[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 110 (Wednesday, September 15, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9288-S9295]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

                                 ______
                                 

    SENATE RESOLUTION 426--COMMENDING MARYLAND'S OLYMPIANS ON THEIR 
   ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT THE 2004 SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES IN ATHENS, GREECE

  Mr. SARBANES (for himself and Ms. Mikulski) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 426

       Whereas the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, which recently 
     concluded in Athens, Greece, was a resounding success;
       Whereas the athletes of the United States who participated 
     in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games reflected the ideals of the 
     Olympic movement by exhibiting determination, honor, 
     sportsmanship, and excellence throughout the competitions;
       Whereas Maryland's athletes played a prominent role in the 
     2004 Summer Olympic Games and represented the talent and 
     diversity of the athletes of the United States;
       Whereas markswoman Libby Callahan of Upper Marlboro, 
     through her wisdom and experience, and swimmer Katie Hoff of 
     Abingdon, through her youthful exuberance, both displayed the 
     spirit of Olympic competition;
       Whereas Liz Filter, from Stevensonville, and Nancy 
     Haberland, who coaches the Naval Academy sailing team, both 
     displayed the Olympic spirit in their decisions to 
     participate in the sailing competitions in the face of 
     challenging life circumstances;
       Whereas Jun Gao of Gaithersburg shone with Olympic spirit 
     when, on day 4 of the table tennis competition, as the only 
     remaining member of the United States table tennis team left 
     in competition, she shouldered the hopes of her teammates;
       Whereas paddlers Joe Jacobi and Scott Parsons, both from 
     Bethesda, reflected the

[[Page S9289]]

     Olympic spirit by focusing on the experience and joy of their 
     performances and the opportunity to compete on the world 
     stage;
       Whereas Baltimore's Carmelo Anthony displayed the Olympic 
     spirit in his refusal to quit after the men's basketball team 
     suffered a series of difficult and surprising losses;
       Whereas gymnast Courtney Kupets of Gaithersburg and Judo 
     competitor Rhadi Ferguson of Columbia demonstrated enormous 
     bravery by overcoming serious injuries to make the United 
     States team and compete for their country and, in the case of 
     Ms. Kupets, to medal in 2 events;
       Whereas Towson swimmer Michael Phelps, who won 6 gold and 2 
     bronze medals, showed that the team is more important than 
     individual accomplishment when he yielded his spot on the 4 x 
     100 medley relay squad and an opportunity for further glory 
     to allow teammate Ian Crocker to compete and be part of a 
     winning effort in the finals;
       Whereas Tiombe Hurd of Upper Marlboro, who is legally 
     blind, showed tremendous heart and courage by overcoming her 
     vision impairment to finish 22nd in a crowded triple jump 
     field;
       Whereas Bernard Williams, who brought home a silver in the 
     200 meter sprint, and James Carter, who finished fourth in 
     the 400 meter hurdles, did their Baltimore alma maters, 
     Carver Vocational-Technical High School and Mergenthaler 
     Vocational-Technical High School, proud by showing enormous 
     poise and grit in the face of stiff competition;
       Whereas the people of Maryland take great pride in these 
     athletes and the communities that helped to nurture and 
     support them through their years of training, and celebrate 
     their successes and achievements; and
       Whereas the people of Maryland send their best wishes for 
     success to Maryland's 6 Paralympic athletes--Antoinette 
     Davis, Jessica Long, Joseph Aukward, Larry Hughes, Tatyana 
     McFadden, and Susan Katz--as they head to Athens for the 
     Paralympic Games, which are set to begin on September 17, 
     2004: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate commends the athletes of Maryland 
     for the grace, sportsmanship, and determination they 
     exhibited throughout the 2004 Summer Olympic Games and for 
     the accomplishments that flowed from maintaining that Olympic 
     spirit on and off the field of competition.
                                 ______
                                 

   SENATE RESOLUTION 427--CONGRATULATING THE CITIZENS OF GREECE, THE 
  MEMBERS OF THE ATHENS 2004 ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR THE OLYMPIC AND 
   PARALYMPIC GAMES, THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, THE UNITED 
STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, THE 2004 UNITED STATES OLYMPIC TEAM, ATHLETES 
 FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AND ALL THE PERSONNEL WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE 
              2004 OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES IN ATHENS, GREECE

  Mr. SARBANES (for himself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Levin, Mr. Biden, Mr. 
Breaux, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Corzine, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Daschle, 
Mr. Allen, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Sununu, Mr. Miller, Mr. Chafee, 
Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Gregg, Mr. 
Dayton, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Mikulski, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Boxer, Mrs. 
Clinton, Mr. Specter, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Reed, and Mr. Fitzgerald) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation:

       Whereas Greece--birthplace of the Olympics--was selected on 
     September 5, 1997, as the host of the 2004 Olympic Summer 
     Games;
       Whereas from August 13 to August 29, 2004, the Olympic 
     Summer Games returned to Greece, more than 100 years after 
     Athens staged the first modern Olympics in 1896 and nearly 3 
     millennia after Greece staged the first Olympics in 776 B.C.;
       Whereas the people of Greece opened their hearts to the 
     athletes who came together from all over the world and took 
     part in the 2004 Olympic Summer Games in the best spirit of 
     good sportsmanship;
       Whereas the President and Managing Director of the Athens 
     2004 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic 
     Games and their associates, the Mayor of Athens, and the 
     Government of Greece--particularly the officials from the 
     Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Ministry of 
     Public Works--did an outstanding job in staging a great 
     Olympic Summer Games in a manner that embodied the legacy, 
     ideals, and values that Hellenic culture has given the world;
       Whereas the Government of Greece, entrusted with the 
     responsibility of protecting the athletes, coaches, judges, 
     and spectators of the 2004 Olympic Summer Games, rose to the 
     challenges to provide a safe Olympic Summer Games;
       Whereas 10,500 athletes and 5,500 team officials from a 
     record 201 National Olympic Committees prepared for and 
     competed in the Olympic Summer Games with unmatched 
     dedication, and inspired the world with their spirit of 
     peaceful competition;
       Whereas over 5,000 athletes from 140 nations will compete 
     in the 2004 Paralympic Summer Games in Athens, Greece, 
     representing the broadest country participation in Paralympic 
     history and reminding the world that physical challenges are 
     no limit to human achievement;
       Whereas the Olympic venues constructed by Greece have been 
     hailed as world class and have set a new standard of 
     modernity for all future Olympic Games;
       Whereas the 531 members of the United States Olympic Team 
     added substantially to the great legacy of sportsmanship and 
     athleticism that has characterized the history of United 
     States Olympic competition;
       Whereas the security personnel at the 2004 Olympic Summer 
     Games all worked to ensure that the 2004 Olympic Summer Games 
     were safe and secure for athletes and spectators alike;
       Whereas over 5,000 individuals of Greece and other citizens 
     from around the world volunteered their time and talents to 
     show the world the best that Greece has to offer; and
       Whereas the 2004 Olympic Summer 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 Senate extends its heartiest 
     congratulations for a job well done to the citizens of 
     Greece, the members of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee 
     for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the International 
     Olympic Committee, the United States Olympic Committee, the 
     members, coaches, and officials of the 2004 United States 
     Olympic Team, athletes from around the world, and the 
     security personnel and volunteers who ensured that the 2004 
     Olympic Summer Games in Athens was a great success.
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, 
which took place between August 13-29, have added a vivid and memorable 
chapter to the Olympic tradition, which first took shape in Greece 
nearly three millennia ago, and which in its modern form dates back to 
1896. The Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, the U.S. Olympic Committee, 
the International Olympic Committee and dozens of other organizations, 
the U.S. Olympic Team and thousands of athletes from all over the 
world, the unwavering determination to meet unprecedented challenges 
and the good will and hard work of the people of Greece all contributed 
to assuring the success of the Games. In tribute to their magnificent 
achievement, today I am joined by a number of my colleagues in 
introducing a resolution to express our gratitude and congratulations.
  Greece took on a daunting challenge when, in 1997, the nation was 
designated by the International Olympic Committee to serve as host to 
the 2004 Summer Games. With the exception of Finland, where the 1952 
Games took place, in terms of population Greece is the smallest Olympic 
host ever. To prepare for the return of the Games to Athens, where the 
first modern Olympics were held in 1896, the whole nation came together 
in a great common effort. The President and Managing Director of the 
Athens 2004 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games 
and their associates worked closely with the Mayor of Athens, the 
Ministries of Public Works and Culture and other government agencies to 
assure a setting and facilities uniquely appropriate to the great 
events. The people of Greece, in Athens and also in communities around 
the Nation, gave their full support to the preparatory efforts and 
opened their hearts to the athletes.
  The events of September 11, 2001 raised the challenge of preparing 
for the Olympic Games to unprecedented heights, for they fundamentally 
changed the security and logistical context for all major international 
events--and indeed, as we know from our recent political conventions, 
for all large gatherings. As the Athens Games were the first summer 
Games to occur after 9/11, Greece had neither precedents nor guidelines 
upon which to rely in planning for the security of some 10,500 Olympic 
athletes, 5,500 team officials and literally millions of visitors. The 
challenges were all the more formidable because many of the events, 
including soccer and shot put, were held in places as distant from 
Athens as Thessaloniki and ancient Olympia.
  Greece undertook to do everything ``humanly possible'' to ensure the 
safety and success of the Games. The Athens 2004 Organizing Committee 
carried out a careful study and analysis of the security arrangements 
for the somewhat smaller Winter Games that had taken place in 2002, in 
Salt Lake City.

