Joe Baca: “First, I would like to thank Financial Services Committee Chairman Spencer Bachus and Ranking Member Barney Frank for…”

“First, I would like to thank Financial Services Committee Chairman Spencer Bachus and Ranking Member Barney Frank for their effort to move this bill forward. Also, I want to thank my colleagues who helped me get 342 signatures. I want to thank Tom Rooney and Duncan Hunter and, of course, Dan Burton in trying to help us get the 342 cosponsors. I also wanted to thank Mr. Luetkemeyer for his support of this legislation and all of my colleagues who became cosponsors of this legislation. Today, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4040, to honor Jack Nicklaus, the Golden Bear, with the Congressional Gold Medal. Jack Nicklaus' golf record is one that history will remember forever. He was born on January 21, 1940, in Columbus, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University, and turned professional in 1961, which happens to be from the same State that the Speaker, John Boehner, is from. As a family man, he remains committed to the core values of providing for his family, respecting the game, and serving as a true inspiration for others. Upon marrying his wife, Barbara, in July of 1960, and the birth of their first son, Jack, Jr., in 1961, he decided the best way to provide for his family was to become a professional golfer. His drive and his passion for the game is an example of sportsmanship of the highest caliber, like most of us amateurs who love the game of golf.…”