Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 452, the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act.

Who can forget those words from legendary announcer Al Michaels: ``Eleven seconds. You've got 10 seconds to go. The countdown going on right now. Morrow up to Silk. Five seconds left in the game. Do you believe in miracles? Yes.''

Who can forget those legendary words on that Friday, February 22, 1980?

What that hockey team did for our country during that time was they beat the most powerful team in the world. These amateurs from our college ranks, they beat the best team in the world. They beat the best team in the world at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid.

Nobody gave them a chance. In fact, that game was tape delayed because they didn't think it was going to be significant. That was the most powerful moment in the history of sports.

Madam Speaker, I will talk to you about the State of Minnesota. The State of Minnesota is the ``State of Hockey.'' It is our way of life.

I am the first professional hockey player ever to be elected to the U.S. Congress. I have two other brothers who played professional hockey. My nephew plays with the Utah Hockey Club. Hockey is our way of life. What this 1980 Olympic team did is unimaginable for the sport of hockey.

Those Minnesotans from my district were Buzz Schneider, Mark Pavelich, Bill Baker, Phil Verchota, and John Harrington. Look at the small towns where they came from: Grand Rapids, Eveleth, Babbitt, Virginia, and Duluth. These players grew up loving the game.

They put that USA jersey on and were coached by Herb Brooks. We all remember the white jersey with ``USA'' on the front or a dark blue jersey with ``USA'' on the front.

Ten days before that game, Madam Speaker, they had an exhibition game, and they were blown out at Madison Square Garden. Yet, a few days later, Herb Brooks had them ready. They were conditioned. They were ready. They played as a team. Movies were made about it.

Growing up in Duluth, I had the privilege of watching many of these players play. Mark Johnson, who scored two goals in that game, was from the University of Wisconsin. I saw him play at the Duluth arena against Minnesota Duluth. He was magical.

Phil Verchota, from Duluth East, came from a hardworking, blue-collar family. He went to the University of Minnesota as a standout.

Bill Baker was from Grand Rapids. Mike Eruzione was from Boston University as well as Jack O'Callahan. Mark Wells was from Bowling Green. These players meant something to their communities.

In fact, it is really weird. I represent Babbitt, Minnesota. There is a Realtor up there, and it was just last year, Madam Speaker, that I asked the Realtor: Would you please bring me by Buzz Schneider's home, his small home in Babbitt? I want to see where he grew up.

It is the love of hockey. It is the love of the game. I know exactly where I was, Madam Speaker, when they won. I was at the Pine Valley Ice Shelter in Cloquet, Minnesota. It was my first year at Bantam, and one of our parents came running out of the Zamboni room. He had just watched the little black-and-white TV. He said: We beat the Russians. We beat the Russians.

I remember sitting on the bench, thinking: Why is he yelling that?

Little did I know it would be the sports moment of the century. Little did we know, 2 days later, on that Sunday, when they played Finland--it wasn't going to be a gimme game. They had to work hard and they beat Finland. Remember what Coach Herb Brooks said: If you lose this game, you are going to take it to your blankety-blank graves. They were ready for it.

I just replayed Al Michaels' last 11 seconds of the game. It gives me chills being from the State of Hockey, knowing these players.

Madam Speaker, it was just a little over a month ago that we brought four of those players to Washington, D.C., on Hockey Day on the Hill to promote this Congressional Gold Medal Act.

The night before, those players spoke to our conference. I had the privilege of going out to dinner with them. I was sitting right next to Captain Mike Eruzione. I remember he said: You know something, Pete. This game changed my life.

He was either going be a member of the military, a police officer, or a firefighter.

He said: This game changed my life. That moment changed my life. He said: I did well in my life. He said: Pete, for the United States of America to give our 1980 Olympic team the Congressional Gold Medal, it is the cherry on top. We will never be able to do anything bigger than that.

To have that captain say that to me is why it was so important that I worked on both sides of the aisle. We got over 290 signatures to get it onto the House floor.

There will be three Congressional Gold Medals minted, Madam Speaker. One of them is going to go to the ice rink in Lake Placid where they won it. One is going to go to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minnesota, the home of Mark Pavelich. The third one is going to go to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

We recognize that moment 45 years ago. I often wonder why we didn't do this sooner. Why didn't we do this sooner? We should have. That moment helped elevate the game of hockey across the United States. It helped elevate girls' hockey across the United States. I share that my younger brother, Rob, was the coach of the women's gold medal team in Pyeongchang, where they won in overtime.

