[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16778]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING HENRY L. ``HANK'' LACAYO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JULIA BROWNLEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 13, 2016

  Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition 
of my friend and ally Henry L. ``Hank'' Lacayo, a lifelong leader and 
advocate, who is being honored for his selfless dedication and 
invaluable leadership to bettering our community and country.
  Born in 1931 in Los Angeles, Mr. Lacayo grew up in the depths of the 
Great Depression and the Second World War, fighting through a time of 
economic uncertainty and racial injustice. Determined to serve his 
country, Mr. Lacayo first attempted to join the military at the age of 
16. Although he was originally turned away, he quickly joined upon 
graduating high school and served in the United States Army Air Corps.
  Following his military service, Mr. Lacayo began his career in 1953 
at North American Aviation and became involved with United Auto Workers 
of America Local 887. Nine years later, he was elected President of the 
UAW Local, a position in which he represented the interests of over 
30,000 workers and their families. Through his steadfast leadership, 
Mr. Lacayo was appointed National Director of the Political and 
Legislative Department of the UAW. While working in this capacity, Mr. 
Lacayo served as an advisor under Democratic Presidential 
Administrations from John F. Kennedy to Bill Clinton. In 1986, Mr. 
Lacayo retired from the UAW and subsequently formed H. L. & Associates, 
a consulting firm that enabled him to continue to be involved in labor 
relations issues, as well as other government, seniors, and 
international issues.
  Today, Mr. Lacayo continues to give back to his community by serving 
as President of the Congress of California Seniors, where he continues 
to dedicate his time to advocating for a better quality of life for 
others.
  Additionally, Mr. Lacayo is actively preparing the next generation of 
leaders, public servants, and community activists. Founded in 2010 at 
California State University Channel Islands, the Henry L. ``Hank'' 
Lacayo Institute for Workforce & Community Studies facilitates student 
internships, scholarly research, and the dissemination of policy 
information and recommendations. In the program, students learn the 
essential skill sets to change lives and positively impact communities.
  Mr. Lacayo has spent his lifetime working for Ventura County and our 
nation. His hard work and dedication--which has ranged from serving in 
the Army Air Corps, to actively fighting for working families and 
California's seniors, and now passing down his knowledge and experience 
to students who will continue his influential work--has helped to 
create a better America.
  For these reasons, it is with genuine appreciation that I am pleased 
to join United Way of Ventura County in recognizing Henry ``Hank'' 
Lacayo for his lifetime achievements.

                          ____________________