[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 127 (Friday, July 29, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E813]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                         HONORING WESTON VIVIAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 29, 2022

  Mrs. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and 
legacy of Weston Vivian. His contributions to the Ann Arbor community 
and the nation are worthy of commendation.
  Weston was born in Newfoundland in 1924, but grew up in Rhode Island 
after moving to the United States at the age of five. He enlisted in 
the Navy V-12 College Training Program, which enabled him to earn his 
bachelor's degree and master's degree in electrical engineering. After 
attending Union College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 
his education culminated with a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from 
the University of Michigan in 1959. While working toward his Ph.D., 
Weston was involved in many tech start-ups as well as research and 
lecturing at the University of Michigan. He was also the Chairman of 
the Ann Arbor City Democratic Committee from 1959 to 1961.
  After establishing himself as a dedicated leader within the Ann Arbor 
community, Weston was the first professional engineer elected to the 
United States House of Representatives in 1964. Throughout his term, 
Weston immersed himself in several landmark movements. In February 
1965, he traveled to Selma, Alabama with a congressional delegation to 
meet with Martin Luther King, Jr. Even in just one term, he worked 
closely with my husband, John Dingell, to pass the Voting Rights Act 
and the Social Security Amendments, eventually leading to the creation 
of Medicare and Medicaid.
  Weston will be remembered as a dedicated public servant who committed 
his life to making Michigan a better place. Even after leaving 
Congress, Weston remained active in bettering his community. He 
volunteered his time working to advance science and technology, served 
as a faculty member at the University of Michigan, and served on the 
Michigan Transportation Commission from 1978 to 1987. He routinely 
participated in the Ann Arbor Independence Day Parade and Ann Arbor Art 
Fair, and he spent his free time sailing across the Great Lakes. After 
moving out of his house and into a senior living center in 2011, his 
home was converted into the Ann Arbor Area Nature Preserve office--a 
testament to his appreciation of our great outdoors.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating 
the life of Weston Vivian and extending my heartfelt condolences to his 
surviving family. I am proud to honor his legacy as a talented 
educator, scientist, and devoted public servant.

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