[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 3] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 3121] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]IN SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE'S ``THE OPPORTUNITY COMPACT,'' A BLUEPRINT FOR ECONOMIC EQUALITY ______ HON. CHAKA FATTAH of pennsylvania in the house of representatives Tuesday, March 4, 2008 Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, as Chairman of the Congressional Urban Caucus, it gives me great pleasure to welcome Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League (NUL), and delegations from Urban League affiliates from around the country to Washington, DC for their 5th Annual Legislative Policy Conference on March 5-6, 2008. Over the course of these two days, the NUL unveils its annual landmark State of Black America report, meets with Congressional leaders, and brings a slate of key policy recommendations to members of both houses. Established in 1910, the National Urban League is the Nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization devoted to empowering African Americans to thrive in the economic and social mainstream. Today, the National Urban League, headquartered in New York City, spearheads the non-partisan efforts of its 101 local affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services to more than 800,000 people annually, and impacting millions more through its advocacy and research. This year the NUL and its affiliate delegates are bringing to Congress an important blueprint for economic equality known as The Opportunity Compact. The Compact is a comprehensive set of principles and policy recommendations set forth by the National Urban League (NUL) designed to empower all Americans to be full participants in the economic and social mainstream of this Nation. In pursuit of this end, the NUL (1) identifies principles that reflect the values inherent in the American dream; (2) examines the conditions that have separated a significant portion of the American population--particularly the poor and disadvantaged residents of urban communities--from accessing that dream; (3) proposes, for honest evaluation and discussion, several policy recommendations intended to bridge the gap between conceptualization and realization of the American dream. The Opportunity Compact is the culmination of extensive research and policy analysis by the National Urban League Policy Institute (NULPI) and is based upon the input of dozens of policy experts from academia, public policy think tanks, non-profit service and advocacy organizations, the business sector, and the Urban League movement. Among other things, the NULPI hosted a series of five roundtable discussions and obtained feedback and recommendations from numerous experts concerning the development of a coherent and comprehensive plan for empowering the Nation's urban communities. As the foundation for such a plan, NUL has clearly identified four cornerstones that reflect the values represented by the American dream: (1) The Opportunity to Thrive (Children), (2) The Opportunity to Earn (Jobs), (3) The Opportunity to Own (Housing) and (4) The Opportunity to Prosper (Entrepreneurship). These cornerstones are supported by a list of ten policy priorities. Each of these opportunities for upward economic and social mobility are available in few other countries outside the United States. Therefore, maintaining equal access to these opportunities is a vital part of preserving the very principles that make this country unique and will prove to be an effective way to eliminate gaps in income, wealth and educational attainment within this country that are too often defined along the lines of race or socioeconomic status. The Opportunity Compact serves as a vehicle to develop a serious plan of action to address the persistent inequalities faced by those in urban communities. Yet, all Americans, regardless of place of residence or racial identity, can benefit from the policy recommendations presented in this blueprint for economic equality. Furthermore, there is a role for all parties to play--private citizens, national, state and local governments, community-based service providers and the business community--as together, we seek to strengthen our Nation by maximizing the potential of all its citizens. By generating new ideas, initiating productive partnerships and fostering collaboration, The Opportunity Compact seeks to expand access to the incentives and rewards that act as the driving force behind what makes this country great--personal responsibility, initiative and hard work. Madam Speaker, I firmly believe that the proposals embodied in the National Urban League's Opportunity Compact provide a powerful framework for approaching the difficult challenges faced by America's cities. I therefore rise today to congratulate the National Urban League for its work on behalf of cities and for bringing The Opportunity Compact to the attention of Congress. ____________________