[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 17783-17784]
[From the U.S. 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, as amended.
  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, 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.

[[Page 17784]]

  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.

                          ____________________