[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 37 (Tuesday, April 9, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H1104-H1107]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRATULATING PEOPLE OF UTAH, SALT LAKE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE AND 
  ATHLETES OF WORLD FOR SUCCESSFUL AND INSPIRING 2002 OLYMPIC WINTER 
                                 GAMES

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 363) congratulating the people of 
Utah, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee and the athletes of the world 
for a successful and inspiring 2002 Olympic Winter Games, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 363

       Whereas the State of Utah hosted the world during the 
     largest and most successful Olympic Winter Games ever held;
       Whereas the people of Utah opened their hearts and their 
     homes to the athletes of the world and represented the Nation 
     well to the world community;
       Whereas the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, its president, 
     Mitt Romney, and its chairman, Robert Garff did a spectacular 
     job in staging a great Winter Olympics with class, dignity, 
     and a proper focus on the athletic competition;

[[Page H1105]]

       Whereas 2,535 athletes, from a record 78 countries, 
     prepared with unmatched dedication, competed with unrivaled 
     courage, and inspired the world with their spirit of peaceful 
     competition;
       Whereas African-American and Mexican-American athletes won 
     medals for the first time in Winter Olympics history;
       Whereas over 500 athletes from 36 nations competed in the 
     2002 Paralympic Winter Games, also held in Salt Lake City, 
     and reminded the world that physical challenges are no limit 
     to human achievement;
       Whereas the 211 members of the United States Olympic Team 
     won a Winter Olympics record 34 medals, including a record 10 
     gold medals, and gave a grateful Nation another new group of 
     heroes at a time when the Nation has rediscovered the true 
     meaning of heroism;
       Whereas the silent heroes, over 7,000 members of Federal, 
     State, and local law enforcement and public safety agencies, 
     and over 5,400 brave members of the Armed Forces continued 
     their selfless service to ensure the Winter Olympics were 
     safe and secure for athletes and spectators alike;
       Whereas over 19,500 Utahns and other United States citizens 
     volunteered their time and talents to show the world the best 
     that the United States has to offer; and
       Whereas the 2002 Olympic Winter Games accomplished the 
     principles set forth by the Olympic movement, including the 
     aim to ``encourage the Olympic spirit of peace and harmony, 
     which brings the people from across the world together around 
     Olympic sport'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives congratulates 
     the people of Utah, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, the 
     United States Olympic Team, and the athletes of the world for 
     an outstanding and inspiring 2002 Olympic Winter Games, and 
     thanks the thousands of law enforcement and public safety 
     personnel, military servicemen and women, and volunteers who 
     contributed so much to ensure the Winter Olympics were safe, 
     secure, and friendly.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 363, as 
amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 363, as amended, at 
the request of the distinguished gentleman from Utah (Chairman Hansen), 
congratulating the people of Utah, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee 
and the competing athletes for an inspiring Olympic Winter Games. The 
Committee on International Relations, on which I serve as vice 
chairman, waived its consideration of this measure before the Easter 
recess to facilitate its consideration by the House today.
  I am very pleased to join with my colleagues, particularly those from 
the State of Utah, in congratulating for a job well done not only each 
and every one of the 211 members of the United States Winter Olympics 
team, who won a record 34 medals and competed with great tenacity, 
focus and sportsmanship, but also the over 7,000 members of the law 
enforcement and public safety agencies and over 5,400 members of the 
Armed Forces who ensured that the games were safe for athletes and 
spectators alike. That was no small feat, Mr. Speaker, in light of the 
9-11 world that we live in where terrorism and threats are a daily 
routine.
  We also note with deep appreciation that the Olympic games would not 
