[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17898-17899]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING THE ALEXANDRIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 12, 2006

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and 
congratulate the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce for its 100 years of 
outstanding and dedicated service to the community. The Chamber was 
established for the purpose of making Alexandria, Virginia, a better 
place to work and live, and, for 100 years, it has done just that.
  In its early years, the Chamber of Commerce fought for the rights and 
well-being of farmers, ranchers, and the poor, and helped raise money 
for the Red Cross to assist in the inoculation of residents against 
typhoid and small pox.
  In 1918, the Chamber campaigned to change the city's form of 
government from a trustee and aldermen system to one run by elected 
officials and a professional city manager, and in just 3 years, it was 
successful in obtaining the change. The Chamber has also worked to 
develop strong leaders in Alexandria, most recently with its Leadership 
Alexandria program that provides upcoming community leaders with a 
thorough understanding of the city and the most critical challenges it 
faces.
  Over the years, the Chamber of Commerce has worked tirelessly to 
promote the city's education system. In 1914, the Chamber successfully 
petitioned for a new high school. Through its Alexandria Education 
Partnership, many businesses and professional groups in the city 
support a wide variety of activities that assist the city's schools and 
students. And since 1966, the Chamber has sponsored an annual Summer 
Economic Institute that has provided Alexandria teenagers with a unique 
internship experiences in the business and financial sectors.

[[Page 17899]]

  I am proud of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and the significant 
contributions it has made over the last 100 years to making the City of 
Alexandria the wonderful place it is to both work and live. I ask that 
my colleagues join me in congratulating the Chamber on its anniversary 
and to wish the organization and its members all the best in their 
future endeavors.

                          ____________________