[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 174 (Monday, December 5, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1583-E1584]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING MR. JOHN SUTTER

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 5, 2016

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the remarkable life 
and career of Mr. John Sutter, and to congratulate him on his 
retirement from the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park 
District.
  As an outdoor enthusiast and lifelong resident of Oakland, 
California, John's life has been dedicated to preserving and protecting 
the environment of California's Bay Area. Throughout his sixty years in 
public service, he has been involved in the conservation of over 35,000 
acres of land.
  John's career in public service began in 1954 when he became an 
Alameda County deputy district attorney. He stayed in this position 
until 1965, when he was appointed to the Bay Conservation and 
Development Commission (BCDC) by Governor Pat Brown.
  John also served as a member of Oakland's City Council for over a 
decade from 1971-1982, twice holding the position of vice mayor.
  In 1982, John was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to serve as a 
judge on the Alameda County Superior Court. He remained a judge for 14 
years until his election in 1996 to the East Bay Regional Park District 
Board of Directors.
  Over John's illustrious career, he has been directly involved in a 
variety of community projects and organizations with special emphasis 
on preserving the natural environment of the Bay Area.
  In the 1950s he was prominently involved in the protection of the San 
Pablo Reservoir and the foundation of the Martin Luther King, Jr. 
Regional Shoreline. In 1961, John was the leader in the campaign that 
preserved Oakland's Snow Park.
  In addition to his elected and appointed positions, John was a 
founding board member of the Greenbelt Alliance; and he has served as a 
board member for the Alameda County Solid Waste Management Authority, 
Oakland Charter Revision Committee, Oakland Cultural Affairs 
Commission, Chabot Space and Science Center, Save the Bay, Alameda 
County Bar Association, California Democratic Council, Oakland Citizens 
Committee for Urban Renewal, and the Metropolitan YMCA.
  On behalf of the residents of California's 13th Congressional 
District, I wish to congratulate Mr. John Sutter on a well-deserved 
retirement, and thank him for his many years of service to our 
community.

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