[[Page S9290]]

A specially trained security force of 45,000 men and women was 
deployed, which included military and air force personnel, coast 
guards, fire fighters, law enforcement officials and private security 
contractors. The government of Greece worked in close collaboration 
with the United States, Britain, Israel, France, Germany, Australia, 
and Spain, along with NATO, guided by two principles: every single 
nation had an interest in having its athletes compete safely, and all 
nations working toward a common objective--the ultimate success of the 
Games--would provide the most effective deterrent to a terrorist act. 
As a result, while security measures were comprehensive and complex 
they were expertly and unobtrusively carried out, in no way detracting 
from the spirit of the Games. Athletes and visitors alike moved about 
unimpeded, and competition went forward in the finest Olympic 
tradition.
  Major investments in infrastructure also contributed significantly to 
the smooth functioning of the Games. Athens today is a city 
transformed. Since 1997, when the International Olympic Committee 
designated Greece as the host country for the 2004 Games, 
transportation and telecommunications systems have been expanded and 
modernized. The investments Greece has made in connection with the 
Olympics have created unprecedented opportunities for the future. The 
Olympic stadium complex, which includes the aquatic and tennis center, 
as well as the indoor arena and main stadium, will serve as major 
training facilities for many years to come. The soccer facilities will 
be highly sought after for international soccer events. Overall, 
infrastructure improvements have laid a sound foundation for economic 
growth and prosperity nationwide. Having met a daunting challenge, 
Greece is now poised to take on new responsibilities in an expanded 
European Union, and in the broad international community. Where the 
cherished tradition of the Summer Olympics is concerned, Greece has 
shown what can be accomplished. The experience in Athens will surely 
prove invaluable to China, which fours years from now will play host to 
the Games in Beijing.
  As a Marylander, I am especially proud of the signal accomplishments 
of Maryland athletes, and I am sure my colleagues take similar pride in 
the athletes from their respective states. The performance of the U.S. 
Olympic Team members in one stirring event after another will long be 
remembered, as anyone fortunate enough to have witnessed the 
competition firsthand will attest.
  Above and beyond the excitement and the triumphs of the different 
events, however, the Athens Olympics gave us something more. The 2004 
Games showed that even in uncertain and turbulent times, it is possible 
with determination and planning and foresight to bring together men and 
women of good will from every corner of the globe in a great common 
endeavor. This is for all of us a both a reminder and an inspiration.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that several articles be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the articles were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                [From the Baltimore Sun, Aug. 30, 2004]

                   Greece Celebrates Successful Games

                          (By Candus Thomson)

       Athens.--Under the soft light of a full moon, the Greeks 
     said goodbye to the sports spectacle they invented in 776 
     B.C. and revived in 1896.
       After 16 days of competition, the 28th Summer Olympiad 
     ended its run in a ceremony filled with folk music, dancing 
     and sighs of relief.
       This was the Olympics burdened with the fears of 
     construction delays and terrorism. But the venues were done 
     on time and everyone remained safe.
       Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, the Athens 2004 president, 
     drew a roar from the crowd of 72,000 with her opening 
     remarks.
       ``I ask our foreign guests: Did you enjoy yourselves in 
     Greece?'' she asked. ``We loved having you here. You wave 
     your national flags. You stood for every anthem. You danced 
     to our music. We even heard you speak your first words of 
     Greek. To you, we say, thank you.''
       Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic 
     Committee, pronounced himself satisfied with the Athens 
     Olympics.
       ``Dear Greek friends, you have won,'' he said to much 
     cheering.
       Earlier, Rogge told reporters he never doubted that the 
     organizers would accelerate construction and meet their 
     deadline.
       ``I'm an extremely happy president of the IOC,'' Rogge 
     said. ``I've always said I believed there was enough time to 
     finish the preparations in due time. Many did not believe me. 
     I think our friends have delivered in Athens in a very 
     splendid way.''


