Congratulating Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks on pitching a perfect game on May 18, 2004.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 660 and to congratulate and honor Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks, more affectionately known to us in Arizona as ``The Big Unit.'' As I think everyone knows, on May 18 of this year in an extraordinary feat against the Atlanta Braves, Randy Johnson became only the 17th pitcher in the history of major league baseball to throw a perfect game. That is right. Twenty-seven Atlanta Brave hitters came to the plate, and 27 Atlanta Brave hitters went down.

Now, many of us strive for perfection in many aspects of our lives, but it is rarely achieved; but not only did Randy Johnson do this on May 18, but he was at the time 40 years old, making him the oldest pitcher in Major League Baseball to throw a perfect game.

Now, prior to that, Cy Young, in whose name a famous award is given each year, at the age of 37 had been the oldest pitcher to throw a perfect game, having done it 100 years ago in 1904.

Randy Johnson is also only the fifth pitcher in major league history to throw no-hitters in both the American and the National Leagues. In fact, Johnson's previous no-hitter came in 1990 while pitching for the Seattle Mariners.

Johnson grew up in Livermore, California, where his father, Bud, was a police officer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. As a young boy, Randy would practice pitching against his garage door, pretending to be in the big leagues. Even at 8 years old, Johnson threw the ball so hard it would pop nails loose from the wood siding. After he was done, his father would proudly come up to him and hand him a hammer and tell him to go put the nails back into the wall.

Standing 6 feet 10 inches and with a 38-inch arm, Johnson is one of the most intimidating pitchers in all of the game of baseball; and it has earned him, as I indicated, the nickname ``The Big Unit.''

Randy Johnson's perfect game will certainly fit nicely within his already very, very impressive list of accomplishments.

Throughout his 21 years in Major League Baseball, Randy Johnson has won a World Series, beating the New York Yankees in 2001; during his tenure, he has been named World Series co-MVP, along with former Diamondback pitcher Curt Schilling; thrown no-hitters in both the American and National leagues; as I mentioned, won the Cy Young Awards in both the American and National Leagues; and set multiple strikeout records, trailing only Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, and Steve Carlton on the all-time strikeout leaders list.

By pitching a perfect game, Randy Johnson joins an elite class of pitchers that spans the ages and includes some of the all-time baseball greatest. In his quest for perfection, Randy Johnson threw only 117 pitches, 87 of which were strikes. He struck out the first 13 of 27 hitters he faced, utilizing his blistering fastball and devastating slider to perfection, and went to a three-ball count on just one Braves hitter.

To understand just how perfect ``The Big Unit'' was on this night, we need only look at the radar gun on his very last pitch. Randy Johnson's 117th pitch of that night, his final pitch, was clocked at a shocking 98 miles an hour.

Randy Johnson is considered one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball today and has set a course that will lead him straight to Cooperstown. I am very proud to honor him in this effort.

Mr. Speaker, last September the U.S. Census Bureau released figures that showed that the number of Americans who do not have health insurance has increased to more than 41 million Americans. Of those, 60 percent are employed by small businesses. We know that a great number of these small business owners do want to offer their employees health insurance coverage; but with health insurance costs rising 14.7 percent just in 2002 alone, they are struggling to meet this cost.

House Resolution 660, the Small Business Health Fairness Act, opens the door for small business owners, providing the chance to give their employees high-quality health insurance at an affordable price by allowing associations to form large regional or national groups that can purchase fully insured health insurance which would put growing businesses on a level playing field for larger corporations.

Those opposed to AHPs, as they are called, claim that they will allow ``cherry picking'' or selecting only employees that are young and/or healthy for coverage. In reality, this legislation prohibits an AHP from denying health insurance on the basis of health status. They must follow the same rules on portability, preexisting conditions, and nondiscrimination that large employers must follow.

This legislation also contains solvency provisions that protect employees against the risk of health claims. These health plans must certify through a qualified actuary that an AHP is financially sound.

