[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 82 (Friday, May 13, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 2022

  Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize our former colleague 
and my friend Norman Mineta--an amazing man who broke ground in so many 
ways and was thoroughly committed to public service.
  Norm's commitment was strong despite the injustices he and his family 
suffered. During World War II, they were sent from our shared hometown 
of San Jose to an internment camp in Wyoming. The imprisonment of Norm 
and his family was a terrible wrong, but it never interfered with 
Norm's love of the United States. He just kept going. Kept striving to 
make our country better. To make it more inclusive.
  I knew Norm since the 1970s. When Norm was elected to the House of 
Representatives, I worked with his office when I was a staffer for my 
predecessor, Congressman Don Edwards.
  I always found Norm to be tenacious--focused on getting things done. 
And he did accomplish quite a lot. He authored the Civil Liberties Act 
of 1988, which officially apologized for the internment of Japanese-
Americans during World War II. That meant so much to so many people. 
Another law authored by Norm was ISTEA, which set up many of the 
transportation corridors we use today.
  Norm and I only overlapped as Members of Congress in 1995, but 
throughout the years, I've looked up to his spirit of bipartisanship. 
Norm, well-known as a transportation leader and Chair of the 
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, often said, ``bridges and 
tunnels are not Democratic or Republican.'' And his ability to work 
across the aisle was useful when he served as a Cabinet Member for 
Presidents of both parties: Commerce Secretary in President Bill 
Clinton's Administration--and Transportation Secretary for George W. 
Bush.
  One thing I always found fascinating about Norm was that he never 
forgot anyone's name. He could meet someone once . . . and then, 10 
years later walk up and know exactly who that person was and when they 
first met. Not many of us in this Chamber would be able to do that, I 
presume.
  And not many of us could say we achieved so many ``firsts.'' Norm 
went from becoming the first non-white Member of the San Jose City 
Council to the first Asian American serving in two Presidential 
Cabinets. While, the whole time, he served as an all-American 
representative for his constituents.
  Norm Mineta made a huge impact on our San Jose community, and he 
changed our country for the better. He will be missed.

                          ____________________