[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15432]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING ELLICOTT CITY AND COLUMBIA, MARYLAND FOR BEING NAMED ONE 
      OF THE ``BEST PLACES TO LIVE'' IN AMERICA BY MONEY MAGAZINE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 20, 2006

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ellicott City 
and Columbia, Maryland located in beautiful Howard County which is part 
of my district, the 7th District of Maryland, for placing 4th on Money 
Magazine's ``Best Places to Live'' 2006 list.
  This list recognizes what we in Maryland have known for years: that 
Ellicott City and Columbia provide the best of both worlds--an economy 
in which parents and children can thrive and a quality of life that 
allows them to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
  Located in the corridor between Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, 
DC, the area that became known as Ellicott City was a tobacco outpost 
until the Ellicott brothers turned it into the flour-milling capital of 
the 1700s. Two centuries later, Columbia grew from the vision of 
developer Jim Rouse, who created the town as an alternative to the 
epidemic of boring suburbs. Only 5 miles apart and now called home by 
160,000 Marylanders, these two towns provide an active and charming 
downtown, a major music venue, a 30,000 square foot arts center, an 
impressive mall, and over 4,500 acres of park space. The Money Magazine 
recognition stands as a testament to the fine administration of the 
county and local governments and to the residents' long-standing 
commitment to active community involvement--working together to ensure 
the highest quality of life.
  Mr. Speaker, Ellicott City and Columbia are not just great places to 
play and enjoy life, they are also excellent places to work and attend 
school. About one-third of these residents work at local businesses, at 
one of the national corporations headquartered there, or at the Howard 
County General Hospital, a member of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Many 
others make the commute to nearby Baltimore, or Washington, DC.
  In addition, Howard County's public schools, from kindergarten 
through community college, are constantly ranked among the best in the 
State and boast test scores 50 percent above average. Parents know that 
their children are receiving the best education possible, due to the 
hard work and dedication of the employees of the Howard County Public 
School System led by Superintendent Dr. Sydney L. Cousin, who has 
served the school system for almost 20 years in an exemplary manner.
  With its top schools, great jobs, low crime rates, variety of 
recreational activities, and acres of open space, it is no surprise 
that Columbia and Ellicott City beat 741 other communities to place 
fourth on Money Magazine's Best Places to Live 2006 list. I applaud 
Howard County Executive James N. Robey for his nearly four decades of 
service to Howard County, as well as the citizens of Columbia and 
Ellicott City for making this area truly one of the best places to live 
in America--for it is the people who make our communities great.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the other 2006 Best Places winners, and I 
remind my colleagues to work with me to ensure that our policies 
support and facilitate the creation of livable communities for all 
Americans.
  Again, I congratulate Columbia and Ellicott City, located in my 
district in Howard County, Maryland, on receipt of this prestigious 
recognition.

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