[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 17, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1627]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO THE GREATEST GAMES EVER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOHN LEWIS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 17, 1996

  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I take this time to pay tribute to 
the 1996 Olympic and Paralympic games, and to thank all the people who 
made these games a tremendous success.
  The 1996 Olympic games were the largest athletic event ever. For the 
first time in history, athletes from every country in the world came to 
Atlanta to participate in the games. Two weeks after the close of the 
Olympic games, Atlanta hosted the 1996 Paralympic games, the second 
largest athletic event in history. Each was a great success.
  Over 3 billion people, from throughout the globe, watched the 
Centennial Olympics in Atlanta. I would like to thank three 
individuals, three Atlantans, for bringing these Games to Atlanta and 
helping making the 1996 Olympics the greatest Olympics ever: Billy 
Payne, Andy Young, and A.D. Frazier. Through their dedication and hard 
work, they gave Atlanta the opportunity to host the Olympics and show 
the world what the Atlanta, capital of the New South, could accomplish.
  These three individuals could not put on the Olympics by themselves. 
I would like to thank the staff of ACOG, the Atlanta Committee for the 
Olympic Games, and the hundreds and thousand of volunteers who gave 
their time to make sure the games were a success.
  In addition, the Federal, State, and local governments all 
contributed to these Olympic games. President Clinton, and especially 
Vice President Gore, ensured that the Federal Government did all it 
could to help the Olympic games. I would like to thank two people in 
the Clinton administration in particular for their contributions to the 
Atlanta Games: Mack McLarty, Chairman of the White House task force on 
the Olympics and Paralympics; and Carol Roscoe, Special Assistant to 
the President on Domestic Policy. Georgia Governor Zell Miller and 
Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell both dedicated much time and effort to help 
ACOG prepare for and stage the Olympics.
  Federal Transit Administrator Gordon Linton, working with cities 
throughout the United States, helped provide the buses that were 
essential for transporting the athletes, the press, and other Olympic 
guests. MARTA, the Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Transportation 
Authority, not only provided 24-hour transportation service to 
spectators, but coordinated most of the Olympic's transportation 
system.
  I also would like to thank all the law enforcement personnel that 
provided for the safety of the athletes and the spectators. Atlanta 
Police Chief Beverly Harvard and the entire Atlanta Police Department, 
the Georgia National Guard, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the 
State Patrol, the Secret Service, the FBI, emergency management 
personnel, and the Department of Defense all contributed in this 
effort.
  Members of the business community also came together to promote the 
Atlanta Olympic games. In particular, I would like to recognize several 
local businesses which played a particularly important role in helping 
finance these Olympic Games. Delta Airlines, Coca-Cola, BellSouth, Home 
Depot, UPS, and NationsBank all stepped up to help the home town stage 
this great event.
  However, the Olympic games were not the only great event to come to 
Atlanta this summer. The opening ceremonies of the 10th Paralympic 
games followed less than 2 weeks after the closing ceremonies of the 
Centennial Olympic games. Under the guidance of Andy Fleming, the 
Paralympic games were as much a success as the Olympic games and an 
inspiration to us all.
  I would like to thank all the staff and volunteers of APOC, the 
Atlanta Paralympic Organizing Committee, for their work. In fact, APOC 
and Atlanta did such an excellent job of promoting athletics among the 
disabled that the Paralympic Organizing Committee is considering moving 
to Atlanta.
  Several local businesses generously contributed to the Paralympics. 
NationsBank sponsored the torch relay, and Shepherd Spinal Cord Center 
and Delta were major corporate sponsors.
  With the help of these people and organizations--and many others--
Atlanta staged the greatest Olympic games ever, and the greatest 
Paralympic games ever. Congratulations to Atlanta on hosting the 
greatest athletic events in history. Congratulations and thanks to all 
those who helped make these games a tremendous success.

                          ____________________