[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 166 (Wednesday, December 15, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H8362-H8363]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRATULATING CAMERON NEWTON ON WINNING THE 2010 HEISMAN TROPHY

  Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1761) congratulating Auburn University 
quarterback and College Park, Georgia, native Cameron Newton on winning 
the 2010 Heisman Trophy for being the most outstanding college football 
player in the United States.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1761

       Whereas Cameron Newton graduated from Westlake High School 
     in College Park, Georgia, in 2007;
       Whereas Cameron Newton became Auburn University's starting 
     quarterback in 2010;
       Whereas Cameron Newton became the first player in 
     Southeastern Conference history and only the eighth player in 
     National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl 
     Subdivision history to achieve over 2,000 yards passing and 
     over 1,000 yards rushing in a single season;
       Whereas the Auburn University football team finished the 
     regular season with a 12-0 record;
       Whereas the Auburn University football team won the 
     Southeastern Conference Championship game by a score of 56 to 
     17 over the University of South Carolina;
       Whereas Cameron Newton accounted for 6 touchdowns, 4 
     passing and 2 rushing, in the Southeastern Conference 
     Championship game;
       Whereas the Auburn University football team is ranked 
     number one in both the Bowl Championship Series and 
     Associated Press rankings;
       Whereas Cameron Newton was named the Southeastern 
     Conference Offensive Player of the Year for 2010;
       Whereas Cameron Newton was named the Walter Camp Football 
     Foundation Player of the Year for 2010;
       Whereas Cameron Newton received the Maxwell Award for the 
     Collegiate Player of the Year in 2010; and
       Whereas Cameron Newton was named the 76th winner of the 
     2010 Heisman Memorial Trophy for the most outstanding college 
     football player in the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives congratulates 
     Auburn University quarterback and College Park, Georgia, 
     native Cameron Newton on winning the 2010 Heisman Trophy for 
     being the most outstanding college football player in the 
     United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire) and the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House 
Resolution 1761 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ALTMIRE. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, as a member of the Higher Education Subcommittee, I 
rise today in support of House Resolution 1761, which congratulates 
Auburn University quarterback and College Park, Georgia, native Cam 
Newton on winning the 2010 Heisman Memorial Trophy.
  Each year, the most outstanding college football player in the United 
States is recognized by the Heisman Committee. Mr. Newton has earned 
the 76th such distinction this year.
  Cam Newton was selected as winner of the Heisman Memorial Trophy last 
Saturday, December 11, live from Times Square. He became the third 
Auburn Tiger to win the Heisman, joining 1971 winner Pat Sullivan and 
1985 winner Bo Jackson, and he is the 31st college quarterback to win 
the Heisman Trophy.
  Mr. Newton became Auburn University's starting quarterback just this 
season, and with one very big game remaining, he has so far completed 
165 of his 246 passes for 2,589 yards and 28 touchdowns. Additionally, 
he rushed 242 times for 1,409 yards and 20 more touchdowns. Both 
Newton's passing and rushing touchdown totals are the best in Auburn 
University's history, and he becomes only the third NCAA major college 
player in history to have more than 20 rushing and passing touchdowns 
in the same season.
  While leading the Auburn Tigers to an undefeated 13-0 regular season, 
Mr. Newton was also named the Southeastern Conference Offensive Player 
of the Year and led his team to a number one ranking and an appearance 
in the January 10 BCS championship game. He was one of the four 
finalists for the 2010 Heisman Trophy, and he was awarded that trophy 
in a well-deserved landslide victory. For his outstanding performance, 
Cam Newton was officially honored at the 76th annual Heisman Memorial 
Trophy Award Dinner in New York last Monday evening.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Representative Rogers, who 
represents Auburn University, and Representative Lewis, who represents 
Cam Newton's hometown, for sponsoring this resolution and, once again, 
express my congratulations and the congratulations of everyone in this 
House to Cam Newton as the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner and wish him 
continued success. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this 
resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 
1761, a resolution congratulating Auburn University quarterback and 
College Park, Georgia, native Cam Newton on winning the 2010 Heisman 
Trophy for being the most outstanding college football player in 
America.
  I would like to thank everyone that came together to bring this 
resolution to the floor today, including the leadership of both sides, 
the Committee on Ed and Labor, and especially Mr. Lewis of Georgia.
  Madam Speaker, Cam Newton is from College Park, Georgia, outside 
Atlanta, and went to Westlake High School in Mr. Lewis' congressional 
district. From there, he came to Auburn University in my congressional 
district earlier this year. Cam quickly became a starting quarterback.
  From his first few games with Auburn, it was easy to see that, 
standing at 6-6 and 250 pounds, Cam was no ordinary quarterback. He 
could rush, throw, and even catch touchdowns from anywhere on the 
field. If the ball was in his hands, he was a threat to score.
  Needless to say, Cam has set many records in his long list of 
statistics that are downright unbelievable. If you saw his incredible 
performance against LSU, Cam had a 49-yard run for a touchdown, the 
miraculous comeback to win in the Iron Bowl in the second half after 
trailing 24-0, or, with 16 seconds left in the first half of the SEC

