[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 126 (Tuesday, September 25, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1727]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             EXPRESSING APPRECIATION TO JONATHAN Y. THOMAS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. STEPHEN HORN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 25, 2001

  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Jonathan Y. 
Thomas, a former member of the Los Angeles Board of Harbor 
Commissioners and the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority 
Governing Board.
  Between 1994 and 2001, Mr. Thomas provided seven years of 
distinguished public service as a Port of Los Angeles representative to 
the public agency undertaking the Alameda Corridor, a rail cargo 
expressway critical to speed the movement of goods from the Ports of 
Los Angeles and Long Beach into the stream of commerce. At the time, 
the Corridor needed to develop a financing package, and given Mr. 
Thomas' well-known expertise in public finance, he was appointed to the 
Governing Board specifically to develop the financing concepts to 
underpin the Corridor.
  Utilizing his expertise, Mr. Thomas has played a vital role in 
developing a unique financing package for the Alameda Corridor. In 
fact, this package has become a model for other major public works 
projects across the country. Mr. Thomas was also instrumental in 
generating political support for the project when it was little more 
than a concept.
  This body identified the Alameda Corridor as ``a project of national 
significance'' in 1995. The Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles 
comprise our nation's busiest port complex, and cargo volumes are 
projected to triple by the year 2020. The Alameda Corridor will link 
the ports to the transcontinental rail yards near downtown Los Angeles, 
creating a more efficient and timely way to distribute cargo into the 
stream of commerce, thus allowing our ports and our mainstream economy 
to maintain competitive advantages.
  It is a testament to the distinguished service of Jonathan Y. Thomas 
that the Alameda Corridor is now in full-scale construction, on budget 
and on schedule to open in April, 2002.
  We owe a debt of gratitude for his dedicated service.

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