Congratulating Chris Carpenter on being named the Cy Young Award winner for the National League for the 2005 Major League Baseball season.

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

Mr. Speaker, St. Louis Cardinal first baseman Jose Alberto Pujols is widely regarded as one of major league baseball's best offensive players because he hits consistently for average and power. On August 5, 2005, Pujols became the first player in major league history to hit 30 or more home runs in each of his first five seasons. On August 31, 2005, he became the first major league player since Ted Williams to have 100 runs batted in during each of his first five seasons.

Originally from the Dominican Republic, it was in the United States that Pujols developed his love for baseball and demonstrated his ability for the game. He batted over .500 during his first season of high school baseball. At Maple Woods Community College in the Kansas City area, Pujols showed off his talent by hitting a grand slam and recording an unassisted triple play during his first game and by batting .461 during his first season.

The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Pujols in the 13th round of the 1999 draft. He initially turned down a $10,000 bonus and opted to play in the Jayhawk League in Kansas. By the end of the summer, the Cardinals had increased their bonus offer to $60,000. Pujols signed with the Cardinals and was assigned to the minor leagues. By

the next year he was playing for Single A team the Peoria Chiefs where he was voted league Most Valuable Player. Pujols progressed quickly through the ranks of the St. Louis farm system and on to the major leagues.

The 2005 season saw Pujols establish career highs in walks and stolen bases while leading the St. Louis Cardinals in almost every offensive category. He finished with a .330 batting average, a .430 on-base percentage, and a .609 slugging percentage, 41 home runs, a grand slam, 117 RBIs, 97 walks and 16 stolen bases. The Cardinals were eliminated during the National League championship series, but only after Pujols hit a memorable home run in game five, a two-out, three-run blast in the top of the ninth inning off Houston Astro closer Brad Lidge. After the season, Pujols received his first National League Most Valuable Player award which underscored his critical role in keeping the injury- plagued Cardinals on track throughout the season.

Pujols should be commended for his work on the baseball field, for the foundation he and his wife, Diedre, have created and dedicated to the love, care and development of people with Downs Syndrome and their families, and for helping the poor in the Dominican Republic. For those and other reasons, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 626, a tremendous athlete, but an even more tremendous humanitarian.

I reserve the balance of my time.

It is my pleasure to yield such time as he might consume to that great St. Louis Cardinal fan and the sponsor of this legislation, Representative Carnahan from Missouri.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 626, congratulating Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals on being named the Most Valuable Player in the National League for the 2005 Major League Baseball season.

As you know, Mr. Speaker, we recently passed a companion resolution, House Resolution 627, congratulating his teammate, Chris Carpenter, for winning the National League Cy Young Award. This marks the first time since 1968 that the Cardinals have won both an MVP and Cy Young Award in the same year.

Albert Pujols came to spring training in 2001 as a 13th round draft choice. Not only did he make the St. Louis Cardinals opening day roster that year, but he won a starting job and went on to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

The first 5 years of his career rank among the best in baseball history. He has a career .332 batting average, 201 home runs and 621 runs batted in.

He is the only player in the history of the major leagues to have a batting average higher than .300, hit 30 or more home runs, drive in 100 or more runs, and score 100 or more runs in each of his first five seasons.

During the 2005 season, Albert Pujols led the Cardinals with a batting average of .330, 41 home runs, 117 runs batted in, and 16 stolen bases. He was a major factor in the Cardinals' 100-win season and run to the National League championship series.

Albert Pujols is truly a champion on and off the field. He and his wife, Diedre, have three children, a son named Albert, Jr., a daughter named Sophia and a daughter Isabella who has Downs Syndrome.

In 2005 they started the Pujols Family Foundations which is dedicated to the love, care and development of people with Downs Syndrome and also reaches out to impoverished families in the Dominican Republic, Albert's native country.

As a lifelong Cardinals fan and St. Louis resident, it is an absolute joy to watch Albert Pujols on and off the field. He embodies the true spirit of Cardinal Nation, and I offer my most sincere congratulations on all that he has accomplished thus far, and wish him the best in the future, including recovering from his recent injuries.

