[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19575]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 19575]]

                          EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS

                    HONORING THE COMMUNITY OF PUEBLO

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 26, 2000

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I now take this 
moment to recognize the wonderful city of Pueblo, Colorado, a city I am 
proud to represent in the U.S. House of Representatives. Pueblo 
recently received national attention when it was named one of the Most 
Livable Communities in the United States by Partners for Livable 
Communities, a non-profit organization committed to improving America's 
collective quality of life.
  Pueblo has a storied past, a vibrant present, and promising future, 
all of which make it most deserving of this high honor. It is with 
this, Mr. Speaker, that I now pay tribute to Pueblo, Colorado, one of 
America's most livable cities.
  The beautiful city of Pueblo is located south of Denver in the 
shadows of Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Mountains. In 1886, four 
distinct towns were incorporated into one, forming what is now the 
magnificent community of Pueblo. In the century since, the community 
has played a major role in shaping Colorado's character, be it 
socially, culturally, or economically.
  Early on, Pueblo was home to smelting plants that helped refine ore 
extracted from surrounding mines. These plants fueled in large part the 
community's economic activity. Moreover, Pueblo also played a key part 
in the early national race to establish railroads across Colorado's 
Rocky Mountains. Thanks in large measure to these and other industrial 
activities, Pueblo rapidly became a booming economic hub.
  Pueblo's industrial muscle flourished in the many decades after its 
inception, until the 1980's when an economic downturn crippled the 
city's once burgeoning steel industry. Undeterred by tough times, 
community leaders from all walks of life closed ranks, fighting 
together to restore Pueblo's civic strength and economic vibrancy. 
Ultimately, this broad based local effort spurred a remarkable economic 
resurgence that continues even today. Pueblo's vitality is displayed 
each year when the city hosts the Colorado State Fair, highlighting the 
diversity and strength of Colorado's heritage.
  Nothing better symbolizes that resurgence than the Historic Arkansas 
Restoration project, a local effort to draw business activity along the 
refurbished banks of the Arkansas River which cuts through the heart of 
Pueblo. On October 6, 2000, the landmark Riverwalk Project will be 
dedicated. When it is, it will be a symbolic statement of Pueblo's 
economic and cultural re-awakening that continues to thrive in this new 
century.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the State of Colorado and the U.S. 
Congress, I would like to congratulate this wonderful community on 
being recognized as one of the most livable communities in the country. 
Pueblo has a special place in my heart and it is more than deserving of 
this distinguished recognition.

                          ____________________