Congratulating the Warner Robins Little League softball team from Warner Robins, Georgia, on winning the 2009 Little League Softball World Series.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 742) congratulating the Warner Robins Little League softball team from Warner Robins, Georgia, on winning the 2009 Little League Softball World Series.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and add any extraneous materials.

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

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to present H. Res. 742 for consideration. This resolution congratulates the Warner Robins Little League softball team from Warner Robins, Georgia, on winning the 2009 Little League Softball World Series.

The measure before us was introduced by my friend and colleague, Representative Jim Marshall of Georgia, on September 14, 2009, and favorably reported out of the Oversight Committee on November 18, 2009, by unanimous consent. Notably, this measure enjoys the support of over sixty Members of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 742 applauds the Warner Robins Little League softball team for their championship run during the 2009 Little League Softball World Series.

Led by manager Emily Whaley, coach Roger Stella, coach Patti Carriker and president Kenneth Hathaway, this group of talented young women clinched their first Little League Softball World Series title and helped the Warner Robins Little League become the first Little League to have won both the baseball and softball Little League World Series championships.

In the championship game in Portland, Oregon, the Georgia club convincingly beat the formidable Crawford Little League softball team from Crawford, Texas by a score of 14 to 2. Throughout their championship run, these young women demonstrated the type of teamwork, camaraderie, and never-say-never spirit necessary to succeed in all facets of life.

I also want to take this opportunity to applaud the Little League Softball World Series organizers for orchestrating another successful tournament.

First held in 1974 in Freeport, Long Island, the Little League Softball World Series began with four teams from U.S. regions East, West, Central and South. Since that inaugural year, 236 teams have participated in the Little League Softball World Series, including teams from over 25 States and 13 countries world-wide. Today, the Little League Softball World Series is a tremendous sporting event that

continues to instill the values of hard work, dedication, and sportsmanship in today's youth.

In closing, let us, as a body, take this opportunity to congratulate the Warner Robins Little League Softball Team for their spectacular achievement and also congratulate the organizers of Little League Softball World Series for coordinating another resoundingly successful tournament.

I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield at this point to the lead sponsor of this resolution, Mr. Marshall of Georgia, for 5 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers at this time. But I continue to reserve.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I just want to ask Members on both sides to support Mr. Marshall in his resolution to congratulate the Warner Robins, Georgia, 2009 Little League Softball World Series winner from his hometown.

I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. -Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 2009 Little League Softball World Championship team from Warner Robins, Georgia. The Warner Robins Little League softball team competed against six other teams from the United States and teams from around the world, including Italy and Canada. The Warner Robins team went undefeated throughout tournament play, and they clinched the championship by defeating the team from Crawford, Texas. Congratulations to that team as well.

These players showed tremendous desire to win and demonstrated true sportsmanship while ultimately going on to win the Softball World Series. There were many notable achievements on the field because of the remarkable efforts by the entire team and leadership of their dedicated manager and coaches. This victory was the culmination of hundreds of hours of practice and playing and winning many games during the regular season.

The win was of considerable interest to the citizens of Warner Robins, Georgia, because it made the community the first with a Little League to have won both a baseball and a softball world series championship. We should be proud of these young women who showed that teamwork and the ``never give up'' spirit can accomplish much, not only in the game of softball but also as a winning strategy in life. With so much turmoil in the world, it's great to see young women step up and achieve such significance. I hope they carry that through the rest of their lives and recognize this great moment and the team effort that it takes to truly be successful.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, and would yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 742 which congratulates the Warner Robins American Little League Softball Team from Warner Robins, Georgia, on winning the 2009 Softball World Series Championship.

Although Warner Robins is technically no longer a part the 2nd Congressional District of Georgia which I represent, I continue to claim the residents of Warner Robins as my constituents as I have represented them in previous sessions of Congress.

All of us in southwest Georgia are proud of this accomplishment. I would like to recognize and applaud the commitment to excellence, dedication, and determination shown by the players, parents, coaches, and managers who worked so diligently to accomplish a worthy goal. The city of Warner Robins and the State of Georgia should be commended for the outstanding loyalty and support they displayed for their team throughout the season.

The 2009 Champion Warner Robins Little League Softball Team consists of Carson Carriker, Sierra Stella, Chelsea Whaley, Caitlin Parker, Melissa Cox, Kelly Warner, Sabrina Doucette, Hanna Livingston, Kaylee Albritton, Ashley Killebrew, Avery Lamb and Sydney Barker. They were successfully managed and coached by Emily Whaley and Roger Stella.

As most of my colleagues know, Warner Robins Air Force Base is located in the city of Warner Robins. I have no doubt that members of the Warner Robins Softball team have parents or siblings serving in the military. We salute not only the team, but also their family members serving proudly in the military.

On behalf of my constituents in Georgia's Second Congressional District, I offer my congratulations on a job well done.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a proud cosponsor of H. Res. 742, a resolution recognizing the accomplishments of the 2009 Warner Robins Little League Softball World Championship Team.

The Little League Softball World Series has long been a competitive outlet for our young women, providing them an arena for personal and athletic advancement. Their mission states, ``I trust in God. I love my country and will respect its laws. I will play fair and strive to win, but win or lose I will always do my best.'' No matter what the outcome for each team, I am positive that the opportunity to be a part of this competition is a valuable experience for every participant and provides them with memories that will last a lifetime.

Today, however, I am pleased to recognize the victorious Warner Robins Little League Softball Championship Team as they defeated the Crawford, Texas Little League Softball Team to become the World Champions on August 19, 2009. This victory distinguishes the Warner Robins Little League as the first little league to claim a baseball and softball championship.

On behalf of the 11th Congressional District of Georgia, it is my honor to congratulate the players, their coaches, and the managers who led them to this success. Your hard work and dedication have not only made you winners on the softball field, but will also be instrumental to your future successes. The 2009 Warner Robins Little League Softball Team is an example to America's youth of the values of teamwork and sportsmanship, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I don't think it will take me 5 minutes to cover this one. The resolution simply congratulates the Warner Robins Little League girls softball team on winning the 2009 Little League Softball World Series. Their victory follows fairly hard on the heels of a victory in 2007 by the Warner Robins Little League boys team in the Little League Baseball World Series, and so it's really quite a treat that Warner Robins now is the only city in the United States that has had teams successful on both the girls side and the boys side as Little League world champions.

I think it's particularly poignant that not only do all members of the Georgia delegation cosponsor, as original cosponsors, this bill, but many Members of Congress are also cosponsors of this bill. And I want to specifically recognize Debbie Wasserman Schultz. She, at the time that she signed on to the bill, was suffering from an injury that she incurred playing softball in the, I hope to be annual, but it was the first annual softball game to raise money for charity among women here in the House of Representatives.

So we're all softball fans, we're baseball fans. We're delighted that the Warner Robins girls team was successful this year. We hope they have great success in the future in their individual lives. No doubt they value their education very highly, and they're focused on school as much or more so probably than athletics.