[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 83 (Monday, June 14, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H4137-H4138]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AUTHORIZING USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR CLINIC CONDUCTED BY UNITED 
                        STATES LUGE ASSOCIATION

  Mr. COOKSEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res 91) authorizing the use of the 
Capitol Grounds for a clinic to be conducted by the United States Luge 
Association, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 91

       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF UNITED STATES LUGE ASSOCIATION 
                   CLINIC ON CAPITOL GROUNDS.

       The United States Luge Association (in this resolution 
     referred to as the ``sponsor'') shall be permitted to sponsor 
     a clinic (in this resolution referred to as the ``event'') on 
     the Capitol Grounds on August 14, 1999, or on such other date 
     as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate may 
     jointly designate.

     SEC. 2. TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

       (a) In General.--The event authorized by section 1 shall be 
     free of admission charge to the public and arranged not to 
     interfere with the needs of Congress, under conditions to be 
     prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol 
     Police Board.
       (b) Expenses and Liabilities.--The sponsor shall assume 
     full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident 
     to all activities associated with the event.

     SEC. 3. STRUCTURES AND EQUIPMENT.

       (a) Structures and Equipment.--Subject to the approval of 
     the Architect of the Capitol, the sponsor may erect upon the 
     Capitol Grounds such stage, sound amplification devices, and 
     other related structures and equipment as may be required for 
     the event authorized by section 1.
       (b) Additional Arrangements.--The Architect of the Capitol 
     and the Capitol Police Board are authorized to make any such 
     additional arrangements as may be required to carry out the 
     event, including arrangements to limit access to a portion of 
     Constitution Avenue as required for the event.

     SEC. 4. ENFORCEMENT OF RESTRICTIONS.

       The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of 
     the restrictions contained in section 4 of the Act of July 
     31, 1946 (40 U.S.C. 193d; 60 Stat. 718), concerning sales, 
     displays, advertisements, and solicitations on the Capitol 
     Grounds, as well as other restrictions applicable to the 
     Capitol Grounds, with respect to the event authorized by 
     section 1.

     SEC. 5. LIMITATIONS ON REPRESENTATIONS.

       (a) In General.--No person may represent, either directly 
     or indirectly, that this resolution or any activity carried 
     out under this resolution in any way constitutes approval or 
     endorsement by the Federal Government of any person or any 
     product or service.
       (b) Enforcement.--The Architect of the Capitol and the 
     Capitol Police Board shall enter into an agreement with the 
     sponsor, and such other persons participating in the event 
     authorized by section 1 as the Architect of the Capitol and 
     the Capitol Police Board consider appropriate, under which 
     such persons shall agree to comply with the requirements of 
     subsection (a). The agreement shall specifically prohibit the 
     use of any photograph taken at the event for a commercial 
     purpose and shall provide for the imposition of financial 
     penalties if any violations of the agreement occur.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from

[[Page H4138]]

