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Recognition

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Week Ending November 16, 2007

H.RES.808 Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

The MWCG is an independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1957 to include elected officials from local governments in the Washington, D.C. area, the preamble explains.

The members exchange ideas of transportation, the environment and public safety.

More resolution below….

Sponsor:  Rep. James Moran (D-VA-8^th)

Vote: Passed House by voice vote November 13, 2007

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost

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MORE INFORMATION

Whereas, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments is an independent, nonprofit organization, founded in 1957, and comprised of elected officials from 21 local governments of the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia, plus area members of the Maryland and Virginia legislatures, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives;

Whereas in April 1957 forty officials from Washington area jurisdictions voluntarily gathered to establish an organization where they could exchange ideas and work together on regional issues such as transportation, the environment, and public safety; this organization became the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments;

Whereas during the past half century COG's activities have touched every aspect of the life of the citizens of the National Capital Region and have improved the quality of life for all residents;

Whereas COG has facilitated the development of effective responses to such issues as the environment, affordable housing, economic development, human services, land use development, public safety and emergency response, and transportation that have had a profound and positive impact on the National Capital Region;

Whereas these responses include galvanizing the region's response to the September 11th attacks and the ongoing emergency preparedness programs, cleaning up of the Potomac River, spearheading a number of regional health programs including one of the nation's first regional conferences on AIDS, creating the region's express bus lane system, reducing air pollution through a model law and establishing the region's daily air quality index, and founding the Foster and Adoptive Families program for vulnerable children and teenagers;

Whereas COG has served as the Metropolitan Planning Organization guiding the region's transportation planning in partnership with the state and local departments of transportation since the 1960s and has served as key advocate for increased funding for the region's transportation needs;

Whereas COG's air quality committee created by the State of Maryland, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia, has worked successfully to reduce pollutants in the region's air;

Whereas COG has worked with area governments and law enforcement and emergency response officials to improve public safety response and coordination for over four decades, starting with the `mutual aid agreements' that began with the opening of the Wilson Bridge in 1962 and continuing to the present with homeland security planning and initiatives such as the regional pawnshop database that has helped recover millions of dollars of stolen property; and

Whereas COG managed a Federal pilot program to provide treatment and support services to women who abused alcohol and drugs, and currently works with area health officials to improve the region's emergency preparedness by developing a disease and syndromic surveillance system: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives does hereby offers its sincerest congratulations to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments in recognition of its 50th Anniversary and its legacy of outstanding service to the governments and citizens of greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan region and expresses its appreciation for a job well done.

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