The U.S. House last week wished Weber State University a happy 120th birthday, but officials kept mispronouncing its name during debate until they were corrected by Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah.

Both the House reading clerk and Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico's delegate to Congress, referred to the university during debate on Monday as "Webb-er," pronounced like a spider's web, instead of "Wee-ber," as Utahns say.

Bishop then politely pronounced it correctly — and with emphasis so that others realized their mispronunciation — as he started his speech to praise the university. An embarrassed Pierluisi afterward apologized "to all Weber State students and alumni. My (Spanish) accent got in the way."

"I am very proud of Weber State University," Bishop said. "I am very proud of what it does for the community, the standards it sets … as well as what it does to add to community life for all of us who live in northern Utah."

Bishop introduced a resolution to honor the university, noting it was created in 1889 as a school tied to a stake, or group of congregations, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It later became a two-year public college, then a four-year college, and now a university with 23,000 students at its main campus in Ogden.

"My father-in-law played football at Weber State. My wife graduated from Weber State," Bishop said. He noted that Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan., also graduated from WSU.

Bishop added that WSU has won many awards, including being ranked 43rd by Forbes Magazine for public colleges, and is an athletic power in the Big Sky Conference.

Pierluisi, who was managing floor debate for Democrats, said, "From its humble beginnings, Weber State has grown into a 400-acre campus in Ogden, Utah, and a 105-acre campus in Layton, Utah. The university takes great pride in providing for the needs of its students."

He added, "Offering more than 200 undergraduate majors, WSU is home to the largest and most comprehensive undergraduate program in the state of Utah." While most WSU students come from Utah, it also draws students "from the 50 states and 35 foreign countries," he said.

The House passed Bishop's resolution congratulating Weber State on a 412-0 vote on Tuesday.

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