Washington, D.C. - On Wednesday afternoon, the House of Representatives considered H. Res. 1242, Rep. David Price's (NC-04) resolution honoring the Duke University Men's Basketball team on winning the 2010 NCAA Division I National Championship. The resolution is expected to pass the House on Thursday morning.

Rep. Price spoke in favor of the resolution. His full remarks are copied below.

Congressman David Price

Floor Statement on H. Res. 1242

April 14, 2010

Madam Speaker, I am the proud sponsor of this resolution, and it congratulates the Duke University Men's Basketball team for winning the 2010 NCAA Division I National Championship. I've introduced this resolution as the member of this body privileged to represent Duke University, and I'm proud to say it has the support of the entire North Carolina delegation.

From its roots as tiny Trinity College in 1838 to its current status as one of the world's premiere research and educational institutions, Duke University – like its basketball team – is a testament to the virtues of hard work, determination, and excellence in the classroom, in the community, and in Cameron Indoor Stadium, as well.

I actually have the distinction – not always enviable – of representing both sides of college basketball's most intense rivalry: UNC- Chapel Hill is just down the road from Duke and is also in the Fourth District. I've had an interesting vantage point, having attended UNC and having taught at Duke. Trust me, I understand the importance of team loyalties to Members of Congress! And I also understand the need, occasionally, to balance these loyalties. But I think we can all agree today that the Blue Devils should be commended—and they should be commended unanimously—for reaching this pinnacle of men's college basketball.

At the risk of stoking the flames, let me talk about their record a little bit. I would be remiss if I did not remind my colleagues that the Duke Blue Devils have a long history of success in men's basketball. They've played in fifteen Final Fours, and this is their fourth title win in the last two decades (1991, 1992, 2001, and 2010). Despite this record, the team was not favored to win a National Championship at the beginning of the year. But they peaked at the right time. They finished the year with ten straight wins; they won a share of the ACC Regular Season Championship; they won outright the ACC Tournament Championship and the National Championship; and they finished the season with a record of 35-5 record, a tie for the most wins this season, nationally. This improbable end to the season underscores that anything is possible in both politics and basketball. It is also a testament to what a team should be: greater than the sum of its parts. This is an idea Duke teams have long exemplified. I will enclose in the record at the end of this statement the full roster of this remarkable team – the players and their hometowns.

Special credit is due to head coach Mike Krzyzewski, known far and wide as "Coach K," who has built one of college basketball's most stellar programs since he came to Duke in 1980. This season, Coach K brought his overall record to 868-279 overall, he won his seventy-seventh NCAA Tournament game, and won his fourth National Championship. Needless to say, this places this Hall of Famer in elite company. Only Adolph Rupp and John Wooden have won an equal or greater number of national championships. But his achievements have not been bounded by the baselines of the court. Coach K's success is about mentoring young men, coaching them to succeed not just on the court but also in the classroom and in life. His teams uphold a high standard of academic excellence, achieving a graduation success rate of 92 percent and boasting a strong tradition of Academic All-Americans.

Each step of the way, the team was buoyed by its fans—its incredible fans—the Cameron Crazies, who make Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium one of the toughest places to play in the country. That again proved true this year, when the Blue Devils went undefeated on their home court.

This year's National Championship game was considered by many to be one of the closest and most exciting title games in tournament history. It literally came down to the last shot. Butler—and Coach Brad Stevens—are also to be congratulated for their strong season and for their effort in a title game that reminded us anew of why the American people simply can't resist March Madness. And both teams deserve recognition for their dedication to sportsmanship and fair play throughout the entire season.

It is a unique privilege to introduce, for the second year in a row, the resolution in our body recognizing the 2010 NCAA Men's Basketball National Champions. Madam Speaker, I'd like for the record to reflect that I'll be perfectly happy to introduce such a resolution next year. In the meantime, I and Duke's many friends and alumni in this body look forward to welcoming the Blue Devils to the White House and Capitol Hill.

With that, I yield back the remainder of my time.

Duke Blue Devils Roster 2009-2010 Season:

# 2 Nolan Smith – Upper Marlboro, MD

# 3 Seth Curry - Charlotte, NC

#5 Mason Plumlee - Warsaw, IN

#12 Kyle Singler - Medford, OR

# 20 Andre Dawkins - Chesapeake, VA

#21 Miles Plumlee - Warsaw, IN

#30 Jon Scheyer - Northbrook, IL

#34 Ryan Kelly - Raleigh, NC

#41 Jordan Davidson - Melbourne, AR

#42 Lance Thomas - Scotch Plains, NJ

#51 Steve Johnson - Colorado Springs, CO

#52 Todd Zafirovski - Lake Forest, IL

#53 Casey Peters- Red Bank, NJ

#55 Brian Zoubek - Haddonfield, NJ

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