[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 18 (Tuesday, February 2, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H298-H299]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                PROGRESS OF LIVABLE COMMUNITIES MOVEMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, we begin the new session on a note of 
optimism that has been sounded by Republican leaders, by our Democratic 
leader, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), and by the 
President of the United States in his recent appearance in this 
Chamber. This is important, because we have been consumed by the dark 
cloud hanging over this Capitol.
  Over this past year, a few bright spots have indeed emerged. I am 
especially pleased with the progress and the attention given to the 
Livable Communities movement.
  Recently highlighted by the administration in the President's State 
of the Union speech, elements were previewed a week earlier by the Vice 
President, who is a major architect of this work. The Vice President's 
address last September at the Brooking Institute was one of the best 
statements I have heard on the importance of Livable Communities and 
how to encourage them.
  While I am pleased with their leadership, I want to caution that this 
is not just a partisan initiative of the Democratic administration. As 
an appointee over 25 years ago of Oregon's legendary Republican 
Governor Tom McCall to his Livable Oregon Committee, I know full well 
that making our communities livable does not have to be a partisan 
effort. Indeed, it should not be.
  Oregon's achievements in land use, transportation and environmental 
protection have made it a beacon for the Livable Communities movement. 
Our efforts were marked by a spirit of bipartisan cooperation. 
Nationally, we have seen an example of Republican interest when 
Governor Christy Todd

[[Page H299]]

Whitman made ``Livable New Jersey'' the theme of her second and final 
inaugural address.
  The most important strength of the Livable Communities movement is 
that it transcends even bipartisan politics. Over 200 local and state 
ballot initiatives faced voters this November from around the country 
signaling a new era of grassroots pressure to create more livable 
communities and to have government become a better partner in that 
effort. I would note that an overwhelming majority of those initiatives 
passed.
  For some it is too easy to discount the Federal role, citing local 
control, fear of regulation or simply misreading history. The fact is 
the Federal Government has been a partner with local government and the 
private sector in shaping the landscape and building communities since 
the Federal Government first started taking land away from the native 
Americans, who were largely hunters and gatherers, and gave it to 
European farmers, who cut and burned the forests for farms.
  Now that President Clinton and Vice President Gore have made Livable 
Communities a priority, raising new levels of interest, it is more 
important than ever that the problems of dysfunctional communities be 
addressed by we in Congress.
  This movement brings together communities, large and small, rural and 
urban, inner city and suburb. This Congress has an historic opportunity 
to rise above partisanship and business as usual to work together to 
improve the quality of life of all Americans.
  These proposals will not end up costing great sums of money; indeed, 
by and large, they will save money and create wealth. They are not 
going to put people at risk. They will indeed strengthen the lives of 
our communities and enrich them.
  It does not require picking winners and losers. Livable Communities 
do not discriminate against one another, they reach out to include 
people. There is something in it for everyone.
  During the work of the last Congress, on the ISTEA reauthorization to 
create T-21, I used a scriptural reference found in Isaiah, 58:12. If 
anything, it is more applicable for the Livable Communities initiative.

       Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you 
     shall rise up the foundations of many generations; and you 
     shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of 
     Streets to Dwell In.

  In the weeks ahead, I will be suggesting simple, inexpensive steps 
that we can all take to make our communities safe, economically secure 
and healthy; from not having our communities held hostage to the whims 
of billionaire sports franchise owners, to making the Post Office obey 
local land use, planning and zoning codes and work with local 
communities before they make decisions that have the potential of 
tearing the heart out of historic small town America; to reforming 
flood insurance, to make it more cost effective and efficient.
  It is time for us in Congress to heed the Prophet Isaiah and to be 
about this important work of making our communities more livable.

                          ____________________