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Recognizing Congressional Patriot Award Recipient Lou Holtz

Floor Speech

Date: April 29, 2024
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. FALLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Coach Lou Holtz of Orlando, Florida, and present him with the Congressional Patriot Award. Coach Holtz is a legendary American who is regarded as one of the greatest football coaches of all time.

Coach Holtz is a native of East Liverpool, Ohio. He attended Kent State University and was a member of Kent State's football team and ROTC program. After graduating in 1959 with a history degree, Coach Holtz commissioned as a Field Artillery Officer in the U.S. Army Reserves. In the following year, he began his extensive coaching career while attending graduate school at the University of Iowa. Over the next several decades, Coach Holtz served as the head football coach for numerous colleges, universities, and professional teams nationwide. Most notably, he led Notre Dame's Fighting Irish to record-breaking, back-to-back victories in the 1988 national championship.

For his outstanding accomplishments, Coach Holtz was granted the Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement and received honorary doctorates from many academic institutions. He was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, the Arkansas Spots Hall of Fame, the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame, and the Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame.

After he retired from football, Coach Holtz became a sports broadcaster and established the Holtz Charitable Foundation to provide scholarships for students to attend trade schools. Moreover, he published several books to inspire young adults to develop winning game plans for life. In 2020, President Donald Trump awarded Coach Holtz the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his important contributions to our nation. I am proud to recognize Coach Holtz's spectacular legacy. The lasting impact he made on our community will be felt for many years to come.

It is an honor to bestow Coach Holtz with the Patriot Award for his exceptional service to our Nation. May God Bless him.

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