[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 77 (Thursday, May 10, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H4766]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING THE CITY OF CHICAGO FOR BEING CHOSEN TO REPRESENT THE 
      UNITED STATES TO HOST THE 2016 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES

  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs be discharged from further consideration of the Senate 
concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 28) congratulating the City of 
Chicago for being chosen to represent the United States in the 
international competition to host 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, 
and encouraging the International Olympic Committee to select Chicago 
as the site of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and ask for its 
immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate concurrent resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the Senate concurrent resolution, as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 28

       Whereas the City of Chicago has been selected by the United 
     States Olympic Committee to represent the United States in 
     its bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games;
       Whereas by 2016, 20 years will have passed since the Summer 
     Olympics were held in a city in the United States;
       Whereas Chicago is a world-class city with remarkable 
     diversity, culture, history, and people;
       Whereas the citizens of Chicago take great pride in all 
     aspects of their city and have a deep love for sports;
       Whereas Chicago already holds a place in the international 
     community as a city of immigrants from around the world, who 
     are eager to be ambassadors to visiting Olympic athletes;
       Whereas the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be played in 
     the heart of Chicago so that athletes and visitors can 
     appreciate the beauty of the downtown parks and lakefront;
       Whereas Chicago is one of the transportation hubs of the 
     world and can provide accessible transportation to 
     international visitors through extensive rail, transit, and 
     motorways infrastructure, combined with the world-class 
     O'Hare and Midway International Airports;
       Whereas the motto of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games 
     in Chicago would be ``Stir the Soul,'' and the games would 
     inspire citizens around the world, both young and old;
       Whereas a Midwestern city has not hosted the Olympic Games 
     since the 1904 games in St. Louis, Missouri, and the 
     opportunity to host the Olympics would be an achievement not 
     only for Chicago and for the State of Illinois, but also for 
     the entire Midwest;
       Whereas hosting the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games would 
     provide substantial local, regional, and national economic 
     benefits;
       Whereas Mayor Richard M. Daley, Patrick Ryan, and members 
     of the Chicago 2016 Committee have campaigned tirelessly to 
     secure Chicago's bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic 
     Games;
       Whereas through the campaign to be selected by the United 
     States Olympic Committee, Chicago's citizens, officials, 
     workers, community groups, and businesses have demonstrated 
     their ability to come together to exemplify the true spirit 
     of the Olympic Games and the City of Chicago; and
       Whereas the Olympic and Paralympic Games represent the best 
     of the human spirit and there is no better fit for hosting 
     this event than one of the world's truly great cities: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) congratulates the City of Chicago on securing the bid 
     to represent the United States in the international 
     competition to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games; 
     and
       (2) encourages the International Olympic Committee to 
     select Chicago as the site of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic 
     Games.

  The Senate concurrent resolution was concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________