To conclude, what businesses want is to offer health coverage to their workers. House Resolution 660 gives employers the ability to provide this coverage by allowing small businesses to band together as a trade association to become larger purchasers of health insurance. By saving small businesses, an estimated 15 to 30 percent, compared to the cost of purchasing coverage directly from an insurance company, associated health plans will give more Americans the health benefits they need to provide for themselves and for their families.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 660) congratulating Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks on pitching a perfect game on May 18, 2004.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

May 18, 2004, will go down in history for all fans of the Arizona Diamondbacks and all fans of Major League Baseball because on that night, 40-year-old Randy Johnson became the oldest pitcher in major league history to throw a perfect game. He retired all 27 Atlanta Braves he faced to lead his team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, to a 2-0 victory. It took him 117 pitches to throw the first perfect game, and first no-hitter, in Diamondbacks' history. Johnson became only the 17th pitcher in major league history to pitch a perfect game. On this day in May, Randy Johnson was, indeed, perfect. He recorded 13 strikeouts, and he put out the other 14 Atlanta hitters during his dazzling display of pitching dominance.

Perhaps the neatest thing about Johnson's perfect night was the support he enjoyed from the Atlanta fans. As Johnson neared his momentous accomplishment toward the end of the game, the 20,000-plus fans in Atlanta, keep in mind these are the fans of the opposing team, encouraged him with standing ovations and chanted his name. It was a terrific night for America's favorite pastime and a terrific night for Randy Johnson and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Mr. Speaker, the House salutes Randy Johnson for pitching a perfect game. The gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg) is the sponsor of this resolution and certainly he should be applauded for his eagerness to honor Randy Johnson's historic feat. I certainly encourage all Members, even

those who are Braves fans, to support House Resolution 660.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg).

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I was absent from votes in the House on Friday, June 18th, and Monday, June 21st, due to an unavoidable commitment. Had I been present, I would have voted the following way:

On rollcall vote 267, the Jackson-Lee amendment to H.R. 4567, ``aye'';

On rollcall vote 268, the DeLauro amendment to H.R. 4567, ``aye'';

On rollcall vote 269, the Roybal-Allard amendment to H.R. 4567, ``aye'';

On rollcall vote 270, the Tancredo amendment to H.R. 4567, ``no'';

On rollcall vote 271, the Maloney amendment to H.R. 4567, ``aye'';

On rollcall vote 272, the Sabo amendment to H.R. 4567, ``aye'';

On rollcall vote 274, the Velazquez amendment to H.R. 4567, ``aye'';

On rollcall vote 275, H.R. 4567, the FY05 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, ``aye'';

On rollcall vote 276, H. Res. 591, expressing the gratitude of the House for the contributions made by America's community banks, ``aye'';

On rollcall vote 277, H.R. 4363, the Helping Hands for Homeownership Act, ``aye''; and

On rollcall vote 278, H. Res. 660, congratulating Randy Johnson, ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer a personal explanation of the reason I missed rollcall votes Nos. 276-278 on June 22, 2004. These were suspension votes H. Res. 591--expressing the sense that a month should be designated Community Banking Month, H.R. 4363-- Helping Hands for Homeownership Act of 2004, and H. Res. 660-- Congratulating Randy Johnson on his perfect game. At the time these votes were called, my flight from my Congressional District to Washington, DC was diverted due to weather and I was thereby delayed en route to Washington, DC.

I respectfully request that it be entered into the Congressional Record that if present, I would have voted rollcall vote No. 276, expressing the sense that a month should be designated Community Banking Month, --``aye''; rollcall vote No. 277, on Prostate Cancer Awareness, ``aye''; rollcall vote No. 277, on Helping Hands for Homeownership Act of 2004, ``aye''; and rollcall vote No. 278, Congratulating Randy Johnson on his perfect game, ``aye.''