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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 700 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 700

Congratulating Michael Phelps and the members and coaches of the United 
 States Olympic Swimming Team for their record-breaking performance at 
            the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 30 (legislative day, September 17), 2008

  Mr. Cardin (for himself, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Levin, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. 
  Martinez, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Dole, Mr. Menendez, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
  Shelby, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Bunning, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Burr, 
  Mrs. Boxer, and Mr. Lautenberg) submitted the following resolution; 
                   which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Congratulating Michael Phelps and the members and coaches of the United 
 States Olympic Swimming Team for their record-breaking performance at 
            the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Whereas, on August 10, 2008, Michael Phelps of Baltimore, Maryland, set a world-
        record time of 4:03.84 and won the gold medal in the men's 400-meter 
        individual medley event, and Ryan Lochte of Daytona Beach, Florida, won 
        the bronze medal in the same event;
Whereas, on August 10, 2008, Katie Hoff of Towson, Maryland, won the bronze 
        medal in the women's 400-meter individual medley event;
Whereas, on August 10, 2008, Natalie Coughlin of Vallejo, California, Lacey 
        Nymeyer of Tucson, Arizona, Kara Lynn Joyce of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and 
        Dara Torres of Los Angeles, California, set a record time for athletes 
        from the United States of 3:34.33 and won the silver medal in the 
        women's 400-meter freestyle relay event;
Whereas, on August 10, 2008, Larsen Jensen of Bakersfield, California, set a 
        record time for athletes from the United States of 3:42.78 and won the 
        bronze medal in the men's 400-meter freestyle event;
Whereas, on August 11, 2008, Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale of Milwaukee, 
        Wisconsin, Cullen Jones of Irvington, New Jersey, and Jason Lezak of 
        Irvine, California, set a world-record time of 3:08.24 and won the gold 
        medal in the men's 400-meter freestyle relay event, with anchor Jason 
        Lezak coming from behind to edge the team from France by \8/100\ of a 
        second in 1 of the most dramatic finishes in Olympic swimming history;
Whereas, on August 11, 2008, Katie Hoff won the silver medal in the women's 400-
        meter freestyle event;
Whereas, on August 11, 2008, Christine Magnuson of Tinley Park, Illinois, won 
        the silver medal in the women's 100-meter butterfly event;
Whereas, on August 12, 2008, Michael Phelps set a world-record time of 1:42.96 
        and won the gold medal in the men's 200-meter freestyle event, and Peter 
        Vanderkaay of Rochester, Michigan, won the bronze medal in the same 
        event;
Whereas, on August 12, 2008, Natalie Coughlin set a record time for athletes 
        from the United States of 58.96 and won the gold medal in the women's 
        100-meter backstroke event, and Margaret Hoelzer of Huntsville, Alabama, 
        won the bronze medal in the same event;
Whereas, on August 12, 2008, Aaron Peirsol of Irvine, California, set a world-
        record time of 52.54 and won the gold medal in the men's 100-meter 
        backstroke event, and Matt Grevers of Lake Forest, Illinois, won the 
        silver medal in the same event;
Whereas, on August 12, 2008, Rebecca Soni of Plainsboro, New Jersey, won the 
        silver medal in the women's 100-meter breaststroke event;
Whereas, on August 13, 2008, Michael Phelps set a world-record time of 1:52:03 
        and won the gold medal in the men's 200-meter butterfly event, edging 
        Laszlo Cseh of Hungary by the width of a fingernail;
Whereas Michael Phelps then teamed with Ricky Berens of Charlotte, North 
        Carolina, Ryan Lochte, and Peter Vanderkaay, to set a world-record time 
        of 6:58.56 and win the gold medal in the men's 800-meter freestyle relay 
        event, beating the team from Russia by more than 5 seconds and winning 
        the tenth and 11th gold medals of Michael Phelps's career, more than any 
        other athlete in history;
Whereas, on August 13, 2008, Natalie Coughlin won the bronze medal in the 
        women's 200-meter individual medley event;
Whereas, on August 13, 2008, Katie Hoff set a record time for athletes from the 
        United States of 1:55.78 and finished fourth in the women's 200-meter 
        freestyle event;
Whereas, on August 14, 2008, Allison Schmitt of Canton, Michigan, Caroline 
        Burckle of Louisville, Kentucky, Natalie Coughlin, and Katie Hoff set a 
        record time for athletes from the United States of 7:46.33 and won the 
        bronze medal in the women's 800-meter freestyle relay event;
Whereas, on August 14, 2008, Jason Lezak tied Cesar Cielo of Brazil for the 
        bronze medal in the men's 100-meter freestyle event;
Whereas, on August 15, 2008, Michael Phelps set a world-record time of 1:54.23 
        and won the gold medal in the men's 200-meter individual medley event, 
        and Ryan Lochte won the bronze medal in the same event;
Whereas, on August 15, 2008, Ryan Lochte set a world-record time of 1:53.94 and 
        won the gold medal in the men's 200-meter backstroke event, and Aaron 
        Peirsol won the silver medal in the same event;
Whereas, on August 15, 2008, Rebecca Soni set a world-record time of 2:20.22 and 
        won the gold medal in the women's 200-meter breaststroke event;
Whereas, on August 15, 2008, Natalie Coughlin tied the record time for athletes 
        from the United States of 53.39, which she herself set, and won the 
        bronze medal in the women's 100-meter freestyle event;
Whereas, on August 16, 2008, Michael Phelps set an Olympic-record time of 50.58 
        and won the gold medal in the men's 100-meter butterfly event, tying 
        1972 Olympian Mark Spitz for the most gold medals, 7, won by an 
        individual in a single Olympic Games;
Whereas, on August 16, 2008, Margaret Hoelzer won the silver medal in the 
        women's 200-meter backstroke event;
Whereas, on August 17, 2008, Brendan Hansen of Havertown, Pennsylvania, Aaron 
        Peirsol, Michael Phelps, and Jason Lezak set a world-record time of 
        3:29.34 and won the gold medal in the men's 400-meter medley relay 
        event;
Whereas, on August 17, 2008, Dara Torres set a record time for athletes from the 
        United States of 24.07 and won the silver medal in the women's 50-meter 
        freestyle event;
Whereas Dara Torres then teamed with Natalie Coughlin, Rebecca Soni, and 
        Christine Magnuson to set a record time for athletes from the United 
        States of 3:53.30 and won the silver medal in the women's 400-meter 
        medley relay event;
Whereas Caroline Burckle, Larsen Jensen, and Allison Schmitt each won 1 bronze 
        medal;
Whereas Matt Grevers, Kara Lynn Joyce, and Lacey Nymeyer each won 1 silver 
        medal;
Whereas Ricky Berens, Brendan Hansen, Cullen Jones, and Garrett Weber-Gale each 
        won 1 gold medal;
Whereas Margaret Hoelzer won 1 silver medal and 1 bronze medal;
Whereas Christine Magnuson won 2 silver medals;
Whereas Peter Vanderkaay won 1 gold medal and 1 bronze medal;
Whereas Katie Hoff won 1 silver medal and 2 bronze medals;
Whereas Jason Lezak won 2 gold medals and 1 bronze medal;
Whereas Aaron Peirsol won 2 gold medals and 1 silver medal;
Whereas Rebecca Soni won 1 gold medal and 2 silver medals;
Whereas Ryan Lochte won 2 gold medals and 2 bronze medals;
Whereas Dara Torres--