Being an Olympic gold medalist following these men and their careers, they were heroes to those of us who laced up the skates. We couldn't wait to get that USA jersey on, even playing ball hockey in the driveway or in the street. It brought this Nation together like no other sporting event. We needed it at that time, and these young amateurs provided it for us.

Madam Speaker, I finish with a list of thank-yous.

First, I thank Congressman Mike Quigley, Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, and Congressman Bill Keating for co-leading this legislation with me. I thank Senators Cramer and Schumer for spearheading the bill in the Senate. I also thank the other 293 Members of Congress who cosponsored this bill to give these men the honor that they deserve.

Second, I thank the National Hockey League and USA Hockey who have been championing this cause alongside me and have been instrumental in getting this bill onto the floor today.

Finally, I thank the players of the ``Miracle On Ice'' team: Bill Baker from Grand Rapids, Minnesota; Neal Broten from Roseau, Minnesota; Dave Christian from Warroad, Minnesota; Steve Christoff from Richfield, Minnesota; Jim Craig from North Easton, Massachusetts; Michael Eruzione from Winthrop, Massachusetts; John ``Bah'' Harrington from Virginia, Minnesota; Steve Janaszak from White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Mark Johnson from Madison, Wisconsin; Rob McClanahan from St. Paul, Minnesota; Ken Morrow from Flint, Michigan; Jack O'Callahan from Charlestown, Massachusetts; the late Mark Pavelich from Eveleth, Minnesota; Mike Ramsey from Minneapolis, Minnesota; Buzz Schneider from Babbitt, Minnesota; Dave Silk from Scituate, Massachusetts; Eric Strobel from Rochester, Minnesota; the late Bob Suter from Madison, Wisconsin; the late Mark Wells from St. Clair Shores, Michigan; Phil Verchota from Duluth, Minnesota; and, finally, the legendary and late Coach Herb Brooks from St. Paul, Minnesota, one of the best coaches ever in the game of hockey.

Madam Speaker, I am excited to vote on this bill shortly. I thank these young men for creating the most memorable moment in sports history and demonstrating to the world the unwavering strength of the American spirit.

Mr. Speaker, normally, when you come up to talk about a bill, you raise the podium here and put your papers down. Mr. Speaker, when you talk about the 1980 Olympic game, I don't need any notes. I don't need any recollection.

``Eleven seconds. You've got 10 seconds. The countdown is going on right now! Morrow, up to Silk. Five seconds left in the game. Do you believe in miracles? Yes!''

Friday, February 22, 1980, the game started at 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, 4 p.m. Central Standard Time, where I was a bantam hockey player, playing in the Pine Valley Ice Shelter. We had one of our parents come out of the locker room, ``We beat the Russians. We beat the Russians,'' because it was on tape delay.

Mr. Speaker, I am so proud for this body to pass this. As my colleague, Mr. Sherman, said, it is also coming from the Senate. It came from the Senate.

The fact of the matter is, as Chairman Williams says, it was more than a hockey game. It was the height of the Cold War. The United States needed that lift, and those American heroes gave us that lift.

Those 12 Minnesotans gave us that lift. Coach Herb Brooks from the University of Minnesota gave us that lift. All of those players standing on that gold medal platform on Sunday, February 24, all of them on that small platform, gave America the lift.

A couple of weeks ago, I had dinner with some of the members of the gold medal team. Captain Mike Eruzione said this to me: Pete, that hockey game gave me life. Had we not won, I was going to be either a firefighter, police officer, or go into the military, but that game changed my life. I made a lot of money. This Congressional Gold Medal will be the cherry on top for our team.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their unwavering support to get this across the finish line. It was 40-plus years since they did that, and 3 weeks, 2\1/2\ weeks before these games, the Soviets dominated them at Madison Square Garden.

Mr. Speaker, named after Coach Herb Brooks, we call them Herbies. Blue line back, red line back, far blue line back, and far goal line back are Herbies.

Who do you play for? Who do you play for? Team USA. That name on the front of the jersey meant more than the name on the back--USA.

