[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 112 (Friday, July 13, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE CITY OF SALEM FOR BEING DESIGNATED A PRESERVE AMERICA 
                               COMMUNITY

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                          HON. DARLENE HOOLEY

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 12, 2007

  Ms. HOOLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the City of Salem, 
OR for being recognized as a community proud of its heritage, proud of 
its history, and committed to preserving its historic resources so that 
they may be enjoyed for generations to come.
  I was not surprised to learn that First Lady Laura Bush and the 
Preserve America Initiative had recognized Salem for its historic and 
cultural preservation efforts and had named the city a Preserve America 
Community. I grew up in Salem and know that it is exactly the type of 
community that we want to preserve.
  Salem, Oregon's capital is one of Oregon's oldest communities. It 
grew as a pioneer settlement around the Oregon Institute that is now 
Willamette University, and Salem's location in the center of the 
fertile Willamette Valley has allowed it to play an important role in 
Oregon's agricultural economy since statehood.
  Over the past few years, a 33-member citizens' taskforce created the 
Downtown Revitalization Toolbox which has sought to address vacancy and 
rehabilitation concerns in the Historic Downtown by providing matching 
grants for historic building improvement projects. Through public-
private partnerships, thousands of volunteer hours have been logged and 
over $8.5 million invested in Salem's Historic Downtown District.
  There is a saying that good citizens are the riches of a city. 
Knowing the effort that has been made by the citizens of Salem to 
preserve historic treasures and create economic opportunities for local 
businesses, I can safely say that Salem is a wealthy city indeed.
  I invite all my colleagues to join me in congratulating the City of 
Salem and the other communities across the country that have been 
designated as Preserve America Communities. It is through their efforts 
that our collective history and culture will be secured for future 
generations.

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