WASHINGTON, DC – Hours after the duck boats rolled through the streets of Boston on Wednesday for the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl victory parade, the United States Senate approved a resolution officially congratulating the entire Patriots organization on their ‘dramatic’ 28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday, February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona.  The resolution was sponsored by the bipartisan, all-New England team of Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Edward Markey (D-MA).

The resolution, S.Res. 63, Congratulating the New England Patriots on their victory in Super Bowl XLIX, reads as follows:

RESOLUTION

Congratulating the New England Patriots on their victory in Super Bowl XLIX.

Whereas on Sunday, February 1, 2015, the New England Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX with a score of 28 to 24, defeating the Seattle Seahawks in Glendale, Arizona;

Whereas Malcolm Butler’s goal line interception with 20 seconds remaining in the game clinched the Super Bowl XLIX Championship for the New England Patriots;

Whereas the Super Bowl XLIX victory is the fourth Super Bowl Championship for the New England Patriots;

Whereas quarterback Tom Brady broke, tied, or extended 9 Super Bowl records in leading the New England Patriots to their fourth Super Bowl victory and was named the ‘‘Super Bowl Most Valuable Player’’ for the third time;

Whereas Head Coach Bill Belichick, Coordinators Matt Patricia and Josh McDaniels, and the staff of the New England Patriots brilliantly created successful game plans throughout the 2014 season;

Whereas extraordinary efforts by players of the New England Patriots, including Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, Brandon LaFell, Danny Amendola, Shane Vereen, LeGarrette Blount, Darrelle Revis, Chandler Jones, Jamie Collins, Vince Wilfork, Rob Ninkovich, Devin McCourty, Dont’a Hightower, Sealver Siliga, Alan Branch, Ryan Allen, Stephen Gostkowski, Brandon Browner, Matthew Slater, and Malcolm Butler, significantly contributed to the Super Bowl XLIX victory;

Whereas the offensive line of the New England Patriots was crucial to their victory in Super Bowl XLIX, and strong efforts by Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer, Bryan Stork, Ryan Wendell, Dan Connolly, and Cameron Fleming resulted in the New England Patriots conceding only one sack out of the 51 times quarterback Tom Brady dropped back to pass during Super Bowl XLIX;

Whereas Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, deserves great credit for his unwavering commitment and leadership, and for his gracious acknowledgment that the team’s Super Bowl Championship would not have been possible without the strong support of the millions of fans who comprise ‘‘Patriots Nation’’; and

Whereas all members of the New England Patriots ‘‘did their job’’ to help deliver a fourth Vince Lombardi Trophy to New England and are now ‘‘on to the White House’’ to celebrate their victory: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate congratulates the New England Patriots on their dramatic Super Bowl XLIX victory.

The resolution was officially adopted by the Senate on Wednesday evening, without objection (including by the Senators representing the State of Washington).

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