[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 149 (Thursday, September 15, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H7857-H7858]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CELEBRATING THE CONGRESSIONAL WOMEN'S SOFTBALL TEAM VICTORY

  (Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, it is my great pleasure to 
announce to our colleagues in the United States House of 
Representatives that the Congressional Women's Softball Team last night 
snapped a 7-year dry spell and beat the press team, the Bad News Babes, 
6-5. I am surprised that they are not here to participate in this 
exuberance.
  It has been 7 long years in the wilderness, and we are so proud to 
stand before you and tell you a couple of important things. One is that 
our greatest source of pride is that this team is bipartisan.
  Madam Speaker, the greatest source of pride for us as a team is that 
this team is bipartisan. Ever since our inception in 2009, the 
Congressional Women's Softball Team has played across the aisle, in 
both Houses, and really tried to set an example every day of how we can 
come together, leave our differences off the field, and make sure that 
we can come together for a common purpose, and that is fighting breast 
cancer and making sure that we can raise awareness about breast cancer 
in young women; and, also, to make sure that we can demonstrate that 
coming together can help build relationships and foster collaboration 
once we leave the field and the game is over.
  Most importantly, I am so proud to tell you that our charity, the 
Young Survival Coalition, which is a young women's breast cancer 
organization that helps young women deal with the unique challenges 
that we face when diagnosed with breast cancer, we have raised, in the 
last 14 years, $2.6 million for the Young Survival Coalition and, last 
night, raised a record, more than $530,000 for YSC.
  Very briefly, because I know we are all in a hurry, without the 
leadership and dedication of our board of directors, led by Atalie 
Ebersole, who is our intrepid committee chair, year in year and out, 
she just does an amazing job with the whole organizing committee, and 
also--I am annoying. I am going to

[[Page H7858]]

embarrass you--Natalie Buchanan Joyce, please join us. Coach Nat, you 
have got to come up here. Tori Barnes, Coach Natalie, Coach Ed, they 
are--and Jim Kiley--they are the glue that help make sure that we know 
what we are doing and that we can come together as a team every single 
year. So thank you.
  And then lastly, I acknowledge both Ed Perlmutter and Cheri Bustos. 
We occasionally have retirements amongst our colleagues. This year, we 
are losing two of our really dear colleagues who have been with us 
since the beginning of their time in Congress, and we appreciate their 
efforts so much.
  And really, lastly, before I turn it over to Congresswoman Bice, for 
those of you that have not met me or have not heard my story, I won't 
make it lengthy, but I was diagnosed with breast cancer almost 15 years 
ago, when I was 41 years old.
  One day I was the picture of health. The next day, after doing a 
self-exam in the shower, I found a lump and, a few days later, realized 
it was breast cancer; and that I had the genetic mutation, BRCA2, which 
made me five times more likely of getting breast cancer.
  I didn't know I was at that kind of risk as an Ashkenazi Jewish 
woman. And if I didn't know, as involved as I had been in the fight 
against breast cancer, then I realized, my gosh, how many women don't 
know.
  So thank you to these incredible women who help us raise awareness 
about our Capitol Hill family. Think about all the young woman that 
work in this process; and that we can make sure, pay attention to their 
breast health; know what is normal for them so they know when something 
feels different. And when you catch breast cancer early, you are so 
much more likely to survive it.
  So thank you to my colleagues. Go Congress. We beat the press. We are 
beating cancer.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice).
  Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, last night I had the honor of 
being one of the co-captains for the Congressional Women's Softball 
Game which, for the first time since 2015, we beat the press.
  As was mentioned, this game is vital in raising awareness for the 
Young Survival Coalition, and for women who face the challenges of 
breast cancer.
  I again thank Natalie, Tori, Jim, and Atalie, and everyone else on 
the organizing committee, as well as the sponsors that made the game 
possible.
  But lastly, I especially thank Coach Perlmutter. This team--where is 
Ed? There you are. This team would not have gotten the win without you, 
and you, my friend, will be missed.
  It is always a good day when the Members of Congress get a victory 
over the press. And if they say they won, it is fake news.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, go Congress. Beat the press 
again next year.

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