[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Page 11620]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 11620]]

                         HONORING ANDRE AGASSI

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, yesterday, I got up very early. I had a 6:30 
a.m. flight leaving from Reno, NV. I was very concerned because that 
same day, that same time, my friend and someone who is very important 
to the State of Nevada, Andre Agassi, was playing for the championship 
of the French Open. This is a tournament that is world renowned. My 
friend and one of Nevada's favorite citizens was playing in that 
championship.
  Just a few months ago, he had a series of injuries, and people said 
he was not going to compete anymore on the high scale he had in the 
past. He surprised everyone, except himself and the people from the 
State of Nevada. We have seen this young man time and time again do 
things that were said could not be done. There were people who said 
over the years he did not have the basic skills great tennis players 
have, but he, of course, has shown them that simply is not true.
  When I arrived in Denver, one of the first things I did was run to a 
television set to see how Andre was doing. How disappointed I was. He 
had lost the first two sets, and lost them overwhelmingly; he had been 
beaten, and he was behind in the third set. If you lose the third set, 
it is all over. On the entire trip from Denver to Washington, I was 
very despondent. This opportunity for Andre Agassi to make world 
history was slowly dissipating as I traveled the skies. I knew the news 
would be bad when I arrived at Dulles.
  I asked the first person whom I had a chance: What happened to Andre? 
He said he won. He won the French Open.
  I rise today to honor the accomplishments of Andre Agassi. As I have 
already mentioned, he is a prominent Nevadan who has become the first 
man in 30 years to win tennis' four grand slam events. Andre, who lost 
the first two sets to Ukrainian Andrei Medvedev, rallied in dramatic 
form, to say the least, to win the French Open on June 6, 1999, 
yesterday. He won at Wimbledon in 1992, the U.S. Open in 1994, and the 
Australian Open in 1995. Andre Agassi now joins the ranks of tennis 
immortals Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, and Rod Laver. Not only 
does this assure him of a place in the record books, but also marks a 
successful resurgence into the very elite of the tennis world.
  Andre in previous years has been ranked No. 1. He started a few 
months ago, ranked 140th in the Nation. He now, of course, is in the 
top 10 and is rising to where he will be ranked No. 1 again. He was 
ranked as high as No. 3 about a year ago.
  Andre Agassi has proven himself to be not only a world-class athlete 
but a great citizen of the State of Nevada who has continually given 
back to his community. He should be recognized not only for his 
athletic prowess, but he should be recognized for what he has done in 
charitable endeavors in the State of Nevada.
  In April of 1998, the Andre Agassi Boys and Girls Club in west Las 
Vegas, a minority community, was chartered as the 2,000th Boys and 
Girls Club in the Nation. This club provides a positive alternative to 
time on the streets for the youth of Las Vegas and is dedicated to the 
aid and education of children who are at risk of becoming involved with 
gangs, drugs, or both.
  Not only has Andre Agassi done this, but he has also founded the 
Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation dedicated to the continued support 
of children's organizations, as well as domestic violence support 
programs.
  Andre Agassi has done more than make appearances. He personally has 
given and raised millions of dollars to these charities. He is an 
outstanding example of an athlete and demonstrates how they should 
return to their communities.
  I admire Andre Agassi for a number of reasons, some of which I have 
laid out today. He is a great athlete and, of course, we all admire 
great athletes. He is a great athlete who has returned much to his 
community. But one of the reasons I admire Andre Agassi is he has not 
forgotten from where he came. He recognizes the millions he has made in 
endorsements, and playing tennis did not come, in effect, because he 
was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He recognizes he came from a 
family that had very little. He came from a family that worked in the 
restaurants and hotels of Las Vegas. He has not forgotten his roots. It 
is this trait I admire more than any other of this world renowned 
athlete. I am pleased to acknowledge the achievements of this great 
athlete, great Nevadan, great American, Andre Agassi.

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