[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 129 (Thursday, September 26, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H5837-H5838]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRATULATING ORACLE TEAM USA
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Pelosi).
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Illinois (Mr.
Davis) for his courtesy to allow me, with great enthusiasm, to come to
the floor to salute Team America, the Oracle Team USA, which came from
behind to win the America's Cup.
As many people may be aware, and some not, over the past year or so
the San Francisco Bay Area has been home to the America's Cup race.
It's a venerable race. It is usually out to sea, where people in their
sailboats could witness what was going on or see it on TV. Because of
the vision of Larry Ellison, it was brought to San Francisco Bay. It
went from white caps to blue collar, and anyone who could see the bay
could see the America's Cup race. The shores were lined with people,
and anyone who had a view of the water could see something spectacular
happen.
For the past 2 weeks, San Francisco was home to the 34th America's
Cup Finals, where Oracle Team USA and Emirates New Zealand raced across
the bay for the right to win the oldest trophy in international sport.
The race was swift--boasting AC72s, the fastest catamarans the
competition has ever seen. The race was long--lasting over 15 days, as
these two incredible teams competed in 19 races. The
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race was close--featuring the first ``winner-takes-all'' final race in
30 years.
And yesterday afternoon, the 34th America's Cup finished with the
most incredible comeback in history. After trailing Team New Zealand
one to eight--Team USA had one, Team New Zealand had eight--Oracle Team
USA surged ahead to win an unprecedented eight straight races to once
again hold the America's Cup trophy high above their heads.
Skipper Jimmy Spithill, Tactician Sir Ben Ainslie, and the entire
Oracle Team USA sailed into the Port of San Francisco as champions,
welcomed by the largest and loudest crowd to cheer their entrance into
history--or any team in history.
There could be no better backdrop, in my view--or in the view of
anyone who saw it--to such a momentous American moment when Team USA in
San Francisco Bay crossed over to victory with the backdrop of the
hugest American flag I have ever seen.
This all was a vision of Oracle Team Sponsor Larry Ellison, who was
on the water with his crew joining in the celebration of his team's
second victory in America's Cup. Larry Ellison's vision democratized
the Cup--as I said, from white caps to blue collar--by bringing the
race so close to the shoreline that everyone who could view San
Francisco Bay could view the excitement of America's Cup.
That beautiful sight was made possible by the extraordinary
leadership of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, California Lieutenant
Governor Gavin Newsom, Mark Buell, who led a private sector initiative,
Kyri McClellan of the America's Cup Organizing Committee, and Daley
Dunham with the Port of San Francisco.
Thank you to the Coast Guard, the National Park Service, and the Army
Corps of Engineers for helping make this race a spectacular sight to
see. With the help of these leaders and the local San Francisco
maritime unions, the world witnessed one of the greatest moments in
sports history on the beautiful bay.
The America's Cup is the oldest and most prestigious trophy in
yachting. Team USA won the very first race in 1851 and had successfully
defended the Cup for the next 132 years, until 1983. Exactly 30 years
later, the Cup returned home where it belongs--in the hands of American
sailors who defied the odds, were so courageous, were so disciplined,
who were so focused, who had such a strategic plan to give our
country--USA, USA, USA--a victory we will never forget.
Thank you, Oracle Team USA, for putting your hearts, your souls, your
everything, your all into the 34th America's Cup. You have earned your
place in history.
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