Lloyd Bentsen: “Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor our fellow Texan, Lance Armstrong, and his remarkable comeback from testicular cancer to…”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor our fellow Texan, Lance Armstrong, and his remarkable comeback from testicular cancer to win the 1999 Tour de France. Lance Armstrong has stopped at many checkpoints along the road to recovery from cancer. One of these checkpoints was at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston where he received chemotherapy treatment as part of his miraculous recovery. As Lance has mentioned, his chemotherapy treatment at M.D. Anderson was one of the most difficult parts of his trying ordeal, because it resulted in the loss of hair, strength, weight, and all the other ills that accompany chemotherapy; yet his inner strength and personal will allowed him to defeat his cancer and regain his strength and prove to himself and the world that he could not only compete in the Tour de France, but win it. Many in the sports world, even in the cycling team, wrote off Lance Armstrong, but Lance Armstrong never gave up hope. He showed great courage and determination, and once the cancer was removed, he slowly and steadily climbed back on his bicycle and started to train. Then he started to race. Then he started to surprise the cycling world by making a stunning comeback. Mr. Speaker, Lance Armstrong's victory inspires all of those who have had cancer, all of those who are fighting cancer, and all of those who have had loved ones die from cancer.”