[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 18526-18527]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             CONGRATULATING NBA CHAMPION LOS ANGELES LAKERS

  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 566) congratulating the 2008-2009 National 
Basketball Association Champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, on an 
outstanding and historic season.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 566

       Whereas the Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most 
     successful and respected franchises in the history of the 
     National Basketball Association (NBA);
       Whereas prior to the 2008-2009 season, the Lakers won 14 
     NBA championships, with a cast of players that, over the 
     years, have included NBA greats such as Wilt Chamberlain, 
     Erving ``Magic'' Johnson, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 
     Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Cooper, Elgin Baylor, A.C. Green, 
     and other Lakers stars, whose accomplishments were captured 
     courtside by legendary Lakers sportscaster Francis Dayle 
     ``Chick/Chicky Baby'' Hearn;
       Whereas in the off-season, the Lakers' General Manager, 
     Mitch Kupchak, with the support of the team's owner, Jerry 
     Buss, maintained the Lakers core of Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, 
     Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, and Trevor Ariza;
       Whereas the combination of Bryant, Odom, Fisher, Gasol, and 
     Ariza, led the 2008-2009 Lakers to a 65-17 regular season 
     record and the number one spot in the Western Conference 
     playoffs;
       Whereas Ariza first came to fame as a member of the 2002 
     and 2003 California State Championship teams at Westchester 
     High School in Los Angeles, California;
       Whereas the Lakers entered the NBA playoffs with home court 
     advantage as a result of the team's regular season 
     performance and defeated the Utah Jazz in 5 games;
       Whereas the Lakers then faced the Houston Rockets in the 
     Western Conference semifinals, winning in 7 games, with Pau 
     Gasol scoring 21 points in an 89-70 victory in the deciding 
     game;
       Whereas the Lakers squared off against the high-octane 
     Denver Nuggets, clinching the series in 6 games, thanks to 
     the outstanding play of Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant;
       Whereas the Lakers' matchup with the Orlando Magic in the 
     NBA finals represented a battle between a veteran team, the 
     Lakers, and a young Magic team, led by Dwight Howard;
       Whereas the Lakers won the first 2 games of the finals in 
     Los Angeles, including a hard-fought Game 2, during which 
     Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol combined for 53 points, propelling 
     the Lakers to a 101-96 victory;
       Whereas although the Lakers lost Game 3 in Orlando by a 
     score of 108-104, NBA fans were treated to a 31-point 
     performance by Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, who played all but 8 
     minutes of the game;
       Whereas the Lakers were able to defeat the Magic in Game 4 
     despite a 25-point performance by Magic forward Hedo 
     Turkoglu;
       Whereas the Lakers won Game 5 against the Magic by a final 
     score of 99-86, clinching a historic championship, Kobe 
     Bryant's first championship without Shaquille O'Neal, Head 
     Coach Phil Jackson's 10th title as a coach, and the Lakers 
     organization's 15th championship;
       Whereas the Lakers recovered from a devastating loss in the 
     2008 NBA finals against the Boston Celtics to win the 2009 
     NBA championship and achieve historic championships for Head 
     Coach Phil Jackson, and Kobe Bryant;
       Whereas the Lakers' Kobe Bryant was presented with the Bill 
     Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award;
       Whereas in addition to the contributions of superstars 
     Bryant, Gasol, and Odom, strong contributions by Ariza, 
     Brown, Farmar, Ilunga-Mbenga, Bynum, Fisher, Powell, Vujacic, 
     and Walton returned the glory that has marked much of the Los 
     Angeles Lakers franchise history;
       Whereas Lakers owner Jerry Buss, General Manager Mitch 
     Kupchak, Head Coach Phil Jackson, and the entire roster and 
     coaching staff have joined previous great Lakers teams in 
     winning the NBA championship; and
       Whereas the hustle, team defense, and overall unselfish 
     play of the 2008-2009 Lakers are emblematic of the tradition 
     that has been a hallmark of the franchise for more than 63 
     years, and serves as a model for coaches and players 
     everywhere: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of 
     Representatives that--
       (1) the 2008-2009 National Basketball Association (NBA) 
     World Champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, are to be 
     congratulated for an outstanding and historic season; and
       (2) the Lakers, in winning their 15th NBA World 
     Championship, capped a remarkable, unprecedented single-
     season turnaround that captivated basketball fans across 
     America and around the world.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I now yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, as chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Federal 
Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia and on behalf 
of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, I am pleased to 
join my colleagues, and principally Ms. Waters from the State of 
California, in the consideration of H. Res. 566, which provides for the 
recognition of the National Basketball Association Champion Los Angeles 
Lakers for capturing their 15th NBA championship.
