[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 199 (Thursday, December 14, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H14909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CELEBRATING COMMUNITY: THE OPENING OF THE NEW MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER 
                            IN FREEPORT, IL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kingston). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Manzullo] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, as we debate reaching the balanced budget 
by the year 2002 and what role the Federal Government should play in 
restoring hope to our children's future, one of the misguided arguments 
that some of my colleagues continue to banter in Congress and in the 
media is that the American people cannot trust anyone but the Federal 
Government to provide assistance and/or programs in the areas of need.
  By what arrogance can this argument be made? To suggest that left to 
their own devices, the American people cannot provide for their 
families and neighbors? The notion that local communities and local 
governments cannot be trusted? Please. This country was built through 
the goodness of people helping people. From the earliest days of the 
original colonies, the people of this Nation have thrived off the 
common goodness of its neighbors, its communities.
  If we are to believe that there is nothing trustworthy outside of the 
Federal behemoth bureaucracy, whom are we accusing of being 
untrustworthy? Which Governor? Which State legislature? Which county? 
Which city or school district? Which community can we not trust?
  I believe men and women, parents, elected officials, churches and 
other community leaders are best able to achieve the longest lasting 
and most effective changes we need in our society. Day by day, 
neighborhood by neighborhood, child by child, family by family, America 
gets stronger.
  President Coolidge once said: ``No person was ever honored for what 
he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.''
  Let me tell you about what one community has done. On November 18 of 
this year, the city of Freeport in the 16th District of Illinois 
celebrated the achievements of hard effort and leadership when it 
opened the new Martin Luther King Jr. Community Campus, and this is a 
picture of that beautiful campus. This beautiful $3 million facility 
was built and paid for without any tax dollars or Federal grants. The 
facility was built with the commitment and dedication of the local 
community.
  It started with a vision by the late Rev. Robert Huff to create a 
community center where area children and families could get whatever 
assistance they needed. Unfortunately, he passed away before he could 
witness the reality of his vision.
  This beautiful new facility was made possible by the hard efforts and 
dedication of people like Jack Meyers, who led the fundraising 
campaign, and Ray Alvarez of Honeywell's Microswitch, who was 
instrumental in rallying community support for this construction.
  The new MLK Campus in Freeport has not been erected only of mortar 
and bricks. It stands firmly on the convictions and hopes and dreams of 
the people dedicated to making Freeport a city committed to the future 
of their community, a future that is unified behind helping their 
neighbors locally.
  The community campus has already provided many tangible results. It 
helped Wendy Mader realize her dream of becoming a licensed day care 
provider; Tameka Carter, who is reaching her dream of becoming a 
lawyer. And the Martin Luther King Campus helped Sharon Serna work 
through the single parent program to get off public aid, get an 
education, and become a registered nurse. Her dream was made possible 
by the local people who make the MLK Community Campus not only the envy 
but a model of what other communities in this country are 
accomplishing.
  Again, the facility was built without one Federal dollar, built by 
the dedication and hard effort of the people of a small city in rural 
Illinois. Have any of their programs used Federal dollars? Yes, but the 
programs are designed and tailored by the local people for the local 
people.
  Currently, Congress is working on major changes on how social 
services in this country are funded. The idea is that after 30 years of 
spending 40 cents out of every dollar on a huge Federal bureaucracy, we 
can be more efficient with our programs if we get the money back to the 
local people in the best manner possible.
  If centers like the King Campus choose to apply for tax dollars, they 
should be able to get the most out of every tax dollar, not just 60 
cents but 90 or 95 cents. That kind of efficiency cannot be 
accomplished through a huge Federal bureaucracy.
  The campus is the perfect example of local control and local success.
  I salute the efforts of everyone at the MLK Campus. I salute the 
people who have found a second chance or the special assistance they 
need through the center. And I want to salute the people of Freeport, 
who in their own way have proven that we do not need the Federal 
Government dictating policy to provide for their community.
  What we need is the commitment and dedication of the people of the 
community who are willing to face a challenge and willing to meet the 
needs of the people they love so dearly and the people they serve so 
well.

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