[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 40 (Thursday, March 18, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E411]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


COMMENDING MEHDI MORSHED FOR HIS SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE 
                             OF CALIFORNIA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 18, 2010

  Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Madam Speaker, as the Chair of the 
California Democratic Congressional Delegation, I rise today to 
recognize and commend the great work of Mehdi Morshed, who at the end 
of March is retiring from California High-Speed Rail Authority. For 
over 40 years, Mehdi has worked on transportation policy in various 
capacities in California and is widely considered a leading expert. I 
have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Mehdi for over thirty 
years.
  Mehdi Morshed was educated at the University of Washington in Seattle 
as a civil engineer and he received a master's degree in transportation 
engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.
  Since then, he has worked to make sure that Californians have safe 
and accessible transportation. He worked for the California Department 
of Transportation in various capacities, including planning, design and 
construction of bridges.
  He then served as the lead transportation policy staffer in the 
California State Senate for over 20 years. During his time at the State 
Senate, Mehdi was responsible for developing and enacting some of 
California's most ground-breaking transportation laws, policies and 
programs, including vehicle safety and emission standards, as well as 
assisting with the establishment of the California High-Speed Rail 
Authority, the California Transportation Commission and other local and 
regional commissions, transportation districts and agencies.
  At the end of this month, Mehdi will be retiring as the Executive 
Director of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, a position he has 
held since 1998. His dedication to high-speed rail in California has 
resulted in the project evolving from a planning concept to a fully 
developed project with an 800-mile system that will link Los Angeles 
and the Bay Area through Central Valley, with links to Sacramento and 
San Diego. Mehdi was at the helm of the Authority when State 
proposition 1A was passed by voters in November 2008, which is a $9 
billion bond measure for the State's high-speed train system. Mehdi's 
ability to successfully develop California's high-speed rail system has 
led to California receiving $2.5 billion in Recovery Act funding.
  Madam Speaker, Mehdi Morshed has played a major role in developing 
and implementing California's transportation policies for over 40 
years. I can assure you that his leadership will be missed in 
California, and his transportation projects throughout the State will 
be a lasting reminder of his years of service to the people of 
California.

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