  House Resolution 566 was introduced by Representative Maxine Waters 
of California on June 19, 2009, and currently has the support and 
cosponsorship of 50 Members of Congress, none of whom are from the city 
of Boston, courtesy of Chairman Towns. The measure has been considered 
and approved by the Oversight Committee and now comes to the House 
floor as a means of highlighting the Lakers' successful 2008-2009 NBA 
season and their final victory.
  Madam Speaker, the Los Angeles Lakers stand as one of sporting 
history's greatest franchises. The team was founded in 1946 in Detroit 
and moved to Minneapolis where it adopted its name, the Lakers, after 
Minnesota's State nickname, Land of 10,000 Lakes. The Lakers relocated 
to Los Angeles in 1960.
  In the 1980s, the Lakers became one of the NBA's most electrifying 
and successful teams, winning five championships with Hall of Famers 
Earvin ``Magic'' Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and Coach 
Pat Riley. The Lakers' dominance extended into the 21st century as they 
won three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002.
  Thanks to this year's impressive NBA Finals victory over the Orlando 
Magic, the Lakers now boast the NBA franchise record for the most wins, 
the highest winning percentage, and the most NBA Finals appearances. Of 
course, I would be remiss if I failed to mention that my own beloved 
Boston Celtics still hold the record for the most NBA Finals 
championships. You would think they would have picked someone else to 
do this resolution, but I am happy to congratulate a job well done.
  Led by Head Coach Phil Jackson, one of the most successful coaches in 
NBA history, and Finals MVP Kobe Bryant, the Lakers' road to the NBA 
championship was lined with its fair share of challenges. While playing 
in the highly competitive Western Conference, the Lakers earned the 
conference's best regular season record and were dominant throughout 
the playoffs.
  For this accomplishment, Madam Speaker, we stand to commend the Los 
Angeles Lakers franchise, the players, coaches and, of course, the 
diehard Lakers fans on a job well done. I am sure that the Lakers' 
championship is an enormous source of pride for the residents of Los 
Angeles, the surrounding area, and the great State of California as 
well.
  In closing, I urge the adoption of House Resolution 566.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I sympathize with the anguish and the

[[Page 18527]]

agony that my colleague from Massachusetts must have in reading and 
supporting this resolution. I can only hope that this is truly captured 
on film for future use.
  I rise in support today, as a Utah Jazz fan, in recognizing a great 
accomplishment in the world of sports. What these athletes are able to 
do and how they do it is truly remarkable. So I rise in support of H. 
Res. 566 to congratulate the 2008-2009 Los Angeles Lakers in bringing 
home their 15th NBA championship.
  For the Lakers, this was a season of redemption that ultimately ended 
in victory and a historic achievement. The conclusion of the 2007-2008 
season saw the Lakers experiencing a humiliating 39-point blowout to 
the Boston Celtics in game six of the NBA Playoffs, I will remind my 
colleague from Massachusetts. From that moment, the storied franchise 
made a commitment to redeem themselves and immediately began the long, 
arduous process of working their way back to championship glory. One 
year later, this long and difficult journey culminated with victory and 
established themselves as the standard against which every franchise in 
the NBA will be measured.
  While the entire Lakers organization can be proud of this team's 
accomplishments, the season saw some amazing individual milestones.
