[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15412]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 CONGRATULATING THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 188.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 188) congratulating the Los Angeles 
     Lakers for winning the 2009 National Basketball Association 
     Championship.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the Senate proceeded to 
consider the resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be 
laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, and any 
statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 188) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 188

       Whereas, on June 14, 2009, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated 
     the Orlando Magic in game 5 of the 2009 National Basketball 
     Association Championship Finals;
       Whereas that triumph marks the 15th National Basketball 
     Association Championship for the Lakers franchise and 10th 
     for the Los Angeles Lakers;
       Whereas that triumph also marks the fourth National 
     Basketball Association Championship victory for the Los 
     Angeles Lakers since 1999, earning the Los Angeles Lakers 
     more championship victories in this decade than any other 
     team in the league;
       Whereas Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson, who 
     throughout his career has epitomized discipline, teaching, 
     and excellence, has won 10 National Basketball Association 
     Championships as a head coach, the most championships for a 
     head coach in National Basketball Association history, 
     surpassing the number won by the legendary Arnold ``Red'' 
     Auerbach;
       Whereas the 2009 National Basketball Association 
     Championship marks the ninth championship for Los Angeles 
     Lakers owner Gerald Hatten Buss;
       Whereas general manager Mitch Kupchak has built a 
     basketball team that possesses a great balance among all-
     stars, veterans, and young players;
       Whereas the Los Angeles Lakers won 65 games in the 2009 
     regular season and defeated the Utah Jazz, the Houston 
     Rockets, the Denver Nuggets, and the Orlando Magic in the 
     2009 National Basketball Association playoffs; and
       Whereas each player for the Los Angeles Lakers, including 
     Trevor Ariza, Shannon Brown, Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, 
     Jordan Farmar, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, Didier Ilunga-Mbenga, 
     Adam Morrison, Lamar Odom, Josh Powell, Sasha Vujacic, Luke 
     Walton, and Sue Yue, contributed to what was truly a team 
     effort during the regular season and the playoffs to bring 
     the 2009 National Basketball Association Championship to the 
     city of Los Angeles: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the Los Angeles Lakers for winning the 
     2009 National Basketball Association Championship;
       (2) recognizes the achievements of the players, coaches, 
     and staff whose hard work and dedication made winning the 
     championship possible; and
       (3) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit a copy 
     of this resolution to--
       (A) the 2009 Los Angeles Lakers team and their head coach 
     Phil Jackson;
       (B) the Los Angeles Lakers owner Gerald Hatten Buss; and
       (C) the Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchack.

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