today to honor washington state's finest, spokane native and washington state university cougar steve gleason. i know my senate colleagues will be here this afternoon to do the same. my colleagues from louisiana and washington have introduced legislation to award steve the congressional gold medal, congress' highest honor. i look forward to seeing this legislation passed later today by unanimous consent. many washingtonians remember steve as a standout student athlete whose dedication in the classroom earned him repeated academic honors and whose dominance on the football field helped both in his efforts with dazzling records and showing the unbelievable determination to fans. and everybody back home is pulling for steve. for steve to go from the seahawks instead signing with the new orleans saints -- i mean, that is we wanted him to be at the seahawks and he went to the cents -- he quickly became a fan for his work, his ethic and the joy he brought to the game. in his first game under the super-dome, he blocked a punt. it is a play that fans still remembered fondly. but it is not steve's ath

and steve gleason's blocked punt symbolizes steve would say no white flags. new orleans, the gulf coast is back. despite katrina's devastation, we would not surrender. now, steve demonstrates that no white flags now in another arena. in 2011, steve was diagnosed with a lateral sclerosis also could lou gehrig's disease. he can't speak and except for moving his eyes and blinking, he cannot move but steve can still think and because he can think and what he has done with his thoughts is why he inspires and why we wish to honor him with the congressional gold medal. he has a difficult challenge but his accomplishments addressing that challenge is what is noteworthy. after his diagnosis, steve and his wife began a mission to show that patients with diseases like a.l.s. cannot only live but they can thrive. steve declared that there would be no white flags and that became the mantra of something he began which is the gleason initiative foundation. now, this foundation helps provide individuals who have neuromuscular disease or other injuries with cutting edge techn