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“TRIBUTE TO FORMER CALIFORNIAN STATE SENATOR WADIE P. DEDDEH” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1109-E1110 on Sept. 9, 2019.
The Department handles nearly all infrastructure crisscrossing the country. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department should be privatized to save money, reduce congestion and spur innovation.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO FORMER CALIFORNIAN STATE SENATOR WADIE P. DEDDEH
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HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS
of california
in the house of representatives
Monday, September 9, 2019
Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I am sorry to learn of the passing of former California State Senator Wadie P. Deddeh.
Wadie was the first Iraqi-born American ever elected to public office in the United States. He served in the state legislature for 27 years--
first in the Assembly, then in the Senate.
He was known as the ``Father of CalTrans'' because he introduced and guided the legislation that created California's Department of Transportation.
During the dedication of a new CalTrans Building in Old Town in San Diego--a building that was being named after him--Wadie recalled the first time he ran for office in 1966. He was told Wadie Deddeh was a funny name and he might want to change it. He acknowledged it was a funny name but he would not be changing it. ``People can vote for Wadie P. Deddeh or they don't have to vote for me,'' he said.
He was deeply proud of his Iraqi Chaldean heritage. And he was deeply proud to be an American.
In 1979, during the height of the hostage crisis in Iran when 52 Americans were held 444 days, the United States sought to re-establish diplomatic relations with Iraq. President Jimmy Carter asked Wadie if he would go to Iraq and meet with Iraq's Foreign Minister in this effort. He said he would of course return to his homeland on behalf of America.
While that initial effort to restore diplomacy was not successful, it showed the status he had not only in our state but the nation.
Born in Baghdad, Wadie emigrated to America in 1947. His story is a shining example of the positive impact immigration has--and continues to have--on the United States. Wadie epitomized public service--an example that lives on in his son Peter, a Superior Court Judge.
I worked with Wadie on numerous efforts and experienced firsthand the highly respected judgment associated with him.
My deepest condolences go out to his family. They can take pride in knowing that an Iraqi immigrant, inspired by the words of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, left a legacy in California that lives on to this day.
As Wadie was known to say, ``Only in America.''
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