[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 52 (Wednesday, April 6, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1705-S1706]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                      AMERICAN CITY QUALITY MONTH

  Mr. KING. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the many years of 
productive community partnership fostered by the cooperation of four 
organizations--the National League of Cities, the U.S. Conference of 
Mayors, the American City Planning Directors' Council, and the American 
City Quality Foundation--in their administration of the American City 
Quality Month every April since its establishment in 1988.
  Thanks to the collaboration of both public and private partners 
connected through this program, communities across the Nation are 
bolstered each April by a combination of public meetings, educational 
opportunities for students, and public announcements, all

[[Page S1706]]

dedicated to the betterment of urban areas. By advocating for improved 
city planning, decisionmaking, design, development, management, and 
action, the program brings attention to the need for revitalization and 
upkeep of metropolitan spaces.
  With the U.S. population expected to hit nearly 350 million by 2026 
and almost 400 million by 2050, the sustainability of American cities, 
which contain 80.7 percent of the U.S. total population according to 
the 2010 census, is paramount to accommodating an ever-expanding 
citizenry.
  The focus of the program lies not only with large cities like Boston 
and New York, but also with smaller ones like Portland and Augusta, ME. 
These small cities are growing and developing into economic powerhouses 
attractive to both skilled workers and middle-class families. Ensuring 
the preservation of productive relationships, infrastructure, and 
environmental well-being in Maine's growing urban spaces is a crucial 
piece of the success not only for these cities, but for the entire 
State. American City Quality Month inspires the dialogue and 
partnerships necessary for sustainable growth and revitalization.
  I thank the organizers of American City Quality Month for ensuring 
that American cities of all sizes continue to promote the welfare of 
this generation and those to come.

                          ____________________