Recognizing the 13th Annual Congressional Hockey Challenge

Floor Speech

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Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 13th annual Congressional Hockey Challenge, a charity game played between our congressional Lawmakers hockey team and the Lobbyists, which has raised over $1.2 million for charity since 2009. This year's matchup saw the Lawmakers pull out a hard-fought 8-3 win over the Lobbyists, continuing what is now a five-year winning streak.

This year's charities include the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club, the nation's oldest minority youth hockey program, founded by iconic U.S. Hall of Fame coach Neal Henderson; four chapters of the Warriors Hockey program, which are teams comprised of disabled American military veterans; and the Professional Women's Hockey Players' Association, an organization committed to the establishment of a professional women's hockey league in North America. Through its partnership with the National Hockey League, Ted Leonsis and the Washington Capitals, Jeremy Jacobs and the Boston Bruins, the Canadian American Business Council, and other key supporters, the annual congressional hockey game aims to ensure that the sport of hockey is accessible to all who wish to play.

In past years, the congressional hockey game has been supported by appearances from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine, Kevin Weekes, Anson Carter, Peter Bondra, Alan May, and Rod Langway, with play by play at times called by sportscaster Joe Beninati. Legendary Hall of Famer and Congressional Gold Medal recipient Willie O'Ree, who shattered hockey's racial barrier with our Boston Bruins in 1958, has been honored in the past and remains a familiar face of the annual game as an unrivaled ambassador to diversity and inclusion.

This year, our Lawmakers team was once again skillfully helmed by former University of Alaska-Fairbanks captain and my colleague Tom Emmer, along with congressional staff, administration officials, and anchored by Olympic women's hockey standouts Haley Skarupa, Megan Keller, and Hayley Scamurra.

Haley Skarupa, a dynamic and prolific scorer with a name peppered throughout both the NCAA and team record books from her time at our shared alma mater of Boston College, earned a gold medal as a forward during the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang. Another standout BC Eagle, Megan Keller, long regarded as one of the best defensive players in the world, sports a gold medal from the 2018 Olympic campaign and a silver from 2022. And Hayley Scamurra, an elite two-way threat out of Northeastern University with a litany of All-Star, MVP, and Player of the Year awards, brought back home silver from Beijing in 2022. The commanding presence of these three Olympians made this year's game one to remember.

Knowing that events such as these are never easy to organize, it's also important to acknowledge that this year's game was once again supported through the foundational efforts of Nick Lewis, Michelle MacGregor, Tim Regan, Kevin Coroneos, and many others who have selflessly volunteered their time and effort toward the game's sustained success year after year.

Mr. Speaker, it is with this in mind that I once again congratulate all the supporters and participants in this year's Congressional Hockey Challenge and recognize the inspired work of these charities. The Fort Dupont Cannons' devotion to equity in the youth community, the Warriors' provision of opportunity for our veterans, and the PWHPA's commitment to broaden the horizon for female athletes, truly helps to both demonstrate and ensure that hockey is for everyone.

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