Congressional Record, Volume 156 Issue 150 (Wednesday, November 17, 2010)

[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 150 (Wednesday, November 17, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7516-H7518]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO BRING WORLD CUP TO THE UNITED STATES

Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 327) to recognize and support the
efforts of the USA Bid Committee to bring the 2018 or 2022 Federation
Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup competition to
the United States.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

H. Con. Res. 327

Whereas soccer is one of the most popular sports in the
world and the FIFA World Cup competition is the single most
important event in that sport;
Whereas the United States successfully hosted in 9 cities
throughout the Nation the 1994 FIFA World Cup competition,
which was broadcast to billions of fans around the world and
set an attendance record of nearly 3,600,000, which remains
unbroken today;
Whereas the 1994 FIFA World Cup competition served as a
catalyst for the increased popularity and development of the
game throughout the United States, as well as the
introduction of Major League Soccer, the United States
national first division professional soccer league;
Whereas the United States Soccer Federation has established
the USA Bid Committee to prepare and submit a bid to host the
2022 FIFA World Cup competition in the United States;
Whereas 18 American cities have been named by the USA Bid
Committee as candidates to serve as hosts to FIFA World Cup
matches in 2022, with each of these cities embodying the
diversity and enthusiasm shared by the entire Nation and
guaranteeing each participating team and its followers a
``home team'' atmosphere;
Whereas the United States offers FIFA a valuable and
receptive market within which to further develop the sport of
soccer, which in turn will have significant impact on and off
the field in both the United States and throughout the world;
Whereas the United States possesses all necessary state-of-
the-art infrastructure in its stadia and potential host
cities to ensure that the competition sets a new standard of
quality, comfort, security and safety for players, officials,
spectators, media, and sponsors alike;
Whereas hosting the FIFA World Cup in the United States
promises record-setting attendance and financial performance,
allowing revenues generated by the competition to be used for
the further development of soccer and FIFA's objectives of
positive social and environmental change;
Whereas hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup competition in the
United States would serve as a tremendous impetus to national
and international goodwill, as the competition would bring
people from many nations,

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along with a diverse American public, together under one
banner of peace, friendship, and spirited but fair
competition; and
Whereas pursuant to FIFA bidding procedures, the President
of the United States and certain Federal agencies have issued
guarantees that upon authorization or appropriation, would
establish the conditions required to help make the 2022 FIFA
World Cup competition the most successful in history: Now,
therefore be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress--
(1) recognizes and supports the efforts of the USA Bid
Committee to bring the 2022 FIFA World Cup competition to the
United States;
(2) encourages the President of the United States and
appropriate Federal agencies to support the USA Bid Committee
in its efforts to meet all requirements for the United States
to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup competition; and
(3) stands prepared to give full consideration to a request
by the President to provide support related to the 2022 FIFA
World Cup competition, if the United States is selected to
host this event.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Watson) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo)
will each control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.

General Leave

Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution
and yield myself such time as I may consume.
Every 4 years during the FIFA World Cup, the world is captivated and
obsessed with soccer. We watch young men take to the field representing
their respective nations, and we proudly fly our national flags and
sing our national anthems. But the World Cup is not just a soccer
tournament. As a truly global event, it is a vehicle for bringing the
world closer together.
In 1994, the United States hosted what has been hailed as the most
successful World Cup in history. Spread across the country in nine host
cities, we accommodated more fans than any previous World Cup, reached
a record television audience around the world, and in the process
fueled the development of the beautiful game in America.
Hosting the World Cup again would be a great honor for our Nation,
and I wholeheartedly support H. Con. Res. 327, which supports the USA
Bid Committee's efforts to bring the 2022 FIFA World Cup back to the
United States.
In May of this year, the USA Bid Committee presented our bid to FIFA,
which, in addition to information on logistics, includes a 10-year plan
to use soccer as a tool to promote education, health, development, and
peace.
In addition to bringing the world's attention to the United States
for one month in 2022, hosting the tournament would also generate a
tremendous amount of revenue. The USA Bid Committee estimates that
ticket sales alone will generate over $1 billion and visitors are
expected to spend an additional $5 billion on accommodations,
transportation, and communications. The licensing and sponsorship of
the tournament will likewise bring revenue into the country, and the
spotlight on the United States will encourage investment in our
economy.
I commend the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen) for authoring
this important resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues to join me
in expressing strong support for the 2022 World Cup bid.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume
and rise in support of H. Con. Res. 327, a bipartisan measure
recognizing the efforts of the USA Bid Committee to bring the World Cup
to the United States.
On December 2, the Executive Committee of the International
Federation of Football Associations, or FIFA, will be voting and
announcing the host countries for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup
competitions.

{time} 1840

A month ago, the United States decided to focus solely on its bid for
2022. My colleagues will recall that the U.S. hosted a highly
successful World Cup 16 years ago, in 1994.
In addition to holding opening ceremonies and the first match in my
home State of Illinois, that tournament set World Cup attendance
records, drawing nearly 3.6 million live spectators at matches that
were broadcast to billions of viewers around the world. It was a great
success for the World Cup and a huge boost for the game in the United
States. Since that time, soccer has grown significantly in this
country, both as a participant and a spectator sport.
I can think of no better venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup than the
United States of America. We boast the second largest number of players
in the world, with over 24 million Americans playing. With nearly 4
million young people playing in more than 6,000 clubs and leagues, the
United States leads the world in youth players--those who are most
committed and important to the future of the game. With our state-of-
the-art stadiums and broadcast facilities, we also have the best
possible infrastructure to make the 2022 World Cup accessible to the
people of the world.
For these and many other reasons, holding the 2022 FIFA World Cup in
the United States would be good for FIFA and good for the economy of
the United States. Thus, it is fitting that today we join together
across party lines to commend and support the efforts of the USA Bid
Committee to bring the World Cup competition to the United States in
2022.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, with the excitement of this year's FIFA
World Cup competition in South Africa and the achievements of the U.S.
Men's National Team still fresh in our minds, I rise to support efforts
to bring the world's most popular sporting event--the FIFA World Cup
competition--back to our country.
In 1994, our nation hosted the FIFA World Cup tournament. That
tournament still holds the record for the highest attendance in
history, with an overall attendance of 3.6 million. It also spurred the
development and popularity of soccer in this country, leading to the
creation of Major League Soccer, the United States' national first
division professional soccer league.
Building upon this country's enormous success in hosting the FIFA
World Cup in 1994, the US Soccer Federation--through the USA Bid
Committee--has submitted a very strong bid to host the 2022
competition.
Bringing the FIFA World Cup tournament back to the United States will
both contribute to the further growth of soccer in America and
stimulate the economies of dozens of cities and states that hope to
serve as hosts to national teams and spectators from around the world.
Eighteen communities across the country, including Washington, DC, and
Baltimore, MD, are working with the USA Bid Committee to serve as
potential hosts for the games during the month-long competition.
I want to thank Chairman Berman and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen as
well as my fellow co-chairs of the Congressional Soccer Caucus--George
Miller, Dave Reichert, and Mary Bono Mack--for their support of this
important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, the United States faces formidable competition in
hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament from several countries in
Asia and Australia, but with Congressional encouragement and support
for USA Bid Committee's effort in advance of FIFA's decision on
December 2nd, it would send an important message to FIFA at this
critical time.
I urge my colleagues to support this timely resolution.
Mr. MANZULLO. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 327, as
amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as amended, was
agreed to.
The title was amended so as to read: ``Concurrent resolution
recognizing and supporting the efforts of the USA Bid Committee to
bring the 2022 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)
World Cup competition to the United States.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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