[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 28, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E223-E224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO SENATOR HENRY J. MELLO

                                 ______


                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 27, 1996

  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in tribute to one 
of California's great leaders and legislators, State Senator Henry J. 
Mello. The Senator retires this year after more than three decades of 
continuous service to the people of California's Central Coast, located 
in my district. As he closes this chapter of his public life, I want to 
take this time to salute a man who epitomizes the best in public 
service.
  A native of Watsonville, CA, Senator Mello has spent most of his 
adult life working tirelessly on behalf of his constituents. Rising 
through the ranks of local government, the Senator served first as a 
Santa Cruz County supervisor for 8 years, then was elected to serve as 
assemblyman for both Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties in 1976. In 1980, 
Senator Mello was elected to the State senate and, in a tribute to his 
talent, he was quickly named that body's majority whip. Senator Mello 
was subsequently elected majority leader in 1992 and successfully 
chaired the Subcommittee on Aging, the Subcommittee on Economic 
Problems Facing Agriculture, the Senate Select Committee on Bilingual 
Education, the Joint Committees on the Arts, the 1992 Quincentenial, 
and served as vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on California's 
Wine Industry and Water Resources.
  I have had the honor of working with Senator Mello on many occasions 
and I have always been touched by both his skill and his concern for 
the community. You just won't find a better citizen's advocate for 
education, the environment, or especially, the elderly. Senator Mello 
authored legislation to enact the 

[[Page E224]]
first programs focusing on Alzheimers-Respite Care, Adult Day Health 
care and the Multipurpose Senior Services Programs. He founded the 
Senior Legislature and passed legislation to combat elder abuse. In the 
20 years that Senator Mello has served in the legislature, he has 
authored more than 120 bills on aging and long-term care that have 
become law of the land in California.
  Senator Mello's commitment to our senior citizens, and indeed to all 
citizens, was particularly impressive when their need was greatest, 
after the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989. Senator Mello's work was key 
in maintaining vital lines of communication and in ensuring that our 
area received millions of dollars to aid in the region's rebuilding. I 
am certain that had it not been for Senator Mello's initiative and hard 
work our area's recovery would have been far less easy. Helping the 
area recuperate from the earthquake was just one of many highlights in 
his distinguished legislative career.
  For many years to come, tangible evidence of Senator Mello's labors 
will be obvious to all California residents, especially his interest in 
education and the arts. During his tenure as chairman of the Fort Ord 
Task Force, Senator Mello helped establish the California State 
University at Monterey Bay, the University of California, Santa Cruz 
research center at Fort Ord and authored the legislation creating the 
Fort Ord Reuse Authority. Senator Mello also acquired essential funding 
for Santa Cruz County libraries preventing their closure and, in 
perhaps the greatest tribute to his work, was honored in 1994 with the 
naming of the Henry J. Mello Center for Performing Arts in Watsonville. 
One could literally fill books with Senator Mello's many other 
wonderful accomplishments.
  As he retires this year because of State term-limits, one thing is 
positively certain: Senator Mello will be sorely missed. For my part, I 
will miss working with a member of the Democratic team who has so 
successfully governed the Central Coast for more than a generation. As 
for the people of his district, they will no doubt miss something much 
more profound. In the Senator, they will miss a man who has lived his 
life to serve, who has led with levels of compassion and commitment not 
normally found in our public servants these days. But then again, 
Senator Mello has been no ordinary public servant.

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