[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 46 (Friday, March 10, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





       RECOGNIZING THE 13TH ANNUAL CONGRESSIONAL HOCKEY CHALLENGE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM R. KEATING

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 10, 2023

  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 13th annual 
Congressional Hockey Challenge, a charity game played between our 
congressional Lawmakers hockey team and the Lobbyists, which has raised 
over $1.2 million for charity since 2009. This year's matchup saw the 
Lawmakers pull out a hard-fought 8-3 win over the Lobbyists, continuing 
what is now a five-year winning streak.
  This year's charities include the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club, the 
nation's oldest minority youth hockey program, founded by iconic U.S. 
Hall of Fame coach Neal Henderson; four chapters of the Warriors Hockey 
program, which are teams comprised of disabled American military 
veterans; and the Professional Women's Hockey Players' Association, an 
organization committed to the establishment of a professional women's 
hockey league in North America. Through its partnership with the 
National Hockey League, Ted Leonsis and the Washington Capitals, Jeremy 
Jacobs and the Boston Bruins, the Canadian American Business Council, 
and other key supporters, the annual congressional hockey game aims to 
ensure that the sport of hockey is accessible to all who wish to play.
  In past years, the congressional hockey game has been supported by 
appearances from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Deputy Commissioner 
Bill Daly, Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine, Kevin Weekes, Anson Carter, 
Peter Bondra, Alan May, and Rod Langway, with play by play at times 
called by sportscaster Joe Beninati. Legendary Hall of Famer and 
Congressional Gold Medal recipient Willie O'Ree, who shattered hockey's 
racial barrier with our Boston Bruins in 1958, has been honored in the 
past and remains a familiar face of the annual game as an unrivaled 
ambassador to diversity and inclusion.
  This year, our Lawmakers team was once again skillfully helmed by 
former University of Alaska-Fairbanks captain and my colleague Tom 
Emmer, along with congressional staff, administration officials, and 
anchored by Olympic women's hockey standouts Haley Skarupa, Megan 
Keller, and Hayley Scamurra.
  Haley Skarupa, a dynamic and prolific scorer with a name peppered 
throughout both the NCAA and team record books from her time at our 
shared alma mater of Boston College, earned a gold medal as a forward 
during the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang. Another standout BC 
Eagle, Megan Keller, long regarded as one of the best defensive players 
in the world, sports a gold medal from the 2018 Olympic campaign and a 
silver from 2022. And Hayley Scamurra, an elite two-way threat out of 
Northeastern University with a litany of All-Star, MVP, and Player of 
the Year awards, brought back home silver from Beijing in 2022. The 
commanding presence of these three Olympians made this year's game one 
to remember.
  Knowing that events such as these are never easy to organize, it's 
also important to acknowledge that this year's game was once again 
supported through the foundational efforts of Nick Lewis, Michelle 
MacGregor, Tim Regan, Kevin Coroneos, and many others who have 
selflessly volunteered their time and effort toward the game's 
sustained success year after year.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with this in mind that I once again congratulate 
all the supporters and participants in this year's Congressional Hockey 
Challenge and recognize the inspired work of these charities. The Fort 
Dupont Cannons' devotion to equity in the youth community, the 
Warriors' provision of opportunity for our veterans, and the PWHPA's 
commitment to broaden the horizon for female athletes, truly helps to 
both demonstrate and ensure that hockey is for everyone.

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