[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18081]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO KEN YEAGER AT THE BAY AREA MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE'S 
                      20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 9, 2004

  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I'm joined by Representatives Lofgren and 
Honda in rising today to recognize the achievements of Ken Yeager, 
District Six City Councilman for the City of San Jose and co-founder of 
the Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee, a four county Lesbian, Gay, 
Bisexual and Transgender political action group celebrating 20 years of 
civil rights advocacy.
  Ken represents the neighborhoods of Willow Glen, Rose Garden, Shasta/
Hanchett, Sherman Oaks, Cory, Canoas Gardens, Hamann Park and Buena 
Vista on the San Jose City Council. He is a graduate of San Jose State 
where he interned with former City Councilmember Susie Wilson. He then 
worked for Congressman Don Edwards, leaving to earn a Ph.D. from 
Stanford in 1991.
  Ken was the first openly gay man to be elected to office in Silicon 
Valley when he was elected to the San Jose Community College Board. He 
has dedicated much of his impressive career to educating the community 
about LGBT issues and fighting for their rights throughout the Silicon 
Valley.
  BAYMEC was founded to educate and inform, and it has raised its 
concerns with countless elected officials. It lobbied Sacramento on 
AIDS and LGBT civil rights and worked with police, fire departments, 
governmental, organizational, and a variety of community groups to 
further equality for LGBTs. BAYMEC continues to lobby for the passage 
of hate-crime legislation, transgender issues, domestic partnership 
rights and civil unions, as well as bringing LGBT sensitivity to the 
forefront in the domestic violence field.
  During LGBT Pride weekend, Ken spearheaded the campaign to fly the 
rainbow freedom flag over City Hall. He worked hard to make sure that 
the Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center was completed on time and 
chaired the fundraising committee to improve the center. Ken has also 
led the drive to pass a Gender Non-Discrimination Ordinance for the 
City and he supports providing full benefits for all married City 
employees, regardless of sexual orientation.
  Mr. Speaker, we ask our colleagues to join us in thanking Ken Yeager 
for his steadfast and tireless service to his constituents and to the 
LGBT community. We look forward to working with him to further the 
causes important to BAYMEC, because until all people are treated with 
dignity and respect, none of us can truly be free.

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