[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 44 (Monday, March 10, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E197]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE SERVICE OF BILL WHITNEY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MARK DeSAULNIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 10, 2025

  Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bill Whitney 
as he retires from the Contra Costa Building & Construction Trades 
Council, AFL-CIO.
  Throughout his life, Bill has demonstrated his dedication to his 
family and community. He was born in Erie, Pennsylvania and worked on 
his family's farm alongside his three brothers. The family moved around 
Pennsylvania before eventually settling in Walnut Creek, California 
when Bill was twelve years old. Bill attended Ygnacio Valley High 
School and went on to earn his degree in Zoology from the University of 
California, Davis. While attending U.C. Davis, he was deeply involved 
in sports and other extracurricular activities, including football, 
baseball, basketball, tennis, and swimming. His commitment to service 
was evident though his participation in Boy Scouts, Key Club, and his 
fraternity, Theta Xi.
  Bill moved to Benicia in 1977, where he was a devoted advocate for 
his community. Bill was a proud member of the Lions Club, Rotary 
Benicia historical Society, and the Chamber of Commerce. His dedication 
to public service was exemplified by his election to the Benicia City 
Council, where he served from 1999 to 2007.
  Bill has been a powerful advocate for working people throughout his 
career, having been a member of three unions: the Retail Clerks Union, 
Inland Boatman Union, and United Association of the Plumbing and 
Pipefitting Industry. In each of these organizations, he played a 
pivotal role in advancing workers' rights, improving workplace 
conditions, and ensuring fair wages for workers. His work has been 
critical in expanding economic opportunities for working families and 
in preparing our workforce for the jobs of the 21st century. 
Additionally, as an ERISA trust fund trustee, Bill worked diligently to 
protect workers' pensions and retirement security. Bill has been a key 
figure in the labor movement in California and beyond and his 
leadership has benefitted countless workers.
  As Bill steps into retirement, we recognize a lifetime of service, 
advocacy, and leadership. Please join me in thanking Bill for his 
remarkable service and wishing him the very best in his well-earned 
retirement.

                          ____________________