IV 110th CONGRESS 1st Session S. CON. RES. 28 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 19, 2007 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Congratulating the City of Chicago for being chosen to represent the United States in the international competition to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and encouraging the International Olympic Committee to select Chicago as the site of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Whereas the City of Chicago has been selected by the United States Olympic Committee to represent the United States in its bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games; Whereas by 2016, 20 years will have passed since the Summer Olympics were held in a city in the United States; Whereas Chicago is a world-class city with remarkable diversity, culture, history, and people; Whereas the citizens of Chicago take great pride in all aspects of their city and have a deep love for sports; Whereas Chicago already holds a place in the international community as a city of immigrants from around the world, who are eager to be ambassadors to visiting Olympic athletes; Whereas the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be played in the heart of Chicago so that athletes and visitors can appreciate the beauty of the downtown parks and lakefront; Whereas Chicago is one of the transportation hubs of the world and can provide accessible transportation to international visitors through extensive rail, transit, and motorways infrastructure, combined with the world-class O'Hare and Midway International Airports; Whereas the motto of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Chicago would be Stir the Soul, and the games would inspire citizens around the world, both young and old; Whereas a Midwestern city has not hosted the Olympic Games since the 1904 games in St. Louis, Missouri, and the opportunity to host the Olympics would be an achievement not only for Chicago and for the State of Illinois, but also for the entire Midwest; Whereas hosting the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games would provide substantial local, regional, and national economic benefits; Whereas Mayor Richard M. Daley, Patrick Ryan, and members of the Chicago 2016 Committee have campaigned tirelessly to secure Chicago’s bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games; Whereas through the campaign to be selected by the United States Olympic Committee, Chicago’s citizens, officials, workers, community groups, and businesses have demonstrated their ability to come together to exemplify the true spirit of the Olympic Games and the City of Chicago; and Whereas the Olympic and Paralympic Games represent the best of the human spirit and there is no better fit for hosting this event than one of the world’s truly great cities: Now, therefore, be it

That Congress— (1)congratulates the City of Chicago on securing the bid to represent the United States in the international competition to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games; and (2)encourages the International Olympic Committee to select Chicago as the site of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Passed the Senate April 18, 2007. Nancy Erickson, Secretary.