The highest award that you can receive. We have the president ial medal of freedom and the congressional medal of honor, for military, and it is great to be with you. We are grateful to be joined by senator joe mansion, his wife, and joe called me up a while ago and suggested this idea, and id like if you would maybe go to the mic and say a good a few words about your relationship with bob. Had manchin thank you, i the great pleasure of meeting this legend many years ago through my dear friend andy and johnny per della and their family. Danny and i have been friends for a long time. He started talking about bob cousy. And i was asking are you talking about the bob cousy. He said i had grown up with him and he was a friend of the family. We knew each other forever. I met him, we stop we started talking, and bobs friend said this is something that he was inspired for. We were having a meeting on something else. We were back having lunch and you were talking, and your personal fashion, and i said there is a gentleman you ought to consider for this high award. And he would said, who would that be, and you said bob cousy. You said, give us a number. You made the phone call, and he was not going to take the phone call because someone said the white house was calling, and he says, its not for me. He took the call, and it was a team effort. His whole family, and all who grew up with him. It was a team effort. I was happy enough to be a part of this. Thank you very much. Pres. Trump you are a big part of it. Thank you very much for being here. Also with us, many members of the cousy family including bobs daughters. Where are you . Hello, folks, congratulations. It is a big deal. His grandchildren, zachary and nicole. Thank you and congratulations. His soninlaws randi, bruce, and joseph randy, bruce, and joseph. They are good, no complaints . I bet they are. Bob rew up during the Great Depression on east 83rd street. The age of 13, he picked up a basketball for the first time. He devoted himself to the sport and honed a unique ability to play equally well with both hands. He had a very unique talent, equal ability with both hands. I will not ask you whether or not it was true. Was it true . Pretty unique. Thatever forgot the lesson his first mentor taught taught him, do not be predictable. Not for basketball, but for other things. Year, he was named captain of the Scholastic Team and people started calling him the hugh dini of the hardcourt. Called talent, you either have it or you do not. Crusaders, where he quickly built a large following of fans. One of the biggest games of his sophomore year, his coach, benched him. I bet his that is the only time it happened. The team was behind with seven points and it was an important game. When the fans started going cousy,we want to see 8000 fans. The coach had no choice but to put bob in, and bob immediately went on to score 12 points leading his team for neck to come from behind victory. I do not know if the coach kept his job or not. What do you think . I wouldve gotten rid of the coach. Worchester was a threetime allamerican and was on his way to being drafted to the nba. Everybody was talking about him all over the country. Joining the celtics in 1950, he established himself as the preeminent point guard of his day. He was ranked number one and assists for eight of his 13 nba seasons, all of which were spent with a team known as the boston the boston celtics. By the celtic by the Second Season he was the third highest score in the lead. In the league. During a famous game, bob demonstrated exceptional grip and one of the roughest games in the history of basketball, including 107 fouls. Now is that is a lot of fouls. Theforced the game into first of four overtimes and compelled propelled the way to victory. Boston won by quite a bit, because he went wild and that last overtime. In 1950 four, he organized the nba players association, the first of its kind union. He was elected the associations first president and fought for better working conditions and a more reasonable schedule. His activism helped him produce many notable reforms including a pension plan for nba players. Bob was also a passionate advocate for equality and wrotee at holy cross he his senior thesis on the persecution faced by minorities. While playing for this celtic for the celtics he heard that his friend could not stay in the same hotel as the rest of the team in the segregated south. Bob responded by leaving the state with his teammate and he was not a happy person. He became really happy, because what happened after that is legendary. Bob was at the forefront. Grout his career, he was a voice against racism throughout his career he was a voice against racism. Retired ingames, he 18,973e has scored points, and made 70,882 assists. Champion,ix time nba time nbaall a 13 all store. He was the first nba player to be on the court on the cover of sports illustrated. He coached the Boston CollegeBasketball Team to a 11738 record. He coached the u. S. National team to a victory against the soviet union. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of fame in 1971, and became the first and need to serve as its president. He coached the cincinnati royals and briefly reactivated in 1969, setting the record for the oldest person to play in the nba. Am i allowed to ask how old that was . I think it was 41. Pres. Trump that was pretty good. Over the years he has poured his halt his heart into countless charitable causes. He was named the big brother of the year in 1965, taught youth basketball and created a scholarship for underprivileged children. An incredible life. You have done a great job. But you are one of the alltime greats in the history of sports, not just basketball. And an inspiration to us all. Today america honors and celebrates everything that you have achieved. Youve achieved so much and beyond basketball. Thes my privilege to ask military aid to read the citation as we present bob cousy with the president ial medal of freedom. Please, please. [applause] bob cousy isph one of basketballs greatest players. Hardboard was the instrumental in building the team to a ledge just a legendary success. Games, was a 13 time allstar and won the most valuable player award in 1957. Off the court he fought for racially quality by standing up to racism directed at his teammates and organized the nba players association. He was inducted into the memorial Basketball Hall of fame. The United States probably honors mr. Cousys competitiveness and character has identified him as a distinguished