[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5515-5516]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   SEND OUR ATHLETES TO THE BEIJING OLYMPICS BUT NOT OUR POLITICIANS

  (Mr. McCOTTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, as the Olympic torch goes through San 
Francisco today, I would just like to bring attention to the fact that 
I, as well as others on each side of the aisle, will be introducing 
legislation to ensure that we send our athletes to the games but not 
our politicians.

[[Page 5516]]

  In the past, America has sent their athletes to the Olympics to show 
what free people can achieve, most notably in 1936 when Jesse Owens won 
gold and disabused the world of the Fuhrer's propaganda that there was 
an inferior race amongst us. FDR did not go to the Olympics.
  I would encourage American politicians, including the President of 
the United States, not to politicize the games by their attendance, but 
rather stay home and attend to the pressing issues which face us as a 
people. This would be the proper way for the United States to both 
honor the spirit of the Olympics and the spirit of our free people.

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