    (1) is the first swimmer from the United States to compete in 5 Olympic 
Games, representing the United States in the Summer Olympic Games of 1984, 
1988, 1992, 2000, and 2008;

    (2) won 5 medals at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, 
as the oldest member of the women's swimming team at the age of 33;

    (3) at the age of 41 is the oldest member of the women's team by 15 
years;

    (4) won the silver medal in all 3 events in which she competed in the 
2008 Summer Olympic Games;

    (5) has won 12 Olympic medals, including 4 gold medals, 4 silver 
medals, and 4 bronze medals, over the course of her career;

    (6) has won at least 1 medal in each of the 5 Olympic Games in which 
she has competed, making her 1 of only a handful of Olympians to earn 
medals in 5 different Olympic Games;

Whereas Natalie Coughlin won 1 gold medal, 2 silver medals, and 3 bronze medals, 
        becoming the first female athlete from the United States to win 6 medals 
        in 1 year's Olympic Games, breaking the record of 5 medals she tied in 
        the 2004 Summer Olympic Games;
Whereas Michael Phelps has trained under the expert tutelage of coach Bob Bowman 
        for 12 years, first at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club and more 
        recently at the University of Michigan;
Whereas, during the awards ceremony for the men's 400-meter medley relay event, 
        the Federation Internationale de Natation, the international governing 
        body of swimming, diving, water polo, synchronized swimming, and open 
        water swimming, honored Michael Phelps for his historic accomplishment 
        of--

    (1) setting 7 world records and 1 Olympic record;

    (2) winning 8 gold medals, the most ever by an individual athlete in a 
single Olympic Games; and

    (3) winning 14 gold medals over the course of his Olympic career, 
another record for an individual athlete at the Olympic Games;

Whereas Michael Phelps's Olympic performance places him in the pantheon of the 
        greatest athletes of all time; and
Whereas the United States Olympic Swimming Team collectively won 31 medals, 
        including 12 gold medals, 9 silver medals, and 10 bronze medals: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate --
            (1) congratulates Michael Phelps, Natalie Coughlin, Ryan 
        Lochte, Dara Torres, Katie Hoff, Jason Lezak, Aaron Peirsol, 
        Rebecca Soni, and the other members of the United States 
        Olympic Swimming Team for their record-breaking performances 
        and commends them for their dedication, courage, and 
        sportsmanship, and for the exemplary way in which they 
        represented the United States of America while competing in 
        Beijing, China;
            (2) congratulates and commends for their devotion, 
        professionalism, and tireless advocacy on behalf of the team 
        and the sport of swimming generally--
                    (A) National Team Head Coach Mark Schubert;
                    (B) Head Men's Coach Eddie Reese;
                    (C) Head Women's Coach Jack Bauerle;
                    (D) Assistant Coaches Bob Bowman, Gregg Troy, Frank 
                Busch, Teri McKeever, Paul Yetter, and Sean Hutchison;
                    (E) Men's and Women's Open Water Head Coaches John 
                Dussliere and Bill Rose;
                    (F) Open Water Chief of Mission Paul Asmuth; and
                    (G) the staff of the United States Olympic Swimming 
                Team; and
            (3) requests the Secretary of the Senate to transmit 
        enrolled copies of this resolution to--
                    (A) the United States Olympic Swimming Team at the 
                national headquarters of USA Swimming in Colorado 
                Springs, Colorado; and
                    (B) Michael Phelps and the North Baltimore Aquatic 
                Club in Baltimore, Maryland, in honor of Michael 
                Phelps's singular, historic, and inspirational 
                achievement.
                                 <all>
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