[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Page 27661]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            SPECIAL OLYMPICS

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I have come to the floor today to talk 
about something very important--the Special Olympics World Winter 
Games.
  It is a privilege for all of us in Idaho to be a part of these games 
as the host for the 2009 worldwide games. And it has been an honor for 
me personally to be involved with this wonderful organization. I know 
the people of Idaho are looking forward to welcoming the world to our 
great State.
  I especially want to thank Senator Harkin for his help. He has been a 
tremendous advocate for the Special Olympics. And from what I 
understand, he is a big fan of the games in his home state of Iowa, 
where they recently hosted the National Summer Games. Senator, thank 
you.
  I think we all know that the Special Olympics is a first-class 
organization. Its sole purpose is to enrich the lives of literally 
millions of people across the world. Through training and competition, 
individuals with intellectual disabilities have a chance to become 
physically fit, productive and respected members of society.
  However, Special Olympics is responsible for much more than games and 
competition . . . it is about quality of life. The Special Olympics 
Healthy Athletes Program, developed over a decade ago, focuses on 
health, fitness, and well-being of people with and without 
disabilities. Last year this program made it possible to conduct more 
than 135,000 health screenings. Just this month, at the World Summer 
Games in China, medical volunteers provided free dental, vision, and 
hearing exams. Clearly, the games are more than just a sporting event 
they provide services to promote better fitness and health care.
  So when the Special Olympics asked me to help with the Idaho Winter 
Games, it is easy to see why I considered it a great honor.
  Now, hosting the largest multiday winter sports competition ever held 
in the United States isn't easy--and it isn't cheap. There is a 
tremendous amount of work going on behind the scenes. It requires a lot 
of manpower and resources to prepare the infrastructure and organize 
housing, meals, and transportation for participants from all over the 
world. As a world-class nonprofit organization, Special Olympics relies 
mostly on in-kind gifts and services. Raising enough money to pull off 
such a large event is a daunting task, to say the least.
  This is why I am pleased that the Senate Appropriations Committee has 
provided the Idaho Special Olympic Winter Games with some much-needed 
funding. This critical financial assistance will make these games 
possible. It will make it possible for some truly remarkable athletes 
to compete.
  Again I would like to thank both Senator Harkin and Senator Specter 
for their devotion to the Special Olympics. Their work will make these 
games a success. And while I am on the floor, I would like to invite my 
colleagues to come to Idaho--to experience the magic of an Idaho winter 
and to experience the magic of the Special Olympics.

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