U.S. Conference of Mayors
| Abbreviation | USCM |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1932 |
| Type | non-partisan |
| Headquarters | 1620 Eye Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20006 |
|
Region served
|
United States |
|
Membership
|
1,407 United States cities with populations of 30,000 or more |
|
President
|
Mick Cornett (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) |
| Website | Official Website |
The United States Conference of Mayors, sometimes incorrectly referred to as the United States Council of Mayors, is the official non-partisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. The cities are each represented by their mayor or other chief elected official. The organization arose from the shadows of the Great Depression and coalesced under Herbert Hoover until its original charter was signed at the Mayflower Hotel on the eve of the inauguration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
The organization sets policy as the collective voice of municipalities and their leaders. Committees and task forces develop policies that the entire body votes on before sending their resolutions to elected leaders in Washington. They also undertake studies on issues related to their special interests and fund grants and awards to incent execution of their ideals. The group has continuously evaluated the landscape of public policy and has current issues related to homeland security and economic recovery.
By standing as a unified voice through this organization, municipal leaders have influenced United States Presidents and United States Congresses to enact legislation that has provided a legacy of benefits to cities. Mayors received relief during the Great Depression and later lobbied during the 1970s for relief during that economic slowdown. Community Development Block Grants (CDBGs) are a legacy of the latter.
The organization serves the following functions: Help develop and promote effective national urban/suburban policy; build stronger and more effective federal-city relationships; monitor the effectiveness of federal policy in terms of its service to urban needs; help mayors develop leadership and management tools; and to create a forum in which mayors can share ideas and information. By representing all large municipalities and their leaders in these ways, the conference is speaking for vast majority of the components of the nations economy. According to one of the Conference's own reports, metropolitan areas accounted for 84 percent of the nation's gross domestic product and at the same time generated 84 percent of the nation's employment opportunities.
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