Commending the Appalachian State University football team for winning the 2006 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-AA Football Championship.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 210, congratulating the Appalachian State University football team for winning the 2006 NCAA Division I-AA National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship.

It's my honor today to recognize the tenacity, sportsmanship and national championship victory of the Appalachian State University football team. The ASU Mountaineers won their second straight NCAA Division I Football National Championship in a 28-17 victory over Massachusetts this past season. Powered by the record-breaking, four touchdown performance of junior running back Kevin Richardson, and the stellar leadership of Head Coach Jerry Moore, ASU has solidified its place among the best of America's college football teams.

In their championship performance, the Mountaineers rushed for 285 yards, with Richardson racking up 179 of those yards. His four- touchdown performance also broke the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision single season record with 30 rushing touchdowns in 15 games. Richardson, who is the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year, finished the season with 1,676 yards rushing, a new ASU record.

In a testament to ASU's remarkable championship season, Head Coach Jerry Moore was named the American Football Coaches' Association Division I-AA Coach of the Year. Moore was also named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year for a record fifth time.

Coach Moore's been at ASU for 18 years, and last year may have been his best year yet. Despite a 23-10 loss in the season opener at NC State, he led ASU to a 14-game winning streak crowned by their national championship win. Their record-breaking winning streak found the Mountaineers dominating opponents by an average margin of victory of 22.6 points.

During his time at Appalachian, Moore has amassed an impressive 154- 68 record, which sets him apart as the winningest coach in Southern Conference history.

The 2006 season was a remarkable time for the Mountaineers, and not surprisingly, the team is overflowing with accomplishments. Eight ASU players were named All Americans, and 19 were All Conference selections.

ASU players also made a clean sweep of the Southern Conference's post-season awards. Offensive Player of the Year went to Kevin Richardson. Marques Murrell took home Defensive Player of the Year. Kerry Brown won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, and Armanti Edwards captured the Freshman of the Year honor.

Edwards led the Mountaineers to 13 victories as a freshman quarterback and was the second freshman and fifth player overall in Division I history to tally 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a season.

ASU's 14-game winning streak and 14-1 overall record set school records for wins in a season and consecutive victories. ASU now holds the Nation's longest Division I football winning streak at 14 games. In addition to having the longest overall winning streak in Division I, the Mountaineers also hold the longest home winning streak in the football championship subdivision at 27 straight games.

I'm so proud to be an alumnus and to represent Appalachian State University in Congress and to once again recognize its accomplishments on and off the playing field. It was just over a year ago that I had the honor of recognizing the Mountaineers as the 2005 NCAA Division I- AA football national champions. Their repeat national championship performance this past season is a clear instance of the value of hard work and integrity.

I applaud the players and coaches who are receiving their due recognition for another fantastic season. I especially want to compliment Coach Moore for his strong faith and his open expression of his faith. He and his assistant coaches are excellent role models for the players and students they lead.

Two national championships in as many years is reason to celebrate. I'm pulling for a third championship in 2007 and a third opportunity to honor these fine players and coaches on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Coble).

Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes).

Madam Speaker, I simply want to end by saying congratulations to Appalachian State University. Go Mountaineers.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 210) commending the Appalachian State University football team for winning the 2006 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-AA Football Championship, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days during which to insert material relevant to H. Res. 210 into the Record.

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

(Mr. YARMUTH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Appalachian State University for winning the 2006 NCAA Division I-AA Football National Championship.

On December 15, 2006, the Appalachian State University Mountaineers captured their second consecutive NCAA Division I-AA Football National Championship by defeating the University of Massachusetts Minutemen by a score of 28-17.

I want to extend my congratulations to Mountaineer head coach Jerry Moore, Chancellor Kenneth Peacock, the student athletes and fans for a national championship and a 14-1 season.

I also want to extend my congratulations to the University of Massachusetts and their student athletes for a great season. The Minutemen finished their season with a record of 13 wins with only two losses for the year.

