[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 76 (Thursday, May 10, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E626]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE SAM AANESTAD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TOM McCLINTOCK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 10, 2018

  Mr. McCLINTOCK, Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I speak 
today on the passing of one of my dear friends and colleagues, the 
Honorable Sam Aanestad.
  Sam Aanestad was a fixture in Northern California GOP politics for 
nearly 20 years. He served 2 terms in the California State Assembly, 
Third District, from 1998 through 2002, before being twice elected in 
2002 to the California State Senate, Fourth District.
  In the Legislature, Sam focused on cutting government spending, 
opposing higher taxes, and preserving property and water rights, as 
well as constituent services. In 2009, he was named by Capitol Weekly 
as the State Senate's ``Most Conservative Member.''
  During his tenure, Sam received 100 percent ratings from the 
California Taxpayers Association, National Tax Limitation Committee, 
California Farm Bureau Federation, National Federation of Independent 
Business, and many other conservative groups.
  Sam and his wife Susan lived in the Northern California area since 
1980. He had an established oral and maxillofacial surgery practice in 
Grass Valley, where he also served as Vice Chief of Surgery for Sierra 
Nevada Memorial Hospital.
  Sam was a member of the American Dental Association, served two terms 
as President of the Butte-Sierra District Dental Society, and served 
three years as Chairman of the California Dental Association's Council 
on Legislation. In 1998, he was honored by the UCLA School of Dentistry 
as their ``Alumnus of the Year.'' CALAOMS (California Association of 
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons) awarded Dr. Aanestad the ``Distinguished 
Service Award'' for his leadership in the CA State Assembly.
  Prior to joining the legislature, Sam served 11 years on the Grass 
Valley School District Board of Trustees, where he fought for greater 
local control and smaller class sizes. He was a member of the Rotary 
Club of Grass Valley, a youth soccer, football, and baseball coach, and 
member of the KNCO radio broadcast team for Nevada Union High School 
football.
  Sam earned his Bachelor of Science degree as well as his Doctor of 
Dental Surgery degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. 
He then did a four-year Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency at 
Highland Hospital in Oakland. Additionally, Sam earned his Master's in 
Public Administration from Golden Gate University.
  Sam lived in Penn Valley with his wife Susan, where they were active 
in their local church. They have three grown children and 10 
grandchildren.
  Sam Aanestad was one of the most sincere, sensible, genuine and 
honest people I have ever met and his passing is a loss that will never 
be filled in the life of anyone who knew him. It was my honor for 
several years to have been his seat mate in both the Assembly and the 
Senate. He often agonized over votes because he truly wanted to do 
right by his constituents and his conscience, and he always did.

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