[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 882]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  VIRGINIA LEADERSHIP DOES NOT GET IT

  (Mr. BLUMENAUER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, yesterday the Virginia legislature 
just said no to the citizens' efforts to try and control the problems 
of livability in their community. It is sad that the new leadership in 
Virginia just does not get it.
  Smart growth is good for the economy. It helps declining and 
distressed areas, and it does not force the Hobson's choice of dumb 
growth. But the State of Virginia refuses to deal meaningfully with the 
transportation and finance problems on a State level and at the same 
time, refuses to give local governments tools to handle it themselves.
  I hope that the citizens of Virginia, as I hope that citizens around 
the country, will hold each elected official responsible on all levels 
for their efforts to give the tools to make sure that our communities 
are more livable so our citizens can be healthy, economically secure 
and safe.

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