IV

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. RES. 207

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with regard to

community renewal through community- and faith-based organizations.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 15, 1999

Mr. PITTS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on Education and the Workforce

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with

regard to community renewal through community- and

faith-based organizations.

Whereas, while the steady economic growth and low inflation

in the United States has yielded unprecedented prosperity, many American citizens have not benefited from

this prosperity and continue to be socioeconomically disadvantaged;

Whereas millions of our fellow citizens who live in the inner

cities and rural communities continue to be plagued by

social breakdown, economic disadvantage, and educational failure that fosters hopelessness and despair;

Whereas our most intractable pathologies—crime, drug addiction, teen pregnancy, homelessness, and youth violence—

are each being addressed by small, and sometimes unrec-
2

•HRES 207 IH

ognized, community- or faith-based organizations, whose

expertise should not be ignored;

Whereas these nonprofit organizations have local experts who

are moving individuals from dependency to self-sufficiency and restoring the lives of men, women, and families across the country;

Whereas many community- and faith-based organizations are

offering the American public a new vision of compassion,

designed to encourage volunteerism, strengthen the community, and care for the poor and vulnerable;

Whereas private sector investment in capital development—

social and economic—in the most poverty stricken pockets across the country is key to long-term renewal of

urban centers and distressed rural communities;

Whereas economic growth attracts new businesses, provides

stability to neighborhoods, as well as provides jobs that

yield income to support families and nurture self-respect;

Whereas over 100 bipartisan Members of Congress have cosponsored H.R. 815, the American Community Renewal

Act, which targets the 100 poorest communities in the

Nation for pro-growth tax benefits, regulatory relief,

brownfields cleanup, and home-ownership opportunities

that combine to create jobs, hope, and a sense of community;

Whereas the President and the Vice President, along with

congressional organizations such as the Renewal Alliance,

have recognized the importance of community renewal

and have recently promoted strategies designed to rebuild

communities to empower faith-based organizations on the

front lines of renewal in our country; and
3

•HRES 207 IH

Whereas a concerted effort to empower community institutions, encourage community renewal, and implement educational reform will help those who reside in inner cities

and distressed rural communities to gain their share of

America’s prosperity: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) extends gratitude to the private nonprofit

3 organizations and volunteers whose commitment to

4 meet human needs in areas of poverty is key to long5 term renewal of urban centers and distressed rural

6 communities;

7 (2) seeks to empower the strengths of Amer8 ica’s communities, local leaders, and mediating insti9 tutions such as its families, schools, spiritual lead10 ers, businesses and nonprofit organizations;

11 (3) should work to empower community- and

12 faith-based organizations to promote effective solu13 tions to the social, financial, and emotional needs of

14 urban centers and rural communities, and the long15 term solutions to the problems faced by our culture;

16 and

17 (4) should work with the Senate and the Presi18 dent to support a compassionate grassroots ap19 proach to addressing the family, economic, and cul-
4

•HRES 207 IH

1 tural breakdown that plagues many of our Nation’s

2 urban and rural communities.

Æ