[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 19335-19336]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRATULATING THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE 2004 SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Commerce Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 
427 and that the Senate then proceed to its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 427) congratulating the citizens of 
     Greece, the members of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee 
     for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the International 
     Olympic Committee, the U.S. Olympic Committee, the 2004 U.S. 
     Olympic Team, athletes from around the World, and all the 
     personnel who participated in the 2004 Olympic Summer Games 
     in Athens, Greece.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam 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 any statements relating thereto be printed 
in the Record without further intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 427) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 427

       Whereas Greece--birthplace of the Olympics--was selected on 
     September 5, 1997, as the host of the 2004 Olympic Summer 
     Games;
       Whereas from August 13 to August 29, 2004, the Olympic 
     Summer Games returned to Greece, more than 100 years after 
     Athens staged the first modern Olympics in 1896 and nearly 3 
     millennia after Greece staged the first Olympics in 776 B.C.;
       Whereas the people of Greece opened their hearts to the 
     athletes who came together from all over the world and took 
     part in the 2004 Olympic Summer Games in the best spirit of 
     good sportsmanship;
       Whereas the President and Managing Director of the Athens 
     2004 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic 
     Games and their associates, the Mayor of Athens, and the 
     Government of Greece--particularly the officials from the 
     Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Ministry of 
     Public Works--did an outstanding job in staging a great 
     Olympic Summer Games in a manner that embodied the legacy, 
     ideals, and values that Hellenic culture has given the world;
       Whereas the Government of Greece, entrusted with the 
     responsibility of protecting the athletes, coaches, judges, 
     and spectators of the 2004 Olympic Summer Games, rose to the 
     challenges to provide a safe Olympic Summer Games;
       Whereas 10,500 athletes and 5,500 team officials from a 
     record 201 National Olympic Committees prepared for and 
     competed in the Olympic Summer Games with unmatched 
     dedication, and inspired the world with their spirit of 
     peaceful competition;
       Whereas over 5,000 athletes from 140 nations will compete 
     in the 2004 Paralympic Summer Games in Athens, Greece, 
     representing the broadest country participation in Paralympic 
     history and reminding the world that physical challenges are 
     no limit to human achievement;
       Whereas the Olympic venues constructed by Greece have been 
     hailed as world class and have set a new standard of 
     modernity for all future Olympic Games;
       Whereas the 531 members of the United States Olympic Team 
     added substantially to the great legacy of sportsmanship and 
     athleticism that has characterized the history of United 
     States Olympic competition;
       Whereas the security personnel at the 2004 Olympic Summer 
     Games all worked to ensure that the 2004 Olympic Summer Games 
     were safe and secure for athletes and spectators alike;
       Whereas over 5,000 individuals of Greece and other citizens 
     from around the world volunteered their time and talents to 
     show the world the best that Greece has to offer; and
       Whereas the 2004 Olympic Summer Games accomplished the 
     principles set forth by the Olympic movement, including the 
     aim to ``encourage the Olympic spirit of peace and harmony, 
     which brings the people from across the world together around 
     Olympic sport'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate extends its heartiest 
     congratulations for a job well done to the citizens of 
     Greece, the members of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee 
     for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the International 
     Olympic Committee, the United States Olympic Committee, the 
     members, coaches, and officials of the 2004 United States 
     Olympic Team, athletes from around the world, and the 
     security personnel and volunteers who ensured that the 2004 
     Olympic Summer Games in Athens was a great success.

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