[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 28 (Thursday, February 21, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E216-E217]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CHI MUI POST OFFICE BUILDING

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 21, 2008

  Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a well-respected and 
dedicated leader in the 29th Congressional District and a role model in 
the Asian community, Chi Mui, mayor of the city of San Gabriel. It is 
with great pride that I introduce a resolution today to pay tribute to 
Chi Mui, with what may be the first honor of its kind for a Chinese-
American, by naming the San Gabriel, California Post Office for him.
  Born in Toisan, China, on October 26, 1952, Chi Mui was a man of 
humble origins whose early experiences enabled him to relate and 
connect to the Asian community in California. His parents, a seamstress 
and a cook, left for the United States in 1963 when Chi Mui was 10 and 
moved to New York City's Chinatown. It was in New York City that Mui 
learned to speak English and graduated cum laude with a bachelor's 
degree in civil engineering from Polytechnic University of New York in 
1980.
  After moving to Southern California in 1980, Chi Mui began working to 
better the lives of immigrants in the region. Chi Mui's immigrant roots 
and experiences gave him special insight, wisdom and the ability to 
connect with the experiences of generations of people who have come to 
this country and to San Gabriel for a better life. Mayor Mui always 
recognized, and never failed to pay tribute to, his parents for their 
sacrifices and encouragement of their children's education and 
aspirations for the future.
  Mui was a key player in the development of 600 units of affordable 
and senior housing for Chinatown and taught citizenship to help 
hundreds of legal residents become United States citizens. He led the 
effort to save the 50-acre ``Cornfield'' in downtown Los Angeles as 
open space, was instrumental in organizing the Chinatown Yard Alliance, 
and successfully obtained $35 million from the state in 2001 to build 
the first urban state park and community facilities on the Cornfield.
  An avid runner and athlete, Chi Mui co-founded the Los Angeles 
Chinatown Athletic Association Volleyball Club where he coached young 
people in teamwork and sportsmanship. He also worked to expand existing 
recreational facilities in the Chinatown community. In recognition of 
his leadership, he was elected president of the Los Angeles Chinese 
American Citizens Alliance--twice. The Alliance was founded in 1895 to 
advocate for equal political, economical and educational opportunities 
for Chinese-Americans.
  Active in local politics early on, he was a field representative for 
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Los Angeles) when she was in the 
Assembly, and he worked for former Assemblyman Richard Polanco (D-Los 
Angeles) and State Sen. Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles). In March 2003 he 
made history as the first Asian and Chinese-American to be elected to 
the San Gabriel City Council since its incorporation in 1913.
  In a city where one in every two residents is Asian, Mayor Mui often 
played an important role as a liaison between the city government and 
the Asian community and he worked diligently to improve the lives of 
all residents. As

[[Page E217]]

a city councilmember, Chi Mui led the effort to maintain better hours 
at the county public library in San Gabriel to provide greater access 
to residents and students without increasing costs. An advocate of 
parks and open space, the `greening' of San Gabriel was a personal 
passion, to which he brought considerable connections and resources. He 
was instrumental in helping the City obtain an additional $50,000 for 
the master plan and redesign of Vincent Lugo Park.
  Mayor Mui passed away on April 27, 2006 after a courageous battle 
with cancer. The loss is still being felt by the communities he served 
and those that had the privilege of working closely with him for the 
betterment of the region. Although we cannot know how Mayor Mui might 
have continued to shape lives in the Los Angeles area, I can say with 
confidence that his work and contributions will always be cherished. 
Please join me in honoring this devoted public servant by dedicating 
the San Gabriel Post Office in his name.

                          ____________________