[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 7583-7584]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          COMMEMORATING THE 90TH BIRTHDAY OF SIR MICHAEL BERRY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 6, 2010

  Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a wonderful public 
servant, an exceptional individual and a patriotic American on the 
occasion of his 90th birthday. Sir Michael Berry is a prominent lawyer 
in Dearborn, Michigan whose venture into politics began in 1948 with 
the first campaign of G. Mennen Williams, who was running for governor 
of the great State of Michigan. Michael was active in Michigan's 16th 
Congressional District of the Democratic Party, which he joined in 
1950. Michael became a precinct delegate, then a member of the 
Executive Board, and finally a member of the Democratic State Central 
Executive Committee, a position he retained until 1964.
  Under Michael's leadership from 1964 until 1972, the 16th 
Congressional District became one of the most powerful congressional 
districts in the State of Michigan, and grew in the 1960s into the 
largest in the United States. Michael led the district with an 
extraordinary sense of fairness and discipline.
  Michael was one of the best district chairmen the 16th District ever 
had. He was smart as all get out, hard-working and he had a great sense 
of policy and public interest. His sensitivity and honesty always kept 
the district in good shape. In over 50 years in Congress, the 16th 
District had many good chairmen, in fact, we have never had a chairman 
I didn't respect, admire and love, and Michael was amongst the best of 
them.
  Michael Berry went on to serve as the longtime chairman of the Wayne 
County Road Commission. The International Terminal at Detroit Metro 
Airport and the Michael Berry Career Center in Dearborn were named in 
his honor. He was awarded the National Order of Cedar by the Lebanese 
government on October 21, 1993, and was the recipient of the 1998 Ellis 
Island Medal of Honor--among many other honors.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues rise and join me in wishing 
Sir Michael Berry, a truly great American, a very happy 90th birthday.

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