                         slow start, big finish

       Like the preparations, the Games started slowly, with 
     lagging ticket sales and sparse attendance. Ticket scalpers 
     blamed bad publicity, terrorism and a slow European economy.
       But the second week came back gangbusters.
       ``We knew we would host successful Games because the stakes 
     for Greece were huge. And we knew because of our Olympic 
     heritage we would do a good job,'' said Achilles Paparsenos, 
     the press officer for the Greek Embassy in Washington. ``The 
     results speak for themselves. All of the so-called experts 
     should apologize to Greece at some point.''
       With a total of 103 medals, the U.S. team exceeded the 
     total of 97 four years ago in Sydney, Australia, and met its 
     goal of 100 medals. But just 35 medals were gold, fewer than 
     the 40 in Sydney and 44 in Atlanta in 1996.
       The U.S. team also won 39 silver medals and 29 bronze. 
     Russia finished second in total medals with 92; China 
     finished third with 63.
       For the first week, these were the Michael Phelps Olympics. 
     If he were a nation, Phelps would have tied Thailand, 
     Denmark, Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic for 24th our of 
     202 nations in total medals. The Baltimore County swimmer won 
     eight, equaling the record for most at one Olympics with six 
     gold and two bronze medals. But he could not eclipse Mark 
     Spitz's 1972 record of seven gold medals.
       And there were other notable U.S. accomplishments. After 
     disastrous showings in Sydney four years ago, Americans were 
     crowned the all-around men's and women's gymnastics 
     champions, and both teams earned silver medals.
       But while Carly Patterson is being hailed as the new Mary 
     Lou Retton, winner of the previous women's all-around gold 
     medal in 1984, Paul Hamm is fighting to keep his gold.
       A scoring error allowed Hamm to slip past South Korean Yang 
     Tae Young, and team officials didn't challenge the result 
     until too late. Hours before the start of the closing 
     ceremony, Yang filed a protest with the Court of Arbitration 
     for Sport, which will hear the dispute in Lausanne, 
     Switzerland, home of the International Olympic Committee.
       Despite the medals harvest, there are ominous signs for 
     other U.S. sports. The men's basketball team had to settle 
     for a bronze medal, and the men's soccer and baseball teams 
     didn't even qualify. The U.S. sailing team won just two 
     medals--a gold and a silver--tying its worst showing in 20 
     years.
       And there are troubling signs for the Olympics, which 
     picked up a new nickname: the Doping Games.
       The final tally of athletes stripped of their medals or 
     disciplined isn't known, but is expected to top two dozen 
     after the IOC analyzes samples.
       The list grew almost daily and included the Hungarian gold 
     medalist in discus and silver medalist in hammer throw, the 
     Russian gold medalist in women's shot put, a Belarus high 
     jumper, a Kenyan boxer, two Greek baseball players and two 
     Greek sprinters, a Swiss cyclist, a Spanish canoeist and an 
     Irish distance runner.
       Nearly one in four athletes was tested, and Rogge said the 
     IOC will expand its program over the next two Olympics.
       ``These were the Games where it became increasingly 
     difficult to cheat,'' he said.
       But there were magical moments, too.
       Athletes set 15 world records in six sports.
       Windsurfer Gal Fridman won Israel's first gold medal.
       U.S. women earned gold in soccer, basketball and 
     softball, led by Mia Hamm, Dawn Staley and Lisa Fernandez, 
     players heading for retirement.
       Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj won both the 5,000-meter and 
     1,500-meter races after failing to earn a gold medal in 
     Atlanta and Sydney. The overjoyed runner, who swept the 
     middle-distance races for the first time in 80 years, 
     delighted the crowd by dancing to a Greek tune and leaping 
     into the stands to hug his 3-month-old daughter.
       Kayaker Alexandros Dimitriou, laboring through the 
     whitewater rapids, at any moment ready to capsize, was lifted 
     by the rhythmic clapping of thousands of spectators to music 
     from Zorba the Greek. He finished 24th out of 25, but the 
     crowd made him a winner.


                             the road ahead

       As host, Greece will be stuck with the tab. The government 
     built more than 120 miles of highway, a new subway system and 
     an airport.
       Some athletic venues still aren't finished. And no one is 
     sure what will become of the gyms, ballparks and pools built 
     for 16 days of competition for an estimated $8.6 billion--
     $5.5 billion over budget.
       The Greek government says it may have no choice but to tax 
     its 11 million citizens to pay the Olympic-size bill.
       But those are worries for another day.
       Near the end of the closing ceremony, the mayor of Athens, 
     Dora Bakoyannis, presented Rogge with an Olympic flag that he 
     passed to Bejing's mayor, Wang Qishan. The 2008 Summer Games 
     will begin there about 1,500 days from now.

[[Page S9291]]

       Rogge declared the Games closed, the cauldron was 
     extinguished and the party began.
       ``I really feel sorry for people who did not come to Greece 
     because they were dissuaded by the doubting Thomases and 
     Cassandras of doom and gloom,'' said Paparsenos, who attended 
     the party. ``They missed such a unique experience, a 
     celebration of sports where the Olympics were born.''
                                  ____


               [From the Washington Post, Aug. 30, 2004]

      Proud Country Shows the World ``Great Things Greeks Can Do''

                          (By Craig Whitlock)

       Under a brilliant full moon and the burning Olympic flame, 
     the Greeks danced. They clapped, they sang, kicked up their 
     legs and celebrated an Olympics that at one point was almost 
     taken away, but in the end left them jumping with national 
     pride.
       Afer sponsoring more than two weeks of competition, and 
     enduring years of ridicule and doubt from the rest of the 
     world about whether the Games deserved to return to their 
     birthplace, the Greeks danced and danced in their modern 
     Olympics Stadium. About 75,000 spectators clapped along as 
     performers served up a giant Greek wedding feast of a Closing 
     Ceremonies, joyful that so much had gone right during the 
     Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, and that so little had gone 
     wrong.
       Gone were the fears about terrorist attacks and smoggy 
     traffic jams and unfinished stadiums. The Athens Olympics had 
     come to an end, and for the most part everything worked just 
     fine.
       Greece was the smallest nation in 52 years to host the 
     Summer Olympics, determined to recast Athens as a modern 
     European city known for more than its ancient past. In doing 
     so, the country spent at least $7.2 billion on the Games, 
     including $1.5 billion to provide security--an enormous sum 
     that will take many years, if not decades, to pay off.
       But complaints about costs were hard to find Sunday night, 
     as Greece proudly handed off the Olympics flame to a nation 
     125 times its size--China, host of the 2008 Summer Games--
     secure that it had proved itself to the world.
       ``The Olympics came home and we showed the world the great 
     things Greeks can do,'' Giana Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, 
     president of the Athens Organizing Committee, told the crowd. 
     ``On this stage, the world discovered a new Greece.''
       ``Hellas! Hellas!'' the crowd shouted, waving Greek flags 
     and white hankies.
       Organizers flooded the stadium with 250,000 balloons as 
     thousands of fireworks lit up the sky. Under the dazzling 
     light show, a succession of Greek singers and folk musicians 
     kept the audience dancing throughout the Closing Ceremonies. 
     Toward the end, the mood became so infectious that small 
     groups of athletes from Brazil, Britain, France and other 
     nations broke away from the security cordon in the stadium 
     infield and danced around the track.
       Despite the festive atmosphere, strict security measures 
     remained in place until the end. Several helicopters and a 
     blimp circled the stadium throughout the ceremonies.
       Worries about political disruptions also kept U.S. 
     Secretary of State Colin Powell from attending; he canceled a 
     planned trip to Athens after Greek anti-war protesters angry 
     about his visit clashed with police Friday in downtown 
     Athens.
       Unlike the Opening Ceremonies, where fans loudly cheered 
     the delegations from Iraq and Afghanistan and gave the silent 
     treatment to U.S. athletes, politics were not on display 
     Sunday night. Athletes from 202 nations entered the stadium 
     at the same time, mixing together on the infield.
       The United States led the overall medal standings with 103, 
     capped off by an unexpected silver in the last event of the 
     Games, the men's marathon.
       American athletes dominated the competition in track and 
     field, women's team sports and the swimming pool, where 
     Maryland's 19-year-old Michael Phelps won a record eight 
     medals. A major disappointment: the men's basketball team, 
     which lost three games and settled for bronze.
       The biggest controversies were athletic ones, thanks to 
     cheaters and judges who shook up several events.
       At least 22 competitors were flagged for drug-testing 
     violations, resulting in the revocation of seven medals. 
     Greece in particular was shamed by the expulsion of two 
     national heroes, medal-winning sprinters Kostas Kenteris and 
     Katerina Thanou, who were kicked off the team after missing 
     several drug tests.
       Olympic officials said athletes had gotten the message that 
     doping would not be tolerated. ``These were the Games where 
     it became increasingly difficult to cheat and where clean 
     athletes were protected,'' Jacques Rogge, president of the 
     International Olympic Committee, told the audience.
       Earlier, Rogge cheered the Greeks in attendance by thanking 
     them for their hospitality. ``Dear Greek friends, you have 
     won,'' he said in their native language, before lapsing into 
     French. ``You have won by brilliantly meeting the tough 
     challenge of holding the Games.''
       Four years earlier, the IOC came close to yanking the 
     Olympics away from Athens. Construction projects and other 
     preparations had barely progressed since the Games were 
     awarded to Greece in 1997. Former IOC president Juan Antonio 
     Samaranch revealed recently that Olympic overseers were about 
     three months from making an emergency decision to move the 
     Games to South Korea.
       Spurred on by the threat, Greek officials worked feverishly 
     over the next four years to prove that it could get ready on 
     time. The challenges were substantial: Athens needed a new 
     international airport, new highways, an expanded subway 
     system and more than a dozen new athletic arenas.
       As the deadline neared--the roof on the Olympic stadium 
     slid into place just three months ago--there was little time 
     for testing. Even Olympic officials wondered if things would 
     work when the crowds showed up. By and large, they did.
       ``At the end of the day, the biggest surprise to everybody 
     is that there were no major issues,'' Ioannis Spanudakis, 
     managing director for the Athens 2004 organizing committee, 
     said in an interview.
       Not everything went exactly as organizers hoped. While the 
     Athens committee met its attendance projections by selling 
     more than 3.5 million tickets, many athletes performed in 
     front of sparse crowds. Television ratings were higher than 
     in Sydney four years earlier, but cameras couldn't conceal 
     the fact that stadiums were often largely empty.
       The Closing Ceremonies, however, were a sellout. Even after 
     the music died down, many * * *.
                                  ____


