[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4740]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING THE LIFE OF JOHN MOCKLER

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 26, 2015

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleagues in the California 
Democratic Congressional Delegation, Congressman Pete Aguilar, 
Congresswoman Karen Bass, Congressman Xavier Becerra, Congressman Ami 
Bera, Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Congresswoman Lois Capps, 
Congressman Tony Cardenas, Congresswoman Judy Chu, Congresswoman Susan 
Davis, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, 
Congressman Sam Farr, Congressman John Garamendi, Congresswoman Janice 
Hahn, Congressman Mike Honda, Congressman Jared Huffman, Congresswoman 
Barbara Lee, Congressman Ted Lieu, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, 
Congressman Alan Lowenthal, Congresswoman Doris Matsui, Congressman 
Jerry McNerney, Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, Congresswoman Nancy 
Pelosi, Congressman Scott Peters, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, 
Congressman Raul Ruiz, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, Congresswoman 
Loretta Sanchez, Congressman Adam Schiff, Congressman Brad Sherman, 
Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Congressman Eric Swalwell, Congressman 
Mark Takano, Congressman Mike Thompson, Congresswoman Norma Torres, 
Congressman Juan Vargas, and Congresswoman Maxine Waters, to honor the 
extraordinary life of Mr. John Mockler, who passed away on March 3, 
2015. Mockler was one of the most influential voices on California 
education policy for more than 40 years, where he advised hundreds of 
Democratic and Republican lawmakers on public school funding. His 
legacy of public service, and support for public education, will impact 
California's public education system for many generations.
  Born on October 2, 1941 in Chicago and raised in Harbison Canyon near 
San Diego, Mockler was the son of William and Jane Mockler and had 
three sisters: Elsie, Lynn and Virginia. Mockler attended the 
University of San Francisco at 16, and subsequently graduated from 
University of California, Santa Barbara with a degree in Economics. A 
lifelong Democrat, Mockler cut his teeth in San Francisco politics, 
where he became active in union politics and was the executive director 
of the Youth Against 14 campaign in 1964. Proposition 14 would have 
made it legal to discriminate against home buyers on the basis of race.
  Mockler is best known as the architect of Proposition 98, the 1988 
initiative that established a minimum level of state financial support 
for public schools at 40 percent of general fund spending. Proposition 
98 remains a central feature in state budget negotiations for the past 
quarter century. His familiarity with the law made him an indispensible 
advisor to Governors Gray Davis and Jerry Brown as well as legislative 
leaders including former Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, Mockler's one-
time boss.
  He is survived by his life partner Carol Farris, two children--Robert 
and Jessica, five grandchildren Willa, Clara, Sidney, Zachary and 
Auden, and countless friends and admirers.
  Today, the California Democratic Congressional Delegation salutes and 
honors the life of Mr. John Mockler. Mockler will be remembered for his 
tenacious support for schools and teachers and his legacy is felt with 
the enrollment of every kindergartner and the graduation of every 
senior class. We join all of Mockler's loved ones in celebrating his 
incredible life. He will be deeply missed.

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