[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 64 (Monday, April 15, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H2369-H2370]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Alford). The Chair recognizes the 
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, a couple days ago, on Saturday, in the 
city of Hartford, Connecticut, the capital city of the State of 
Connecticut, 60,000 people gathered to celebrate the parade that was 
held in honor of the UConn men's college basketball team, which, again, 
just a mere week ago, on Monday, swept over Purdue University, a very 
good team, and secured back-to-back United States titles.
  Mr. Speaker, that is the first time that has happened since 2007, 
when Florida University was able to do back-to-back titles.
  College basketball has changed a lot since then. The new rules allow 
players to transfer from one university to another with no loss of 
eligibility. The NBA continues to recruit even freshmen who play in the 
ranks of college basketball.
  The ability of a university to repeat, because of all these factors 
that undermine continuity, was really, I think, extraordinary that the 
UConn men, after losing three players from last year's team to the NBA 
and losing other players to the portal, were still able to reload and, 
under the amazing leadership of Coach Danny Hurley, were able to 
dominate both the Big East regular season tournament and then, 
obviously, the Final Four out in Phoenix, Arizona.

  Again, there was a great collection of players, some of whom are 
going to be leaving soon, such as Donovan Clingan from Bristol, 
Connecticut--a 7-foot-2 sophomore--and Tristen Newton, who won Big East 
Player of the Year, who is an amazing guard and is going to do great 
things when he moves up to the next level.
  Mr. Speaker, the women, at the same time, overperformed in their side 
of NCAA basketball. Again, this is a program that has been to the Final 
Four 23 times. This is a program that has won the national title 11 
times.
  Coach Geno Auriemma, who is a genius, was able to cobble together a 
team when they had six players, some of their top players, who suffered 
year-ending injuries and somehow made it to the Final Four again, and 
they battled a great team from University of Iowa, led by Caitlin 
Clark, to the final seconds, showing, again, what an incredible 
competitive spirit they have.
  Mr. Speaker, there is still some debate that is seen with the sports 
pundits about who are the real blue bloods

[[Page H2370]]

of college basketball and which is the capital of the world for college 
basketball. There is no question Storrs, Connecticut, the home of the 
UConn Huskies, which I have the honor to represent, is clearly the 
college basketball capital of the world.
  Again, the two programs have been to the Final Four in the same year 
five times. The men have won their sixth title. Combined with 11 from 
the women, that is 17 titles. There hasn't been a single program 
anywhere close all across the country to achieve that greatness.
  It was a wonderful day on Saturday. The players deserved all of the 
cheering and praise that they received. I have no doubt, when Coach 
Hurley got up there and said his goal right now is to do a three-peat, 
people better keep their eye on the UConn Huskies.


                          Arsenal of Democracy

  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, the country of Israel 
was struck by Iran with missiles that were launched from the territory 
of Iran into Israel.
  An amazing international coalition came together to strike down that 
drone and missile attack. Our U.S. pilots and reconnaissance crews were 
essential parts of making that happen. The equipment that they used in 
terms of Iron Dome, Arrow, David's Sling, which are defensive missiles 
that assisted in terms of knocking down almost all of them, was a great 
achievement.
  Mr. Speaker, there is a bill pending that came out of the Senate 2 
months ago, a supplemental funding bill to reload for countries like 
Israel; to reload for countries like Ukraine, who are under relentless 
attack by Vladimir Putin; and to help Taiwan in terms of the coercion 
and pressure that they are feeling from the People's Republic of China.
  We need to pass that bill. It passed 70-28 in the Senate, a huge, 
lopsided majority. We can do the same here in the House tonight, and we 
can make sure that these attacks that are happening to countries, 
sovereign democracies, are going to have the adequate tools to defend 
themselves.
  That is the role that U.S. has played in the past. We were the 
arsenal of democracy in World War II. Today, we can help defend our 
friends. It is time for Speaker Johnson to bring this measure to the 
floor.
  Mr. Speaker, let the House work its will. Send this bill to the 
President, who said he will sign it tonight, and make sure that our 
allies and friends get the help they need.

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