[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 4898-4899]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 468--HONORING THE BLACKSTONE VALLEY TOURISM COUNCIL 
               ON THE CELEBRATION OF ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself and Mr. Reed) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                              S. Res. 468

       Whereas on April 8, 2010, the Blackstone Valley Tourism 
     Council will celebrate the 25th anniversary of its founding;
       Whereas since 1985, the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council 
     has been at the forefront of sustainable destination 
     development, community building, resiliency, education, and 
     scholarly research;
       Whereas the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is a non-
     profit corporation registered as a 501(c)(3) educational 
     organization and is authorized under Section 42-63.1-5 of the 
     Rhode Island General Laws as the State-designated regional 
     tourism development agency for the Blackstone Valley of Rhode 
     Island;
       Whereas the development region of the Blackstone Valley 
     Tourism Council follows the length and width of the 
     Blackstone River Watershed, from the many tributaries in 
     southern Massachusetts, to the end of the river at the 
     headwaters of the Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island;
       Whereas the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council represents 
     the Rhode Island cities of Pawtucket, Central Falls, and 
     Woonsocket, and towns of Cumberland, Lincoln, North 
     Smithfield, Smithfield, Glocester, and Burrillville;
       Whereas the Blackstone Valley is the birthplace of the 
     American Industrial Revolution that began in 1790 in 
     Pawtucket, Rhode Island, when Samuel Slater began textile 
     manufacturing in a wooden mill on the banks of the Blackstone 
     River;
       Whereas since its beginning, the Blackstone Valley Tourism 
     Council has worked to develop, promote, and expand the 
     economic and community development base for the cities and 
     towns in the Blackstone Valley to create a viable visitor and 
     cultural destination that preserves the historic heritage of 
     the region;
       Whereas the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council works as an 
     interpreter and educator of the history and ecology of the 
     Blackstone River, initiates ongoing international 
     relationships of major importance to the region, provides 
     input on future riverfront and economic development, and 
     develops various recreational activities;
       Whereas the work that the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council 
     accomplishes benefits from its partnerships with local social 
     and community development organizations, municipalities, 
     regional and State economic development organizations, 
     educational institutions, and National and international 
     entities;
       Whereas the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council was the first 
     recipient of the Ulysses Prize from the United Nations World 
     Tourism Organization (UNWTO) that merits distinction for 
     innovative contributions to tourism policy, sustainable 
     tourism planning, environmental protection and new 
     technologies, and in 2006, the Council received the 
     UNWTO.Sbest Certification in tourism governance, the only 
     organization in the United States to earn this certification; 
     and
       Whereas in 2008, the World Travel and Tourism Council 
     (WTTC) recognized the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council with 
     its Tourism for Tomorrow Destination Award, a prestigious 
     sustainable tourism development award, in recognition of the 
     integrated, community-centered, resilient approach of the 
     Council to tourism development and community building: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--

[[Page 4899]]

       (1) honors the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council on the 
     celebration of its 25th anniversary; and
       (2) wishes the Council continued success.

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