Commending Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre for establishing a National Football League record for most career touchdown passes, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague.

Madam Speaker, Green Bay, Wisconsin, the Green Bay Packers and quarterback Brett Favre have a great deal in common. They're hardworking, dedicated to the community and believe in competing with, not against, one another to bring out the very best performance possible for each and every athlete and every time on the field.

Today, the United States House of Representatives offers its praise to Brett Favre, to his family, to the Green Bay Packers and to the people of Wisconsin who together own the most storied team in professional sports.

In fact, the Green Bay Packers, unlike any other corporate entity in America, can never be offshored because the team is owned by the people living in Green Bay and Wisconsin.

There are three things our Nation can learn from the success of Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. First, the team competes with one another to bring out the very best performance from every athlete.

Secondly, Brett, like successful Olympic speed skating champions that I've come to know, does his personal best every single day, in practice and on the field. If one does one's personal best each and every day, no one can criticize you.

And lastly, the two words that form our American competitive spirit: ``move up.'' Don't settle for second place. Shoot for the gold and settle for the silver, but at all times, never, never stop trying to move up. And remember, we know from our experiences that everybody falls. We all have failures. But it's not how far you fall; it's how high you bounce back.

Compete with one another. Do your personal best every day and move up. These three ideas tell the story of the Green Bay Packers and their quarterback Brett Favre. They reflect the spirit of the people in both Wisconsin and in Mississippi, and they will continue to be lived out by Brett Favre during his career in professional sports and beyond.

I ask my colleagues to join with me in recognizing the accomplishments of the Green Bay Packers, the hardworking people of Green Bay and the people of Wisconsin and our future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre.

If I may read the resolution, which reads, H. Res. 697, ``Commending Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre for establishing a National Football

League record for most career touchdown passes, and for other purposes.

``Whereas on September 30, 2007, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre established a National Football League (NFL) record by throwing his 421st touchdown pass;

``Whereas in addition to the career touchdown mark, Brett Favre also holds the NFL record for greatest number of wins by a starting quarterback and the NFL record for playing in the most consecutive games as a starting quarterback;

``Whereas Brett Favre is the only 3-time winner of the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award;

``Whereas Brett Favre's 16 consecutive years of dedicated service with the Green Bay Packers has enhanced the lives of the people of Northeast Wisconsin and exemplified the Wisconsin work ethic;

``Whereas Brett Favre's contributions to his community have extended beyond the football field;

``Whereas Brett Favre was born in Gulfport, Mississippi, was raised in Kiln, Mississippi, and attended the University of Southern Mississippi;

``Whereas Brett Favre's loyalties to his home State of Mississippi and adopted State of Wisconsin are reflected in his participation in and organization of numerous charitable activities in those States, including the Brett Favre Fourward Foundation, the Special Olympics, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America;

``Whereas the Brett Favre Fourward Foundation aids disadvantaged children in Wisconsin and Mississippi and has raised more than $1,000,000 for people affected by Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi;

``Whereas Brett Favre and his wife, Deanna Favre, co-founded the Deanna Favre Hope Foundation, which provides assistance to women in need affected by breast cancer; and

``Whereas Brett Favre has demonstrated that hard work and single- mindedness of purpose can bring success, and epitomizes the words of NFL Hall of Fame Coach Vince Lombardi: `People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.': Now, therefore, be it

``Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

``(1) commends Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre for establishing a National Football League record for most career touchdown passes;

``(2) recognizes Brett Favre for his outstanding community service in Wisconsin and Mississippi and his 16 consecutive years of dedicated service with the Green Bay Packers, a community-owned organization; and

``(3) directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to transmit a copy of this resolution to Brett Favre, to the Green Bay Packers organization, and to the Commissioner of the National Football League.''

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

We're going to be saying lots of nice things about Brett Favre this afternoon, but I want to make sure that he understands the most important thing. In my fantasy football team, the Domers, he's my starting quarterback this weekend. I need a lot of points. I don't want this going to his head that we're passing this congressional resolution.

In my little hometown of 700 of Grabill outside Fort Wayne, Indiana, when it was created, a man named Ben Neuenschwander brought a German over named Fred Marolf, and then Fred broke off, and up at the county line he formed a cheese company. And after many years and just a few miles from my hometown, they moved up to where all the cheeseheads go, to Wisconsin.

County Line Cheese today is one of the more famous cheese companies in America. And I don't know whether they make the actual cheeseheads that you Wisconsinites wear, but they certainly make a lot of the cheese.

That's kind of been my tie to the cheeseheads, because growing up near a plant, you could get the green curds and all that type of stuff. I followed the Green Bay Packers growing up, and they had Bart Starr and Fuzzy Thurston in the line and Jim Taylor, of course Paul Hornung, the Notre Dame great, and you kind of wondered whether Green Bay fans were going to be like Cub fans and all they did was talk about the past. Then along comes Brett Favre.

So let me rise today in support of this resolution to Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers for breaking the world record on career touchdown passes, and the way he handled this with Dan Marino was just amazing for the country to watch as they both praised each other.

He adds to his record also for the most passes attempted, the most passes completed and, most importantly of all, the most games won as a starting quarterback.

It's only fitting that Favre continue his run on the NFL record books because he's always been a man ahead of his time. He started on his high school baseball team as an eighth grader. He started at seven different positions, including offensive and defensive line, as a ninth grader on a varsity football team.

