House Passes Thompson Resolution Honoring Joe Paterno's 400th Win

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed a resolution by U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-Howard, honoring Joe Paterno on his 400th win as Penn State Nittany Lions Football head coach.

The resolution, H. Res. 1715, passed the House. “This seemed the most appropriate way to commemorate the historic occasion and to express national support for not only his record, but what Joe Paterno stands for.,” said Thompson.

“Coach Paterno has given a lifetime to Penn State, the game, and his players - on and off the field. His charitable spirit has been unsurpassed and he leads by example. This is why I was also proud to nominate him for the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this year,” added Thompson.

The resolution cites the fact that “Joe Paterno has served the Pennsylvania State University with honor and distinction for 60 years since starting as an assistant coach in 1950.”

It also lists Paterno’s many accomplishments: “…two National championships, seven undefeated seasons, 23 finishes in the top 10 rankings, and three Big Ten Conference Championships since joining the conference in 1993. Joe Paterno has 24 bowl game wins and 36 bowl game appearances, both of which are the most of any coach in history.”

Thompson was able to get 28 cosponsors of the resolution including all the Members of the Pennsylvania delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, Thompson said, “In his build-up to 400 wins, Paterno began winning before many current coaches on other teams were born. He has turned Penn State football into a powerhouse program, one of only seven football programs in history to have more than 800 wins. “