Minimum Wage Hike Passes the Senate thanks to Women's Volleyball Team...

"Passing this wage hike represents a small but necessary step to help lift America's working poor out of the ditches of poverty and onto the road toward economic prosperity."

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 44.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report the resolution by title.

The legislative clerk read as follows:

A resolution (S. Res. 44) commending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln women's volleyball team for winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 Women's Volleyball Championship.

There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and I ask that a statement by Senator Nelson of Nebraska be printed in the RECORD.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Madam President, today I wish to congratulate the No. 1 volleyball team in America: the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers Women's Volleyball Team.

The Cornhuskers won their third national title with a 3-1 victory over Stanford University on December 16, 2006. Previously, Nebraska captured National Collegiate Athletic Association's Women's Division I Volleyball Championships in 1995 and 2000.

The win moved Nebraska into a tie for second place on the list of all-time NCAA Volleyball Championships among all schools. The title was also the second for the Huskers under Coach John Cook, who led Nebraska to the 2000 title in his first season as Nebraska's head coach.

Nebraska ended its 2006 season with a 33-1 record. The team's .971 winning percentage led the Nation and was the second-best mark in school history. The Huskers also became just the third team in NCAA history to be ranked No. 1 for the entire season.

In addition, the Cornhuskers are the first team outside of the Pacific Ten Conference to win a national title in women's volleyball since Nebraska's last title in 2000. After finishing runner-up last year, Nebraska became just the third volleyball team to ever win the National Championship season after losing in the NCAA's final match. Pennsylvania State University, Penn State, and the University of California at Los Angeles, UCLA, are the only other schools to accomplish such a feat.

Attendance at the championship match, played at the Qwest Center in Omaha, NE, totaled 17,209, an all-time collegiate volleyball record. The total attendance for the entire championship session of 34,222 also set an NCAA record. The previous record was 23,978 set during the 1998 Championships in Madison, WI.

On their way to winning the national title, several Huskers collected prestigious individual honors as well. Nebraska's 6-foot, 5-inch junior right-side hitter, Sarah Pavan, led the way, winning the American Volleyball Coaches Association's, AVCA, Division I National Player of the Year award and the 2006-2007 Honda Sports Award for volleyball. Pavan became the fourth Husker to win each award. Along with Pavan, sophomore outside hitter Jordan Larson was named an AVCA First Team All-American, while junior middle blocker Tracy Stalls was a second-team selection and redshirt freshman setter Rachel Holloway was a third-team honoree.

It is a tremendous accomplishment to win a National Championship, and the University of Nebraska's Women's Volleyball Team is to be commended for its excellence and for the pride it has instilled in all Nebraskans.

The resolution (S. Res. 44) was agreed to.

The preamble was agreed to.

The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

S. Res. 44

Whereas the University of Nebraska-Lincoln women's volleyball team (referred to in this preamble as the ``Huskers'') won the 2006 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Women's Volleyball National Championship at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska, on December 16, 2006;

Whereas Husker junior Sarah Pavan was chosen as the Nation's top collegiate female volleyball player, winning the 2006-07 Honda Sports Award for volleyball;

Whereas Sarah Pavan was named the ESPN Magazine Academic All-American of the Year, becoming the University of Nebraska's 234th Academic All-American and the university's 29th Academic All-American in volleyball;

Whereas the University of Nebraska leads the Nation in the number of players named Academic All-Americans;

Whereas the Huskers completed the 2006 season with a record of 33-1;

Whereas Husker head coach John Cook has led the team to 3 national championships;

Whereas the Huskers made their sixth appearance in the NCAA finals;

Whereas the 2006 Huskers are only the third team in the history of the NCAA to lead the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll for an entire season;

Whereas the entire Husker volleyball team should be commended for its determination, work ethic, attitude, and heart;

Whereas the University of Nebraska is building an impressive legacy of excellence in its volleyball program; and

Whereas the University of Nebraska volleyball players have brought great honor to themselves, their families, their university, and the State of Nebraska: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) commends the University of Nebraska-Lincoln women's volleyball team for winning the 2006 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Women's Volleyball National Championship; and

(2) recognizes the achievements of the players, coaches, students, and staff whose hard work and dedication made winning the Championship possible.