[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 97 (Friday, July 1, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


      RECOGNIZING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PORT OF LONG BEACH

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                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, July 1, 2011

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 100th 
Anniversary of one of the world's busiest transportation centers, the 
Port of Long Beach. In my District, one out of every 8 people is 
employed by the Port, and over 300,000 jobs across Southern California 
are directly involved in its operations.
  As a Member of the House Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, I look to the Port of Long Beach as a model seaport, 
bringing business and economic opportunities to our area through ever 
more efficient methods of facilitating economic trade, guided by a 
philosophy that is sensitive to our environment and prepared for 
emergencies.
  Mr. Speaker, on June 24, 1911, the Port of Long Beach, located on 800 
acres of marshland at the mouth of the Los Angeles River, was 
officially opened to the world. The S.S. Iaqua unloaded 280,000 feet of 
redwood lumber at a small pier of wood and concrete, becoming the first 
ship to call on the Port of Long Beach. The port now services nearly 
5,000 vessels and handles more than $100 billion worth of goods each 
year.
  After the Los Angeles Dock and Terminal Company, the Port's original 
owner, declared bankruptcy in 1916, the City of Long Beach acquired the 
harbor and appointed a Board of Harbor Commissioners to direct its 
operations. In 1925, it was decided that the Port ought to be an 
independent city department with its own independent board.
  Since then, the histories of Long Beach and its port have been 
intertwined. After nearly a decade of dredging and harbor improvements, 
in 1926 the Port of Long Beach attained ``deep water'' port status and 
recorded 1 million tons of cargo having passed through its piers since 
the Iaqua. The 1930's witnessed the expansion of the San Pedro Bay 
breakwater and the discovery of oil, ushering in an era of 
unprecedented growth for the Port and the City of Long Beach.
  The U.S. Navy established a facility in 1940 at Terminal Island that 
would become the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, which provided critical 
support to America's operations in the Pacific during World War II, and 
remained a major military facility until 1997.
  The port continued to grow in size, capacity, and technological 
sophistication. It became the first of its kind in the Americas to 
install a shore-based radar system in 1949, and Time Magazine dubbed 
the Port of Long Beach ``America's Most Modern Port.'' In 1973 the Port 
of Long Beach became the first port in the Western Hemisphere to 
receive the Environmental ``E'' Award from the American Association of 
Port Authorities for its efforts to prevent oil spills, process sewage, 
clean the harbor, and monitor water quality, and received the E-Star 
Award from the United States Department of Commerce one year later.
  In 1980, the Port of Long Beach was the first American port of call 
for Chinese ships following normalized relations. 1996 and 1997 saw the 
Port of Long Beach handling more shipping containers than any other 
U.S. port. Today, nearly 1 out of every 5 American shipping containers 
pass through its facilities.
  The Port also continues its legacy of environmentally sensitive 
operations through its Green Port Policy and its Clean Air Action Plan 
which have become the model for similar facilities around the world 
seeking to improve water quality, reduce emissions, prevent 
contamination, protect wildlife, and implement sustainable practices in 
daily operations.
  In recent years, the Port of Long Beach has taken unprecedented steps 
to connect with its surrounding communities, offering free tours of the 
Port to the public, holding community forums, awarding scholarships, 
pioneering trade-related educational programs, and hosting the annual 
Green Port Fest.
  Mr. Speaker, I call on my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 
Port of Long Beach for a century of innovation and the critical role it 
plays in American trade with the world. I am thankful for the 
contributions to American shipping made during the Port's history, and 
I acknowledge the critical importance of the Port to America's 
continuing prosperity and future trade for the next 100 years.

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