  Coach Phil Jackson cemented his status as one of the winningest 
coaches, not just in the NBA but in all of professional sports, 
capturing an unprecedented 11th championship ring. Truly amazing.
  Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, who came to the season as the 
league's reigning MVP, coming off a summer in which he helped lead Team 
USA to the gold in Beijing, won his fourth NBA title and his first NBA 
Finals MVP.
  Pau Gasol of the Lakers was selected to his second All-Star 
appearance, his first as a Laker, and was the first Spaniard to be on 
an NBA title team.
  Individual accomplishments aside, there is no question that this team 
was just, indeed, that, a team, receiving significant contributions 
from a host of role players that made winning this championship 
possible.
  Shannon Brown, acquired as a throw-in in a midseason trade, played 
his way into the playoff rotation and made a number of significant 
three-pointers in key playoff games.
  Derek Fisher, one of my personal favorites, the old veteran guard who 
was slumping his way through the playoffs, emerged in game 4 of the NBA 
Finals to hit a game-tying three with 4.6 seconds remaining to push the 
game into overtime. He followed it up with a go-ahead 27-footer that 
would give the Lakers the lead and the game.
  Collectively, this team all season long maintained their commitment 
to excellence and mental toughness. They were a reflection of the 
entire organization--owner, Jerry Buss; general manager, Mitch Kupchak; 
Hall of Fame coach, Phil Jackson--and are a model of excellence; in 
other words, they are truly champions.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, at this time it gives me great pleasure to 
yield 5 minutes to the lead sponsor of this resolution, Ms. Maxine 
Waters.
  Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I am very appreciative of my colleague 
from Massachusetts and his leadership on this issue and for recognizing 
me to stand as a proud Los Angeleno, joined by 50 other of my 
colleagues to congratulate the extraordinary Los Angeles Lakers for 
their 2009 NBA championship. This resolution, H. Res. 566, commemorates 
the Los Angeles Lakers' 15th National Basketball Association 
championship.
  Prior to the 2008-2009 season, the Lakers won 14 National Basketball 
Association championships with a cast of Hall of Famers and coaches, 
which included NBA greats such as Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Earvin 
``Magic'' Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Pat Riley, 
and current Head Coach Phil Jackson.
  This season, Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, and 
Trevor Ariza led the 2008-2009 Lakers to a 65-17 regular season record 
and the number one spot in the Western Conference Playoffs. Not only 
did Trevor Ariza help to bring another championship to Los Angeles, he 
also attended Westchester High School in my district.
  The Lakers entered the NBA Playoffs with home court advantage as a 
result of the team's regular season performance, and in the first round 
of the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz in five games to 
advance to the Western Conference Semifinals.
  The Lakers then faced the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference 
Semifinals, winning seven games, and advanced to the Western Conference 
Finals where they faced the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers clinched the 
Western Conference Finals in six games, thanks to the outstanding play 
by Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant, which closed out the series.
  In the NBA Finals, the Lakers matched up with the Orlando Magic, led 
by Dwight Howard. The Lakers won the first two games of the Finals in 
Los Angeles, including a hard-fought game 2, during which Kobe Bryant 
and Pau Gasol combined for 53 points, propelling the Lakers to a 101-96 
victory. The Lakers lost game 3 in Orlando by a score of 108-104; 
however, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant scored 31 points and played all but 8 
minutes of the game.
  The Lakers followed their loss in game 3 by winning the next two 
games in Orlando to win the 2009 NBA championship. For his outstanding 
play during the NBA Finals, Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant was presented 
with the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award and his 
fourth NBA championship. Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson won his 10th 
NBA championship as a head coach and his 12th NBA championship overall.
  Congratulations to the Lakers players, coaches, and staff on winning 
the 2008-2009 NBA championship.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I am confident the Utah Jazz will be 
back at some point, but for now, congratulations to the Los Angeles 
Lakers. I, too, will be supporting H. Res. 566. Congratulations.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I, as well, want to congratulate the Lakers 
and the gentlelady from California. I congratulate her on her 
resolution and for the victory that it represents.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 566.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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