               [From the Chicago Tribune, Aug. 23, 2004]

             Greece Strikes Gold With More Than Just Games

                            (By Tom Hundley)

       Athens.--It hardly matters that Greek athletes have won 
     only a handful of medals in their hometown Olympics. As far 
     as most people here are concerned, Greece already has emerged 
     as the big winner of the 2004 Games.
       This summer has marked a turning point for a country that 
     often was dismissed by Europeans as little more than a cheap 
     package-tour destination and denigrated by Americans as too 
     small, too poor and too disorganized to mount a successful 
     Olympics.
       Not only has Greece put on a surprisingly laid-back, 
     glitch-free and not overly commercialized games, but earlier 
     this month, it completed construction of an architecturally 
     stunning suspension bridge that links western Greece with the 
     Peloponnese. The 1.79-mile Harilaos Trikoupis Bridge was 
     completed six months ahead of schedule and within its $900 
     million budget.
       On top of that, underdog Greece recently won the European 
     soccer championship--its first-ever championship in the one 
     sport that truly matters in Europe.
       The cumulative effect of all this is a growing sense of 
     self-confidence in a country long plagued by a low self-
     esteem and a feeling that ``Europe'' referred to someplace 
     else.
       ``People are stopping me in the street and congratulating 
     me, but I tell them it's not me, it's all of us,'' said 
     Spyros Capralos, general secretary of the Olympic Games for 
     the Greek government. ``Greeks will have a new sense of self-
     respect after this. The whole nation feels it.''
       Ted Couloumbis, a historian and political analyst at Athens 
     University, agreed, but cautioned that it would take some 
     time before popular perceptions catch up with the reality of 
     a rapidly modernizing Greece.
       ``Many people here still think we are the Greece of the 
     past; the poor Greece, the backward Greece, the politically 
     unstable Greece,'' he said. ``But the successful delivery of 
     a high-tech, highly complex Olympics in a post-Sept. 11 
     climate is going to contribute tremendously to Greeks' 
     perception of themselves.''


                     doubters until the last minute

       With a population of 11 million, Greece is the smallest 
     country ever to stage the Summer Games, and doubters were 
     numerous right up until the opening ceremony.
       But even if workers were bolting down the last seats in the 
     Olympic Aquatic Center just 20 minutes before the start of 
     the first event there, the experience of staging such a large 
     spectacle has given Greece a wealth of technical expertise 
     and a cadre of young professionals confident in their 
     abilities.
       ``The human resources, the know-how, the working methods 
     and organizing methods, the new cooperation between the 
     private sector and public section--these are the intangibles 
     that come with the Olympics,'' said Evangelos Venizelos, and 
     opposition leader who is a former minister of culture.
       Economists and other experts point to expected improvements 
     in the service and tourism sectors, while Greek engineering 
     and construction companies now have the experience to compete 
     for large-scale projects almost anywhere.


                           skyrocketing costs

       The price tag has been high. Because Greece fell far behind 
     schedule during the first six years of Olympic construction 
     and then had to make a man dash to the finish line over the 
     last year, costs skyrocketed from $5.6 billion to more than 
     $8.4 billion, or more than 5 percent of Greece's gross 
     domestic product.
       But even that figure is dwarfed by the $56 billion that the 
     government is spending between 2000 and 2006 on 
     infrastructure overhaul that is expected to transform Greece 
     into a mainstream European player. About 60 percent of the 
     funding comes from European Union sources while Greece is 
     handling the rest, mainly in the form of long-term loans and 
     private investment.
       ``The bridge is the most symbolic example of the country's 
     modernization, but there's a long list of new infrastructure 
     projects, and not only in Athens but in Thessaloniki and 
     Patras and Volos,'' Venizelos said.

[[Page S9292]]

       The new suspension bridge was built by a French-Greek 
     consortium. It crosses the Gulf of Corinth with five spans 
     that add up to the world's longest cable-suspended deck. 
     Physically and psychologically, the bridge brings Greece 
     closer to Europe, linking it with the continent's main road 
     and rail networks.


                     setting aside bitter memories

       All of this is helping shape a new Greek self-image. Just 
     as the crowd-pleasing Barcelona Olympics of 1992 formally 
     laid to rest the gloomy legacy of Gen. Francisco Franco's 36-
     year dictatorship and reintroduced Spain to Europe, Athens 
     2004 is helping Greece set aside lingering memories of a 
     bitter civil war, military dictatorships in the 1960s and 
     '70s, and years of tense relations with neighboring Turkey.
       ``We are in the process of becoming a normal European 
     country that want to be in the core of Europe,'' said 
     Couloumbis, the historian. ``If there is a Europe of 
     concentric circles, Greeks want to be in the center.''
       When the Olympic caravan folds its tent Sunday and begins 
     the long trek to Beijing, the next venue for the games, 
     Athens inevitably will suffer from a case of post-Olympic 
     blues.
       ``People will ask if the huge investment was justified,'' 
     Couluombis said. ``There will be finger-pointing about the 
     cost overruns.''
       Venizelos, the opposition leader, said the real benefits 
     for Greece would not be counted during the 16 days between 
     the Games' opening and closing ceremonies.
       ``Was it worth it? We will know in the next 50 years,'' he 
     said.
                                  ____


               [Knight Ridder Newspapers, Aug. 31, 2004]

              The Ultimate Star of These Olympics: Athens

                            (By Ann Killion)

