[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 53 (Tuesday, April 29, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TUCSON METROPOLITAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM KOLBE

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 29, 1997

  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce 
was founded as the Tucson Grocer's Association on October 31, 1896, by 
six civic-minded businessmen with the purpose to unite the business 
interests of Tucson, or of Tucson trade, and oppose anything tending to 
their injury. Since that time, the chamber has evolved into the largest 
Chamber of Commerce in Arizona, representing over 3,000 businesses and 
75,000 employees.
  Over the past 100 years, the chamber has worked steadfastly to 
further the interests of Tucson and Arizona. I would like to take this 
opportunity to mention some of their achievements.
  The chamber worked faithfully to help Arizona achieve statehood. When 
a lavish reception for the Senate Committee exploring statehood 
apparently failed to impress, chamber leaders traveled to Washington to 
press the case personally.
  In the early part of this century, the chamber organized and financed 
the first municipal airport in the United States and later helped 
establish what was to become Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Sixty-seven 
years later, the chamber was also among the organizations working to 
successfully keep Davis-Monthan open as a security asset for the entire 
Nation.
  In response to the growing need for the treatment of tubercular 
patients, particularly veterans of World War I, the chamber sent 
representatives to Washington to lobby for a veterans hospital and then 
raised the money from its own membership to pay for the building 
supplies. The chamber also borrowed the money to purchase the land 
where the current veterans hospital is established.
  The chamber spearheaded and often financed infrastructure projects 
for the development of the community including schools, roads, and 
water projects.
  The chamber donated the land to lure the U.S. Magnetic Laboratory to 
the desert, beginning a trend that has resulted in Tucson becoming a 
world recognized center for optics.
  Since its inception, the chamber has been active in encouraging trade 
with our southern neighbor, Mexico. The organization lobbied Mexico 
City directly in the late 1800's, to establish a customs house, and it 
recently lobbied our State Department to successfully retain the U.S. 
consulate in Hermosillo--a critical link for trade and services for 
both countries.
  The Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce continues to benefit 
southern Arizona in many other ways. I would like to take this 
opportunity to congratulate the chamber on its first 100 years of work 
and wish the organization well in achieving its goals for the next 
century.

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