athlete and american. [applause] pres. Trump you take your time. Bob thank you mr. President. For those kind words. If i had known i was going to be eulogizing, i wouldve probably done the only decent thing and died for you. Got at 91 i have to stop using that line. I think the good lord has heard it once too often and he is ready to tell one of his aides, i think that what i think that sucker wants to come on up. Yank him up. I know in your world, you are well on your way to making America Great again, in my world it has been great for 91 years. Only in america could my story have been told. I am here to say that i am easily the most fortunate, sob on the planet. Abricated overseas, following 70 17 year ghetto experience. I discovered skills to play a i did not havend much of a moral code other than survival of self interest. The and now, i landed at college of the holy cross where my jesuit mentors, in answer to the eternal questions, what is it all about and why are we here . They advised maximize your godgiven skills in the areas of your choice, and then reach out in your communities and help in any way you can those who are less fortunate, those who need a boost. The best of my ability, i have tried to do that. I would like to thank the good that i like to think the good lord has rewarded my attempts by surrounding me at this point in my life at this wonderful event. Friends who have my back, my two wonderful grandchildren who, let us introduce you guys one more time. Zachary two loving daughters, both with devoted partners, and both who hover over me and make sure that i take my pills on time. Ask all of those friends to stand and be identified, that i would like to pay special tribute to my friend senator joe mansion from joe nchin,n from joe ma from west virginia. I would like my daughters, i know you took one bow, just a quick wave guys. They are both retired schoolteachers, both with bothnguished careers, and wonderful replicas of their mother. Im sorry about that. Missie, who put up with me for 63 that is why you should not invite old men to the white house. We get emotional. , while tryingears in her way to make the world a better place. , as a reference to my good fortune, i refer to why we are here this afternoon. This acknowledgment allows me to complete my lifes circle. I can stop chasing the bouncing ball. ,residential medal of freedom it allows me to reach a level of acceptance in our society i never once ever dreamed of. Two it is very special for other reasons, it allows me to join one of the most exclusive anyway, thank yusor thank you sir, thank you all of my friends and family, thank you for your attendance and attention. Peace. [applause] pres. Trump i just want to say, first of all, that was beautiful, and congratulation to the family and friends. The last great athlete to get it tiger woods about three months ago. And he didr fan too a great job. He did something that people thought was impossible. He won the masters and he was something. You are in very good company. And with some incredible people in the past. I want to again congratulate bob, and his family, and joe, thank you to that reference. When senator manchin called, he set an idea, bob cousy, and i said done. I said there is nothing to think about. I know his wife and i know he has done great things beyond that, so that was a quick acceptance. Have to call you back. I saved that. Phone call, so thank you for that reference. [applause] mr. President are you concerned about the jobs numbers . Pres. Trump the jobs numbers have been good. We have unemployment at a level that it has not been at for many years. Fantastic numbers. The economy has been fantastic. If you look at the world economy, not so good. Thank you very much. Press, we are leaving. We are finished. The u. S. Senate comes back on september 9 with two more issues, avoiding a Government Shutdown and antigun violence legislation. Before senators turned return to washington, get a behind the scenes look. Heres a preview. This government under which we live was created in the spirit of compromise and mutual concession. The founders envisioned. We were trying to protect from their rulers. And as a check on the house. The fate of this country and maybe even the world lies in the hands of congress in the United States. Using original interviews, cspan Video Archives and access to the senate chamber. We will look at the history and traditions and rules of the u. S. Senate. Sunday at 9 00 p. M. Eastern and pacific. On cspan. Recenthe wake of the shootings, the House Judiciary Committee will return early from its summer reasons to mark up three gun violence prevention bills include banning highcapacity ammunition magazines, restricting firearms for those deemed by a court to be a risk to themselves and preventing individuals convicted of misdemeanor hate crimes. Meeting the house is both the house and senate are meeting every three days in these sessions while most members of congress are on their summer break. Numbers return on september 9. The speaker pro tempore the house will be in order. The chair lays before the house a communication from the speaker. The clerk the speakers rooms. Washington, d. C. August 27, 2019. I hereby appoint the honorable donald s. Buyer jr. To act as speaker pro tempore on this day. Signed, nancy pelosi, speaker of the house of representatives. The speaker pro tempore the prayer today will be offered by our guest chaplain, monsignor stephen j. Rossetti here in washington, d. C. The chaplain good and gracious god, as the days of summer come to a close, and as we look forward to the busy days of fall, we pray that you would cast out the darkness of discord in our country and in this place. May your holy spirit descend upon us and usher in a new time of unity, Mutual Respect and peace. May you give to this place and to all those who will gather here a special grace of joy and peace. We pray this in your holy name. Amen. The speaker pro tempore thank you. Pursuant to section 5a of House Resolution 509, the journal of the last days proceeding is approved. The chair will now lead the house in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Pursuant to section 5b of House Resolution 509, the house now stands adjourned until 2 30 p. M. 12 30 p. M. On friday, training tour at the tricounty legion regional training visitedand john bozeman h and j land company. Thehe tweeted, i appreciate hospitality of jennifer, greg, and marvin showed us around the farm and showed us conservation practices. Congress return september 9