[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 130 (Monday, October 11, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1874]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           SPECIAL OLYMPICS SPORT AND EMPOWERMENT ACT OF 2004

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. TOM LATHAM

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 6, 2004

  Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of this 
legislation honoring Special Olympics. I thank my good friend the 
Majority Whip for introducing this legislation. For over thirty years 
Special Olympics has played an important role in the lives of some very 
special individuals with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics 
offer a platform of personal improvement while also fostering a spirit 
of camaraderie in competition.
  Competition and sports teach us very important lessons about 
dedication, determination, responsibility, pride and team work or self-
sufficiency, as the case may be. I believe that many of my colleagues 
in this body learned formative lessons through athletic competition, 
and I believe that--as the Special Olympics philosophy also 
articulates--lessons learned in sport and competition shape productive 
citizens.
  In recognizing Special Olympics, I believe that we must also 
recognize the Shriver family for their role in envisioning the games 
and allowing them to become what they are today. According to the 
Special Olympics Web site, the Games have grown from the original 35 
participants at Camp Shriver in Rockville, Maryland into a 1.4 million 
athlete, multi-national movement.
  The bill we are considering today is entitled the Special Olympics 
Sport and Empowerment Act. The title is fitting because of the bill's 
four purposes: providing support to Special Olympics to increase 
athlete participation and public awareness, dispelling negative 
stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities, building 
athlete and family involvement through sport, and promoting the gifts 
of people with intellectual disabilities.
  As a long time supporter of Special Olympics, I am honored to be a 
cosponsor of this legislation. I am also pleased that Ames, Iowa will 
be a direct beneficiary of this bill. The inaugural Special Olympics 
U.S. National Games will be held in my district in Ames, Iowa. This 
tremendous event will take place from July 3-9, 2006 and is expected to 
bring 4,000 athletes from all fifty states, over 1,000 coaches, and 
9,000 family members and friends to the Ames area. Volunteers are 
expected to number nearly 10,000.
  I believe that this forward looking bill is very worthy of our 
support and I would ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Special 
Olympics.

                          ____________________