[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 6 (Monday, January 11, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E26]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         IN HONOR OF NORMAN YEE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 11, 2021

  Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the President of 
the San Francisco of Supervisors Norman Yee who is departing the Board 
of Supervisors after eight years, and after serving a prior eight years 
as a commissioner on the San Francisco Board of Education.
  Norman is a native San Franciscan and was raised in Chinatown. From 
an early age, he worked at a Noe Valley grocery store owned by his 
parents. He graduated from Galileo Academy of Science and Technology, 
then attended City College, and finally matriculated to the University 
of California at Berkeley, graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. 
He also holds a MA in Education from San Francisco State University.
  Norman Yee is an activist and leader. He taught ESL and citizenship 
classes at City College from 1984 to 1994, and for 18 years was the 
executive director for Wu Yee Children's Service, an advocacy group 
supporting child services in San Francisco. He was elected as a 
commissioner of the school district in 2004 and served as its president 
during his second term.
  In 2012, he was elected to serve on the San Francisco Board of 
Supervisors. In this role, he sponsored or cosponsored 780 pieces of 
legislation, many of citywide significance that also went to the 
ballot. For example, in 2016 he cosponsored Proposition W which made 
City College free for all city residents. In 2018, he cosponsored 
Proposition C to fund universal childcare. Both measures passed because 
San Franciscans deeply appreciate education. For his district, he 
secured more funding for parks, negotiated with neighbors to allow 
local businesses to expand, opposed short-term illegal rentals by 
AirBnB, pushed for lower speed limits on dangerous streets, and led 
efforts to boost funding for senior programs.
  He spearheaded creation of the city's Early Head Start program, the 
Asian Parent Education Network, the San Francisco Child Care Providers 
Association, and the Chinatown Beacon Center. He remains a board member 
of the San Francisco Child Care Providers Association.
  Last year, Norman Yee was elected president of the San Francisco 
Board of Supervisors. He is fair in setting agendas and works 
collaboratively with colleagues. He is also a leader. An example is the 
new housing being developed in his district at the Balboa reservoir.
  Rents in San Francisco have declined during the pandemic, but the 
long-term trend is sharply upward. The reservoir site is adjacent to 
the main campus of City College, a treasure within my district that I 
proudly support. Proposals for housing stretch back to the 1960's. A 
year before he was tragically taken from us, I personally spoke to 
Mayor Ed Lee about placing housing at this site. However, it's hard to 
build when the public is divided.
  Supervisor Yee rolled up his sleeves to create a proposal acceptable 
to most and of enduring service to low income residents of San 
Francisco. Over time, many thousands will be served. 1,100 units of 
housing will be built, 50 percent affordable, and 150 units will be 
dedicated to City College faculty and staff.
  As our nation struggles to come to grips with systemic racism and 
abuses by some on police forces, Supervisor Yee recently placed onto 
the ballot a measure to change the way in which San Francisco staffs 
its police force. An existing city charter provision required San 
Francisco to have 1,971 full-time duty officers on the force. In 
November, San Francisco voters abolished this provision. This will 
allow the board, the police and community to talk about how the 
department will be staffed. 71 percent of the city's voters agreed with 
Norman Yee that this change is needed to move the community forward.
  Supervisor Yee is a gentleman and a thoughtful public servant. I've 
known some elected officials who light up a room by destructively 
setting off verbal fireworks in a tightly crowded auditorium. Norman 
simply tells it like it is. This reassures his constituents that he's 
not present at the meeting for adulation from the crowd but for the 
hard work that produces progress.
  Madam Speaker, as Supervisor Yee exits public service, he will be 
remembered as the man everyone could have over for dinner because he's 
so earnest and so interesting. Now that he's leaving, his wife Cathy 
and their two children Karissa and Chandra may see him for a few more 
dinners. We thank them for their service, as well, because they also 
sacrificed for the community's best interests during his time in 
elective office. We will see Norman on the streets of Westwood, his 
neighborhood, and perhaps in city hall from time to time. We will also 
remember him as the man who understood every corner of his beloved San 
Francisco because he earned the friendship of people throughout this 
great city.

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