[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 37 (Thursday, March 20, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            RENEWAL ALLIANCE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. RON PACKARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 20, 1997

  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss my recent 
participation in the renewal alliance--a unique bicameral Republican 
group committed to promoting the work of charities, churches, small 
businesses, and community organizations in helping to solve some of our 
Nation's most intractable problems. Our renewal alliance believes that 
we must focus not just on the failures of Government, but also on the 
hope of rebuilding strong communities.
  In the months ahead, our alliance will promote the many solutions 
already at work across the Nation, powered by nothing more than a 
compassionate dedication to lending a hand, spending a few hours a 
week, or giving charitably to efforts which help improve the lives of 
those around us. We will highlight legislation to create enterprise 
zones, tax incentives for charitable giving, educational reform, and 
removing bureaucratic barriers to problem solving with simple, people-
based solutions.
  Most importantly, we will ask our colleagues and our community 
leaders to look not to the Halls of Congress for innovative ideas, but 
to the streets of our towns, the pews of our churches, and the 
conversations at dinner tables for the solutions that renew our society 
by healing souls. Recently, I traveled with fellow Congressman J.C. 
Watts and Senators Rick Santorum and John Ashcroft to Wilmington, DE 
and Philadelphia to hear about various inner-city, faith-based programs 
by the people who make them work and those that receive their care.
  Billions of dollars and millions of broken lives and families later, 
America seems finally ready to accept that government can never replace 
the invaluable contributions of faith, family, work, and community. But 
Government can and should do everything possible to support these 
institutions and the irreplaceable benefit of their healthy existence.

                          ____________________