Volume 166, No. 206 covering the 2nd Session of the 116th Congress (2019 - 2020) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“IN HONOR OF IAN BAIN” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1095-E1096 on Dec. 7, 2020.
More than half of the Agency's employees are engineers, scientists and protection specialists. The Climate Reality Project, a global climate activist organization, accused Agency leadership in the last five years of undermining its main mission.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN HONOR OF IAN BAIN
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HON. JACKIE SPEIER
of california
in the house of representatives
Monday, December 7, 2020
Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Redwood City councilmember and former mayor Ian Bain as he leaves the city council after 17 years of continuous service, and nearly 18 years in all. It's been an extraordinary time of change for his city, and Ian helped shape much of the transformation.
In the past decade, Redwood City grew by nearly 10,000 persons, or 12 percent, and by nearly 21 percent since Ian first sat as a councilmember in the late 1990's. Twenty-first century buildings have replaced their 20th century predecessors, and in at least one instance a 19th century home was moved to a new location as acres of new construction commenced. Locals noted that crows fled the area while cranes--aerial cranes with steel swinging from cables--were spotted throughout downtown.
Ian Bain was a councilmember who cautioned colleagues that major change is hard on longtime residents. He was right. While the city rushed to meet the demands for office space related to the economic boom, and for housing that would temper skyrocketing rents, Ian noted that the effort was falling short for renters. As developers asked for approvals, Ian insisted that the developments work for all city residents.
Today, with the city and our nation in pandemic slow motion, it outwardly appears that pressure to grow is less. In fact, it's only delayed. Some of the solutions to our pandemic are being developed by rapidly growing companies located in Redwood City and throughout San Mateo County. These companies will need offices for researchers and housing for them and their families.
On one Superbowl Sunday, I stood with Ian Bain on a levee in the middle of an inland sea, with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, as Ian and I argued against housing being built in the bay. Regrettably, the agency decided to abandon its protection of the waters of the United States. The United States District Court subsequently found EPA's action in violation of the law. Ian has been steadfast in his opposition to filling San Francisco Bay.
As a member of the revenue and finance committee, he fought to ensure that expansion of Redwood City is accompanied by prudent city financing. The city has unfunded pension liabilities and Ian is quick to note that its infrastructure needs major renovations. For both environmental and fiscal reasons, Ian led the city's effort to reduce its use of electricity by 22 percent and of natural gas by 34 percent. Homeowners in Friendly Acres and residents in mobile home parks on the east side of Highway 101 have Ian to thank, in part, as the city closes in on a solution to regular flooding in their areas.
Throughout Redwood City, you see humorous signs advising you to slow down and to consider the cost of a traffic ticket. You'll notice new stop signs and physical changes to historically dangerous intersections. If you trip over a crack in a defective sidewalk, don't blame Ian. He fought very hard for repairs. Ian is a lover of all things pedestrian and bicycle friendly.
He served as a board member of the Sequoia Awards where he and others annually provide tens of thousands of dollars to high achieving, socially active young people going to college. In a prior career, he helped find jobs for adults with disabilities and he is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce. His council responsibilities include service on the personnel committee, transportation and mobility committee, and regional boards including Peninsula Clean Energy and the C/CAG bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee.
Ian Bain is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and has a Bachelor's in Political Science. He is married to Robbie Moffat. They live in the Woodside Plaza area of Redwood City.
Madam Speaker, Ian Bain has been an outstanding leader in Redwood City for close to two decades and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with him. His community is losing a longtime civic leader and an activist. I wish him well and know that his talents will always be directed toward helping the city that he loves.
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