[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 87 (Friday, July 1, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 1, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                          THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS

 Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, who among us has not watched the 
excitement of athletic competition and been inspired by the dedication 
and hard work which is so evident in the performance of the athletes we 
are watching? I venture to guess that all of us have done this; I know 
that I certainly have throughout my life. Whether it is the coordinated 
performance of our favorite baseball, basketball, football, or soccer 
team or the individual efforts of a gymnast, swimmer, tennis player, or 
track runner, there is a fundamental spirit which is evident that 
proves how hard work, perseverance, and sacrifice can pay enormous 
personal dividends when a personal best is achieved, or a new record is 
set, or a championship is won.
  Some 25 years ago, a very special woman, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, was 
inspired by the drive and enthusiasm she saw in a very special group of 
athletes and she envisioned a world-class sporting event where these 
athletes could gather, compete, and achieve their personal bests. Since 
setting out this vision, there have been eight such competitions which 
have brought these athletes together from all over the world to 
celebrate sport and to demonstrate to the world and themselves that 
they are world-class athletes.
  I am, of course, speaking of the Special Olympics--the competition 
which serves as the culmination of year-round training and athletic 
competition for individuals with mental retardation. Through the 
program which leads to these games, these men and women are provided 
opportunities to develop fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy 
and participate in sharing gifts, skills, and friendship with their 
families, other Special Olympics athletes, and their communities.
  From July 1 to 9, 1995, over 6,700 athletes from more than 135 
countries will join 2,000 coaches, 15,000 family and friends, 45,000 
volunteers, 1,500 media representatives, and over half a million 
spectators in the Ninth Special Olympics World Summer Games. The State 
of Connecticut is honored to host this event this year just as 
Minnesota did in 1991 and Indiana did in 1987. The games will take 
place at facilities provided by Albert Magnus College, Quinnipiac 
College, Southern Connecticut State University, the University of New 
Haven, and Yale University. This will be the largest sports event in 
the world in 1995 and the 1995 Special Olympics World Games Organizing 
Committee has sought help from volunteers throughout the country, the 
State of Connecticut, local governments, and the Federal Government. 
The organizing committee is a 501(c)(3) charity. As such it must rely 
on corporate sponsorships, philanthropic donations, and individual 
contributions to finance the event.
  The response to calls for help has been heartening. Corporate 
sponsors, foundations, service organizations, individual citizens who 
make small dollar contributions or generous contributions of their 
time, and the Federal Government have all answered the call in an 
effort to make these games a great success--not for commercial 
interests, not for big endorsement contracts which do not wait at the 
finish line for these Special Olympians, but for the sheer 
demonstration that the human spirit is alive and will overcome 
adversity to achieve personal satisfaction. The White House welcomed 
the 1995 Special Olympics World Games Organizing Committee as a 
participant in the activities of the Federal Task Force organized to 
support the 1996 Olympic Games and the 1994 World Cup Games. 
Recognizing that the Americans With Disabilities Act applies to each 
and every function of government, the administration supports the 
inclusion of the 1995 Special Olympics World Games in Federal efforts 
to support more traditional sports events.
  Putting together and managing the Special Olympics is no small task. 
Thus it is that the organizing committee has turned to the resources of 
local, State, and Federal Governments for help. The Congress has 
provided authorization in the past for the Department of Defense to 
provide ``in-kind'' support to international sporting events that have 
taken place in the United States. The Olympic Games in Los Angeles and 
Lake Placid, and the World University Games in Buffalo are recent 
examples. Similar support is being provided to the Atlanta Committee 
for the Olympic Games and World Cup USA which is currently going on.
  The Special Olympics Organizing Committee has identified specific 
needs which it cannot fulfill by other means--providing security and 
traffic support, medical support, emergency ordinance disposal, water 
resupply, and some limited transportation--and is cooperating with the 
Department of Defense to attain them. Some of these functions can be 
performed by the Connecticut National Guard in conjunction with 
training and the leadership of the Connecticut National Guard is eager 
to perform them. The Department of Defense has been working with the 
organizers and has projected that the maximum authorization to support 
the entire request is $3 million. All of these items will be provided 
as ``in-kind'' goods and services. The organizers are not seeking and 
do not want the Department of Defense to give monetary support. The 
effort is to use DOD resources to do what these resources do best and 
would do if called upon in a military action. This will in no way 
attrit the readiness of our forces or deplete DOD funds on causes not 
related to national security. The organizers believe--as I do and the 
administration does--that this is an appropriate use of a limited 
amount of DOD assets for a very limited period of time on an activity 
which could not go on without this support. DOD assets will be utilized 
as the last resort to supplement the efforts of volunteers, and local 
and State resources.
  Security is a particular area of concern to the organizing committee. 
At the moment, some twenty heads of state are anticipated to be on hand 
at various times during these Special Olympics World Games. This 
provides special security concerns and problems.
  These games will be the largest Special Olympics World Games in 
history and the largest sports event in the world in 1995. Their 
consolidation in a single urban area and their high visibility and 
symbolic importance adds significantly to the security concerns of the 
organizers. Security support to protect against the possibility of 
international terrorism, to provide assistance with crowd control, and 
to implement emergency ordinance disposal is critical if the games are 
to be conducted in a safe environment. DOD support has traditionally 
been rendered in these sorts of areas and the Special Olympics World 
Games request is neither unique nor burdensome.
  Mr. President, the authorization for $3 million in nonreimbursable 
support which the Armed Services Committee has included in this bill is 
justified, appropriate, and in keeping with the traditions and values 
of this country. It will not affect the readiness or deplete the 
resources of U.S. forces--if it did, I could not support it. Without 
this authorization, these games will not go on. I ask for the support 
of my colleagues for this authorization so that the 1995 Special 
Olympics World Games can fulfill the vision of its founders some 25 
years ago and can live up to its them of ``Sport. Spirit. 
Splendor.''

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