Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in honor of the first woman to be national commander of The American Legion. Her name is Denise Rohan. She knows that this is a milestone. Therefore, she is very proud to have been named to this position. She says: ``It is about time.''

From Ms. Rohan's perspective, women have always been leaders in the Legion. I am sure most of us didn't even know that.

She says: ``If you look back, women were post commanders early on. We have been in leadership positions. If we weren't leading from the front, we were still there, helping the organization along.''

She says she doesn't think of herself as a female legionnaire. She says: ``I want to be known as a great American Legion leader who happens to be a woman. I have been working hard for the Legion for more than 30 years and am humbled''--that the Legion--``chose me to be national commander. It is an honor.''

She was elected at the Legion's 99th national convention in Reno, Nevada, in August. She herself, of course, is an Army veteran and the second national commander from Wisconsin. She and her husband, Mike, belong to Mason Lindsay Post 385 in Verona. I am sure she would want that known here on the floor. They have lived 30 years in Sun Prairie.

Members have supported Ms. Rohan for a long time and are excited to see her at the top. She is regarded as very capable, outgoing, friendly, and able to bring people to a consensus.

Her parents, Joe and Dorothy Hulbert, set a strong example for three daughters. Both were volunteers and active in the local United Church of Christ.

She first encountered the Legion as a girl at Memorial Day services in a Catholic cemetery near her home. She waited patiently to receive a spent brass shell casing from the honor guard to use as a whistle.

``The town always had a parade that started at the cemetery, came down the hill, went across the bridge and ended up at another cemetery on the other side of the river,'' Ms. Rohan said. ``There was only one parade I remember going the other way, when they brought home the body of someone killed in Vietnam. It began at the high school and went up the hill. That memory stayed with me.''

Still, the idea of serving in the military herself certainly didn't occur to Ms. Rohan until a high school friend asked her and another girl to accompany her to Des Moines for an Army physical. Her friend failed, they passed, and Rohan had a choice. Unsure what she wanted to do with her life and reluctant to ask her parents to put a third child through college, she joined under the buddy system in 1974.

For a person who struggled with homesickness--that is what she called it: homesickness--she got along just fine.

``Somehow my mother lived through me sobbing on the phone every single call for a couple of weeks,'' Ms. Rohan said. ``Then I started realizing that I had another family: the women in basic training with me. They had my back, they made sure I was taken care of, and we became sisters.''

At Fort Lee, Virginia, she completed quartermaster school and was the outstanding graduate of her class. Needing female instructors, the Army sent Ms. Rohan to more training. That is where she met Mike, who was working as a television production specialist.

``I had to have some time in the studio,'' she said, teasing him. ``My roommate at the time was a runner-up for Miss West Virginia the year before she joined the Army, so here is this beautiful blonde who probably did really good on camera because she was used to that kind of stuff. He doesn't remember meeting me that day.''

By Mike's recollection, they met through a mutual friend a couple of months later. He soon realized this girl had the qualities his mother told him to seek in a woman--and more.

``She never once told me to look for someone who could shoot an M-16, or crawl under barbed wire with live fire going on, or run 2 miles with a rucksack on her back, but that is what I found,'' he says. ``Denise has all those abilities of a soldier but is also a loving wife and mother.''

They started dating, fell in love, and Mike got orders to go to Korea. About the same time, Rohan was up for reenlistment. Wanting to stay together, they were married by a justice of the peace during one of Rohan's morning breaks. Their reception was at McDonald's. ``That is our romantic place we go every year, on May 21,'' she says.

Women are veterans, too. In the end, the Army couldn't guarantee Rohan an assignment overseas, so she left the service and became an Army wife. Of course, that would not be the case today.

Over the next few years, the couple lived in Korea, Texas, and, finally, Wisconsin. Mike spent the first half of his career as enlisted, then became a warrant officer in the National Guard.

Meanwhile, Rohan built her own career at the University of Wisconsin- Madison, starting as a program assistant in the student loan office. She eventually rose to the position of assistant bursar, managing a $120 million loan officer portfolio and helping to develop a computerized system to manage it all. She retired in 2012, after 29 years. She is missed a lot, say those who worked with her and under her.

Ms. Rohan's American Legion career has had a similar trajectory. She joined in 1984, when the new commander of Post 333 in Sun Prairie, a friend of Mike's, recruited her to join so she could serve as adjunct.

She laughs when she recalls an older veteran who was flustered by a woman's presence at the meetings. He was saying something, swore, and then he took his cap off and said: ``I am sorry, I didn't mean to be disrespectful.'' Later, he did it again. He said: ``I just don't know how I am going to do this.'' She told him: ``Hey, I was in the Army, too. I have heard those words before.''

