[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 40 (Thursday, April 14, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 14, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING THE DUTY ON PERSONAL EFFECTS OF PARTICIPANTS IN 
         THE WORLD CUP SOCCER TOURNAMENT AND THE 1996 OLYMPICS

  Mr. MITCHELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate proceed to the consideration of H.R. 4066, a bill to temporarily 
suspend the duty on personal effects of participants in the World Cup 
Soccer Tournament and the 1996 Olympics; that the bill be read a third 
time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and 
any statements thereon appear at the appropriate place in the Record as 
though read.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  So the bill (H.R. 4066) was passed.
  Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, I rise today regarding the bill H.R. 
4066, to facilitate the entry of foreign athletes coming to the United 
States to participate in five international sporting events over the 
next 2 years. The five events are soccer's World Cup, the World Rowing 
Championships, the Special Olympics, the Paralympics, and the 1996 
Summer Olympics.
  The U.S. has routinely granted duty-free entry in the past for such 
events, most recently for the World University Games held last year in 
Buffalo. Without this bill, teams, athletes, and officials would have 
to go through an extensive Customs paperwork process and pay temporary 
duties for their equipment and personal effects. This Customs paperwork 
process can be particularly onerous when large and unusual equipment, 
such as rowing shells as long as 60 feet, complicate the entry process. 
As well, the sheer volume of athletes entering for the World Cup and 
the three Olympic events would make it extremely difficult for Customs 
officials to handle the volume in anything resembling a timely manner.
  As soccer fans well know, the World Cup begins in 2 months. And teams 
will begin arriving in the U.S. in the next 3 to 4 weeks. Foreign 
nations, without exception, assure hassle-free entry for U.S. athletes 
participating in similar events. For example, the U.S. athletes 
traveling to Lillehammer for the recently concluded Winter Olympics 
encountered no problems entering Norway. And in recent memory, the U.S. 
has similarly provided such consideration for incoming athletes. Given 
the urgency and unusual time sensitivity of the situation, I decided to 
take the exceptional step of expediting full Senate consideration by 
having the bill be held at the desk rather than referred to the Finance 
Committee, which has jurisdiction over the bill's provisions. I note 
that the Finance Committee consulted closely with the Ways and Means 
Committee to ensure comfort with the language of the bill.
  Measures to provide expedited treatment for the World Cup (S. 1837) 
and the World Rowing Championships (S. 1931) have been introduced in 
the Senate by Senator Riegle and by Senators Lugar and Coats, 
respectively. H.R. 4066 provides the same treatment contemplated in 
each of these bills, and as well includes the other three events.
  Two notes on the language of the bill. First, the bill explicitly 
states that none of its provisions apply to any goods to be sold or 
distributed to the public. The intent of this legislation is strictly 
to expedite entry for participants in these events.
  Second, we have also included a clause allowing the Organizing 
Committees to import equipment in connection with these events. The 
Organizing Committees often use the same equipment each time they hold 
an event. For example, timing equipment used by the International 
Olympic Committee at the Barcelona Olympics will be brought into the 
United States for the 1996 Olympics, before being sent on to Sidney, 
Australia, for the 2000 Summer Games. The language of H.R. 4066, in 
granting this authority, implicitly places the trust of the United 
States in the Organizing Committees. I have full faith that the 
Organizing Committees will use this authority responsibly and 
judiciously. However, given the wide range of events, and their sheer 
size, the Finance Committee will closely follow implementation of this 
bill.

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