[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 118 (Monday, July 23, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H8213-H8214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CELEBRATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1932 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES IN
LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 521) celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the
1932 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 521
Whereas Lake Placid, New York, was the site of the 1932 and
1980 Winter Olympic Games;
Whereas Lake Placid is the only site in North America to
have hosted the Winter Olympic Games more than once;
Whereas the 1980 Winter Olympic Games featured one of the
greatest triumphs in sports history with the men's United
States hockey team victory over the Soviet team in the
``Miracle on Ice'';
Whereas Lake Placid, New York, has a population of under
2,700 residents, yet welcomes over 2.2 million visitors each
year;
Whereas the residents of Lake Placid were wonderful
ambassadors of the United States for the 1,324 Olympic
athletes that participated in the 1932 and 1980 Winter
Olympic Games;
Whereas the residents of Lake Placid take great pride in
their place in Olympic history;
Whereas Lake Placid and the towns of North Elba and
Wilmington have world class sports facilities that serve as
an excellent training location for athletes and sports
enthusiasts;
Whereas Lake Placid is the home of one of the three U.S.
Olympic Committee's national training centers;
Whereas Lake Placid continues to successfully host
international sports competitions on a regular basis; and
Whereas 2007 marks the 75th anniversary of the 1932 Winter
Olympic Games: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) congratulates the Village of Lake Placid, New York, as
it celebrates its 75th anniversary of hosting the 1932 Winter
Olympic Games;
(2) encourages all Americans to visit the state-of-the-art
Olympic facilities in Lake Placid;
(3) recognizes Lake Placid's important place in Olympic
history; and
(4) encourages the United States Olympic Committee to
select Lake Placid to represent the United States in a future
bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Sherman) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution
and yield myself such time as I may consume.
Let me first express my appreciation to our colleague from the great
State of New York (Mrs. Gillibrand) for introducing this important and
timely resolution. I know the gentlelady from New York would like to be
here, and if I speak very slowly may yet get here before we conclude,
but whether she is here in person, she is certainly here in spirit.
The little village of Lake Placid lived up to its name on two
spectacular occasions in the last century. The 1932 Winter Olympics and
the 1980 Winter Olympics were two of the most exciting events of our
time, featuring the most beautiful backdrops in the history of the
games.
The organizing committee of the 1932 Olympics faced an uphill battle,
raising money for the games in the middle of the Great Depression. But
symbolizing the American spirit of generosity, Dr. Godfrey Dewey
donated land owned by his family to be used for the all-important
bobsleigh run. In fact, the Winter Olympics that year became a real
distraction from the Great Depression for all the residents of the
State of New York, and, in fact, the entire world.
In those 1932 Games, Eddie Eagan became the only Olympic athlete ever
to win a gold medal in both the Summer and Winter Games. A great,
versatile athlete, Eagan had already earned gold as a lightweight boxer
in the 1920 Summer Games. At Lake Placid in 1932, he was part of the
four-man bobsleigh team that triumphed in first place.
This resolution takes the opportunity to congratulate and celebrate
Lake Placid upon the 75th anniversary of the games it hosted in 1932.
This town deserves full congressional credit for the efficiency and
grace with which it represented the United States during the Games of
1932 and, again, in 1980.
But Lake Placid outdid itself in 1980, when it had new facilities and
a renewed spirit to host thousands of people for those Winter Games.
Those Games became famous for the unbelievable Miracle-on-Ice conquest,
when the United States hockey team, a group of amateurs and college
kids, captured the hearts of the Nation by upending the Soviet Union's
intimidating hockey machine in a dramatic 4-3 semifinal victory. They
went on to win the gold.
Lake Placid's involvement with the Olympics has grown larger than
just those two games. Lake Placid maintains world-class Olympic
facilities and
[[Page H8214]]
serves as one of the United States Olympic Committee's three national
training centers. The small town in Upstate New York continues to host
international sporting events, as well as some 2.2 million tourists
every year.
I encourage Members to support the resolution recognizing Lake
Placid's historic place in Olympic history and encouraging the USOC to
select this idyllic town for future bids in the Olympic and Paralympic
Winter Games so long as they are not in competition with an applicant
from the State of California.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong and unqualified support of
H. Res. 521, no Indiana exceptions, at least not today.
I congratulate Representative Gillibrand, as my colleague from
California did, for this important resolution.
For close to a century, Lake Placid has been central to America's
participation and achievements in international sports. It's the only
site in North America to have hosted more than one Winter Olympics,
both in 1932 and in 1980.
Moreover, in 1980, and if you haven't seen the movie, it was the site
of one of America's greatest moments, when the U.S. national hockey
team defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union. Walt Disney films
recently created an extraordinary motion picture remembering that
miracle on ice.
