[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6460]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    NATIONAL COUNTY GOVERNMENT WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. E. CLAY SHAW, JR.

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 26, 2001

  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of National County Government 
Week, I rise today to honor the contributions and achievements of our 
county governments.
  We have the opportunity this week to reflect upon the importance of 
our county governments and show our appreciation for our county 
officials. As a former mayor, I am very familiar with the role of 
county government and the need for govenunent at all levels to 
cooperate in order to best serve Americans, and I appreciate the hard 
work done at the county level.
  I have the privilege of representing the three South Florida counties 
of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach. These county governments serve 
a diverse population. This population is truly a microcosm of our state 
and our country. The needs facing these communities can be found in 
other parts of the country as well. County government has been 
successful in addressing these needs, and we in Congress can learn a 
lot from them.
  The backbone of county government is the people who provide the vital 
services that are essential to our health, safety, and well-being. The 
school teachers, the social workers, the firefighters, the police, and 
others who are devoting their lives to public service help form the 
fabric of our government.
  County government is the government closest to the people. It is 
often the face of government to most of our population. It is our 
obligation as Members of Congress to help support county governments 
all across the country in order that they may more effectively serve 
Americans.

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