Congratulating the Columbus Northern Little League Baseball Team from Columbus, Georgia, on its victory in the 2006 Little League World Series Championship games.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding.

I rise today certainly in support of H. Res. 991, with my other colleagues from Georgia, and with great pride of the 2006 Little League World Champions, the Northern Little League team of Columbus, Georgia.

The victory by our Northern Little Leaguers over the undefeated Kawaguchi City team representing the country of Japan makes them only the second team from Georgia to win a World Championship. While a team from Marietta, Georgia won in 1983, our team is only the second team from Georgia to ever qualify for this event in the entire 60-year history, and we are very proud of that.

As a Member of Congress representing Columbus and Muscogee County, where most of the young men live, I cannot tell you how proud we are of these fine, young men and the character and discipline that they exhibited.

The entire city, the surrounding area, our State and, indeed, people all over the country were thrilled by the success of our young people. The Northern Little League players are not only world champions, they are certainly hometown heroes, and they are celebrities. You should have seen them with the class and dignity as they spoke with the media, as they commended their opponents and as they very dutifully signed the thousands of autographs surrounding the celebration of their victory.

These young men represented the city of Columbus, they represented the State of Georgia, and they represented the United States of America in the finest tradition of Little League and what it stands for and for what it represents: teamwork, sportsmanship, and camaraderie. We are proud of them.

The spirit of sportsmanship was no more apparent than it was this year. After they won the game, and you have heard, the entire Columbus team walked over to the opponents' dugout and beckoned for them to join them in taking the victory lap around the field. It really brought goose bumps and tears to our eyes to see side by side those two teams scoop up dirt from the infield to keep as souvenirs.

I also want to pay tribute to the parents and the coaches of these young men. Any parent of a Little League baseball player, for that matter, football, soccer or other sports, has to know and appreciate the love and the commitment that is needed.

Let me pay tribute to the dedicated fans in Columbus, the hundreds of whom took the 900-mile trip to Williamsport from Columbus to support our team, as well as the other Little League teams in the Columbus area, and the many volunteers, sponsors and supporters who have dedicated themselves to Little League sports year after year.

Throughout the World Series, it was clear that Northern was well- schooled and well-prepared which, in large part, points to the hard work and the dedication of the team's manager, Randy Morris, and coach, Richard Carter.

It was the team itself who had to put it all together on the field, and I would like to pay special tribute to each one of the team members individually, including Brady Hamilton, No. 6; Ryan Lang, No. 18; Josh Lester, No. 4, the most valuable player; Matthew Hollis, No. 10; Patrick Stallings, No. 25; Mason Meyers, No. 16; Kyle Rovig, No. 8; Matthew Kuhlenberg, No. 7; Cody Walker, No. 21; Kyle Carter, No. 19; and J.T. Phillips, No. 22.

Babe Ruth once said that, ``Baseball was, is and always will be to me the best game in the world.'' Indeed, for the millions of Little League fans around the world, the 2006 Little League Championship game will go down as one of the best single games in the history of the event.

We are so proud of our Little Leaguers. Northern Little League, congratulations for a job well done.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 991) congratulating the Columbus Northern Little League Baseball Team from Columbus, Georgia, on its victory in the 2006 Little League World Series Championship games.

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 material on the resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer House Resolution 991, to congratulate the boys of Columbus Northern of winning the Little League World Series. Thousands upon thousands of kids across the Nation take to the baseball fields each year to enjoy America's pastime.

The best of the best get a chance to compete for the title of U.S. Champion. The team that claims that mantle gets the chance to represent the Nation in the world championship game. This year, the American champions hailed from Columbus in Georgia's Eighth Congressional District.

While all of my colleagues from Georgia are certainly proud that the world champions are from our State, all of the Members of the House can take pride in their significant accomplishment.

Columbus Northern fought hard through the American playoffs. They lost one game, but they did not lose their fighting spirit. They came back with a vengeance and captured the American championship. Then they faced a strong Japanese team in the grand finale in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

It was a defensive struggle, and pitcher Kyle Carter held the Japanese batters to one run, and catcher Cody Walker provided the winning margin, belting a two-run homer.

The boys of Northern Columbus showed that they are winners not only on the field, but also off the field. They demonstrated sportsmanship and Southern hospitality after the game by going to the Japanese dugout and inviting their opponents to run the victory lap around the field with them.

