[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8637]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1220
                         HONORING JOHAN SANTANA

  (Mr. ISRAEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I have often said that I'm truly partisan 
about one thing, not Democrats versus Republicans, but Mets fans versus 
everyone else in the country.
  Last Friday, Mr. Speaker, the Mets had something worth saluting. 
Johan Santana threw the first no-hitter in the history of my beloved 
New York Mets. Now, more important than a no-hitter is the lessons it 
teaches all Americans.
  Johan Santana had surgery that they thought would end his career. He 
didn't give up on himself; he didn't give up on New York. He's never 
given up on his roots in Venezuela, didn't give up on the children of 
Venezuela that he supports through his foundation. He hasn't given up 
on the children of 9/11 that he supports through Tuesday's Children.
  It's not the no-hitter that counts, Mr. Speaker. It is the spirit and 
the determination and the dedication of Johan Santana. That is what 
makes me a baseball fan. That is what makes baseball America's pastime, 
and I am very pleased and proud to salute Johan Santana and Mets fans 
everywhere.
  Mr. Speaker, let's go Mets.

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