[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 15 (Thursday, January 24, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E83]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                MARKING THE RETIREMENT OF STEVE HEMINGER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 24, 2019

  Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I rise with my colleagues to pay tribute 
to an outstanding regional leader who has had a powerful national 
impact: Steve Heminger, Executive Director of the San Francisco Bay 
Area's Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). Steve is retiring 
on February 28, 2019, after 17 years in this position and 25 years of 
leadership at the agency. It is a pleasure to be joined by other 
members of the Bay Area delegation, including Congresswoman Barbara 
Lee, Congressman Jared Huffman, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Congressman 
Eric Swalwell, Congressman Mike Thompson and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, 
in honoring his many accomplishments.
  In the Bay Area and around the country, he is known for the boldness 
of his vision and the quality of his leadership. At the helm of MTC, he 
positioned the Commission not only to take on the challenges of the 
21st Century Economy, but also to take a strong, active role in the 
fight against the existential problem of our time: the climate crisis. 
His leadership has helped shape the Bay Area's economic landscape and 
transform the way our community lives, works and commutes.
  Under Steve's leadership, MTC has played a vital role in growing the 
Bay Area in a more green and sustainable way, encouraging transit-
oriented development, containing sprawl and making public transit, 
bicycling and walking viable alternatives to solo driving. Through the 
Committee to House the Bay Area (CASA), Steve has brought together a 
``who's who'' of housing policy and development to address the region's 
affordable housing crisis.
  Under Steve's direction, MTC has helped achieve historic 
achievements, including: the Fourth Bore of the Caldecott Tunnel; the 
suicide barrier for the Golden Gate Bridge; the Presidio Parkway 
approach to the Golden Gate; the BART extensions to East Contra Costa 
County and Warm Springs, and ultimately to San Jose; the stunning new 
East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge; and a new commuter 
rail line tying together Marin and Sonoma counties. We also commend his 
vision in launching Clipper, the all-in-one transit fare card 
that lets riders hop between 22 bus, rail and ferry systems that cross 
the Bay Area.
  Steve is widely recognized nationally as an expert in transportation 
policy, and for this reason I was honored to appoint him in 2005 to the 
National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, 
which helped chart the future course for federal transportation 
investments. Under Steve's direction, MTC has been a key voice in the 
crafting of multiple multiyear transportation authorization bills 
passed by Congress, from TEA-21 to SAFETEA-LU to MAP-21 to FAST.
  Congratulations, Steve, on an outstanding career and please accept 
our deepest appreciation for dedicating twenty-five years to advancing 
a cleaner, safer, greener and more sustainable home for our children 
and grandchildren.

                          ____________________