have been possible without the active involvement of close to 20,000 
Americans, whose volunteer efforts in Utah and around the country made 
a critical difference to the success of these games. Their legacy is an 
inspiration to all Americans and a shining example of what this country 
represents.
  My understanding is that this resolution, as amended, does have broad 
bipartisan support, and I do hope that every Member of this Chamber 
will support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I rise in strong support of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, the resolution recognizes and congratulates the 
achievements of those who contributed to making the 2002 Winter 
Olympics such a remarkable success. The people and the government of 
Salt Lake City and of the State of Utah were gracious hosts who made 
both our international guests and our fellow Americans from around our 
Nation feel welcome and at home. The Salt Lake Organizing Committee, 
under the leadership of Mitt Romney, recovered from a shaky start and 
produced a truly outstanding competition.
  Mr. Speaker, most importantly, I want to congratulate the athletes 
from around the globe for their spirited competition, which was 
obviously the most important ingredient in the enormously successful 
Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.
  Mr. Speaker, our resolution expresses our gratitude for our own 
United States Olympic athletes who provided inspiration with their 
unprecedented success in winning 34 medals, and, I am proud to add, 
including the first ever medals earned by African American and Mexican 
American athletes in the Winter Olympics. This is an historic 
achievement.
  Our resolution recognizes the less-visible heroes of this year's 
Olympics, the law enforcement officers and military personnel who rose 
to the challenge posed by the events of September 11 by ensuring that 
the Winter Games were safe and secure for athletes and spectators 
alike.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my good friend and 
colleague, the distinguished gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Matheson) and a former member of our Committee 
on International Relations, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), 
for their work on this important resolution.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 363.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the distinguished gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), the 
sponsor of the resolution.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for 
being so gracious and yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution, as amended, 
and urge all of my colleagues to extend our congratulations to my home 
State, the State of Utah, for hosting, in the words of one NBC 
sportscaster, ``far and away the most successful Olympics, summer or 
winter, in history.''
  I would extend a special thanks to my friend and colleague, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), for his work to make this 
resolution better and for laying aside his own resolution to bring this 
compromise to the floor.
  Just over 1 month ago, the State of Utah and her citizens were 
introduced to the world, and, boy, did they ever shine. From the 
emotional opening ceremonies to the celebration of the closing 
ceremonies, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, under the inspirational 
leadership of their President Mitt Romney, Chairman Bob Garff and Chief 
Operating Officer Fraser Bullock, they truly made America proud, while 
keeping the focus on peaceful international competition and the spirit 
of human achievement.
  Never in the history of the Olympics has there been such a spirit of 
enthusiasm and volunteerism exhibited by the host community. Visitors 
from around the world were uniformly impressed by the helpfulness and 
friendliness of the locals.
  Salt Lake City, Utah, in the words of one Washington Post writer, is 
the ``nice'' capital of the world.
  Mr. Speaker, not only did my home State shine in its hosting of the 
Winter Olympics, but the home team, the U.S. Olympians, took home an 
unprecedented number of medals, 34 in all, including the first ever 
winter gold medals for African American and Mexican American athletes. 
The previous U.S. record for a Winter Games was only 13 medals. I 
commend all of our U.S. Olympic team athletes for their tremendous 
showing.
  We are also proud to host the Paralympic Games, where hundreds of 
athletes reminded us that all physical limitations are no boundary to 
human achievement.

[[Page H1106]]