Dare I say, Mr. Speaker, we in Congress have to do that same thing. Who do we play for? Who do we play for? The United States of America.

I thank my friend and colleague from upstate New York, Representative Elise Stefanik, because she was originally going to carry this bill. Mr. Speaker, she let me carry it.

After a conversation with her, I said: Elise, Minnesota is the State of Hockey. Herb Brooks comes from the State of Hockey. There were 12 Minnesotans. There was Duluth hometown hero Phil Verchota. There was Mark Pavelich, John Harrington, Buzz Schneider, and Bill Baker. The list goes on and on from our great State of Minnesota.

Elise Stefanik said: Pete, you have made a great statement. Carry that bill.

Representative Stefanik has no idea what it means to me to be able to deliver this bill with my colleagues across the House floor. That game meant more to this country than those heroes realized. Yes, it was just a hockey game, but it was a hockey game that we needed to win at that moment at that time for this great Nation.

Remember, Mike Eruzione scored with 10 minutes left. The Soviets were just pressuring us. What did Coach Herb Brooks say up and down the ice? He said: ``Play your game. Play your game.''

They were the best conditioned. They were a team. Nobody was going to win that game other than the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, hockey is a great game. I know that my good friend and colleague, Chairman Williams, thinks, probably rightfully so, that baseball is America's pastime. For anyone who comes from Minnesota, hockey is America's pastime. We banter back and forth. I actually think he is right, but give me some grace.

To my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, to Kevin Cramer and Chuck Schumer, who delivered this across the aisle in the Senate, I think and believe that we in America, especially with the events that have happened recently, that name on the front of our jersey means more than the name on the back. On the front of our jersey, it says: ``USA.''

Those college kids on that Friday had no idea of the impact they were going to have across this great Nation. Those men went on to do great things. Some went on to win Stanley Cup championships, such as Kenny Morrow; my hero, Neal Broten, from Roseau, Minnesota; my hero, Mark Pavelich, from Eveleth, Minnesota; and my other hero, Phil Verchota, from my hometown of Duluth. It was integrity, honesty, hard work, dedication, and the will to win.

Mr. Speaker, the name on the front of our jersey, USA, means more than the name on the back. I am thrilled to be able to vote on this piece of legislation. These Olympic heroes deserve this because, as Captain Eruzione says, it will put the cherry on top of their accomplishment. It is the highest honor we can give.

As was alluded to earlier, the Olympic Center in Lake Placid is going to have a Congressional Gold Medal. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs will have a Congressional Gold Medal. Yes, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame Museum in Eveleth, Minnesota, will have a Congressional Gold Medal.

Mr. Speaker, I am excited about this opportunity. Hockey is a great game. This changed the history of our country. We can never forget what it meant to us.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 452) to award 3 Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team, in recognition of their extraordinary achievement at the 1980 Winter Olympics where, being comprised of amateur collegiate players, they defeated the dominant Soviet hockey team in the historic ``Miracle on Ice'', revitalizing American morale at the height of the Cold War, inspiring generations and transforming the sport of hockey in the United States.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 452, a bill that awards three Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by thanking Congressman Stauber and the numerous original sponsors for getting this important bill to the floor today.

``Great moments are born from great opportunity.'' With those words, Coach Herb Brooks rallied the young, underdog U.S. hockey team during a dark chapter of the Cold War, a time when Americans faced nuclear threats, economic uncertainty, and a crisis of confidence.

The Soviet Union's hockey team had dominated for decades, beating the U.S. in their last 12 matchups, including a crushing 10-3 exhibition win just 3 weeks earlier. No one expected the Americans to win.

However, on February 22, 1980, in Lake Placid, Team USA shocked the world, defeating the Soviets in a stunning upset.

It wasn't just a hockey game. It was a symbolic victory for democracy, resilience, and national pride.

Just days later, they claimed Olympic gold for the United States.

These 20 young men reminded a shaken Nation that its greatest moments weren't in the past. They were still within reach.

Mr. Speaker, the players of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Ice Hockey Team are deserving of these Congressional Gold Medals as the highest recognition of national appreciation for their determination, courage, and patriotism.

