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“COMMENDING MEHDI MORSHED FOR HIS SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E411 on March 18, 2010.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
COMMENDING MEHDI MORSHED FOR HIS SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA
______
HON. ZOE LOFGREN
of california
in the house of representatives
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Madam Speaker, as the Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, I rise today to recognize and commend the great work of Mehdi Morshed, who at the end of March is retiring from California High-Speed Rail Authority. For over 40 years, Mehdi has worked on transportation policy in various capacities in California and is widely considered a leading expert. I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Mehdi for over thirty years.
Mehdi Morshed was educated at the University of Washington in Seattle as a civil engineer and he received a master's degree in transportation engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.
Since then, he has worked to make sure that Californians have safe and accessible transportation. He worked for the California Department of Transportation in various capacities, including planning, design and construction of bridges.
He then served as the lead transportation policy staffer in the California State Senate for over 20 years. During his time at the State Senate, Mehdi was responsible for developing and enacting some of California's most ground-breaking transportation laws, policies and programs, including vehicle safety and emission standards, as well as assisting with the establishment of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, the California Transportation Commission and other local and regional commissions, transportation districts and agencies.
At the end of this month, Mehdi will be retiring as the Executive Director of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, a position he has held since 1998. His dedication to high-speed rail in California has resulted in the project evolving from a planning concept to a fully developed project with an 800-mile system that will link Los Angeles and the Bay Area through Central Valley, with links to Sacramento and San Diego. Mehdi was at the helm of the Authority when State proposition 1A was passed by voters in November 2008, which is a $9 billion bond measure for the State's high-speed train system. Mehdi's ability to successfully develop California's high-speed rail system has led to California receiving $2.5 billion in Recovery Act funding.
Madam Speaker, Mehdi Morshed has played a major role in developing and implementing California's transportation policies for over 40 years. I can assure you that his leadership will be missed in California, and his transportation projects throughout the State will be a lasting reminder of his years of service to the people of California.
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