Commending the people and Government of Greece for the successful completion of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 774, commending the people of Greece for hosting a successful and safe Olympics.

As co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, it is my great honor to recognize Greece for its recent achievements.

I am very fortunate and privileged to represent Astoria, Queens--one of the largest and most vibrant communities of Greek Americans in this country.

I never had any doubts that Greece would be an excellent host for the 2004 Olympic Games, truly one of the greatest ever to be held.

For three weeks in August, the people of Greece welcomed the world to participate in an event which allows countries to set aside their political differences for a brief time to come together in the spirit of peace and sportsmanship.

Thousands of athletes from around the world returned to the birthplace of the Olympics to determine the fastest, the strongest, the best in each competition.

From the swimming pool to the volleyball courts to the track and field arena, moments of perseverance and victory will be etched in our memories forever.

As gracious hosts, the people of Greece showed the visiting delegations its beautiful historic and natural treasures, ensuring that they would remember their time in Greece for more than only their events.

We heard much talk in the months leading up to the Games that the Greeks would not be ready.

But they proved everyone wrong.

The venues were completed and were the sites of some of the most exciting Olympic competitions ever.

The opening and closing ceremonies were unbelievable.

The volunteers were phenomenal, and the transportation was efficient.

And most importantly, the outstanding security preparations taken in advance of the Games resulted in the safety of both the athletes and visitors.

The 2004 Games have set an example for how future host cities will prepare for this magnificent event.

The dollars and time spent on security were well worth the investment.

I am tremendously proud of Greece for what it has accomplished.

I an hopeful that its economy will benefit from the Games for years to come.

I am confident that millions of tourists are planning vacations as we speak to Greece so that they can see for themselves the ancient ruins and its gorgeous coastline.

And so that they can meet for themselves Greece's greatest treasure . . . its people.

I would like to thank my good friend Representative Meehan for introducing this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in strong support of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to commend our colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan), for introducing this important resolution.

The 2004 Olympic Games in Athens recently unfolded before the eyes of hundreds of millions of people around the world, some watching in person, but many more on television. It is fair to say, Mr. Speaker, that the Athens games were an unqualified success.

Despite fears of terrorism or that key Olympic venues would not be ready, Athens was more than prepared to receive tens of thousands of athletes and officials from around the world, and the Olympic spirit thrived as athletes lived out their dreams.

These were truly historic games. The Summer Olympic Games returned to Greece, their ancient birthplace, for the first time. The games brought together people from all over the world; 202 countries participated in the Athens Olympics, including athletes from Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Greek people and the government of Greece, through extraordinary diligence, energy and enthusiasm, hosted over 10,000 athletes with efficiency and security. The Greek officials developed transportation infrastructure to ensure that athletes and spectators could easily get to all Olympic venues and practice facilities.

The United States and the government of Greece cooperated closely on several aspects of the Olympic games, including security. This cooperation solidified the long-standing alliance and friendship between our two Nations which stand side-by-side in defense of a shared commitment to freedom and democracy.

The 2004 Olympics in Greece showed us the best combination of a modern, world-class infrastructure and high-tech innovation, framed by the ancient wonders of Greece, the birthplace of Western culture and democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I want to join the sponsors of this resolution in agreeing with the United States Committee Chairman Peter Ueberroth that ``history will record these Games as among the greatest, if not the greatest, of all time.''

I strongly support this resolution and urge its unanimous passage.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my highest praise and congratulations for the magnificent way Greece hosted the 2004 Summer Olympics. I strongly support H. Res. 774, a resolution which commends the people and government of Greece for the superb Olympic Games held this summer in Athens.

The task of hosting the modern Olympic Games is filled with honor, but also presents

a colossal challenge. With dedication, commitment to hard work, and inspirational leadership, Greece met the challenge while proudly showcasing the ideals of the Olympics and promoting friendship and peace among nations.

As the host to the biggest sporting event in the world, Athens rose magnificently to the challenge and demonstrated the pride and honor that comes with such an occasion. The leadership shown by the government of Greece, and more specifically, the Prime Minister of Greece, Costas Karamanlis, inspired Athens to a great celebration of commitment, dedication, and human endeavor. The mayor of Athens, Dora Bakoyianni, was responsible for presenting the Olympics not only as a modern sporting occasion, but also as an ancient tradition with superb new modern facilities surrounded by historic and architectural wonder.

The Olympic Games left behind not only a memory of great athletic competition, but a legacy of peace, nobility, and honor that should be at the forefront of all international occasions. The Athens Olympic Organizing Committee, under the direction of Gianna Dasklaki- Angelopoulos, presented such a colossal event which surpassed all expectations. She and her staff succeeded in showcasing all that Athens has to offer, old and new, as the birthplace of the Olympics and a frontrunner in modern development. With Athens being the birthplace of the modern Olympics games and containing so many beautiful ancient monuments, there could not have been a more perfect setting for a truly wonderful celebration of athleticism.

The citizens and government of Greece put on a show that made Hellenes from around the world proud. As a Greek-American, I am most proud. I commend Greece for ensuring that the 2004 Summer Olympic Games would not be forgotten. I encourage my colleagues to support H. Res. 774.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 774) commending the people and Government of Greece for the successful completion of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend

their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 774, the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.

I rise in strong support of H. Res. 774 commending the people and government of Greece for the successful completion of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, and I want to commend our colleagues, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan), the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) for introducing this legislation.

For 17 glorious days this summer, with the spectacular setting of the ancient Parthenon and Acropolis as background, the Nation of Greece hosted the world to what has been referred to by some as one of the greatest games of all times.

As we followed the progress of the preparations, we realized it surely was not easy to accomplish. The costs were high, and the tensions associated with providing security for 10,000 athletes and hundreds of thousands of visitors and spectators placed great pressure on the government of Greece. But in the end, the world-class venues and infrastructure provided, the breathtaking opening and closing ceremonies and, of course, the competition itself afforded the world an unparalleled look at the energy, diligence, hospitality and imagination of the people of Greece.

All of Greece has a right to be proud of what was accomplished this summer. This resolution reaffirms that recognition.

I urge adoption of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished Chairman and Ranking Member of the International Relations Committee for bringing this resolution to the floor.

I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 774, to pay tribute to the people and Government of Greece for hosting an unforgettable 2004 Summer Olympic Games.

This summer, the Olympic Games returned to their ancient birthplace. The people of Greece proudly displayed the ideals of the Olympic movement, promoting mutual understanding, friendship, and peace among nations through noble athletic competition.

Greece overcame daunting security challenges and safely accommodated more than 10,000 athletes from 202 countries, along with hundreds of thousands of spectators, foreign dignitaries, and journalists.

These visitors and the Olympics' television viewers worldwide experienced the games much as they must have been played originally, framed by ancient wonders such as the Parthenon on the Acropolis and the stadium in Olympia.

Greece also displayed its modern achievements such as extraordinary Olympic venues and breathtakingly high-tech opening and closing ceremonies.

In the words of United States Olympic Committee Chairman Peter Ueberroth, ``history will record these Games as among the greatest, if not the greatest, of all time.''

The United States and Greece have long enjoyed a deep friendship that grew from a shared commitment to freedom and democracy more than 100 years ago.

We were proud to work in close cooperation with Greece this year to ensure the safety and success of this summer's games.

I therefore join in commending the people of Greece for hosting an extraordinary 2004 Summer Olympic Games, and urge the House to pass this resolution. Zeto Ellas!