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Home , Dennis Rodman, Milwaukee Bucks, Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen

S3478 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 17, 1996 majority leader. The majority leader, I yield the floor. BULLS WIN 70 GAMES BOB DOLE, is to be commended for his f Ms. MOSELEY-BRAUN. Mr. Presi- leadership. Once again, Senator DOLE APPOINTMENT BY THE VICE dent, I want to take this opportunity has delivered for the American people. PRESIDENT to commemorate a historic moment for I personally express my gratitude to the city of Chicago and the State of Il- our distinguished majority leader. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The linois. Over the years, the members of I also want to acknowledge the work Chair, on behalf of the Vice President, this greatest deliberative body have en- of Chairman HENRY HYDE over in the pursuant to Public Law 77–770, appoints gaged in some of the most compelling House, and my fellow conferees, Sen- the Senator from Louisiana, [Mr. debates the world has ever heard: ators THURMOND, SIMPSON, BIDEN, and BREAUX], to the Migratory Bird Con- issues of States’ rights, war and peace, KENNEDY. Senators NICKLES and INHOFE servation Commission, vice the Sen- and individual liberty. But as of last deserve mention, too, because they ator from Arkansas, [Mr. PRYOR]. evening, one debate need no longer be never let this institution forget who Mr. SPECTER addressed the Chair. considered: which is the greatest NBA this bill was for. All of the survivors The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- team of all time, at least through the from the Oklahoma tragedy and the ator from Pennsylvania is recognized. regular season. By recording their un- Pan Am disaster were critical to this f precedented 70th win of the regular season, the 1995–96 are bill’s passage. So they all deserve our MORNING BUSINESS thanks. one of the best teams of all time, and I want to mention a few of the other Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I ask when they go on to secure an NBA people who worked on this bill, as unanimous consent that there now be a championship, they will be without well—in particular, the staffers who period for the transaction of routine question, the greatest team in the his- worked long hours out of deep commit- morning business. tory of professional . ment to public service. Jeanne The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without In the 49-year history of the National Lapatto, Christina Rios, Nick Altree, objection, it is so ordered. Basketball Association, no team has Mike Ashburn, John Gibbons, and Ed f won 70 games in one season until the Richards were invaluable. Ashley Chicago Bulls accomplished that re- HISTORIC 70 WINS FOR THE markable feat—I am sad to say to my Disque—a young woman who came to CHICAGO BULLS the committee as an L.C. and has not dear friend and colleague from Wis- looked back—epitomized initiative. Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, Senators consin, Senator KOHL—by defeating the Mike Kennedy, an attorney who is often make statements on the floor to Bucks last night 86 to 80. going to go places, in my opinion, inform the Senate and the Nation By winning their 70th game in 79 tries, worked around the clock. Finally, I about the accomplishments of their the Bulls eclipsed a 24-year-old record want to commend Mike O’Neill, our constituents, and today I wish to ac- set by the Lakers and now crime counsel. Mike is going to be knowledge some folks back in Illinois stand alone on the other side of what leaving here in a few weeks to clerk for who have achieved a historic feat un- once was considered an impregnable Justice Thomas over at the Supreme equaled by their peers. My colleagues barrier. This year’s Bulls team has elevated Court. Our loss is the Supreme Court’s may be familiar with this group of Chicagoans. I am speaking of the Chi- itself to an elite level in the history of gain. Quite simply, Mike O’Neill, more sports. This team deserves to be ranked than any other staffer, made this bill cago Bulls, who last night defeated the in a hard-fought, 86 on the same level as the 1927 New York happen. Manus Cooney, our committee Yankees, the 1972 Miami Dolphins, and staff director and senior counsel is also to 80 game, to become the first Na- tional Basketball Association [NBA] the 1977 Montreal Canadiens—all teams to be commended. that embodied perfection in sports. It Some of Senator BIDEN’s staff should team to win 70 games in a season. might also be noted that with this 70th be mentioned as well—Demetra In the nearly 50-year history of the win, Chicago now holds the distin- Lambros and Chris Putala are true pro- NBA, 70 wins has been a mythical, guished honor of having or sharing fessionals. Also, I would like to thank seemingly unattainable goal. The 1971– three of the four major sports records Valerie Flappan of the legislative 72 came close with for most wins in a regular season—the counsel’s office. 69 wins, but now the Bulls have secured 1906 Cubs in , 116 wins, the 1985 I also want to compliment the other their place in the history books with Bears in football, 15 wins and now, the House conferees and, in particular, 70, and with 3 games left in the season, Chicago Bulls. I know I speak for Bulls Congressmen HYDE, MCCOLLUM, SCHIFF, that record could be higher. fans across the country in saying that BUYER, and especially BOB BARR from Of course this achievement would not we are energized and excited by the Georgia, who worked very hard on this have been possible without the return zealous pursuit of victory exhibited by bill and has provided an awful lot of of , unarguably the our team this year. input on this bill. Another staffer who game’s greatest player ever. But we cannot overlook the efforts of his It is no coincidence that the greatest should be mentioned here is Pat Mur- team of all time is being propelled by teammates, from , Toni ray, HENRY HYDE’s able and dedicated the greatest player of all time—Mi- Kukoc, and , to the less counsel who, in working with our staff, chael Jordan. Michael Jordan has a publicized but invaluable players like helped craft a true terrorism bill. Paul combination of power and panache un- , , , McNulty also deserves credit. There matched in the history of the NBA. He are so many others I would like to and , to name just a refuses to lose and his competitive na- commend at this . But I will end few. The talent of individuals however ture, floor leadership, and will to win at this point and thank all of these can only take you so far. A true cham- lifts the playing level of all those good people for the good work they pion needs a great leader, and coach around him. have done. has fulfilled that role Mr. President, we all know that in I pay respect to my distinguished col- throughout his career, having guided team sports, true greatness cannot be league, the minority leader on the Ju- the Bulls to three previous champion- achieved alone. Michael Jordan is sur- diciary Committee. He is a tough, ships. rounded by outstanding players in tough opponent. He is a very good ad- Should the Bulls go on to win the their own right—Scottie Pippen, Den- vocate. It is one of the privileges in my championship in June—their fourth of nis Rodman, Toni Kukoc, and the rest life to be able to work with him on the the decade—there is little doubt that of the lineup. Coach Phil Jackson has Judiciary Committee and to be able to they would be considered the greatest been able to skillfully mesh all the per- have this type of a relationship, and team in the history of professional bas- sonalities of this team into an extraor- still to occasionally fight each other on ketball. I am proud to represent this dinary combination of teamwork and the floor and, hopefully, walk away group of individuals and congratulate individual achievement. The result is still friends. them on their unprecedented accom- the 70-win accomplishment that has In particular, I want to make all plishment. I wish them the best of luck eluded basketball’s best players and those congratulations. as they head into the playoffs. teams for decades.

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