       Athens, Greece.--The star of these Olympics is easy to 
     pick. It is the lady with the funny hat and long spear, the 
     gal who sprouted fully grown out of the head of her dad, 
     Zeus.
       Athena, the goddess of wisdom. She and her namesake city 
     win the gold.
       Each Olympics produces a lasting image or two. In Sydney it 
     was Cathy Freeman and Marion Jones. In Atlanta it was Michael 
     Johnson and Kerri Strug.
       These Games produced their own stars and scandals. Among 
     the high points: Michael Phelps, who won more medals than 
     many countries; America's golden girls Natalie Coughlin and 
     Carly Patterson, beach volleyball, along with the softball, 
     soccer and basketball teams.
       Among the lows: drugs, incompetent judges and a red-kilted 
     attacker on the marathon course.
       But the most defining memory from these Games will be the 
     performance of Athens and her citizens. We always cheer for 
     the underdog. We love it when the underestimated and 
     overlooked come up big.
       And there has never been an Olympic underdog like Athens. 
     Or one that has rallied to victory as drastically.
       The city was doubted, scoffed, maligned. Athenians 
     mortgaged their future to bring the Olympics home to their 
     birthplace. They felt disrespected by the rest of the world.
       But the city and her people performed under pressure. From 
     the beginning until the very end, as the massive crowds moved 
     smoothly Monday through Eleftherios Benizelos Airport, Athens 
     shone.
       The people who invested the ancient Games hosted a very 
     modern event, from the billion-dollar-plus security bill to 
     the doping shadow looming over the event.
       The security worked. The scariest thing about being in 
     Athens was riding in a taxi. It's still debatable how well 
     the doping control works. More than 20 athletes tested 
     positive, more than at any previous Olympics. IOC President 
     Jacques Rogge called each positive test ``a blessing,'' 
     proving that the system works. But as Balco has taught us the 
     invisible, undetectable menace is still there.
       Doping was at the root of Greece's most embarrassing 
     moment, when track stars Kostas Kenteris and Ekaterini Thanou 
     withdrew after missing a drug test. Another shameful moment 
     was the Paul Hamm mess. A judging mistake was compounded by 
     the Federation of International Gymnastics' ham-handed 
     approach, asking Hamm to give back his medal. Hamm was 
     already home. The USOC was furious. And poor South Korean 
     Yang Tae-young was left a victim of Olympic incompetence.
       Before every Olympics, the cynics say the Games are dying, 
     pierced through the heart with a syringe, strangled by 
     corporate greed and political motivation.
       But the 2004 Olympics drew huge television ratings. NBC 
     recorded the highest ratings for a Summer Olympics held 
     outside the United States. For the public, scandals seemed to 
     only add to the Games' intrigue and soap opera plot.
       Politics, as always, was unavoidable. A member of the 
     Iranian judo team deliberately missed weight rather than 
     fight an Israeli. The Iraqi soccer team balked at being used 
     as a political tool in the American presidential campaign.
       But the Olympic moments still shine through. Moroccan 
     Hicham el Guerrouj overcame his Olympic struggles to win two 
     gold medals. Israeli windsurfer Gal Fridman won the first 
     gold medal in his country's 52-year Olympic history and said 
     he would take the medal to the memorial honoring the 11 
     Israeli Olympians murdered in 1972 and ``show it to them, to 
     show they are always with us.'' Greeks spontaneously sang the 
     national anthem when beloved weightlifter Pyrros Dimas won a 
     bronze.
       The hosts were gracious and accommodating. How did such a 
     small country pull it off? I got a taste of the Greek 
     approach before the Games ever began.
       Traveling with my family to Athens, our ferry from a small 
     island to the island of Santorini was scheduled to leave at 
     2:30. Apparently everybody else knew it really left at 4. 
     When it finally pulled out at 4:15, we were in danger of 
     missing our flight to Athens and being stranded until 
     morning.
       As we neared Santorini, I spoke with the ship workers. They 
     shook their heads. Our task would be impossible. There would 
     be no taxis at the port. The airport is on the other side of 
     the island.
       There was no hope. But they discussed my plight some more, 
     cited the politics of ferry schedules, pointed out the 
     beautiful cliff villages and told the story of the volcano 
     eruption to distract me from my worries.
       Finally, they decided it could be done. They helped us with 
     our luggage. They spotted taxis waiting on shore. They pulled 
     us off the boat before the gangplank was fully down, shouting 
     as we dashed for the taxi, ``You'll make it with half an hour 
     to spare!''
       We made it with five minutes to spare.
       It's the Greek way, cynical, analytical, taking a break to 
     appreciate the beauty and history of their land, and then 
     rallying with complete enthusiasm.
       The Olympic flame was extinguished under a full moon that 
     reflected off the Acropolis and bathed the city in a golden 
     light. Athena would be proud.
                                  ____


                    [From The State, Aug. 29, 2004]

               An Apology--And Thank You, Before Leaving

                            (By Dave Barry)

       Athens.--I'm leaving the Olympics and heading home, 
     assuming the plane can lift me. This is a concern because 
     I've gained many kilometers of mass from eating Greek food, 
     especially ``baklava,'' which is the Greek word for 
     ``carbohydrates.''
       But before I leave I have something to say to Greece:
       Dear Greece,
       I owe you an apology. Every negative thought I had about 
     you before I got here--every worry, every concern--turned out 
     to be wrong.
       When I got to Greece, I thought you wouldn't be ready for 
     the Olympics. But you were--more ready than my country was in 
     1996 when the Olympics came to Atlanta. Your facilities were 
     finished, or at least finished enough; the buses ran on time; 
     the phones worked; and an army of ever-cheerful volunteers 
     stood by to deal with what few glitches there were. The Games 
     went beautifully. I still don't understand rhythmic 
     gymnastics, but that's not our fault.


                              feeling safe

       When I got to Greece, I was worried about terrorism. But my 
     only moments of terror involved public toilets last cleaned 
     by the Goths, and of course the Athens taxis, which are a 
     menace to all humanity everywhere. (If we keep sending robots 
     to Mars, sooner or later one of them will be run over by an 
     Athens taxi.) But the Games themselves, and your country, 
     always felt safe. The security, even though there was a lot 
     of it, never felt oppressive. I wish I felt as safe in my own 
     country as I did in yours.
       When I got to Greece, I was worried about pickpockets. My 
     company sent me to a scary security-training session that 
     left me convinced I'd wind up lying in some Athens alley, 
     stripped of money, clothes and key bodily organs. But nobody 
     took anything from me. Instead, people kept giving me things: 
     pins, maps, guidebooks, smiles, and--most precious of all--
     directions. Whenever I looked lost--which was often--people 
     would stop and ask me, in English, if I needed help. Often 
     they'd walk with me, going out of their way, making sure I 
     was on the right path, sometimes even handing me off to 
     another Greek, passing me across Athens, a human baton in the 
     Clueless American Relay.


                            a family affair

       When I got to Greece, I was worried about bringing my 4-
     year-old daughter, Sophie. But you opened your arms to her, 
     as you do to all children. We couldn't get on a bus without 
     somebody offering Sophie a seat; we couldn't walk around our 
     neighborhood without somebody shouting ``Sophie!'' and 
     running over to say hi to her. At home, I'm a newspaper 
     columnist; in Greece, I'm the guy who accompanies Sophie.
       When I got to Greece. I was worried about not understanding 
     the language. But it turned out the only Greek word I really 
     needed to know was ``efharisto,'' which means (I hope) 
     ``thank you.'' I said it a hundred times a day.
       So, Greece, I apologize. You took on a huge task, and you 
     did it well, and your competence was matched by your warmth. 
     You treated my family like your family; we've already decided 
     we're coming back (after all, Sophie will want to see her 
     friends).
       Until then, Greece, from my heart: efharisto.

