Gerald R. Ford photo

Statement on Signing the Olympic Winter Games Authorization Act of 1976.

September 29, 1976

I HAVE signed into law S. 2184, a bill to authorize Federal financial assistance for planning, design, and construction or improvement of facilities for the 1980 Olympic winter games at Lake Placid, N.Y.

This legislation will not only furnish the resources necessary for the next winter Olympic games to be held in the United States, it will also provide training facilities for future American Olympic athletes, which will enhance their ability to compete with heavily subsidized teams from other nations.

I am committed to the improvement of amateur sports in the United States and the strengthening of our Olympic teams. I believe that this can be accomplished without massive government interference or subsidies. For this reason, my proposal for Federal financing of the Lake Placid games, which I introduced last May, entailed only the construction of permanent, unique sports facilities at a cost of $28 million in grants to the Lake Placid Olympic Organizing Committee.

The bill I am approving today authorizes $49,040,000 for permanent facilities and for other capital funding needed for the games. The additional authorization provided in this bill is intended to provide temporary and support facilities (i.e., housing, spectator, and administration facilities), and support services for the games.

I continue to believe that this additional financial assistance should not be provided by the Federal taxpayer. Accordingly, I am asking Secretary Richardson to take action to fund the permanent, unique facilities covered in the administration's proposal of May 10, 1976. I am also asking that he meet with the Lake Placid Olympic Committee to review its needs for related facilities and to seek ways to meet those needs without additional Federal expenditure.

Note: As enacted, S. 2184, approved September 28, 1976, is Public Law 94-427 (90 Stat. 1336).

Gerald R. Ford, Statement on Signing the Olympic Winter Games Authorization Act of 1976. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/241541

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