[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 92 (Thursday, June 20, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1121-E1122]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      IN RECOGNITION OF THE SALVATION ARMY'S EFFORTS IN ST. LOUIS

                                 ______


                          HON. JAMES M. TALENT

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 19, 1996

  Mr. TALENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of two 
outstanding programs that have made a tremendous impact on the St. 
Louis community: the Salvation Army comprehensive substance treatment 
and rehabilitation program [CSTAR] and the Salvation Army community in 
partnership family center [CIP]. These two organizations have worked 
with a consortium of businesses, service organizations, and 
governmental groups to provide the St. Louis community at large with 
invaluable homeless and drug treatment services.
  The Salvation Army's CSTAR and CIP programs are part of an effort to 
help stabilize and empower homeless families and women with chemical 
dependencies so that they may help themselves. By nurturing a sense of 
dignity and resourcefulness, these programs enable individuals and 
their families to re-enter the community as participating citizens. 
Through the unique programming offered at each of the centers, families 
are given a foundation to rebuild their lives and eventually relocate 
into safe and affordable housing.
  About a year ago, Congressman Watts and I began to travel and visit 
organizations, like these, around the country. We asked the people and 
community leaders what they needed to run their programs more 
efficiently and what it would take to revitalize these impoverished 
communities.
  All of the organizations found the Federal Government's involvement 
in their programs to be burdensome and intrusive. The Government made 
them jump through bureaucratic hoops, fill out stacks of paperwork, and 
follow silly, expensive, and troublesome regulations. They asked us to 
reduce this redtape and allow participants to enter their programs 
without having to comply with an abundance of requirements and to be 
able to run their program without being told which portions of the 
programs were acceptable and which were not.

[[Page E1122]]

  Based on these recommendations and others from people we met, we 
introduced legislation designed to empower the institutions that 
provide structure, rehabilitation and order to low-income 
neighborhoods. The bill does this by empowering faith-based and other 
private groups, funding scholarships for low-income children, 
encouraging private investment and home-ownership, and assisting those 
neighborhood groups which are restoring structure to their communities.
  The American Community Renewal Act allows for up to 100 renewal 
communities to be established on a competitive basis in both urban and 
rural areas. To be designated a renewal community, State and local 
governments would have to work together with neighborhood groups to 
lessen the burden of rules and regulations that hamper job creation.

  There are two tenants of the bill that would directly and positively 
impact the Community in Partnership Family Center as well as the CSTAR 
program. The first is a charitable tax credit. Individuals would be 
able to contribute to the charity of their choice, whose mission is 
poverty relief, and receive a tax credit of up to 75 percent of a $200 
donation. The other provision would allow renewal communities to 
voucherize their drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs. Participants 
would have the ability to choose where to receive their treatment--
whether private or public. It's no great secret that private programs 
like CSTAR have tremendous success rates and little recidivism.
  Targeting the few pillars of strength in these communities and 
empowering them is essential to uplifting the deterioration of our low-
income communities. CSTAR, the family center, and others deserve the 
recognition and support from the Federal Government and I believe the 
community renewal bill does just that.
  Mr. Speaker, it is both an honor and a privilege for me to pay 
tribute to these fine organizations, and commend them upon their 
efforts to ensure that all residents of St. Louis County have the 
opportunity to operate in the community as participating citizens. They 
are an outstanding example not only for the residents of St. Louis 
County, but to the Nation as a whole.

                          ____________________