[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Page 26772]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        CONGRATULATING THE UNITED STATES WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS TEAM

 Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, one of the great joys of my job as 
a Senator is the opportunity to recognize exceptional people. I would 
like to take this opportunity to recognize seven exceptional people: 
Ivana Hong, Nastia Liukin, Samanthat Peszek, Alicia Sacramone, Bridget 
Sloan, Shayla Worley, and Shawn Johnson. These young ladies make up the 
U.S. women's gymnastics team.
  In September of this year at the World Artistic Gymnastics 
Championship in Stuttgart, Germany, the U.S. women's team won a total 
of four gold, two silver, and one bronze medal, placing them first 
overall in the women's team competition. I congratulate the members of 
this team, their coaches, and families on their success and for their 
exemplary representation of our country.
  As an Iowan, I would like to recognize a particular member of the 
U.S. women's team, Ms. Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, IA. Ms. 
Johnson won the all-around women's gymnastics title at the 2007 World 
Artistic Gymnastics Championship. With this great achievement, she 
became just the fourth U.S. woman ever to win a world all-around title.
  Receiving such a title takes incredible talent and athletic ability. 
But, without a doubt, it also takes a lot of hard work. At the age of 
3, Ms. Johnson began her gymnastic training at Chow's Gymnastics in 
West Des Moines, IA, where she continues to train today. As a result of 
years of hard work and training, she has competed and won at 
progressively higher levels of competition. In 2006, she won the U.S. 
Junior National Championship; in 2007, the Visa National Championships 
and the Pan American Games, where she won four gold and one silver 
medal. Next, Ms. Johnson will be competing for a spot on the U.S. 
women's gymnastic team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
  I extend my sincere congratulations to the U.S. women's gymnastics 
team on their success and I wish them luck on their future 
endeavors.

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