[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 174 (Tuesday, October 21, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E979]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





              HONORING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF MEYER LUSKIN

                                  _____
                                 

                             HON. TED LIEU

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 21, 2025

  Mr. LIEU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of 
visionary philanthropist Meyer Luskin. For decades, Mr. Luskin and his 
wife, Renee, have been civic and philanthropic leaders supporting 
academic and social causes throughout Southern California. Today, the 
impact of the Luskins' wide-ranging philanthropic giving can be seen 
across the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles, at 
local public schools and at leading medical centers in Southern 
California. It is my honor to celebrate his legacy on the occasion of 
his 100th birthday.
  Meyer Luskin came from humble beginnings. Born in 1925, he was raised 
on the Lower East Side of New York where he lived until he was fourteen 
years old. His family then moved to Boyle Heights on the East Side of 
Los Angeles, one of LA's most densely populated and historic 
neighborhoods.
  In 1942, Meyer began his college education at the age of seventeen, 
traveling seventeen miles every day by streetcars and buses to attend 
the University of California, Los Angeles. He left following his first 
year to serve in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps but returned 
thereafter to complete a bachelor's degree in economics in 1949. To 
this day, Meyer emphasizes that his ability to return to college was 
because of a $30 scholarship he received, deepening his appreciation 
for philanthropy in support of higher education. After UCLA, Meyer went 
on to earn a Master of Business Administration degree from Stanford 
University in 1951.
  Taking a risk, Meyer left his job as a stockbroker to found and 
develop Scope Industries, a company that was ahead of its time in 
recognizing the benefits of transforming food waste into profitable and 
useful resources. As a result, Meyer became a trailblazer in the 
recycling industry and served as company president, CEO and chairman 
over the course of his leadership. Alongside the growing success of 
Scope Industries, opportunities also grew for Meyer and his beloved 
wife, Renee, to pay forward their achievements.
  The Luskins have played a transformative role in shaping UCLA's 
future through major philanthropic gifts focused on innovation, 
education and public service. In 2008, Meyer and Renee founded the UCLA 
Luskin Center for Innovation, an institute that develops ongoing 
programs focused on sustainable urban solutions including smart water 
systems, parklets, electric vehicle plans, solar power options and 
more. Their charitable commitment to the university deepened even 
further in 2011 with a transformative $100 million gift that 
established the Luskin Conference Center. UCLA renamed the university's 
policy school to the Meyer and Renee Luskin School of Public Affairs in 
their honor. This philanthropic donation by the Luskins reflected their 
belief in the institution's ability to tackle society's most pressing 
issues and foster effective collaboration across various academic and 
professional disciplines.
  In 2019, the Luskins were awarded the esteemed UCLA Medal, the 
university's highest honor, in acknowledgment of their extraordinary 
contributions and lasting legacy. They were later named the Edward A. 
Dickson Alumni of the Year in 2020, another prestigious award for 
outstanding service to the university. Continuing their generosity, the 
Luskins made a historic $25 million donation in 2024 to UCLA's 
Department of History, marking the largest single donation to both the 
department and the Division of Social Sciences. Most recently, Meyer 
was a founding donor to the California Institute for Immunology and 
Immunotherapy, part of the new UCLA Research Park at the former 
Westside Pavilion, which aims to support groundbreaking medical 
research and treatments.
  In addition to pivotal donations to UCLA, Meyer has been involved in 
the university community and beyond through multiple leadership roles. 
He currently serves on the Board of Advisors for the UCLA Luskin School 
of Public Affairs, and the boards of the UCLA Luskin Center for History 
and Policy, and the Luskin Center for Innovation at UCLA. Meyer also 
serves on an advisory board to UCLA's Chancellor called the UCLA Second 
Century Council. Several of his past roles include Chairman of the 
Board of both the UCLA Medical Center and Orthopedic Hospital and the 
Orthopedic institute for Children, as well as a member of the UCLA 
Centennial Campaign executive committee and the UCLA Foundation board 
of directors.
  The Luskins' philanthropic support extends across the greater Los 
Angeles area, including the backing of arts and cultural entities such 
as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, Center Theatre 
Group and many other organizations.
  This October, Meyer Luskin reaches the age of one hundred years old. 
The decades of leadership and generosity that he and his wife Renee 
have shown have served countless residents of Southern California and 
beyond. Los Angeles County and its institutions are stronger because of 
Meyer Luskin's civic engagement and generosity.

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