Ms. Rohan really found her spot in the Sun Prairie Post when she was coordinating community blood drives: four a year, for two decades. ``Each pint of blood can help three people, and we collected hundreds at each drive,'' she says. ``The volunteers kept coming back, the donors kept coming back. It makes you feel like you are making a difference.''

From there, Ms. Rohan's reputation for hard work and willingness to serve opened door after door: district adjutant and commander, department historian--she is a four-time winner of the National American Legion Historian contest--and department commander.

On the national level, she is a former chair of the Veterans Employment and Education Commission, as well as the National Membership and Post Activities Committee.

Along the way, she volunteered for dozens of smaller jobs that have cemented the Legion's place in her community, like chartering a Boy Scouts

troop, organizing children's Christmas parties, and assembling troop care packages.

None of it would have happened if Ms. Rohan was the sort to hold grudges, however. When the couple lived briefly in Marshall, Wisconsin, a member of the local American Legion came by to recruit Mike.

Rohan identified herself as an eligible veteran, but the Legion recruiter told her that women could join the auxiliary only.

Years later, the Marshall Post realized its mistake and hung a photo of Ms. Rohan, then district commander, behind a sign that says: ``Remember, women are veterans, too.''

Today, the Marshall Post is one of her biggest supporters. ``I promised they would get one of my first national commander photos to put in that frame,'' she says. ``We can do that,'' is what Rohan has become known for. Her name is known in more than just Legion circles.

At the Wisconsin National Guard Armory in Madison, she and her husband are Aunt Denise and Uncle Mike. Since 2006, they frequented drill weekends so often that young servicemen sometimes assumed they are part of their unit.

Facing a rough situation with a soldier fresh off deployment and needing resources fast, Staff Sergeant Dan Killam was told to talk to the Rohans at the Legion. That call led to an unbelievable amount of care for troops and their families.

When soldiers needed satellite phone minutes to call home after a battle, the Wisconsin Legion family raised $50,000. At a spur run for the 105th Calvary, Legionnaires fed nearly 500 people.

I think after this lengthy--but I think much deserved--report on the first woman to head The American Legion, we understand why the bill that comes before us is much deserved.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2519) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint commemorative coins in recognition of the 100th anniversary of The American Legion, as amended.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2519, The American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, which would require the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue commemorative coins in recognition and celebration of the 100th anniversary of The American Legion.

For nearly 100 years, The American Legion, which was formed for veterans and by veterans, through the support of Congress, has helped to provide services to wartime veterans and the communities in which they live across the United States and the globe.

On March 27, 1919, Theodore Roosevelt sent a telegram to Mr. William Marshall Bullitt of Louisville, Kentucky, and many more respected military wartime veteran leaders across the country which announced: ``A conference will be held at St. Louis about May 1 for the purpose of organizing an association composed of those who

have been in the land and naval forces of the United States in this war. A convention held in France has already organized forces there in an association called The American Legion and will have its representatives at this convention.''

Shortly after this first national gathering of unified veterans held in St. Louis, Missouri, the United States Congress officially chartered The American Legion on September 16, 1919.

Since this charter, The American Legion has grown to be one of the most influential, nonpartisan, nonprofit, and the largest veterans service organization in the United States, with a standing membership of over 2.4 million veterans in 14,000 posts worldwide.

The Legion annually raises millions of dollars in donations at the local, State, and national levels to help veterans and their families during times of need and to provide college scholarships and other opportunities for deserving students.

Even in the Sixth Congressional District of Kentucky, which I proudly represent, The American Legion continues to be a strong and aggressive advocate for wartime veteran-centered issues. Just yesterday, I met with many of The American Legion Nicholasville Post veterans right there serving and honoring the Gold Star families at Camp Nelson in Jessamine County, Kentucky.

The American Legion Department of Kentucky has established 139 posts, 3 areas, and 11 districts in our Commonwealth of 120 counties. The American Legion continues to strive to achieve what has always been held as a sacred duty to every good American since General George Washington's vision to promote the importance of providing provisions for the adequate care for war disabled veterans and their families.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Massachusetts and his leadership. I do recognize the great game of basketball was, in fact, invented in Massachusetts. That is okay, because Massachusetts gave us Coach Calipari along the way. We really appreciate his leadership.

This would not have happened without the leadership of the gentleman from Massachusetts. It is my honor to work with him on this bipartisan piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote ``yes'' on The American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act.

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

Mr. Speaker, may I ask how much time I have remaining?

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

Mr. Speaker, once again, in support of The American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, I want to share a story from just yesterday in Nicholasville, Kentucky, where The American Legion was there, as they always are, supporting our veteran families.