Mr. Speaker, I think the spirit that he brings to baseball and that has captured this country is also reflected in the numerous Members of this Congress, not just from St. Louis, not just from the State of Missouri, but from around the country and both sides of the aisle that joined in sponsoring this resolution of congratulations.

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

Mr. Speaker, this has been a real pleasure to cosponsor this with several Members from around the country and on both sides of the aisle. I want to offer House Resolution 627, congratulating Chris Carpenter of the St. Louis Cardinals on winning the Cy Young Award for the 2005 Major League Baseball season.

Chris is a 1992 graduate from Trinity High School in Manchester, New Hampshire, where he earned the athlete of the year honors as a senior. He was elected to the All State Team for 3 years in both baseball and hockey, and as a member of the Globe All Scholastic Team as a senior, captured the State championship in baseball in 1992.

He played American Legion, Babe Ruth, and Little League Baseball. Chris and his wife have two children, and they make their off-season home in Bedford, Massachusetts. We are proud that he is one of the star players, not just in the league but for the St. Louis Cardinals.

After missing the 2003 season recovering from shoulder surgery, many wondered how Chris Carpenter would respond. He responded in 2004 with a 15-win season and with an earned run average of 3.46. Through his hard work, perseverance and skill, he improved upon those lofty numbers and turned in a spectacular 21-win season with a 2.83 earned run average in the 2005 season.

He was a major factor in the Cardinals' 100 wins last year and earned a place among the most elite pitchers in baseball. For his feats, Carpenter was recognized with the Cy Young Award as the best pitcher in the National League.

As a lifelong Cardinals fan, it is an absolute joy to watch a thrilling player like Chris Carpenter. I look forward to watching his continued success.

In addition, I would like to mention Chris's teammate, Albert Pujols, who won the National League MVP last year. This marks the first time since 1968 that the Cardinals have had both the MVP and the Cy Young Award winner the same year.

I have cosponsored a companion resolution with many others in this House congratulating Albert Pujols, and I hope the House will have an opportunity to take that up in the near future.

Once again, I wish my heartiest congratulations to Chris Carpenter and all that he has accomplished and wish him the best in the future.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 627) congratulating Chris Carpenter on being named the Cy Young Award winner for the National League for the 2005 Major League Baseball season.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 627 offered by the distinguished gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Carnahan).

This resolution would congratulate Chris Carpenter on being named the Cy Young Award winner for the National League in 2005.

After missing the 2003 season while rehabilitating his injured shoulder, Chris Carpenter made a miraculous recovery to win the 2005 Cy Young Award. He went 21-5 with a 2.83 ERA for the St. Louis Cardinals, receiving 19 of 32 first place votes and finishing with 132 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Carpenter began his career with Toronto. After compiling a 49-50 record in his first six seasons, Carpenter had surgery in September of 2002 to repair a tear in his pitching shoulder and the Blue Jays contemplated sending him back to the minors. He refused the assignment and chose to become a free agent before signing with St. Louis.

Finally healthy in 2004, Carpenter went 15-5 with a 3.45 ERA to earn National League's comeback player of the year honors from his peers. In 2005, Carpenter won 13 straight decisions from June 14 through September 8, helping the Cardinals to the best record in baseball at 100 wins and 62 losses. He struck out 213 batters and got the best of several aces around the league.

I would urge all Members to come together and honor the perseverance and dedication of Chris Carpenter, the winner of one of Major League Baseball's most prestigious awards, by adopting House Resolution 627.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would urge all Members to support the adoption of House Resolution 627. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 626) congratulating Albert Pujols on being named the Most Valuable Player for the National League for the 2005 Major League Baseball season.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, the national pastime, obviously, is baseball and to honor the most valuable player of the 2005 season seems to be only appropriate. Certainly, there can be no more appropriate thing as we go into the heart of baseball season than to consider a resolution recognizing this amazingly great accomplishment and an amazing season in 2005. And so I urge my colleagues to adopt this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I have no further speakers on this side, Mr. Speaker, so I will reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption and yield back.