My hope is that what this team achieved on that ice in 1980 will continue to inspire Americans today and for generations yet to come.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill. I even remember where I was at that very moment.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to reiterate the importance of the 1980 United States Olympic Hockey Team uniting during such a challenging and turbulent period in American history. Their unforgettable victory solidified the Nation's legacy of excellence both on the ice and on the global stage. We owe these men a debt of gratitude for transforming and shaping the landscape of American hockey over the past four decades.

I thank Congressman Stauber for his leadership and his speech. It was very good. I thank all of my colleagues in advance for supporting this measure.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 452) to award 3 Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team, in recognition of their extraordinary achievement at the 1980 Winter Olympics where, being comprised of amateur collegiate players, they defeated the dominant Soviet hockey team in the historic ``Miracle on Ice'', revitalizing American morale at the height of the Cold War, inspiring generations and transforming the sport of hockey in the United States.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 452.

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

Madam Speaker, no one has done more work on this than its originator, our esteemed colleague from the great State of Minnesota, Pete Stauber.

I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).

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

Madam Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 452. The bill awards Congressional Gold Medals to honor the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's hockey team.

Madam Speaker, it can't be stated any better than Mr. Stauber did. It was such a beautiful, impassioned speech from someone who has lived so much of hockey.

Yet, the quote from Coach Herb Brooks that sticks out to me is: ``Great moments are born from great opportunity.''

We all know the line. It is an unforgettable one. They seized the moment at a time when I was too young to really comprehend what it meant. When you watch it later in life, as a guy who enlisted in the Army during the Cold War, to see moments like that that move the Nation and unite us, you see what sports can do.

At the same time, the Soviet Union had a hockey team that was dominant on the ice. They seemed insurmountable, but our American athletes showed that they were not. It showed the hope and optimism that it was possible within our country that we could defeat insurmountable odds. The coach and that team deserve the credit.

Madam Speaker, I am glad that we are taking this opportunity to honor them with a Congressional Gold Medal. These 20 men played with everything they had. They outskated, outplayed, and just fought harder, leaving everything on the ice to win that victory.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, in closing, I reiterate the importance of the 1980 Olympic men's ice hockey team uniting during such a challenging and turbulent period in American history. Their unforgettable victory solidified the Nation's legacy of excellence, both on the ice and on the global stage.

We owe these men a great debt of gratitude for transforming and shaping the landscape of American hockey and, broadly, sport itself over these past four decades.

Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Stauber for his leadership and all of my colleagues for helping advance this important measure.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of concurring in the Senate amendment and passing H.R. 452, the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act, sponsored by our friend, Pete Stauber.

This bill was considered on the floor of this House, and I was pleased to manage it on the Democratic side, back on April 28. We sent an excellent bill over to the Senate, and for the first time ever, the Senate actually improved a House bill. Now, it is appropriate for us to concur in their amendment, pass the bill, and send it to the President.

Today, we vote to honor the legacy of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team and their victory that inspired a country at the height of the Cold War.

This legislation awards three Congressional Gold Medals. Each of these gold medals will be displayed at different locations for community members and visitors to commemorate for generations to come. These locations are the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York; the Hockey Hall of Fame Museum in Eveleth, Minnesota; and the Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs.

The victory we are recognizing today took place on February 22, 1980, when

the U.S. hockey team heroically defeated the Soviet Union 4-3 at the Lake Placid Winter Olympic Games.

The talented yet untested U.S. team was initially deemed the underdog. Many of them were young college players and had only played together for a few months.

Leading up to the game, the U.S. players took part in a 7-month training program designed to confront a Soviet team considered to be the best conditioned hockey team in the world. However, through steadfast determination and grit, the U.S. team won.

Even decades later, when our country is facing political division and economic difficulties, I hope these events can serve as a reminder that we can overcome great challenges.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the sponsor of this bill and urge my colleagues to support the passage of this measure.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I have never heard a speech on the floor of this House spoken with such enthusiasm. As a Los Angeles Dodgers fan, I do have to disagree. America's pastime remains baseball. We will see that at 10:10 eastern time, when the Dodgers defeat the Philadelphia Phillies tonight.

This legislation honors the members of the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey Team, whose hard-fought work and commitment reignited a country at the height of the Cold War. In recognizing this victory, I hope their legacy will continue to inspire us.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.