We were at Camp Nelson--which was originally a Union Army cemetery, but since the Civil War, has become a final resting place for many of our heroes--yesterday to honor many of the Kentucky Gold Star families who had lost loved ones, heroes, in the war on terror.

The first one was a U.S. Naval officer killed on September 11, 2001, in the Pentagon. And most recently, Captain Matthew Roland, a captain in the United States Air Force, was killed in action in August of 2015 in Afghanistan. And the families of these fallen heroes were there. We were there to honor those fallen heroes and unveil a dedication, a memorial to those Gold Star families who had sacrificed so much. Not only did those heroes sacrifice everything for this country, but those families have sacrificed because they have lost their loved ones, and they are missing anniversaries, birthdays, and their children growing up and walking down the aisle.

But who was there to honor those Gold Star families?

The American Legion. And The American Legion was there holding those American flags high, and they were there to deliver the three-volley salute in honor of those fallen heroes.

The American Legion is, first and foremost, a local organization. They pride themselves in that, and that is what they were in Jessamine County, Kentucky, honoring those Gold Star families. Yes, they represent a country of heroes and servicemembers and veterans, but they are local, and they showed that yesterday in the Sixth Congressional District of Kentucky, and they show that all over this country.

I would just note also, Mr. Speaker, that when we think of how to honor our veterans, we have to remember what General George Washington--who, of course, was the Founder of our country, and who, of course, was that famous general during the American Revolution who arguably was the first veteran--said. And what General Washington-- President Washington famously said about our country and veterans was that the willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of earlier wars and how they were treated and appreciated by our Nation.

The American Legion embodies that. They are a group of patriots, of veterans who know that it is critically important to instill in other Americans the importance of patriotism, love of our country, love of the American flag, so they help us and future generations respect our veterans and their service and their sacrifice.

We appreciate the fact that we have a piece of legislation before this body today that honors that great organization--The American Legion--that provides that level of patriotism and support to our men and women in uniform and veterans who have served this country so heroically and patriotically.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz), the legislation's sponsor.

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

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 1235, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act.

First, Mr. Speaker, I would like to read into the Record a letter written by president and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, John L. Doleva, in support of what we are doing here today. He says:

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Naismith Memorial

Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019, the House of Representatives

has introduced a bill to mint an exclusive commemorative

coin. The bill is sponsored by Congressman Richard E. Neal

and Thomas Rooney. Senators Elizabeth Warren and John McCain

support the venture by sponsoring the same legislation in the

Senate, S. 2598. I am respectfully requesting your support

and cosponsorship of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of

Fame Commemorative Coin Act.

This endeavor and legislation is of deep interest to me

because of my professional career--primarily the last 16

years--has been fully embedded in promoting basketball

through my passion for the game as president and CEO of the

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

It has been an honor to help the Naismith Memorial

Basketball Hall of Fame provide a home for the greatness of

the game's past, its exciting present day and brilliant

future that continues to touch all parts of the globe. The

game's immortals, through their stories and achievements, are

contained here through their legacy as players, coaches,

teams, officials, and legendary contributors to the game.

More than 6 million visitors have educated themselves through

the enjoyment of exploring the rich history.

My passion for this sport is not solely rooted in the game

itself or its traditions, but, rather, my love for basketball

centers on its ability to develop character. One example is

the outreach of the Hall of Fame's MVP's of Character

program, an initiative that has involved thousands of youth

in the cities across the country, like New York City;

Washington, D.C.; and Lawrence, Kansas. The program centers

on the belief that ``teaching youth about good character--

both on and off the court--helps them understand the impact

of it and their lives . . . character traits like honesty,

respect, responsibility, integrity and cooperation create a

foundation for success.''

Support of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Commemorative Coin bill has no taxpayer cost, is your

opportunity to help grow the game of basketball and the

educational and outreach programs provided by the Basketball

Hall of Fame.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 1235, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act, a bill to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue a commemorative coin in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Naismith

Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in the birthplace of basketball.

Located in the ``birthplace of basketball,'' the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is entrusted with recording and disseminating the history of this great American pastime and recognizing and honoring the achievements of the sport's greatest players, coaches, and contributors.

With the ability to reach millions of Americans through its educational programs, events, exhibits, and online presence, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame plays an important role in celebrating and promoting the positive core values demonstrated by basketball's heroes, who have inspired Americans from all quarters.

Passage of the legislation also provides an opportunity to highlight the creative ways in which the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has leveraged America's love of the game and to develop basketball-related educational programs that teach our youth about a wide range of topics, such as financial literacy, math, civil rights, leadership of character, women's and men's history, and geography.

