[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 146 (Wednesday, December 3, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6299-S6300]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       30th ANNIVERSARY OF CHELBI

 Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I wish to speak about a New 
Jersey company, Louis Berger, and to draw the Senate's attention to the 
30th anniversary of CHELBI, Louis Berger's successful engineering, 
design and infrastructure partnership in the People's Republic of 
China.
  Louis Berger was established in 1953 and has in the years since 
developed into a multidisciplinary global consulting firm founded on 
its dedication to engineering excellence.
  Today it has partnerships in major infrastructure projects spanning 
the globe, including in North America, Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin 
America, and the Middle East.
  More than just undertaking projects, though, one of Louis Berger's 
founding principles is to transfer knowledge to people in the local 
countries and communities in which it operates to ensure the long-term 
sustainability of its projects.
  For example, in 1984, Louis Berger undertook a groundbreaking 
partnership known as CHELBI--a joint venture between Louis Berger 
International and China Highway Planning and Design Institute, HPDI, 
Consultants.
  This partnership created a new pathway for knowledge sharing in 
engineering design between the United States and China, and to millions 
of dollars for the U.S.--and New Jersey--economy.
  Over the past 30 years, CHELBI has provided international and 
domestic consulting services for more than 600 highways, bridges, and 
other projects in over 30 provinces and cities in China, totaling more 
than 10,000 kilometers, including the 36 kilometer long Hangzhou 
Bridge, one of the longest ocean-crossing bridges in the world.
  CHELBI also fosters international communications and cooperation 
between the Chinese consulting engineering field and counterparts in 
Western countries and projects beyond China.
  In fact, it is my understanding that the partners in CHELBI have 
agreed to extend their historic venture for another 10 years beginning 
in 2014.
  So today I would like to recognize the cooperation in engineering 
design between the United States and China since 1984, as encompassed 
by CHELBI's work, including its partners at Louis Berger and China 
Highway Planning and Design Institute, HPDI, Consultants.

[[Page S6300]]

  The continued exchange of knowledge and coordination of work in large 
scale infrastructure projects in China and around the globe help to 
better connect people within and between countries and is of tremendous 
benefit, both for the countries where these infrastructure projects 
take place but also for U.S. global leadership in engineering 
consultation and design.
  CHELBI is to be commended for 30 years of productive work--and I 
would like to express my continued support for initiatives undertaken 
by the venture and the benefits that such cooperation and coordination 
provides to both the United States and China.

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