Joe Paterno has 24 bowl game wins and 36 bowl game 
     appearances, both of which are the most of any coach in 
     history; and
       Whereas Joe Paterno's continued dedication to his players 
     and emphasis on academic integrity and education has resulted 
     in Penn State fostering 15 Hall of Fame Scholar-Athletes, 34 
     first-team and 44 overall Academic All-Americans, and 18 NCAA 
     Postgraduate Scholarship winners: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) congratulates Joe Paterno for his unparalleled success 
     with both the Penn State football program and the University, 
     resulting in 400 wins as head coach; and
       (2) commends Joe Paterno for setting an on- and off-the-
     field example of honor, success, integrity, and respect for 
     thousands of players, coaches, students, and fans throughout 
     the Nation.

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


                             General Leave

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House 
Resolution 1715 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. HIRONO. I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 1715 which congratulates 
Joe Paterno for his 400th win as head football coach of the Penn State 
Nittany Lions. Coach Paterno achieved this milestone win on November 6, 
2010, when the Lions beat out the Northwestern Wildcats. This victory 
gave him more career wins than any other coach in NCAA Division I-A 
history.
  For 60 years, Coach Paterno has served Penn State, first as an 
assistant coach for 15 years and then head coach for the past 45 years. 
In his tenure as head coach, Joe Paterno has garnered two national 
championships, seven undefeated seasons, 23 finishes in the Top 10 
rankings, and three Big Ten Conference championships. His 73.6 percent 
career winning percentage is second-best among all active Football Bowl 
Subdivision coaches.
  These tangible accomplishments mirror the accomplishments of 
Paterno's players off the field, which he has facilitated by bolstering 
Penn State's educational facilities. Coach Paterno emphasizes the 
importance of education for all of his players. In 2009, the Lions had 
a Federal graduation rate of 89 percent and graduation success rate of 
85 percent, according to the Department of Education, the top rates for 
any college football team that year. His tutelage has helped Penn State 
cultivate 15 Hall of Fame scholar athletes, 44 academic All-Americans, 
and 18 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winners.

[[Page H7482]]

  Coach Paterno is also a winner off the football field. He contributes 
immensely to the Penn State community through charitable donations and 
volunteering. He and his wife Sue have personally contributed over $4 
million to various departments and colleges within Penn State.
  Many of you may not know that his love for sports extends beyond 
football. Coach Paterno and his wife have been adamant supporters of 
the Special Olympics and, in fact, are in the Special Olympics Hall of 
Fame.

                              {time}  1740

  He is also the national spokesperson for the Charcot-Marie-Tooth 
Association, a group that raises awareness of CMT, a neurological 
disorder which affects more than 2 million people worldwide. Paterno 
uses his star power to encourage donations to this worthy cause. At the 
``Honor a Star, Be a Star'' Gala in 2009, Coach Paterno raised a record 
$350,000 for CMT research.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this resolution and once 
again congratulate Coach Paterno on his 400th win as Penn State Nittany 
Lions' head football coach. Coach Paterno has excelled as a well-
rounded mentor to young players who continue to translate their skills 
on the football field to rewarding lives after college.
  I thank Representative Thompson for his leadership in bringing this 
resolution forward.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a living legend who has walked on 
the sidelines of Penn State football games since 1950, Coach Joe 
Paterno.
  To many who watch football, his name is iconic. Joe Paterno, or JoePa 
as he is known by many, is forever linked with rolled up khakis and 
black shoes and thick, broad-rimmed glasses and traditional plain blue 
and white uniforms with no names on the back.
  Since starting at Penn State as an assistant coach in 1950 and 
becoming head coach in 1966, other college football programs have seen 
their coaches come and go. In Paterno's tenure at Penn State, 
Presidents and Congresses have come and gone, dating back to the Dwight 
Eisenhower administration.
  In his build-up to 400 wins, Paterno began winning before many 
coaches on other teams were born. He has turned Penn State football 
into a powerhouse program, one of only seven football programs in 
history to have more than 800 wins.
  But what makes Joe Paterno so different and well respected by his 
fellow coaches, players and fans is the manner in which he led and 
built the program. Paterno emphasizes success with honor on and off the 
field.
  When asked what the milestone meant to Joe, his wife, Sue Paterno, 
responded that the milestones were not important to the Penn State 
coach; but, rather, the most important thing to Joe was, to quote, 
``The young men you develop.''
  Under Joe Paterno, Penn State has had one of the highest graduation 
rates in college football. In 2009, the graduation rate was 89 percent, 
the highest of all football teams in the Associated Press Top 25. 
Paterno has also had 15 Hall of Fame scholar-athletes, 34 first-team 
Academic All-Americans with 44 overall, and 18 NCAA Postgraduate 
Scholarship winners.
  Joe Paterno has donated millions of his own money back to Penn State 
University and helped raise hundreds of millions more for need-based 
scholarships and libraries, one of which is now named the Paterno 
Library. He is heavily involved in the Special Olympics and is also a 
national spokesperson for the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association.
  So today we honor Joe Paterno on reaching a historic milestone, his 
400th win. He now has the most wins of any coach in Division I-A 
Football Subdivision history. Along the way he passed other legendary 
coaches such as Bear Bryant and Bobby Bowden, both of whom Joe Paterno 
called friends.
  At Penn State there is a saying: ``We are Penn State.'' As an 
alumnus, I know it well and have heard it echo through Beaver Stadium 
in State College on game day. But what this one coach has done for one 
school, one program, thousands of players and coaches and the sport 
altogether has resonated throughout the country. Joe Paterno is Penn 
State. Joe Paterno is college football.
  I urge my colleagues to commend Joe Paterno on this milestone by 
supporting this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. HIRONO. It is clear that Coach Paterno is not only an exemplary 
coach, but he is an exemplary human being and a model to us all. I urge 
my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, 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. 1715.
  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. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas 
and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  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.

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