[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 808 Engrossed in House (EH)]


                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                     November 13, 2007.
Whereas, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments is an independent, 
        nonprofit organization, founded in 1957, and comprised of elected 
        officials from 21 local governments of the District of Columbia, 
        suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia, plus area members of the 
        Maryland and Virginia legislatures, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House 
        of Representatives;
Whereas in April 1957 forty officials from Washington area jurisdictions 
        voluntarily gathered to establish an organization where they could 
        exchange ideas and work together on regional issues such as 
        transportation, the environment, and public safety; this organization 
        became the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments;
Whereas during the past half century COG's activities have touched every aspect 
        of the life of the citizens of the National Capital Region and have 
        improved the quality of life for all residents;
Whereas COG has facilitated the development of effective responses to such 
        issues as the environment, affordable housing, economic development, 
        human services, land use development, public safety and emergency 
        response, and transportation that have had a profound and positive 
        impact on the National Capital Region;
Whereas these responses include galvanizing the region's response to the 
        September 11th attacks and the ongoing emergency preparedness programs, 
        cleaning up of the Potomac River, spearheading a number of regional 
        health programs including one of the nation's first regional conferences 
        on AIDS, creating the region's express bus lane system, reducing air 
        pollution through a model law and establishing the region's daily air 
        quality index, and founding the Foster and Adoptive Families program for 
        vulnerable children and teenagers;
Whereas COG has served as the Metropolitan Planning Organization guiding the 
        region's transportation planning in partnership with the state and local 
        departments of transportation since the 1960s and has served as key 
        advocate for increased funding for the region's transportation needs;
Whereas COG's air quality committee created by the State of Maryland, the 
        Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia, has worked 
        successfully to reduce pollutants in the region's air;
Whereas COG has worked with area governments and law enforcement and emergency 
        response officials to improve public safety response and coordination 
        for over four decades, starting with the ``mutual aid agreements'' that 
        began with the opening of the Wilson Bridge in 1962 and continuing to 
        the present with homeland security planning and initiatives such as the 
        regional pawnshop database that has helped recover millions of dollars 
        of stolen property; and
Whereas COG managed a Federal pilot program to provide treatment and support 
        services to women who abused alcohol and drugs, and currently works with 
        area health officials to improve the region's emergency preparedness by 
        developing a disease and syndromic surveillance system: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives does hereby offers 
its sincerest congratulations to the Metropolitan Washington Council of 
Governments in recognition of its 50th Anniversary and its legacy of outstanding 
service to the governments and citizens of greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan 
region and expresses its appreciation for a job well done.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.