[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 173 (Thursday, October 31, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H8704]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CONGRATULATING WASHINGTON NATIONALS ON WINNING WORLD SERIES

  (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, today is a serious day. Last night was an 
extraordinary night.
  I rise for the millions of people who live in the Washington 
metropolitan area to congratulate and to exalt with all of our region 
on the extraordinary achievement of the Washington Nationals.
  This morning in Washington, the heavens are crying tears of joy. In 
other words, it is raining. But there is no rain in any of our hearts 
or minds today. It may be raining, but the faces of Nationals fans are 
shining with pride and happiness.
  For the first time in 95 years--we have waited a long time, Madam 
Speaker--the Major League Baseball team from our Nation's Capital is 
bringing home a World Series Championship. My colleague Ms. Norton is 
here, being urged to put on a sweater, over her pride.
  With the might of their bats and the lightness of their feet, the 
Nats pushed through to a hard-won victory in game seven last night 
against the Houston Astros--arguably, the best team in either league 
this year--who won the most games.
  While I congratulate the Houston Astros on an extraordinary season, 
they just didn't count on the Washington Nationals.
  But, today, the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals are in 
absolute agreement. It is my understanding that they are sending a 
joint letter to Major League Baseball, saying: ``We want all of our 
games to be road games from now on.''
  In case you didn't get that, neither team won at home. They all won 
games on the road. The good news was, the Washington Nationals had four 
games in Houston, and the Astros had only three games in Washington.
  So there is joy in Washington this day. It is sustained by a spirit 
of camaraderie and sportsmanship. Our Nats grew strength from their 
dedicated fans across this region, including, of course, my district.
  We have been waiting a very long time for this day, so I hope my 
colleagues will join me in congratulating the 2019 Nationals, led by 
their extraordinary manager Dave Martinez, who played earlier in his 
career for the team that moved from Montreal to become the Nats. How 
appropriate. How wonderful.
  I hope my colleagues will also join me in congratulating this year's 
most valuable player. Very frankly, there were a lot to choose from on 
the Washington Nats, who started out with a 19-wins-and-31-losses 
season.
  What an extraordinary achievement to come that far that quickly, to 
meet, arguably, as I said at the beginning, the best team in baseball, 
the Houston Astros.
  I also want to mention, as I said, the most valuable player. There 
were a lot to choose from. Stephen Strasburg was recruited and signed 
by the Washington Nationals some years ago as a very young man. He 
pitched extraordinarily, then got his elbow and had to be operated on, 
a Tommy John operation, they call it, and he has come back to be one of 
the best pitchers in the major leagues. He won three games. What an 
extraordinary achievement. So let's congratulate, as well as Stephen 
Strasburg, all the members of the team on this victory.
  To paraphrase the old poem: ``Oh, somewhere in this favored land the 
sun is shining bright;
  The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;
  And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout.''
  Today, Madam Speaker, that somewhere is the Nation's Capital.
  Congratulations, Nationals. We love you.

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