[[Page H8363]]

championship, the Hail Mary pass into the end zone for an unbelievable 
catch by Darwin Adams, then you have seen why Cam is such a driving 
force for the Auburn Tigers and why he won the Heisman Trophy.
  The one statistic that counts most to Cam and most of the fans at 
Auburn is the undefeated record of 13-0, and in a few short weeks he 
will play for the BCS championship. And, by the way, if the gentleman 
from Eugene, Oregon, is here, watch out.
  Madam Speaker, in Alabama, we live and breathe SEC football. 
Saturdays in the fall are spent with family and friends watching your 
favorite team. Regardless of who your team is, you can't deny that Cam 
Newton is the best college football player in America in 2010.
  To Cam and the entire Auburn University football team, I say 
congratulations and you deserve it. And to everyone else, I say War 
Eagle!
  With that, I yield to my friend and colleague from Alabama, Spencer 
Bachus, such time as he may consume.
  Mr. BACHUS. I thank the gentleman from Alabama for yielding to me, 
and I thank he and Mr. Lewis for bringing this resolution.
  On the way over to the floor, I was on the elevator with two of my 
colleagues, John Culberson and Jo Ann Emerson, the gentleman from Texas 
and the gentlelady from Missouri, and they both had the same comment 
when I told them I was coming to speak about Cam Newton. They said: He 
is a phenomenal athlete, but he gave glory to God and he persevered.
  I think that Cam Newton is a reflection of each and every one of us. 
Hardship and difficulty is a part of life; either we have experienced 
it or we will experience it.

                              {time}  1100

  We have seen Cam Newton and his family go through a challenging time; 
and, in doing so, he was not distracted. He persevered. He maintained a 
positive attitude. I think we have all seen his winning smile, a 
wonderful smile, and that smile sustained him and I think encouraged a 
lot of us through some pretty difficult times. In fact, I think he used 
some of the criticism and some of the difficulty and some of the 
challenges as a motivation. He appeared to even play better on the 
field.
  He is a phenomenal athlete. In many respects, he is almost superhuman 
in what he does; but in another respect, he is very human. And the one 
thing that I think is a story for each and every one of us, and I think 
Cam Newton is a great example, is that throughout it all, he expressed 
his faith--his faith in God and his faith that God would see him 
through.
  You know, our God is a God of second chances, a God of redemption; 
and I think it is important for us, when we think about Cam Newton, to 
think about a young man that improved himself, that did better, that 
resolved to learn from the experiences he had.
  To me, Cam is an inspiration, and he ought to be an inspiration to 
each and every one of us, any of us that, for whatever reason, find 
ourselves in a difficult or challenging situation, not to strike back 
at our critics, but simply to use it as a motivation.
  In such times that we do face difficulty, it is important to surround 
ourselves with good people, people that can be mentors and encouragers. 
He found that in the Auburn team. He expressed that in his Heisman 
speech, that his teammates were a big part of his success and had 
encouraged him. They had not lost faith in him.
  I believe the coaching staff and the atmosphere at Auburn University 
provided a loving environment, an encouraging environment. I commend 
coach Gene Chizik for believing in Cam, for giving Cam an opportunity 
to better himself and to prove himself. As a graduate of that school, I 
am proud of Auburn University for providing support and encouragement 
to Cam.
  Last year, I introduced a resolution congratulating Mark Ingram, 
another fine young man who preceded Cam Newton in winning the Heisman 
Trophy. Mark Ingram and the University of Alabama played for and won 
the national championship. Auburn University will try to attain that 
same goal.
  Mark Ingram from Alabama and Cam Newton from Auburn highlight a very 
special relationship in our State of Alabama between our two finest 
universities. They compete on the field. They compete intensely. The 
fans come together, both wanting to win, but they take pride in the 
fact that our State and our universities do have a competitive spirit, 
but also a spirit of friendship.
  I can tell you that the people of Alabama take great pride in our 
State in the fact that two of our finest universities have won 
consecutive Heisman Trophies and are competing for consecutive national 
championships. It once again highlights what is a wonderful, intense, 
and enjoyable competition that our two schools in Alabama have. It is 
another reason why I am proud to call Alabama my home.
  In closing, again I thank the gentleman from Anniston, Alabama (Mr. 
Rogers) who represents Auburn University well, and I say that to you as 
an alumnus of Auburn University. You are a credit to our university.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. With that, Madam Speaker, I would just urge a 
favorable vote by my colleagues and yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I would recognize also the other three 
finalists for the Heisman Trophy and the schools, Oregon, Boise State, 
and Stanford. Congratulations on great seasons. But without question, 
Cam Newton deserved the award. He is the best player in college 
football. We wish him continued success and congratulations.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
voice my support for H. Res. 1761 and commend a young man on an 
outstanding season of college football.
  Cameron Newton came to Auburn in January as a transfer student from 
Blinn Junior College. After going through a spirited competition to 
decide the starting quarterback position in spring training he was 
awarded the job.
  Fans were wowed, including my 11-year-old daughter Mary Elliott, with 
his three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in Auburn's 
first game this season. From that point on Mr. Newton continued to lead 
Auburn through a magical, undefeated regular season and a victory in 
the SEC championship game over the University of South Carolina. Just 
as he had started the season Cam concluded it with six touchdowns, two 
rushing and four passing.
  By winning the 2010 Heisman Trophy, Newton joins other Heisman 
winners from the State of Alabama--Mark Ingram of Alabama and Pat 
Sullivan and Bo Jackson from Auburn.
  The State of Alabama has been blessed with great college football 
tradition and Cam Newton and Auburn University have continued that 
legacy with all of their accomplishments this season.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, as a matter of principal, I do not 
support sports-related hortatory resolutions. My constituents have 
insisted that chronic unemployment and the lagging economy be addressed 
by Congress; and yet sporting accomplishments have foolishly taken 
precedence on Capitol Hill. My ``present'' vote on H. Res. 176I does 
not connote any ill feelings toward Heisman Trophy winner Cameron 
Newton or the Auburn University athletic program. I appreciate the hard 
work and dedication exhibited by student athletes like Cameron Newton. 
However, I do not think that airing such appreciation on the House 
floor is the wisest use of time.
  Mr. ALTMIRE. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1761.
  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. ALTMIRE. Madam 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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