The Mountaineers achieved some amazing accomplishments in 2006. The team won the Southern Conference for the second year in a row; six players were named Associated Press All Americans; Armanti Edwards was named Southern Conference Freshman of the Year; and Coach Jerry Moore was named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.

Madam Speaker, I once again commend and congratulate the Appalachian State University Mountaineers for their dedication and success.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I also want to close by congratulating the entire Appalachian State University family.

I urge my colleagues to pass H. Res. 210.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to sincerely congratulate the Appalachian State University football team for winning the 2006 National Collegiate for the second year in a row, Athletic Association Division I-AA Football championship.

December 15, 2006, marked a historic day for this university as the Appalachian State University football team defeated the University of Massachusetts 28-17 to win the championship.

Most Valuable Player Kevin Richardson's four touchdowns and Corey Lynch's fourth-quarter interception, all under the direction of Coach Jerry Moore, secured the road to victory crowning the remarkable season for the Mountaineers. An intimidating defense led by Marques Murell, Jeremy Wiggins, Monte Smith, and Corey Lynch, complemented by a high- powered offense led by Richardson, who rushed for over 1,000 yards, and William Mayfield, who had over 1,000 yards receiving, and an impenetrable offensive line, made it possible for this championship to occur.

Undefeated in conference games and champions of the Southern Conference for the second year in a row, Appalachian State University affirmed its position as a dominant football program by securing its second consecutive national championship. Not only have they become great sportsmen, but they have consistently showed great dedication to each other, continued sportsmanship to their opponents, gratitude to their unwavering fans and respect for the sport itself.

I am proud of the 2006 Appalachian State University football team for bringing the championship home to western North Carolina. These student athletes are excellent representatives of a fine university and have contributed to its long history of excellence and achievement.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and in December of 2005, the day after Appalachian was crowned I-AA champs of intercollegiate football, I spoke on this House floor and said, The frigid and unforgiving winds that normally blow across the Blue Ridge Mountains during the months of winter are blowing less brutally and less severely today for, on this day, I said, these winds sweep across the campus of Appalachian State University, home of the National I-AA champs of intercollegiate football.

That speech, Madam Speaker, is applicable today because as my friend, Ms. Foxx, indicated, the Mountaineers repeated as national champs last December, and those same Blue Ridge winds were as refreshing in 2006 as they were in 2005, and hopefully, as Ms. Foxx said, they will be equally refreshing in December of 2007.

Over a century ago, Madam Speaker, a small teachers' college was founded in rural Appalachia. Then, Boone was a sleepy Blue Ridge hamlet; the Appalachian campus equally sleepy.

Now this campus has awakened.

Appalachian State University is recognized as one of the sterling jewels in North Carolina's higher education crown. It is recognized as well as the home of America's reigning I-AA champions of intercollegiate football, the Appalachian State Mountaineers.

Best wishes to Chancellor Peacock, Coach Moore and the entire Appalachian family.

Again, I thank the gentlelady from North Carolina for handling this resolution.

I thank the gentlelady.

Let me just simply say that Congresswoman Foxx and Congressman Coble have done a fine job of outlining the accomplishments, which are absolutely remarkable, of the Appalachian Mountaineers.

As a point of personal privilege, since my son-in-law is the wide receivers coach there, I want to add my congratulations, that my son- in-law, daughter and grandchildren are very much part of the Appalachian theme in Boone, which is a tribute to athletics and scholarship. People should gather, do things that we really care about and make a difference in peoples' lives.

The seniors on this team never lost a home game the whole time, the 4 years that they were at Appalachian. Again it's about scholarship, it's about participation, it's about sportsmanship and these men and women, because a lot of men and women involved were a true tribute to the type of sportsmanship and scholarship that we all aspire to.

My congratulations to the twice champions and soon-to-be three-time champion Appalachian Mountaineers.