[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 74 (Tuesday, May 22, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3420-S3421]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                           GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

 Mrs. BOXER. Later this month, California residents and 
visitors from around the world will gather to celebrate the 75th 
anniversary of a beloved California landmark: the Golden Gate Bridge.
  The Golden Gate Bridge is without doubt one of the greatest 
structures of the 20th century. This seamless stretch of cables and 
steel beams was the vision of renowned bridge architect and engineer 
Joseph Strauss, whose prior experience prepared him to design the 
longest suspension bridge of its day, which many said could never be 
built.
  But built it was, even in the middle of the Great Depression. After 
more than 4 years of construction, the Bridge opened on May 27, 1937. 
Hailed as an architectural masterpiece for its complex construction and 
structural elegance, it soon became a cornerstone

[[Page S3421]]

of ground transportation in the Bay Area, carrying passengers and 
commerce between San Francisco and its neighbors to the north.
  The Golden Gate Bridge is much more than a transportation corridor or 
engineering marvel. With its breathtaking setting and dazzling golden-
orange color, the Bridge is the iconic symbol of the San Francisco Bay 
Area, holding a unique place in the hearts and minds of residents and 
visitors alike. It is the gateway not just to the Bay Area but to the 
western United States.
  During World War II, the Bridge gained fame as the last site our 
troops saw as they shipped off to fight in the Pacific and the first 
structure they saw when they arrived back home. In dozens of movies 
shot in San Francisco, the Bridge appears in the opening scenes to let 
you know immediately where you are: in one of the most beautiful places 
on earth.
  This year the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District 
and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy--in cooperation with the 
National Park Service, the Presidio Trust, and the City and County of 
San Francisco--have launched a 75th anniversary program, with 75 
tributes to celebrate the countless ways in which the Bridge connects 
people and places.
  On May 27th, the anniversary season will culminate in a Golden Gate 
Festival, with events along the San Francisco waterfront from Fort 
Point to Pier 39. With the theme of ``Bridging Us All,'' this community 
celebration will honor a beloved landmark that represents and reflects 
the ingenuity, inclusiveness, and creativity of the San Francisco Bay 
Area.

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