A historical perspective puts the significance of this victory into better focus. Though this country is the home of baseball, it is not often that the American Little League team hoists the world championship trophy.

Since 1980, only eight U.S. teams have won. I might add here, Mr. Speaker, that two of those teams hailed from Georgia. For Georgia, this victory shows the world that our athletes and coaches are among the best that play the game. The coaches and players of Columbus Northern can take pride in knowing that they have become the symbol of Georgia's athletic prowess.

But even more important than that, the boys of Columbus Northern will have memories to last a lifetime. They have had the extraordinary opportunity to live the dream of every American boy who has ever slipped on a glove or swung a bat.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Columbus Northern, the American and World Champions, by supporting House Resolution 991.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for those kind words and remarks. The gentleman is exactly right about the number of youth that should be playing Little League.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).

Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers. I want to urge all Members to support the adoption of H. Res. 991, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me congratulate Mr. Westmoreland and all of his neighbors and friends and residents of Columbus. I can imagine the tremendous sense of pride that that entire community feels and how proud they are of the accomplishments of their young people.

Mr. Speaker, Little League Baseball is the world's largest organized youth sports program, with nearly 2 million Little Leaguers playing, and more than a million adult volunteers throughout the United States and in dozen of other countries. No other youth support comes close to having the same level of participation.

On August 28, 2006, the Columbus Northern Little League team defeated the Kawaguchi Little League team of Japan by a score of 2-1. Both teams played an excellent game and represented their country and their league well.

In the end, the Columbus Northern Little League team concluded its season with an impressive record of 20 wins and only one loss. Columbus Northern is Georgia's second team to win the Little League World Series.

The 11 young men of the Columbus Northern team should be proud of their great accomplishment. Pitcher Lyle Carter made history by striking out 11 batters and became the first pitcher in history to win four times in the Little League World Series.

Cody Walker knocked a two-out pitch over the right field fence for the two runs that won the game over Japan.

Manager Randy Morris and Coach Richard Carter deserve recognition for guiding these young and committed players to victory.

Mr. Speaker, while we congratulate the Columbus Northern team, and while I urge passage of H. Res. 991, I can tell you there is no better sight to see during spring or summer, when you can see groups of young people out participating in an organized sport with their parents and neighbors and friends watching.

I guarantee you, Mr. Speaker, if we had more Little League teams, we would have fewer young people in juvenile delinquency settings, and our prisons could get emptied down, if not out.

Again I commend the Columbus Northern team and especially all of the coaches and volunteers and people of the community who really made it possible.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to reclaim my time and then to yield such time as he might need and use to another son of Georgia (Mr. Bishop).

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague. I am sitting here listening to the two gentlemen speak; I am ready to grab my bat and glove and hat and furthermore take me off the streets so I can go out and play ball again.

But they are absolutely right. This is a fantastic achievement from this team from Columbus, Georgia. I am especially proud to share a few moments, because I have part of Columbus in my district. This team is from Representative Westmoreland's district, but what a great community Columbus is, Muscogee County, and the great people there. I know they are so proud of this young ball team and the coaches.

Of course we have already mentioned names. I am sure that one of those coaches decided to ask that team from Japan to join in that victory lap. That is the kind of sportsmanship that is developed by these men and women that volunteer their time to work with our youth and achieve such great results.

My colleague from Georgia, Congressman Westmoreland, mentioned that we had another team from Georgia. Indeed, back in 1983, and my nurse,

I was, of course, in medical practice at the time. Her son was the third baseman on that team.

And he today is a medical doctor, a radiologist. But he was a great little ball player. And I think one of the players on that team was a dominant pitcher just like in this year, that led them to victory. He ultimately was a major league baseball pitcher.

But what happens with most of these kids, of course, is that they go on to other careers, like Adam Olmsted. Ken and Lynn's son is, as I say, a doctor now. And they go on to very successful careers. And it is not often that they go on to become Major League Baseball players.

But the ideals, the sportsmanship, the determination, the relationship they have with their teammates is the thing that they learn, that they take with them through life. And it makes their lives successful no matter what endeavor they pursue.

So we have honored these young players at Georgia Tech halftime, University of Georgia halftime. I want to say to any of them that go on and play college baseball, do not go to Auburn or Alabama just to cross the river. Stay in Columbus, go to LaGrange College, University of Georgia, Bulldogs, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University. We have got some great baseball teams in Georgia, and that is where we want them to play.