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[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 177 (Thursday, November 20, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                       HONORING HENRY CHANG, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 20, 2008

  Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life 
and contributions of Henry Chang, Jr. An energetic public servant and 
advocate in the Greater Bay Area, Henry will retire this year from his 
elected position on the Oakland City Council.
  Mr. Chang has tirelessly served the community of Oakland, California 
as a councilmember-at-large for 14 years, serving as the city's vice 
mayor for 4 terms. Mr. Chang is sincerely committed to his community, 
and has employed his diverse life experiences and studies to improving 
the quality of life for his constituents and to adding greatly to the 
collective efforts of policy-makers, stake holders, and public 
advocates in my district.
  Henry was born on December 17, 1934 in Shantou, Guangdong Province, 
China. During the Japanese invasion of Shantou City, Henry and his 
siblings were separated from their parents for 4 years. In 1950 he 
moved to Sydney, Australia to study at Knox College. At that time, Mr. 
Chang was one of only two foreign students at his college. In 1952, 
Henry again made a bold move to further his education and 
opportunities, traveling to the United States in the hopes of attending 
the prestigious University of California, Berkeley.
  In 1960, while attending UC Berkeley, Mr. Chang met and married 
Constance Poon. He graduated in 1961 from the School of Environmental 
Design at Berkeley. Mr. Chang worked for both the Novelli Engineering 
Company in Downtown Oakland and the Hugh M. O'Neil Company as an 
architect before founding his own architectural practice, Henry Chang, 
Jr. and Associates, Incorporated in 1971. Mr. Chang established his 
firm in the heart of Oakland's Chinatown District and immediately began 
using his skills to contribute to the vibrant business community and 
innovative urban planning needs of that area.
  During this time, Mr. Chang began a long and impressive career of 
service. He has served in countless capacities on local and regional 
commissions and boards including founding member of the Oakland 
Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, several State and city anti-crime 
commissions, the Oakland Cultural Art Committee, the Lincoln Square 
Advisory Council, the Oakland Chinese Businessmen Association, serving 
as that board's president for 2 terms, the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, 
the Oakland Port Commission, the S.F. Bay Conservation and Development 
Commission, the Oakland Community Development Commission, and the 
Oakland City Planning Commission. He was also a founding member of the 
Friends of Parks and Recreation Board. So great were Mr. Chang's 
contributions to Oakland, the city named September 27, 1990 ``Henry 
Chang, Jr. Appreciation Day.'' In more recent years, Mr. Chang has 
served on the executive board of the Association of Bay Area 
Governments, the Alameda and Oakland Base Re-Use Commissions, the 
Alameda County Transportation Authority, and the A.C. Transit Major 
Investment Steering Committee.
  On December 6, 1994 Mr. Chang was elected to the councilmember-at-
large seat he has been continuously reelected to until his retirement 
this year. As a councilmember-at-large, Mr. Chang has sponsored 
important city legislation and has always been proactive in bringing 
stakeholders, community leaders, and residents of our area together to 
work on the complex issues facing the diverse and dynamic city of 
Oakland and its neighboring cities in Alameda County.
  Just one example of Mr. Chang's tireless advocacy and thorough 
approach to policy making is his comprehensive legislation addressing 
the serious issue of gun control. Henry has authored bills to ban junk 
guns and ultra compact guns from being sold in Oakland as well as 
legislation requiring trigger locks on all guns sold. He also sponsored 
a tax on guns and ammunition sold in Oakland to offset the high cost of 
violence caused by guns. These laws became regional models for urban 
safety and firearms regulation. While on the city council Mr. Chang 
also initiated the City Management Academy which trains neighborhood 
activists so that they can better understand how the city works and 
established the Citizens' Assistance Center to help residents get the 
assistance they need from their city officials and agencies.
  Perhaps most memorable of Mr. Chang's achievements as a 
councilmember-at-large is his work to bring giant pandas to the city of 
Oakland on loan from the China Zoological Garden of the Ministry of 
Construction and to build a state-of-the-art facility for their care 
while in the United States. I have had the privilege to travel with 
Henry to China and Cuba. He has a deep sense of respect for people 
throughout the world and uses his diplomatic skills to bring good will 
to our Nation. I am proud to call Henry my colleague and my friend.
  On behalf of California's 9th Congressional district, I would like to 
salute the honorable Henry Chang, Jr. on the occasion of his retirement 
from public office. It is clear that his dedication, innovation and 
involvement in the accomplishments of the city of Oakland will not end 
here. I wish him all the greatest happiness in his retirement years and 
thank him for a lifetime of service to our community.

                          ____________________
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