It was not only a victory for one hockey team over another, but for
millions it symbolized the triumph of freedom over tyranny and seemed
to be a part of setting into motion in 1980 what we would see with the
collapse of Soviet communism in 1991. It forced you out of that, so in
a very real sense, Lake Placid is important in the history of freedom
as well as in the history of sport. Indeed, countless Americans
actually remember where we were in that glorious moment.
Lake Placid's contributions to international sports continue to this
very day. It's the home of one of the U.S. Olympic Committee's three
national training centers and regularly hosts international sports
competitions, bringing together athletes from across the globe to
celebrate the excellence of sports.
{time} 1330
Perhaps above all, Mr. Speaker, Lake Placid is an example of what a
society can accomplish. This small village in New York with a
population of less than 2,700 not only is a venue for grand-scale
sporting events but also welcomes over 2 million visitors every year.
This resolution recognizes Lake Placid's place in Olympic history,
encourages Americans to visit that village's state-of-the-art Olympic
facilities, and further encourages the U.S. Olympic Committee to select
Lake Placid to represent the United States in the future for the
Olympic or Para-Olympic games.
I commend my distinguished colleague from New York again, Mrs.
Gillibrand, and Mr. McHugh, for introducing this important resolution.
I urge its adoption.
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished
gentlelady from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand).
Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. Speaker, I've offered H. Res. 521 to celebrate
Lake Placid's prominent place in Olympic history. This year marks the
75th anniversary of the 1932 Olympic Games and the beginning of Lake
Placid's storied history in American hearts and minds.
In the midst of a worldwide depression, 252 athletes from 17
countries participated in the 1932 Winter Olympic Games held at Lake
Placid. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose home is just a few hours south
of Lake Placid in Duchess County, officially opened the third ever
Winter Olympic Games and the first one ever held in the Western
Hemisphere.
Despite fierce competition from around the world, Lake Placid was
once again chosen to host the Winter Olympic Games 48 years later, in
1980. This time, 1,072 athletes from 37 nations participated in the
Games, and the question, ``Do you believe in miracles?'' forever became
ingrained in the American consciousness. The American hockey team's
victory over the Soviet Union permanently linked Lake Placid with one
of the greatest triumphs, and prideful moments, in American sports
history, with the ``Miracle on Ice.''
Lake Placid, a small village in the Adirondacks, is the only location
in North America to have hosted the Winter Olympic Games more than
once. Their success is phenomenal, when one considers that fewer than
2,700 residents live in the village.
I'm so incredibly fortunate to represent the citizens of Lake Placid
and Essex County. Every year, Mayor Jamie Rogers and the villagers of
Lake Placid welcome over 2.2 million visitors from all 50 States and
countries all over the world. Lake Placid has been one of my favorite
vacation places since I was a child, and I still enjoy taking my son
there every year.
I strongly encourage all Americans to visit the state-of-the-art
Olympic facilities in Essex County. The New York State Olympic Regional
Development Authority, or ORDA, operates the various venues used in the
1932 and 1980 Olympic Games. Athletes from around the world come to
Lake Placid to train and compete at these facilities, in addition to
sports enthusiasts, young and old.
In addition, Lake Placid is the home of one of three U.S. Olympic
Committee's national training centers, an honor that allows upstate New
York to mold the next generation of gold medal winners. The facilities
at Lake Placid allow every American to step into the shoes of a
professional athlete. It's thrilling to skate at the Herb Brooks Arena
where the miracle on ice took place, or skate at the Olympic Speed
Skating Oval where America's speed skater, Eric Heiden, won an
unprecedented five gold medals in 1980.
Visitors can try out the ski-jumping complex or sharpen their bobsled
and luge skills. The beautiful Adirondack Mountains offer cross-county
or alpine skiing on Whiteface Mountain, one of the top resorts in all
the Nation, all with spectacular pristine views.
Lake Placid admirably hosted the Olympic games twice in the past. I
hope the U.S. Olympic Committee will consider having Lake Placid
represent the United States in a future bid for the Winter Olympic
Games.
I congratulate the Village of Lake Placid as they celebrate the 75th
anniversary of the 1932 Winter Olympic Games. I thank everyone in the
House of Representatives for supporting this resolution that honors
Lake Placid's continued distinguished place in American Olympic
history.
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the gentlelady from New
York, Ms. Gillibrand, in support of H. Res. 521, Celebrating the 75th
Anniversary of the 1932 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York.
This was truly a great moment in the history of sports. The beautiful
Lake Placid-Wilmington region played host to athletes from around the
globe and the event put the USA on the map of winter sports. The
graceful Norwegian figure skater Sonja Henie won the second of her
three gold medals. American speed skater Jack Shea won two gold medals,
a first for Olympic competition. The United States won 12 medals in
all, the most in the competition. Ever since, the spirit and beauty of
competitive winter sports have remained on display in Lake Placid,
which played host to the United States' memorable 1980 hockey victory
over the Soviet Union, and in countless skiing, skating, sledding and
other events. We can all be proud of Lake Placid's rich history.
Mr. PENCE. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SHERMAN. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 521.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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