[[Page S9293]]

                                 ______
                                 

 SENATE RESOLUTION 428--REAUTHORIZING THE JOHN HEINZ SENATE FELLOWSHIP 
                                PROGRAM

  Mr. SPECTER (for himself, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Cochran, and Mr. Hagel) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Rules and Administration:

                              S. Res. 428

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. JOHN HEINZ SENATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

       Senate Resolution 356, 102d Congress, agreed to October 7, 
     1992, is amended by striking section 5 and inserting the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 5. FUNDS.

       ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the 
     provisions of this resolution $85,000 for each of fiscal 
     years 2005 through 2009.''.
  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to submit a 
resolution reauthorizing the John Heinz Senate Fellowship Program. This 
Congressional fellowship program, created in 1992, is a fitting tribute 
to my late colleague and dear friend, United States Senator John Heinz. 
Senator Heinz dedicated his life and much of his Congressional career 
to improving the lives of senior citizens. He believed that Congress 
has a special responsibility to serve as a guardian for those who 
cannot protect themselves. This fellowship program, which focuses on 
aging issues, honors the life and continues the legacy of Senator 
Heinz.
  During his 20 years in the Congress, John Heinz compiled an enviable 
record of accomplishments. While he was successful in many areas, he 
built a national reputation for his strong commitment to improving the 
quality of life of our Nation' s elderly. Pennsylvania, with nearly 2 
million citizens aged 65 or older--over 15 percent of the population--
houses the second largest elderly population nationwide. As John 
traveled throughout the State, he listened to the concerns of this 
important constituency and came back to Washington to address their 
needs through policy and legislation.
  Senator Heinz led the fight against age discrimination by championing 
legislation to eliminate the requirement that older Americans must 
retire at age 65, and by ensuring full retirement pay for older workers 
employed by factories forced to close. During his Chairmanship of the 
Senate Special Committee on Aging from 1981-1986 and his tenure as 
Ranking Minority Member from 1987-1991, Senator Heinz used his position 
to improve health care accessibility and affordability for senior 
citizens and to reduce fraud and abuse within Federal health care 
programs. Congress enacted his legislation to provide Medicare 
recipients a lower cost alternative to fee-for-service medicine, as 
well as his legislation to add a hospice benefit to the Medicare 
program.
  John also recognized the great need for nursing home reforms. He was 
successful in passing legislation mandating that safety measures be 
implemented in nursing homes and ensuring that nursing home residents 
cannot be bound and tied to their beds or wheelchairs.
  The John Heinz Senate Fellowship Program will help continue the 
efforts of Senator Heinz to give our Nation's elderly the quality of 
life they deserve. The program encourages the identification and 
training of new leadership in aging policy by awarding fellowships to 
qualified candidates to serve in a Senate office or with a Senate 
Committee. The goal of this program is to advance the development of 
public policy in issues affecting senior citizens. Administered by the 
Heinz Family Foundation in conjunction with the Secretary of the 
Senate, the program allows fellows to bring their firsthand experience 
in aging issues to the work of Congress. Heinz fellows who are 
advocates for aging issues spend a year to help us learn about the 
effects of Federal policies on our elderly citizens, those who are 
social workers help us find better ways to protect our nation's elderly 
from abuse and neglect, and those who are health care providers help us 
to build a strong health care system that addresses the unique needs of 
our seniors.
  The Heinz fellowship enables us to train new leaders in senior 
citizen advocacy and aging policy. The fellows return to their 
respective careers with a new understanding about how to work 
effectively with government, so they may better fulfill their goals as 
senior citizen advocates.
  The John Heinz Senate Fellowship Program has been a valuable tool for 
Congress and our communities since its establishment in 1992. The 
continuation of this vital program will signal a sustained commitment 
to our nation's elderly. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
cosponsoring this resolution, and urge its swift adoption.
                                 ______
                                 

 SENATE RESOLUTION 429--ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE 
 TO INVESTIGATE THE AWARDING AND CARRYING OUT OF CONTRACTS TO CONDUCT 
  ACTIVITIES IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ AND TO FIGHT THE WAR ON TERRORISM

  Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Craig, Mr. Akaka, and Mr. Dayton) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Rules and Administration:

                              s. Res. 429

       Whereas the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have exerted very 
     large demands on the Treasury of the United States and 
     required tremendous sacrifice by the members of the Armed 
     Forces of the United States;
       Whereas Congress has a constitutional responsibility to 
     ensure comprehensive oversight of the expenditure of United 
     States Government funds;
       Whereas waste and corporate abuse of United States 
     Government resources are particularly unacceptable and 
     reprehensible during times of war;
       Whereas the magnitude of the funds involved in the 
     reconstruction of Afghanistan and Iraq and the war on 
     terrorism, together with the speed with which these funds 
     have been committed, presents a challenge to the effective 
     performance of the traditional oversight function of Congress 
     and the auditing functions of the executive branch;
       Whereas the Senate Special Committee to Investigate the 
     National Defense Program, popularly know as the Truman 
     Committee, which was established during World War II, offers 
     a constructive precedent for bipartisan oversight of wartime 
     contracting that can also be extended to wartime and postwar 
     reconstruction activities;
       Whereas the Truman Committee is credited with an extremely 
     successful investigative effort, performance of a significant 
     public education role, and achievement of fiscal savings 
     measured in the billions of dollars; and
       Whereas the public has a right to expect that taxpayer 
     resources will be carefully disbursed and honestly spent: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION 
                   CONTRACTING.

       There is established a special committee of the Senate to 
     be known as the Special Committee on War and Reconstruction 
     Contracting (hereafter in this resolution referred to as the 
     ``Special Committee'').

     SEC. 2. PURPOSE AND DUTIES.

       (a) Purpose.--The purpose of the Special Committee is to 
     investigate the awarding and performance of contracts to 
     conduct military, security, and reconstruction activities in 
     Afghanistan and Iraq and to support the prosecution of the 
     war on terrorism.
       (b) Duties.--The Special Committee shall examine the 
     contracting actions described in subsection (a) and report on 
     such actions, in accordance with this section, regarding--
       (1) bidding, contracting, accounting, and auditing 
     standards for Federal Government contracts;
       (2) methods of contracting, including sole-source contracts 
     and limited competition or noncompetitive contracts;
       (3) subcontracting under large, comprehensive contracts;
       (4) oversight procedures;
       (5) consequences of cost-plus and fixed price contracting;
       (6) allegations of wasteful and fraudulent practices;
       (7) accountability of contractors and Government officials 
     involved in procurement and contracting;
       (8) penalties for violations of law and abuses in the 
     awarding and performance of Government contracts; and
       (9) lessons learned from the contracting process used in 
     Iraq and Afghanistan and in connection with the war on 
     terrorism with respect to the structure, coordination, 
     management policies, and procedures of the Federal 
     Government.
       (c) Evidence Considered.--In carrying out its duties, the 
     Special Committee shall ascertain and evaluate the evidence 
     developed by all relevant governmental agencies regarding the 
     facts and circumstances relevant to contracts described in 
     subsection (a).

     SEC. 3. COMPOSITION OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE.

