Expressing the condolences of the House of Representatives to the family and friends of Mattie Stepanek on his passing, and honoring the life of Mattie Stepanek for his braveness, generosity of spirit, and efforts to raise awareness of muscular dystrophy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 695) expressing the condolences of the House of Representatives to the family and friends of Mattie Stepanek on his passing, and honoring the life of Mattie Stepanek for his braveness, generosity of spirit, and efforts to raise awareness of muscular dystrophy, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Government Reform, I want to offer strong support for H. Res. 695. This resolution expresses the condolences of the House of Representatives to the family and friends of Mattie Stepanek on his passing on June 22. Thirteen- year-old Mattie Stepanek was a writer and a national figure who suffered from a rare form of muscular dystrophy, called dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy.

Mattie, who lived in nearby Rockville, Maryland, was an incredibly articulate and optimistic spokesman for muscular dystrophy. He was perhaps best known for writing five volumes of poetry. Incredibly, three of his books reached the New York Times best seller list. I will briefly read one here. It is called, ``On Being a Champion.''

Mattie wrote: ``A champion is a winner, a hero, someone who never gives up even when the going gets rough. A champion is a member of a winning team, someone who overcomes challenges even when it requires creative solutions. A champion is an optimist, a hopeful spirit, someone who plays the game even when the game is called life, especially when the game is called life. There can be a champion in each of us, if we live as a winner, if we live as a member of the team, if we live with a hopeful spirit, for life.''

Mattie Stepanek passed away just a few weeks before his 14th birthday, which was last Saturday, July 17. His life was a singular credit to the strength of the human spirit. He contributed so much during a life that was so short. He has given faith to those in need and hope to those who have lost direction. He has touched so many lives that he has never met, and I know he has touched mine. Mattie will continue to reach down from heaven and touch so many more.

Tonight, I stand in strong support of this resolution that honors Mattie Stepanek, and I highly commend the gentleman from Maryland for moving ahead with H. Res. 695. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me and offer blessings to Mattie.

Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, and I do not intend to object, first I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy) for bringing forward this unanimous consent request.

Under my reservation, I would be pleased to yield to the gentleman to explain the resolution.

I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I first, again, thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for moving this resolution.

I filed it on behalf of the entire Maryland congressional delegation. Mattie was a resident of our State. Jimmy Carter said that he was the most extraordinary person that he had ever met. Although only 13 years of age when he died, he had the courage that really led all of us. He captured love in the entire Nation when on Oprah's show, Oprah asked, what can I do for you, and he said just pray for me.

As the gentleman from Pennsylvania pointed out, Mattie published five books of poetry, an extraordinary accomplishment for a person his age. Of course, he is best known as a national poster child for muscular dystrophy and along with Jerry Lewis appeared on national television on behalf of raising money to cure that disease.

He was a national figure, a person who touched all of our lives, any person who met him.

I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding.

For those of us who met this extraordinary young man, it was really in many ways a life-enriching experience. It is hard to believe that someone as young as Mattie had such a depth of understanding of life. His mother is a wonderful lady who transferred to Mattie her own courage, and he had that in great abundance.

But it was his wisdom far beyond his years that impressed everyone who met with him.

When you listened to Mattie, he spoke as a child; but when you listened to what he said, he spoke as a very wise man.

Mr. Speaker, Mattie Stepanek was someone who enriched the lives of all with whom he came in contact. I had an opportunity to see him every year for a number of years at the softball tournament that the International Association of Firefighters conducted in Prince George's County on behalf of Jerry Lewis' telethon on muscular dystrophy. Mattie would attend and he would speak, and everyone there came to hear Mattie. The rest of us were simply surplus.

I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) for introducing this resolution and thank everyone who has been involved in making sure that this resolution comes to the floor and that we observe the passing of an extraordinary American, an extraordinary young man, an extraordinary child of God.