In addition to raising awareness of its important work and honoring its 60th anniversary, surcharges associated with the sale of the unique basketball-themed coins provided for in the bill will also enable the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to increase its operations and educational programming, all at no cost to taxpayers.

Mr. Speaker, basketball is one of the games that unites all Americans across party lines, across racial lines, and across geographic lines. That is who we are. The bipartisan legislation before us already has the support of more than two-thirds of the House, and I hope all Members will join me in supporting this bill to honor and support the important work of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Mr. Speaker, I will read into the Record a letter from Kareem Abdul- Jabbar to the House of Representatives:

``After 20 years as a player in the National Basketball Association with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers, which included winning six NBA Championships as well as an equal number of Most Valuable Player awards, I had the honor to be inducted in 1995 into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

``To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Congressmen Richard E. Neal, Andy Barr, and Mike Kelly have sponsored legislation to authorize the U.S. Mint to issue limited-edition commemorative coins for sale to the public in 2019. Proceeds from the coins' sale will go to help continue the impressive archival and educational efforts of the Basketball Hall of Fame for years to come, all at no cost to the taxpayer.

``The Basketball Hall of Fame preserves the history of the game and celebrates the very best of the sport at all the levels it is played. The museum in Springfield, Massachusetts, honors women and men players who have achieved greatness, exemplary coaches, referees, and other major contributors to the sport. It attracts 6 million visitors a year, who see hundreds of thousands of historic artifacts and memorabilia spanning the past 125 years of basketball.

``As a Hall of Famer, I am very passionate about the work they do to not only preserve and honor, but also grow the game of basketball. It is because of this I am respectfully requesting your support and cosponsorship of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act, H.R. 1235.''

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1235) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in recognition of the 60th Anniversary of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 1235, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act.

Basketball was invented in Springfield, Massachusetts, by Dr. James Naismith in 1891.

I have the privilege of representing the Sixth Congressional District of Kentucky, home of the University of Kentucky Wildcats. We affectionately know the University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team as the greatest tradition in the history of college basketball; the winningest program in college basketball; eight national championships; and, of course, the greatest fans in the history of college basketball. We call them the Big Blue Nation.

While it may be to the surprise of many that a Kansas Jayhawk and not a Kentucky Wildcat invented the game, there is no doubt that this sport has helped many Americans learn the value of teamwork, sacrifice, and hard work.

Today, by some estimates, basketball is considered the fastest- growing sport in the world. With current megastars like LeBron James, Steph Curry, Candace Parker, and Brittney Griner, we don't have to wonder why we are in the Golden Age of basketball again.

And while the sport is wildly successful today with rising stars like former Kentucky players John Wall, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, and Karl-Anthony Towns, the future is in good hands.

I could talk all day about the upcoming NCAA basketball season, but instead I want to turn my attention to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Established in 1959, the Basketball Hall of Fame has honored players, coaches, referees, and other basketball icons for their contributions to this great American sport. From Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, Charles Barkley, Bill Russell, Jerry West, Patrick Ewing, Oscar Robertson, Pete Maravich, Bill Walton, Yao Ming, Shaq, TMac, A.I., the Millers, Swoopes, Coach Summitt, Coach Calipari, Magic Johnson, Dr. J., Wilt Chamberlain, Coach Adolph Rupp, Coach John Wooden, to Coach Dean Smith, the Basketball Hall of Fame allows fans, young and old, to reminisce or even discover the rich history of the game they love.

To the basketball lore of Chamberlain scoring 100 points in a single game, to the athletic heroics of Michael Jordan, to Lisa Leslie's dunk, to the UConn Ladies' streak of 111 wins, to Curry and company revolutionizing the game with a constant barrage of 3-pointers, the Basketball Hall of Fame is helping fans relive the greatest moments in basketball history while teaching important life lessons to youngsters through educational programs.

To honor 60 years of excellence in 2020 by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, it is with great pleasure that I am on the House floor today encouraging my colleagues to support the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act. This legislation requires the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins for fans to collect and enjoy in celebration of this momentous occasion, in denominations of $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins. Importantly, these coins would be produced at no cost to the taxpayer, and surcharges on the sale of these coins would go to support programs at the Hall of Fame after raising matching funds from the private sector.

I especially want to thank Congressman Richard Neal from Massachusetts, home to the Springfield location of the Hall of Fame; and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy from California, for their hard work on this legislation. I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation honoring this great American sport.

Go Cats, go Big Blue.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from Texas and, as I said before, the gentleman from Massachusetts for their advocacy of this bipartisan piece of legislation, again, honoring a great American tradition: the great sport of basketball.

