The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“TRIBUTE TO THE WASATCH FRONT REGIONAL COUNCIL” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1061 on Aug. 20, 2019.
The Department handles nearly all infrastructure crisscrossing the country. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department should be privatized to save money, reduce congestion and spur innovation.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO THE WASATCH FRONT REGIONAL COUNCIL
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HON. BEN McADAMS
of utah
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Mr. McADAMS. Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Wasatch Front Regional Council on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, celebrated this year on March 28, 2019.
WFRC is the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the majority of the Wasatch Front Region in Utah. It is a collaborative body comprised of city and county officials, transportation agencies, and other stakeholders, who work together to plan for the future of the Region. As a convener, WFRC works with its partners to build consensus and enhance quality of life by developing and implementing visions and plans for a well-functioning multi-modal transportation system, livable communities, a strong economy, and a healthy environment.
The Region's geography is unique. Bounded east and west by mountains and lakes, the linear metropolitan area extends 100 miles north to south, along the Wasatch Mountains. The majority of Utah's population lives in the Region. Since 1969, Utah's population has grown from just over 1 million to over 3 million today, and it is projected to top 5 million by 2050. This growth presents challenges, but also tremendous opportunities, on which WFRC seeks to capitalize through proactive, collaborative planning and implementation.
Utah is widely referred to as the Crossroads of the West. The multi-
modal transportation system that distinctively serves the broader Wasatch Front Region--and the nation--found its birth in the WFRC plans. These plans were also fundamental in development of Utah's Unified Transportation Plan, the first comprehensive, coordinated, multimodal statewide transportation plan in the nation, which has received recognition as a national best practice from the U.S. Department of Transportation and others.
On transportation and other quality of life issues such as land use, housing, and economic development, WFRC and its partners have kept an eye to the future and a cooperative spirit. This has been instrumental to developing and maintaining one of the top-rated economies and most enviable places to live, work and play in the nation.
The Wasatch Front Regional Council is a fine example of how collaborative efforts will continue to shape plans looking ahead to 2050 and beyond, helping to ensure high quality of life for Utah's current residents and generations to come.
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