       (a) Membership.--
       (1) In general.--The Special Committee shall consist of 7 
     members of the Senate of whom--
       (A) 4 members shall be appointed by the President pro 
     tempore of the Senate, in consultation with the majority 
     leader of the Senate; and
       (B) 3 members shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
     the Senate.
       (2) Date.--The appointments of the members of the Special 
     Committee shall be made

[[Page S9294]]

     not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act.
       (b) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Special Committee shall 
     not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner 
     as the original appointment.
       (c) Service.--Service of a Senator as a member, chairman, 
     or ranking member of the Special Committee shall not be taken 
     into account for the purposes of paragraph (4) of rule XXV of 
     the Standing Rules of the Senate.
       (d) Chairman and Ranking Member.--The chairman of the 
     Special Committee shall be designated by the majority leader 
     of the Senate, and the ranking member of the Special 
     Committee shall be designated by the minority leader of the 
     Senate.
       (e) Quorum.--
       (1) Reports and recommendations.--A majority of the members 
     of the Special Committee shall constitute a quorum for the 
     purpose of reporting a matter or recommendation to the 
     Senate.
       (2) Testimony.--One member of the Special Committee shall 
     constitute a quorum for the purpose of taking testimony.
       (3) Other business.--A majority of the members of the 
     Special Committee, or \1/3\ of the members of the Special 
     Committee if at least one member of the minority party is 
     present, shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of 
     conducting any other business of the Special Committee.

     SEC. 4. RULES AND PROCEDURES.

       (a) Governance Under Standing Rules of Senate.--Except as 
     otherwise specifically provided in this resolution, the 
     investigation, study, and hearings conducted by the Special 
     Committee shall be governed by the Standing Rules of the 
     Senate.
       (b) Additional Rules and Procedures.--The Special Committee 
     may adopt additional rules or procedures if the chairman and 
     ranking member agree that such additional rules or procedures 
     are necessary to enable the Special Committee to conduct the 
     investigation, study, and hearings authorized by this 
     resolution. Any such additional rules and procedures--
       (1) shall not be inconsistent with this resolution or the 
     Standing Rules of the Senate; and
       (2) shall become effective upon publication in the 
     Congressional Record.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORITY OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE.

       (a) In General.--The Special Committee may exercise all of 
     the powers and responsibilities of a committee under rule 
     XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate.
       (b) Hearings.--The Special Committee or, at its direction, 
     any subcommittee or member of the Special Committee, may, for 
     the purpose of carrying out this resolution--
       (1) hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and 
     places, take such testimony, receive such evidence, and 
     administer such oaths as the Special Committee or such 
     subcommittee or member considers advisable; and
       (2) require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and 
     testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, 
     records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, documents, tapes, 
     and materials as the Special Committee considers advisable.
       (c) Issuance and Enforcement of Subpoenas.--
       (1) Issuance.--Subpoenas issued under subsection (b) shall 
     bear the signature of the Chairman of the Special Committee 
     and shall be served by any person or class of persons 
     designated by the Chairman for that purpose.
       (2) Enforcement.--In the case of contumacy or failure to 
     obey a subpoena issued under subsection (a), the United 
     States district court for the judicial district in which the 
     subpoenaed person resides, is served, or may be found may 
     issue an order requiring such person to appear at any 
     designated place to testify or to produce documentary or 
     other evidence. Any failure to obey the order of the court 
     may be punished by the court as a contempt of that court.
       (d) Meetings.--The Special Committee may sit and act at any 
     time or place during sessions, recesses, and adjournment 
     periods of the Senate.

     SEC. 6. REPORTS.

       (a) Initial Report.--The Special Committee shall submit to 
     the Senate a report on the investigation conducted pursuant 
     to section 2 not later than 270 days after the appointment of 
     the Special Committee members.
       (b) Updated Report.--The Special Committee shall submit an 
     updated report on such investigation not later than 180 days 
     after the submission of the report under subsection (a).
       (c) Additional Reports.--The Special Committee may submit 
     any additional report or reports that the Special Committee 
     considers appropriate.
       (d) Findings and Recommendations.--The reports under this 
     section shall include findings and recommendations of the 
     Special Committee regarding the matters considered under 
     section 2.
       (e) Disposition of Reports.--Any report made by the Special 
     Committee when the Senate is not in session shall be 
     submitted to the Clerk of the Senate. Any report made by the 
     Special Committee shall be referred to the committee or 
     committees that have jurisdiction over the subject matter of 
     the report.

     SEC. 7. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

       (a) Staff.--
       (1) In general.--The Special Committee may employ in 
     accordance with paragraph (2) a staff composed of such 
     clerical, investigatory, legal, technical, and other 
     personnel as the Special Committee, or the chairman or the 
     ranking member, considers necessary or appropriate.
       (2) Appointment of staff.--
       (A) In general.--The Special Committee shall appoint a 
     staff for the majority, a staff for the minority, and a 
     nondesignated staff.
       (B) Majority staff.--The majority staff shall be appointed, 
     and may be removed, by the chairman and shall work under the 
     general supervision and direction of the chairman.
       (C) Minority staff.--The minority staff shall be appointed, 
     and may be removed, by the ranking member of the Special 
     Committee, and shall work under the general supervision and 
     direction of such member.
       (D) Nondesignated staff.--Nondesignated staff shall be 
     appointed, and may be removed, jointly by the chairman and 
     the ranking member, and shall work under the joint general 
     supervision and direction of the chairman and ranking member.
       (b) Compensation.--
       (1) Majority staff.--The chairman shall fix the 
     compensation of all personnel of the majority staff of the 
     Special Committee.
       (2) Minority staff.--The ranking member shall fix the 
     compensation of all personnel of the minority staff of the 
     Special Committee.
       (3) Nondesignated staff.--The chairman and ranking member 
     shall jointly fix the compensation of all nondesignated staff 
     of the Special Committee, within the budget approved for such 
     purposes for the Special Committee.
       (c) Reimbursement of Expenses.--The Special Committee may 
     reimburse the members of its staff for travel, subsistence, 
     and other necessary expenses incurred by such staff members 
     in the performance of their functions for the Special 
     Committee.
       (d) Payment of Expenses.--There shall be paid out of the 
     applicable accounts of the Senate such sums as may be 
     necessary for the expenses of the Special Committee. Such 
     payments shall be made on vouchers signed by the chairman of 
     the Special Committee and approved in the manner directed by 
     the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate. 
     Amounts made available under this subsection shall be 
     expended in accordance with regulations prescribed by the 
     Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate.

     SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

       The Special Committee shall terminate on February 28, 2007.
                                 ______
                                 

 SENATE CURRENT RESOLUTION 137--CALLING FOR THE SUSPENSION OF SUDAN'S 
      MEMBERSHIP ON THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

  Mr. FRIST (for himself, Mr. Daschle, Mr. DeWine, and Mr. Nelson of 
Nebraska) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

