| Sponsor | Rep. Holmes Norton, Eleanor |
| Committee | Transportation and Infrastructure |
| Date | May 8, 2012 (112th Congress, 2nd Session) |
| Staff Contact | Sarah Makin |
On Monday, May 7, 2012, the House is scheduled to consider H. Con. Res. 118, a bill to authorize the use of the Capitol Grounds for the District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run, under a suspension of the rules requiring a two-thirds majority vote for approval. The bill was introduced on April 24, 2012, by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which took no official action on the bill.
The bill would authorize the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 27th Annual District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run on June 1, 2012, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate may jointly designate.
According to the Special Olympics, the Law Enforcement Torch Run began in 1981 when Wichita, Kansas, Police Chief Richard LaMunyon saw a need to raise funds for and increase awareness of the Special Olympics. The Torch Run was quickly adopted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, now recognized as the founding law enforcement organization of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. Through sponsorships, t-shirt sales, and other charity events, the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run is the largest fund raiser for the Special Olympics. In 2008, the Law Enforcement Torch Run raised $34 million for Special Olympics Programs. More than 85,000 law enforcement officers carried the “Flame of Hope” across 35 nations, raising awareness and funds for the Special Olympics last year.