  After the horrendous attacks on our country on September 11, United 
States citizens and the international community as a whole approached 
the 2002 Winter Olympics with some trepidation. There was even talk of 
canceling the games. But the Salt Lake Organizing Committee and the 
people of Utah could not be deterred by fear.
  Thanks to the united efforts of thousands of Federal, State and local 
law enforcement and National Guard and other military personnel, the 
Olympic games went off without a single incident. The Nation owes all 
of those silent heroes our deepest thanks for their continued 
sacrifice.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask all of my colleagues to support this 
legislation, but before we do, I also have one tiny little black mark 
on the flawlessness of these games, and I say this with my tongue 
planted firmly in my cheek.
  To Mr. Woody Paige, the Denver Post sportswriter, who in a presumed 
fit of jealousy over Utah having better skiing attractions and 
amenities than Colorado, maligned the local culture, ridiculed the 
religious beliefs of millions of Americans, and then failed at an 
insincere apology.
  Mr. Paige asserted that Utah had only beginner-level skiing. I would 
love to see Mr. Paige try the men's downhill course, The Grizzly, at 
Snowbasin, a 77 percent drop, going 85 miles an hour in the first 300 
feet. In fact, we Utahans have a standing invitation to him, with the 
press and public watching, for Mr. Paige to attempt this ``beginner's 
run.'' I will be there for his debut, ringing my cow bell, and perhaps 
if he makes it down in one piece, he will reassess his opinion of 
Utah's ``Greatest Snow on Earth.''
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the good folks of Massachusetts for 
giving us Mitt Romney for the time that they did, and now we give him 
back to you, and are sure he will serve you well for the next 4 years 
as he has served us in Utah.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield such time as he may 
consume to my good friend, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings).

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank my very good friend, 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), for giving me an 
opportunity to speak on this matter, as well as the gentleman from Utah 
(Mr. Hansen). The chairman of the committee and I spoke about this 
matter shortly after the Olympics and our respective offices were 
proceeding apace with legislation; and now we come to this, and I am 
delighted today that it has come to fruition.
  I rise today to join with my colleagues in congratulating all of the 
people of Utah, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, and the athletes of 
the world for a successful, inspirational, and a truly breathtaking 
2002 Olympic Winter Games. I do not talk too much of the winter stuff, 
because I come from Florida; but the fact is that it was exciting, and 
I had an opportunity to view much of it.
  The 2002 Olympic Games represented the best of human spirit. The 
games were an exemplary exhibition of dedication, perseverance, and 
unity that we all strive for and need during these violent times. This 
year marked the 19th Winter Games, which brought 78 nations and more 
than 2,500 athletes to this global arena and gave us some of the most 
historical and memorable moments of any of the Winter Games.
  These games showed us tremendous American diversity and 
determination, and that is where my interest came in with reference to 
this resolution. It showed us determination and diversity when, for the 
first time ever at our Winter Games, African American and Hispanic 
American athletes graced the winner's podium. I hope that the 
accomplishments of those African Americans, particularly bobsledder 
Vonetta Flowers and Hispanic American speed skaters Jennifer Rodriguez 
and Derek Parra, have opened doors for all of those who dare to dream, 
despite difficult circumstances.
  The 2002 games also showed us the spirit which forms the very 
foundation of these games. When the Kazakhstan Women's Hockey team came 
to the Olympics wearing hospital scrubs with holes in them, a 
transportation volunteer took notice and started a collection. As a 
result, anonymous gift baskets were placed on the team's bus.
  Mr. Speaker, these games were a tremendous success. The athletes 
shined and the fans cheered. All of this was made possible by sheer 
hard work and determination of the thousands of volunteers, law 
enforcement agencies, and our armed services. The 60 security 
organizations entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the 
athletes, coaches, judges and spectators rose to the challenge to 
provide the safest Olympic games ever and set an impressive precedent 
for providing security in the future.
  I would also like to congratulate and thank the residents of Salt 
Lake City for opening up their homes and, more importantly, their 
hearts to the world and making this a truly magnificent experience for 
all Americans.
  I also am immensely proud of the success of the 2002 Paralympic 
Winter Games. The athletes taking part in these games represent the 
epitome of resolve and dedication. I think that Rudy Garcia-Tolson, a 
13-year-old boy who has lost both of his legs to congenital birth 
defects, but has gone on to compete in triathlons, said it best when he 
stated, ``My spirit thinks I am a regular boy and an athlete. My spirit 
soars.''
  Today I congratulate those who protected, provided, and performed in 
the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. Thanks to the 
countless efforts of hundreds of determined men and women, this year's 
Olympics were victorious over anxiety and skepticism and brought off a 
spectacle that was equal parts entertainment and uplift.
  The 2002 Winter Olympic Games and 2002 Paralympic Winter Games have 
brought forth the feeling of unity that is much needed in today's 
world. If thousands of athletes, fans, volunteers, and service persons 
can come together for a few weeks and personify the human spirit, then 
there is no reason to doubt that the nations of this world can come 
together and join in that human spirit.
  I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and the gentleman 
from Utah (Chairman Hansen).
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from Florida 
(Mr. Hastings), my friend, for an extraordinarily eloquent and powerful 
statement.
  Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to rise today in 
support of House Resolution 363.
  In 1995, Salt Lake city was awarded the honor of hosting the 2002 
Winter Olympic Games. Seven years and thousands of volunteer hours 
later, the state of Utah welcomed the world to the largest and most 
successful Winter Olympics ever. Accomplishing this amazing event was 
no small feat and the tens of thousands of people involved deserve to 
be recognized for their work and dedication.
  There is little doubt that the Olympics would not have been as 
successful without the time and incredible efforts of the Salt Lake 
Organizing Committee, headed by President Mitt Romney and Chairman 
Robert Garff. But equally important were the tireless efforts of the 
nearly 20,000 volunteers who opened their homes and hearts to the 
world. Without their time, talents and generosity, the XIX Winter 
Olympics would not have been the success it was.
  After September 11, some questioned whether the spirit of the Games 
could be preserved in light of security concerns. But thanks to the 
collaboration of over 7,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement 
officers and 5,400 members of the Armed Forces, not one serious 
incident occurred during the Olympics and Paralympics. The selfless 
courage of these men and women ensured the safety and security of all 
the athletes and visitors to the Games.
  In the aftermath of September 11, the athletes became new heroes for 
America. These individuals captured our hearts through their amazing 
sacrifices and triumphs. For the first time in Winter Olympic history, 
an African-American and Mexican-American won medals, inspiring children 
and adults alike to strive for excellence.
  As Representatives of the United States, we must recognize and 
congratulate through this resolution all Americans who helped make the 
2002 Winter Olympic Games the most successful and memorable ever.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, the success of the 2002 Olympic games in 
Sale Lake City reflects well the hard work and extraordinary efforts of 
its

