[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 177 (Thursday, November 9, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         A TRIBUTE TO TOM BATES

                                 ______


                         HON. RONALD V. DELLUMS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 9, 1995

  Mr. DELLUMS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the work of California 
Assemblyman Tom Bates on the occasion of the tribute dinner in his 
honor on November 11, 1995. His distinguished record in the California 
Legislature includes 214 bills signed into law and a public policy 
legacy that spans 24 years. His foresights in putting forward 
innovative, visionary bills has earned him the strong support of his 
constituents who have reelected him 10 times to the assembly, often 
with more votes than were cast in any other assembly district.
  First elected in 1976, Mr. Bates has played a central role in the 
framing of virtually all progressive social service policy in the 
State. He is the lead Democrat in the assembly on welfare reform issues 
affecting those with disabilities, foster care, senior services and the 
myriad social issues that confront the State. His work has touched the 
lives of disadvantaged Californians, helping to build a State that 
recognizes the potential of all its citizens.
  He served as chair of the assembly human service committee for 12 
years--the longest any legislator has ever chaired that committee. He 
is currently the committee vice chair. We have benefited nationally 
from Tom Bates' work as well. He convened the first hearings in the 
country on the feminization of poverty and founded and served as 
cochair of the Joint Task Force on the Changing Family, the first such 
legislative task force in the country. These initiatives sparked 
national discussion and action on the need to support today's changing 
families.
  He has shared his expertise in social welfare with legislatures 
throughout the country, chairing the National Conference of State 
Legislatures Committee on Children and Families and cochairing the NCSL 
on Welfare Reform.
  Among his many accomplishments in social service legislation are laws 
to provide the first State funding for independent living centers, 
establish innovative mental health programs, provide integrated long-
term care services to the elderly, strengthen child support laws and 
help families move from welfare to work.
  First and foremost, Tom Bates is an environmentalist. He has served 
on the assembly of natural resources committee for 19 years, longer 
than any current member of the legislature. He has consistently 
received a 100 percent proenvironment voting score. Under his guidance, 
key policies have been adopted to preserve and enhance the environment. 
An outspoken advocate of open space preservation, he has been 
instrumental in creating, preserving and developing nearly two dozen 
parks and recreational areas in California's East Bay communities. Most 
notably, he carried the legislation to create the Eastshore State Park 
which, when completed, will be one of California's premier urban 
waterfront parks, running along San Francisco Bay shoreline from 
Oakland to Richmond.
  At a time when many elected officials govern by poll results, Tom 
Bates is guided by an innate sense of fairness, a commitment to 
equality and an unyielding willingness to work on the behalf of his 
constituents. California and the Nation owe him a debt of gratitude for 
his energetic, visionary and far reaching public service.

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