[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 177 (Tuesday, December 8, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1739-E1740]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN RECOGNITION OF STEVE OKAMOTO

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 8, 2015

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Steve Okamoto for his four 
years of service on the Foster City City Council, and for his many 
significant contributions to our community.
  During his term, Steve was instrumental in accomplishing many 
objectives that have shaped Foster City. The parks system was built out 
as Werder Park and Destination Park were completed this year. In 2014, 
the city's smoking ordinance was implemented, the implementation of the 
fire management shared services model with San Mateo and Belmont was 
completed, a gatekeeper ordinance for development projects was 
implemented, a synthetic softball/soccer field at Edgewater Park was 
completed, and a 15-acre site was sold and developed into the new 
Foster Square. In 2013, Phase III of the Levee Pedway Repair Project 
was completed, a synthetic soccer/baseball filed at Sea Cloud Park and 
a synthetic soccer field/walking track at Port Royal Park were 
completed and finally the voters approved Business License Tax Measure 
U.
  Additionally, Steve served on the Airport Community Roundtable, the 
Airport Land Use Committee, the Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief 
Alliance, as the liaison to the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School 
District, and as the liaison to the City's Parks and Recreation 
Commission.
  Steve's commitment to the residents and community of Foster City has 
been unshakable. He has been a resident for over 34 years and he and 
his wife Diana have raised their family there. They are the proud 
parents of two grown children, Brad, 32 and Katie, 31.
  Steve was born in San Francisco, attended Lowell High School, and 
graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in business. He had a 
successful career in the financial industry for almost four decades and 
then worked for the American Cancer Society for ten years raising tens 
of millions of dollars for the agency. When he was elected to the city 
council, he retired from the American Cancer Society so that he could 
devote all of his time and energy to his new responsibilities.
  During his service, he's been a voice of reason and responsibility 
while on the city council, and a person deeply concerned about the

[[Page E1740]]

future of his community. I take special note of his concern about the 
impact of airport noise on the residents of Foster City. For several 
years, he has served on the San Francisco Airport Community Roundtable 
and worked closely with my office to reduce the number of overflights 
of jet aircraft approaching San Francisco International Airport. His 
work culminated in a recent agreement with the FAA that would, in part, 
have the FAA examine whether it is feasible to use a slightly different 
approach to the airport. If, at some point in the future, the residents 
of Foster City sleep better at night, they will have Steve Okamoto, in 
part, to thank for that outcome.
  In his broader public service, Steve has for years educated our 
community about the civil rights tragedy that we know as the internment 
of Japanese American citizens at the start of World War II. He and his 
committee of volunteers are actively raising funds to create a memorial 
at the site of the Tanforan Assembly Center that was the starting point 
for the transportation of Japanese Americans into the heartland of 
America during a time when racism and a failure of political leadership 
allowed our fellow citizens to be incarcerated for no reasons other 
than fear and bigotry. Steve was himself interned in his early years. 
America has since apologized for this historic injustice, and when the 
Tanforan Memorial is constructed it will be a lasting reminder in our 
community that we can never let anger and bigotry trample the civil 
rights of our fellow Americans.
  Deeply dedicated to the dignity of seniors, Steve also serves as 
honorary chair of Komochi, San Mateo, a community service organization 
that delivers services in the Japanese tradition of respect and care 
for the elderly.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to 
honor an extraordinary public servant, human being and good friend. 
Steve Okamoto is one of the most conscientious people I know, and he 
has always dedicated himself entirely to any task at hand. When Steve 
speaks, our community listens. When we look amongst us for an 
outstanding citizen, we see Steve Okamoto. We will miss him in public 
life, but will certainly have his guidance through private actions for 
years to come.