In 1987, he arrived at Southern Miss, and at age 17, was listed as the seventh-string for the Golden Eagles. Midway through the third game of that season, he had become the starter. He would not relinquish that spot until he graduated 4 years later. He would lead stunning upsets of Florida State and, as a senior, Alabama.

Two years later, Ron Wolf was hired as general manager of the Green Bay Packers. In his first speech to Packer fans, Wolf revealed that the Packers' next quarterback was a guy they'd never heard of, a guy who had languished as a third-string signal caller of the Atlanta Falcons, a guy named Brett Favre. He traded a running back you've never heard of to Atlanta for Favre, and the rest is history.

Well, maybe not all the rest. The Packers are 5-1 this year, and Favre, at 38, is off to his best start in years. Teammates say he's in the best shape of his career; coaches say he is making the best decisions of his career.

Could he do it again? Could he win his second Super Bowl? American cheeseheads hope so. For those of us Colts fans, we hope he does well in the final game but doesn't win.

Madam Speaker, I yield back.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, it's my pleasure to join Mr. Kagen in offering this resolution, and I want the Record to reflect that my friend and colleague Mr. Kagen is the second-biggest Packer fan in Congress. Being from the upper peninsula of Michigan, all of us UPers are known as Packer fans. Actually, Green Bay is only just over an hour's drive from my home, where the Detroit Lions are more than 10 hours away from home, so we are all Packer fans in northern Michigan.

On Sunday, September 30, with a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packer Brett Favre broke Dan Marino's career touchdown pass record with 421 touchdown passes.

Playing in his 17th season in the NFL, Brett Favre has consistently shown Packer fans and the Nation that hard work, dedication and determination lead to continued success.

The fact that Brett Favre threw the record-breaking touchdown in Minnesota against a tough divisional rival shows that his hard work and determination does pay off.

Throughout his career, Brett Favre has proven that his perseverance and love of the game have helped him overcome adversity and succeed at such a high level.

Most importantly, Brett Favre has remained humble while leading the Packers to four wins and only one loss so far this season. I realize my good friend Mr. Souder has already given the Packers their fifth win. That will come this Sunday against the Washington Redskins. After his record-breaking performance, Brett Favre said the last thing on his mind was the record. That truly sums up how this individual approaches the game. It's not for personal glory but for team pride and continuing on their winning ways.

Favre's teammates and coaches credit his work in the off-season and between games as the reason the three-time NFL Most Valuable Player has remained successful.

Favre's leadership has helped the Packers to start off the year on top of the division.

Favre has been a leader off the field as well. This resolution honors Brett and Deanna Favre's work supporting the Special Olympics, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Boys and Girls Club of America, breast cancer patients and those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

In a year plagued with sports scandals, Brett Favre sets a positive example for all Americans that there is still honesty and dignity in sports.

I'm proud to join with all my colleagues and the Members of the House of Representatives to salute Brett Favre's continued success on and off the field, and I look forward to another MVP year.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre upon his achievement of throwing his 421st NFL touchdown and breaking the all-time NFL record for touchdown passes.

From my days as Harvard quarterback, I can say firsthand that I have a deep appreciation for the sport of football and for the strength and dedication it takes not only as an athlete, but as a team leader as well. While growing up in western Wisconsin, I spent countless Sunday afternoons watching the Green Bay Packers through both good and bad seasons. I have watched Brett Favre grow from his first season as a Packer, to a Super Bowl MVP, and to a well respected legend.

Throughout the sports community, Brett Favre is a symbol of stamina, leadership, toughness, and sportsmanship. Not only has Brett Favre broken the NFL record for touchdown passes, he holds the records for most number of wins by starting quarterback, most consecutive games as a starting quarterback, and the only three-time winner of the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award. During his 16 years on the Green Bay Packers, Brett Favre has led the team to two Super Bowls and given Wisconsin a good reason to look forward to winter.

Brett Favre is more than an outstanding athlete; he is a dedicated humanitarian who has demonstrated leadership both on and off the field. The Brett Favre Fourward Foundation has donated more than $1.5 million for disadvantaged and disabled children in Wisconsin and Mississippi. When Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi coast, Brett Favre played a leading role in rallying fundraising and aid for his home state. After his wife, Deanna, was diagnosed with breast cancer, the Favres founded the Deanna Favre Hope Foundation to provide support to uninsured or underinsured women living with this terrible disease.

I believe NFL Hall of Fame Coach Vince Lombardi captured it best when he said: ``Individual commitment to a group effort--that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.''

On behalf of the residents of the state of Wisconsin, I would like to congratulate Brett Favre on his many accomplishments, including his 421st touchdown pass, and to wish him the best of luck for the rest of the season.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 697) commending Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre for establishing a National Football League record for most career touchdown passes, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he might consume to the author of this legislation, Representative Steve Kagen.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak).

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

Madam Speaker, I can assure everybody that the Chicago Bears have a great deal of respect for Brett Favre, and I don't intend to get into Central Division football, but I do rise in strong support of this resolution, a bill that commends Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre for establishing a National Football League record.

Football is an American pastime, and even people who don't know a great deal about the game oftentimes get caught up in what takes place, what goes on and what is happening. And so when one can rise to the top of the list in his profession, throw more passes than anybody else has ever thrown, thrill more audiences than perhaps anyone else thrilled, keep people coming and enjoying and interacting and being proud of not only the areas that they come from but proud of the contribution that one makes not only on the field but off the field, all of the charitable groups and organizations of which Brett and his family are a part of, gives us further reason to commend Representative Steve Kagen for his introduction of this legislation.

I certainly would urge its passage.

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