[[Page H1107]]

host city and of the thousands of athletes who participated in the 
games. In particular, I would like to congratulate the people who work 
at the Utah Transit Authority and Utah Department of Transportation for 
their role in making these Games the most mobility-friendly in history.
  Transit provided a safe, effective and efficient transportation 
alternative for tens of thousands of visitors from around the world, 
while also serving local residents who rode transit and helped reduce 
congestion. The efforts of Utah's transportation professionals helped 
to ensure that the transportation system worked seamlessly during the 
Olympics.
  Salt Lake City developed TRAX, its light rail system, in anticipation 
of the 2002 Olympics to reduce growing congestion levels in the region. 
Since service began on the TRAX system in 1999, which opened a year 
ahead of schedule and under budget, residents in Utah have flocked to 
use it. Ridership has greatly exceeded projections, and remains high on 
the system even following the Olympic Games.
  In addition to the amazing effort of Utah's transit employees, 
transit systems from around the nation helped support the Olympic 
games. Buses and light rail cars borrowed from across the country, in 
addition to 1,100 transit operators from other cities who came to Salt 
Lake City to assist the UTA, made the difference in the quality of 
transit service provided to the approximately 1.7 million spectators, 
athletes, trainers, officials, journalists, sponsors and staff 
attending the 2002 Olympics. The Amalgamated Transit Union also played 
a key role in encouraging drivers and maintenance personnel to 
participate in the Olympics by helping the Salt Lake Organizing 
Committee. The willingness of transit agencies from throughout the 
United States to support Salt Lake City during the 2002 Olympics 
demonstrates yet another winning team for our country.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, we have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Walden of Oregon). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) that 
the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 363, 
as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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