[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 110 (Wednesday, September 15, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9321-S9322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING MARYLAND'S OLYMPIANS ON THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT THE 2004
SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES IN ATHENS, GREECE
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 426, submitted
earlier today by Senators Sarbanes and Mikulski.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 426) commending Maryland's Olympians
on their accomplishments at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in
Athens, Greece.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I rise today to commend the American
athletes for their participation in the 2004 Olympic Games. These
athletes made us proud not only of their victories, but also of their
sportsmanship. The heart, focus and perseverance exhibited by these men
and women offered us an opportunity to reflect on the values and
characteristics that embody the very best of the American Spirit.
All of our athletes should be commended, but because they played a
very prominent role in these games, I want to take a moment to
acknowledge the hard work and dedication of Maryland's Olympic
athletes. This year, we were very fortunate to have fourteen
Marylanders compete. This group of athletes, which included both the
youngest and the oldest members of the U.S. team, represented Maryland
and the United States with honor and dignity and excelled in their
various competitions. Marylanders participated in a variety of sports
ranging from swimming and track and field, to whitewater slalom
canoeing and table tennis. Our State boasted household names like
Michael Phelps and Carmelo Anthony as well as rising stars like Bernard
Williams and Courtney Kupets. The delegation included individuals from
all over the State, from the City of Annapolis to Howard County, from
Bethesda to Gaithersburg to Baltimore City, and from Upper Marlboro to
Towson and Abingdon.
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And although they come from a diversity of backgrounds, each
demonstrated the common spirit of what it means to be a true Olympian.
We saw that spirit in Carmelo Anthony's refusal to quit after the men's
basketball team suffered a series of difficult and surprising losses.
We saw it in the decisions of Liz Filter and Nancy Haberland to compete
in the face of challenging life circumstances. It was reflected in the
wisdom and experience of Libby Callahan as well as the youthful
exuberance of 15 year-old swimmer Katie Hoff. It shined through Jun Gao
when on day four of the table tennis competition, as the only member of
the U.S. team still in competition, she shouldered the hopes of her
teammates.
The Olympic spirit was further reflected in paddlers Joe Jacobi and
Scott Parsons, who focused on the experience and joy of the
performance. Courtney Kupets and Rhadi Ferguson showed enormous bravery
by overcoming serious injuries to make the U.S. team and compete for
their country. Ms. Kupets brought home two medals, a silver in the team
competition and a bronze in the individual uneven bars. And Michael
Phelps, who won six gold and two 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 teammate Ian Crocker.
Finally, Maryland's track and field athletes should be commended for
their heart and concentration. Tiombe Hurd, who is legally blind,
overcame her vision obstacles to finish 22nd in a crowded triple jump
field. Bernard Williams and James Carter, who hail from Baltimore
public schools, Carver Vocational-Technical High School and
Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, showed the world the
kind of talent and poise Baltimore City's public schools can produce,
taking home a silver in the 200 meter sprint and a fourth place finish
in the 400 meter hurdles.
Maryland, and America, should be proud of their Olympic athletes.
Through their actions both on and off the field of competition, they
exhibited the grace, sportsmanship, and determination that signify a
true Olympian. Congratulations are due to all of our athletes both for
their individual successes and for the way they, as a team, showed the
world the best our nation has to offer.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution
and preamble be agreed to en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid
upon the table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in
the Record, without intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 426) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
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 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.
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