Now that Chicago is officially the U.S. candidate for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, several top lawmakers have pledged they will work to strengthen the city’s bid.
Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama of Illinois issued a statement congratulating Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and the city’s Olympic committee. He said, “I look forward to continuing to work with them on behalf of our bid. I believe that a Chicago Olympics is a source of hope and opportunity around the globe while bringing lasting benefits to the residents of our region”.
Obama said Chicagoans should be proud that their metropolis was selected as the American bid city for the 2016 Games.
Governor Rod Blagojevich called it a “historic day” for the city of Chicago, calling the city “a great sports town and the perfect place to host the Olympics”.
He said state officials will continue working closely with the mayor as the city prepares its bid for the International Olympic Committee.
Meanwhile U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois says he and U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois will push for changes at the State Department that will make it easier for international athletes to get permission to enter the country. He said in the past some competitors have had a difficult time getting into the country because of the immense amount of paperwork involved, reports the Chicago Tribune.
Durbin said, “we have plenty of time to get this done if we start now. We should be prepared to expedite this”. He said Chicago has a good shot at hosting the Games, for reasons that go beyond any point-by-point analysis of its formal bid. “There are some intangibles. It’s the spirit of Chicago. It’s a great place to live and visit and people all over the world know that”.