Louisiana (Mr. Cooksey) and the gentlewoman from the District of 
Columbia (Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Cooksey).
  Mr. COOKSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 91 as amended, will 
authorize the use of the Capitol grounds for the United States Luge 
Association's Junior Luge Series clinic scheduled for August 14, 1999.
  The United States Luge Association conducts clinics throughout the 
United States during the summer months to introduce the sport of luge 
to youngsters who otherwise would not have the opportunity to learn the 
fundamentals of riding a luge sled. This is the first time Washington, 
D.C., will be a host city. Participants of the event will ride a luge 
sled equipped with wheels down Constitution Avenue between Delaware and 
Louisiana Avenues Northwest.
  The event will be carried out in complete compliance with the rules 
and regulations governing the use of the Capitol grounds and is open to 
the public and free of admission charge.
  Mr. Speaker, the amended text is noncontroversial. It simply enhances 
the prohibitions with regard to sales, displays, advertisements and 
solicitations.
  Mr. Speaker, I support the resolution, and I urge my colleagues to 
support it as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 91, as amended, authorizes use of the 
Capitol grounds for a sporting recruitment event to be held in August, 
sponsored by the U.S. Luge Association. The association, based in Lake 
Placid, New York, is the national governing body of the Olympic 
sledding event. The association conducts a summer recruiting program to 
introduce the sport to youngsters. The most promising athletes receive 
a further invitation to attend a 1-week training session.
  This year's recruiting program involves visiting 10 cities, including 
Washington, DC. The program is over 10 years old has been highly 
successful, with several athletes being selected for the U.S. Olympic 
team. This event will provide a new and different use of the Capitol 
grounds here in the Nation's Capital. I join the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Cooksey), my colleague, in supporting this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. COOKSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney).
  Mr. SWEENEY. Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 91 authorizes 
the use of the Capitol grounds for a summer recruitment clinic to be 
conducted by the United States Luge Association on August 14 of this 
year. The clinic, to be held in the north side of the Capitol, will 
allow youngsters from Washington, D.C., ages 10 to 14, to ride an 
actual luge sled equipped with wheels down Constitution Avenue.
  The United States Luge Association, proudly based at the winter 
Olympic training facilities in my district in Lake Placid, New York, 
has been conducting clinics throughout the country for the last 12 
years. Last year, the Bell Atlantic Junior Luge Series brought the luge 
experience to 618 youngsters during the summer and fall covering both 
sides of the country with clinics in eight cities.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be offering this resolution today so that 
the winter Olympic sport of luge may be brought out to our Nation's 
Capitol.

                              {time}  1430

  Mr. Speaker, one of the most treasured memories I hold of Lake Placid 
was the 1980 Winter Olympics when the Nation celebrated the U.S. Hockey 
Team's famous ``Miracle on Ice'' gold medal victory. That was a 
defining moment for our Nation, a time that made Americans proud.
  U.S. luge is carrying on that Olympic tradition and is spreading that 
spirit around the country through this innovative recruitment program.
  Mr. Speaker, we also should remember that 1998 marked the breakout 
year from U.S. luge from a 34-year absence at the Olympic medal stand 
when two American duos captured the silver and bronze medals at the 
Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
  Cris Thorpe of Marquette, Michigan; Gordy Sheer of Croton, New York; 
Mark Grimmette of Muskegon, Michigan; and Brian Martin of Palo Alto, 
California, propelled the United States into the limelight as a leader 
in the international sport of luge with their medal victories.
  Lake Placid, New York, nestled in the heartland of the Adirondack 
Mountains has been chosen to host this year's 2000 Goodwill Games, Mr. 
Speaker. The Goodwill Games will unveil a new state-of-the-art luge run 
now under construction and, in doing so, will further establish the 
United States as the international leader in the sport of luge.
  The games will also bring renewed attention to New York's dramatic 
comeback, particularly the State's economic turnaround in Upstate. 
Working with the Olympic Regional Development Authority in Lake Placid 
to make the new bobsled and luge runs a reality, those agendas and 
those organizations have made that a top priority, as have I.
  International sporting events provide a tremendous boost to the local 
economy and to New York's North Country, attracting hundreds of 
thousands of visitors, tourists, and athletes.
  The summer luge program, Mr. Speaker, incorporating sleds on wheels, 
is the U.S. National Luge Team's primary recruitment tool. Currently, 
90 percent of the USA Luge Junior National Team has been identified via 
this off-season tour and three have competed in the Winter Olympics.
  In fact, Nagano bronze medalist Brian Martin was discovered at a 1988 
clinic in Palo Alto, California. Who knows, this very clinic could 
yield a future Olympian right here from Washington.
  Mr. Speaker, the Olympic movement is entirely dependent on successful 
grassroots programs like the Junior Luge series.
  I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 91 so that the Olympic 
spirit of the U.S. luge movement may be brought to our Nation's Capitol 
this summer.
  Mr. COOKSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Regula). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Cooksey) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
91, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as 
amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________