Washington DC
August 4, 2009
On July 28, one month after our annual meeting, mayors were back – this time, Washington DC, the Senate side of Capitol Hill, meeting with Committee on Environment and Public Works, Chair Barbara Boxer about the Senate Climate Bill providing funds for energy block grants to cities.
USCM Vice President, Burnsville Mayor Elizabeth Kautz, Past President Mayor Douglas Palmer of Trenton, Energy Chair Mayor Miguel Pulido of Santa Anna, Mayor James Baker of Wilmington, Mayor Chris Bollwage of Elizabeth, Mayor David Cicilline of Providence, Mayor Tim McDonough of Hope, Mayor Brian Stratton of Schenectady, and Mayor Brain Wahler of Piscataway.
In meetings with Senator Boxer, she gave the mayors every reason to know that her bill will contain language in it providing a share of funds that will go directly to cities and counties with a distribution system as contained in The U.S. Conference of Mayors Energy Block Grant Program.
Mayors present in the meeting with Senator Boxer gave our organization’s pledge of support to bring mayors back to town in September. Further, mayors pledged to reach out to key Senators during the August recess. September 28 is the date Majority Leader Reid has charged all committees to be done with their final say on the historic climate legislation.
No question, the Senate floor vote will be close. We must give our total attention to the Senate Climate Bill. Senate action is a must if we are going to have our language in the bill because the House-passed climate bill does not provide direct funding to cities. The House would give billions to the states to spend on climate protection as they see fit. Today we have over 950 cities poised and ready to create green jobs and retrofit our cities to help our nation attain its climate protection goals.
Every mayor is aware of the amount of money he or she is getting under the Energy Block Grant Program as contained in the recovery act, ARRA. But ARRA is a one shot deal. We must have sustainable funding for our new energy block grants. That’s why language providing such is so important. We need your help as we go forward. The political atmosphere of Washington presents the feeling that if we do not get this climate bill now, we may never get it. Next year’s congressional elections may bring changes. We must use this moment to do everything in our power to continue our energy block grants. This bill would provide sustainable funding for forty years. We must not lose this opportunity. Stay close to us as we go forward. And plan to be with us as we call mayors, at the request of Senator Boxer, to come to Washington in September to continue our efforts as we head for a floor vote in the Senate this Fall.
The National Urban League
President and CEO Morial and President Nickels
National Urban League President and C.E.O. Marc Morial provided strong leadership at the 99th Annual National Urban League in Chicago this past week. Conference President Greg Nickels gave a powerful speech to thousands assembled. President Nickels echoed his inaugural remarks last month in Providence as he continues to call for a new deal for cities in America. With great credibility having founded our USCM Climate Protection movement, Nickels urges the Senate to pass the Climate Bill and he urges that provisions for our energy block grants be contained in the Senate Bill.
Following his major address, I had the opportunity to participate in a green jobs panel sponsored by Wal-Mart during the sessions in Chicago.
The meeting ended with a black-tie gala honoring among others, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.
Marc Morial, President and C.E.O. of The National Urban League continues to push his organization in partnership with ours. The history of The National Urban League and The United States Conference of Mayors is strong and deep. Today, it is important we have a former mayor and President of The Conference of Mayors running the organization. Marc Morial doesn’t forget where his father came from. Both his father Ernest “Dutch” and Marc Morial were outstanding Presidents during some perilous times of The U.S. Conference of Mayors. Today, Marc Morial continues to manifest bold leadership. And together The National Urban League and The U.S. Conference of Mayors will be a strong coalition for a new metro/urban policy for our future. The stars are lined up. Leadership, bold leadership, will be needed if we are to enact and transform the current status quo funding mechanisms that ignore the strength of our metro economies. We will continue to strengthen this partnership and to work in a collaborative political effort as we work to streamline the federal/city funding mechanisms into a more efficient way of keeping our metro-economies strong.
Thank your Marc. Thank you Rhonda Spears Bell. A great meeting – and we look forward to the 100th Centennial Celebration of The National Urban League next July right here in Washington, DC.
Happy Birthday Mayor Goodman
On Friday July 31st Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, “The Happiest Mayor in the Universe” celebrated his 70th Birthday. Las Vegas turned out to pay tribute to the Mayor at the Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas in Las Vegas style. Mayors from all over had sent letters, emails, and cards. It was a birthday event that raised money for charities that will long be remembered. We salute Mayor Goodman and First Lady Carolyn. We thank him for his leadership and his personal contribution to our United States Conference of Mayors. From the nation’s mayors and our Conference staff team we say – Happy Birthday to Oscar Goodman, The Happiest Mayor in the Universe!
