[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 140 (Thursday, September 15, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1284]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             THE RETIREMENT OF AIRPORT DIRECTOR JOHN MARTIN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 15, 2016

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. John Martin upon his 
retirement as the Airport Director of San Francisco International 
Airport. Mr. Martin is leaving his position after 21 years at the helm, 
and after 36 years working in various capacities for the airport 
commission.
  SFO is a rapidly expanding enterprise, directly or indirectly 
employing 45,000 people. John Martin is therefore in charge of a small 
city and one that links this nation with nations around the globe. His 
accomplishments reflect this global reach.
  John piloted the airport through a $2.4 billion expansion including 
the construction of a beautiful international terminal, the extension 
of the Bay Area's major rapid transit line--BART--into the terminal, 
and the creation of a self-guided tram line. He was instrumental in 
recruiting Virgin America to establish its headquarters in San Mateo 
County, bringing jobs at a time when the economy desperately needed an 
injection of investment. John Martin has also worked closely with my 
office to prove that a third-party contractor operating airport 
screening services can, if the contract is structured and supervised 
well, provide superior service to passengers.
  All airport directors have dreams but when their construction 
projects go awry, some have nightmares as well. In contrast, John 
successfully undertook the largest public works project of the era. 
Terminal 2 was rebuilt and now serves as the launching point for Virgin 
America and American Airlines. The FAA has a new and beautiful tower at 
SFO, designed by John's staff and built, as is true of all work at the 
airport, using highly skilled union labor that proves its value with 
every weld, hammer blow or polished surface.
  As he explained to me a few weeks ago during a security tour of the 
airport, fair wages and working conditions materially contribute to 
airport security. Instead of a revolving door of disgruntled employees, 
SFO is notable for trying to create a healthy atmosphere where people 
may earn their livings safely and with dignity. Indeed, there's an 
ordinance to assure a livable wage.
  SFO will soon undertake $4.3 billion in construction leading to a new 
four star hotel, the redevelopment of Terminal 1 and the boarding area 
of Terminal 3, and an extension of the AirTrain system. This 10 year 
capital improvement program will bring more than 36,000 construction 
jobs to San Mateo County.
  The airport's finances are in excellent shape, in part because of 
John's dedication to earning extra money from passengers shopping at 
the airport's various shops. It is rumored that his retail managers 
have their own version of a biblical admonition: ``It is easier for a 
rich man to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for an airport 
visitor to pass by a See's candy store.''
  John is a gifted public policy leader in the Bay Area, supporting 
California's high speed rail system to relieve pressure on his airport, 
advocating for mass transit throughout the Bay Area, and encouraging 
coordination between his airport and the other two major airports in 
our region. He was the founding president of the California Airports 
Council and served on the executive board of the Bay Area Council, a 
major public policy advocacy organization.
  I was once walking through a terminal with him and he paused 
momentarily to pick up a piece of trash and tossed it into the 
wastebasket. A few steps later he noticed that a door wasn't working 
and phoned airport staff to have it dealt with immediately. Farmers are 
often noted for the pride that they take in tilling their own fields. 
John is an excellent farmer and rightfully proud of the field called 
San Francisco International Airport.
  Mr. Speaker, we wish John Martin well in his next phase in life. 
Hopefully he will now have the time to travel and to reflect upon his 
public service. I feel privileged to have served with him and I submit, 
given all his outstanding contributions, that one of the terminals 
should be named after him. He deserves to be acknowledged and 
remembered for the accomplishments of his career that will endure 
beyond his own era at San Francisco International Airport.

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