Mike Thompson: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3589, my legislation to award American…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3589, my legislation to award American cyclist Greg LeMond with a Congressional Gold Medal. I thank Mr. Graves from Georgia, the coauthor and lead Republican on this bill. This is a bipartisan measure. It is clear by the number of coauthors that Greg LeMond has tremendous respect in this Chamber. It was pointed out that he was born in California, Madam Speaker, but he is your favorite son as well, having grown up in Nevada. Madam Speaker, Greg LeMond stands atop the list of the greatest American cyclists in our history. His accomplishments speak for themselves: the only American in history to officially win the Tour de France, a three-time Tour de France champion, the youngest American ever selected for the U.S. Olympic team, the first American in history to win a major cycling tournament in Europe, and the winner of 22 races overall. These achievements alone would place Greg firmly among the greatest of American athletes, but they don't tell the full story. Greg's career has embodied many of our most cherished and fundamental values: sportsmanship, sacrifice, and being a good teammate. Greg won the Tour de France three times, but he could have won even more.…”