                            S. Con. Res. 137

       Whereas, in Darfur, Sudan, more than 30,000 innocent 
     civilians have been murdered, more than 400 villages have 
     been destroyed, more than 130,000 men, women, and children 
     have been forced from their villages into neighboring 
     countries, and more than 1,000,000 people have been 
     internally displaced;
       Whereas the United States Government has been, and remains 
     as of September 2004, the largest contributor of assistance 
     to the people of Darfur, having provided over $200,000,000 in 
     assistance, which constitutes more than 70 percent of the 
     total assistance provided to that region;
       Whereas the United States has pledged $299,000,000 in 
     humanitarian aid to Darfur through fiscal year 2005, as well 
     as $11,800,000 in support of the African Union mission in 
     that region, and is likely to provide support in excess of 
     those pledges;
       Whereas United States citizens and private organizations, 
     as well as the United States Government, have admirably 
     worked, at great risk and through great effort, to ease 
     suffering in Darfur, Sudan, and in eastern Chad;
       Whereas, based on credible reports, Congress determined in 
     late July 2004 that acts of genocide were occurring in 
     Darfur, Sudan, and that the Government of Sudan bears direct 
     responsibility for many of those acts of genocide;
       Whereas, expressing its grave concern at the ongoing 
     humanitarian crisis and widespread human rights violations in 
     Darfur, including continued attacks on civilians that place 
     thousands of lives at risk, the United Nations Security 
     Council on July 30, 2004, unanimously adopted Security 
     Council Resolution 1556, which called upon the Government of 
     Sudan to fulfill immediately its obligations to facilitate 
     humanitarian relief efforts, to take steps to disarm 
     immediately the Janjaweed militias responsible for attacks on 
     civilians and bring the perpetrators of such attacks to 
     justice, and to cooperate with independent United Nations-
     sponsored investigations of human rights violations;
       Whereas the Government of Sudan has failed to take credible 
     steps to comply with the demands of the international 
     community as expressed through the United Nations Security 
     Council;
       Whereas, according to press reports, reports from 
     nongovernmental organizations,

[[Page S9295]]

     first-hand accounts from refugees, and other sources, the 
     Janjaweed attacks on the civilians of Darfur continue 
     unabated as of September 2004;
       Whereas there are credible reports from some of these same 
     sources that the Government of Sudan is providing assistance 
     to the Janjaweed militias and, in some cases, that Government 
     of Sudan forces have participated directly in attacks on 
     civilians;
       Whereas the United States Government, after conducting more 
     than 1,000 interviews with survivors and refugees, has 
     determined that genocide has occurred in Darfur, that it may 
     still be occurring, and that both the Janjaweed and the 
     Government of Sudan bear responsibility for these acts;
       Whereas the Secretary of State has determined that the 
     attacks by the Government of Sudan and the Janjaweed on the 
     non-Arab people of Darfur and their villages are based on 
     race, not religion;
       Whereas the United States has recently introduced a new 
     resolution in the United Nations Security Council that calls 
     for the Government of Sudan to cooperate fully with an 
     expanded African Union force and for a cessation of Sudanese 
     military flights over Darfur;
       Whereas the introduced resolution also provides for 
     international overflights of the Darfur region to monitor the 
     situation on the ground and requires the United Nations 
     Security Council to review the record of compliance of the 
     Government of Sudan to determine whether the United Nations 
     should impose sanctions on Sudan, including sanctions 
     affecting the petroleum sector in that country;
       Whereas the resolution also urges the Government of Sudan 
     and the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement to conclude 
     negotiations on a comprehensive peace accord and, most 
     important, calls for a United Nations investigation into all 
     violations of international humanitarian law and human rights 
     law that have occurred in Darfur in order to ensure 
     accountability;
       Whereas the United Nations Security Council, in United 
     Nations Security Council Resolution 1556, emphasized that the 
     Government of Sudan bears primary responsibility for 
     respecting human rights and protecting the people of Sudan;
       Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1556 
     calls upon the Government of Sudan to cooperate with the 
     United Nations;
       Whereas the United Nations Human Rights Commission, 
     established in 1946 and given the responsibility of drafting 
     the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is responsible for 
     promoting respect for and observance of, human rights and 
     fundamental freedoms for all;
       Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares 
     that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and 
     rights, that everyone is entitled to all the rights and 
     freedoms set forth in the Declaration regardless of race, 
     color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, 
     or national or social origin, property, birth, or other 
     status that everyone has the right to life, liberty and 
     security of person, that no one shall be held in slavery or 
     servitude, and that no one shall be subjected to torture or 
     to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment;
       Whereas the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of 
     Genocide, done at Paris on December 9, 1948 (hereafter in 
     this resolution referred to as the ``Genocide Convention''), 
     delineates the criteria that constitute genocide and requires 
     parties to prevent and punish genocide;
       Whereas Sudan is a state party to the Genocide Convention 
     and remains a member of the United Nations Commission on 
     Human Rights;
       Whereas the Secretary of State determined that, according 
     to United States law, the Government of Sudan is a state 
     sponsor of terrorism and has been since 1993 and therefore 
     remains ineligible for U.S. foreign assistance;
       Whereas, due to the human rights situation in Darfur, it 
     would be consistent with United States obligations under the 
     Genocide Convention for the Secretary of State and the United 
     States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to seek 
     the immediate suspension of Sudan from the United Nations 
     Commission on Human Rights and, in the event a formal 
     investigation results in a determination by the UN that 
     genocide has occurred in Darfur, the ultimate removal of 
     Sudan from such Commission; and
       Whereas it is a mockery of human rights as a universal 
     principle, a challenge to the United Nations as an 
     institution, and an affront to all responsible countries that 
     embrace and promote human rights that a government under 
     investigation by the United Nations for committing genocide 
     against, and violating the human rights of, its own citizens 
     sits in judgment of others as a member in good standing of 
     the United Nations Commission on Human Rights: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) recognizes and approves of the findings of the 
     Secretary of State that genocide has occurred and may still 
     be occurring in Darfur, Sudan, and that the Government of 
     Sudan bears responsibility for such acts;
       (2) supports the Secretary of State's call for a full and 
     unfettered investigation by the United Nations into all 
     violations of international humanitarian law and human rights 
     law that have occurred in Darfur, with a view to ensuring 
     accountability;
       (3) supports the resolution introduced by the United States 
     Government in the United Nations Security Council on 
     September 9, 2004, with regard to the situation in Darfur;
       (4) calls upon the Secretary of State and the United States 
     Permanent Representative to the United Nations to take 
     immediate steps to pursue the establishment of a formal 
     United Nations investigation, under Article VIII of the 
     Genocide Convention, to determine whether the actions of the 
     Government of Sudan in Darfur constitute acts of genocide;
       (5) calls upon the Secretary of State and the United States 
     Permanent Representative to the United Nations to take 
     immediate steps to pursue the immediate suspension of Sudan 
     from the United Nations Commission on Human Rights;
       (6) calls upon the Secretary of State and the United States 
     Permanent Representative to the United Nations to take 
     further steps to ensure that the suspension of Sudan from the 
     United Nations Commission on Human Rights remains in effect 
     unless and until the Government of Sudan meets all of its 
     obligations, as determined by the United Nations Security 
     Council, under United Nations Security Council Resolution 
     1556 of July 30, 2004, and any subsequent United Nations 
     Security Council resolutions regarding this matter;
       (7) calls upon the Secretary of State and the United States 
     Permanent Representative to the United Nations to take steps 
     to ensure that, in the event that the formal investigation of 
     acts of genocide in Sudan results in a determination by the 
     UN that genocide has occurred or is occurring in Darfur, the 
     United States Government takes appropriate actions to ensure 
     that Sudan is removed from the United Nations Human Rights 
     Commission;
       (8) calls upon the member states of the United Nations 
     Commission on Human Rights to convene an immediate special 
     session to consider the urgent and acute human rights 
     situation in Sudan for the purpose of considering whether 
     Sudan should be suspended from membership in such Commission; 
     and
       (9) expects the Secretary of State to report to Congress on 
     progress made toward taking the actions and accomplishing the 
     objectives outlined in this resolution not later than 60 days 
     after the date on which Congress agrees to the resolution.

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