Whether at the high school level, the collegiate level, or the professional level, it is true--the gentleman from Texas is absolutely right--this great sport unites our country. There is friendly competition--sometimes vigorous competition--in the rivalries that we see, whether it is Kentucky playing Louisville or North Carolina versus Duke, or if it is the Lakers and the Celtics from the 1980s or the Pistons and the Bulls in those great games in the 1990s.

There are a lot of people behind this legislation that deserve thanks and appreciation. I want to thank, in particular, Jim Host, who is credited for coining the phrase the ``Final Four,'' and Coach Calipari of the University of Kentucky, who has been a tireless champion of this effort. Without his leadership, I don't think this would have happened.

I want to also thank all of the members of the Hall of Fame who have come to Washington to talk to us. Jay Bilas came down here in the Ways and Means Committee and talked about the importance of this, and many of the other former players. I have to thank the players because the Hall of Fame recognizes their amazing skills and their talents, and if it weren't for their advocacy, this wouldn't have happened as well.

Finally and probably most important of all, the Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act that we are enacting here today is in honor of the fans who make this great sport possible, the American people who have fallen in love with this great American sport. We have to thank the fans for creating such excitement. Whether it is the McDonald's All American Basketball Game at the high school level, or if it is the Final Four in the national title in the NCAA in both men's and women's basketball, or if it is Game 7 of the NBA Finals, there is nothing more electric than this sport at crunch time.

Again, I urge my colleagues to come together and support the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

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

Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of H.R. 1235, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act, which I introduced along with my colleague from Kentucky (Mr. Barr).

People in Kentucky think that they invented basketball. It was actually invented in Massachusetts. But I want to thank him personally, as well as professionally, for the good work that he has done in helping to bring about this day.

As the Hall of Fame celebrates its 125th anniversary of the invention of basketball, this commemorative coin symbolizes all the sport has accomplished since its humble beginnings in a YMCA gymnasium in Springfield, Massachusetts. This truly American game continues to be played by men and women at every level and on every continent.

In December of 1891, a physical education professor named Dr. James Naismith created a game with a simple objective: throw a round ball into a peach basket that was suspended 10 feet above the ground. While only one basket was made available during those first games, it would soon become quite popular with students.

Thanks to the network of YMCAs throughout the country and the game's success on various college campuses, the sport soon became a national phenomenon. By 1894, basketball was being played around the Nation and in dozens of countries around the world.

During the 1920s and 1930s, teams like the Original Celtics and the New York Renaissance carried professional basketball to the national conscience for the first time.

Internationally, popularity of the new sport from America led to the formation of the International Basketball Federation, which was pivotal in adding basketball to the Summer Olympic Games in 1936. Eventually, the National Basketball Association was founded in 1946, and continues to enjoy great success.

The Basketball Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 1959, despite the lack of any physical structure. They would get their first home on the campus of Springfield College in 1968, just a short way from the game's first site.

Thousands of visitors came to the campus to see memorabilia and be inspired by the stories of the sport's early days. As the game skyrocketed in national popularity in the 1980s, with icons like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan, the Hall of Fame found the need to expand. As the mayor of Springfield at the time, I helped to ensure a location on the banks of the Connecticut River.

In 1985, the Hall reopened with a three-level museum with hundreds of pieces of memorabilia and displays. The admiration for the sport forced the Hall to expand once again, in 2002, with a state-of-the-art structure just steps away from the old facility.

Today, the Hall welcomes 6 million visitors annually. They are dazzled with its interactive displays and exhibits. As of this year, the Hall has inducted 365 of the greatest players, coaches, and referees. Players like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Bradley, and coaches like John Wooden and Pat Summitt have been honored for their contributions to the sport. The Basketball Hall of Fame commemorative coin is the ideal way for the legacy of these great athletes and coaches to be remembered for decades to come.

With no cost to the American taxpayer, the surcharges on these coins will go to further the museum's curation efforts. The proceeds will also go toward educational programs to promote good sportsmanship and respect on and off the court.

Mr. Speaker, I have worked with the Hall of Fame on multiple projects for more than 30 years. It is a terrific tax-exempt organization that works tirelessly to preserve the history and educate people about this truly American game.

I believe that basketball instills the virtues that this country was built upon and gives Americans someone to aspire to be. As former NBA player and United States Senator Bill Bradley put it: ``Sports is a metaphor for overcoming obstacles and achieving against great odds. Athletes, in times of difficulty, can be important role models.''

For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1235, and a special note of thanks to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gonzalez) for keeping the debate open so that I could actually speak on this.

Again, as I close, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr). He was terrific in his help on this bill.