Title
Resolution to Rename the East Stadium Bridges located between the 500 and 700 block of East Stadium Boulevard the “John D. Dingell, Jr. Memorial Bridges”
Memorandum
Former Congressman John D. Dingell passed away on February 7, 2019 after serving the State of Michigan and the people of the city of Ann Arbor for 59 years as a member of the United State House of Representatives. This resolution memorializes action by the Ann Arbor City Council to rename the East Stadium Bridges in his honor as recognition and appreciation for his decades of service to our state and our city.
Staff
Prepared by: John Fournier, Assistant City Administrator
Approved by: Howard Lazarus, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, John Dingell represented the people of southeastern Michigan with distinction in the House of Representatives for 59 years, from December 13, 1955, to January 3, 2015, making John Dingell the longest serving Member of either chamber of Congress in the history of the United States;
Whereas, The father of John Dingell, the late John David Dingell, Sr., preceded John Dingell in service as a Member of the House of Representatives from March 4, 1933, to September 19, 1955;
Whereas, The wife of John Dingell, Deborah Dingell, succeeded John Dingell on January 3, 2015, and continues to serve as a Member of the House of Representatives;
Whereas, John Dingell, while serving as a page for the House of Representatives, in the Hall of the House of Representatives on December 8, 1941, witnessed President Franklin Roosevelt deliver the iconic address asking for a declaration of war against Japan following the bombing of Pearl Harbor;
Whereas, John Dingell was drafted into the United States Army at the age of 18 and served honorably;
Whereas, John Dingell received a Bachelor of Science degree and a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University;
Whereas, John Dingell advocated for affordable health insurance coverage for seniors in the United States, a cause championed by John David Dingell, Sr.; and worked to secure the enactment of the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) in 1965, presiding over the passage of the Social Security Amendments of 1965 (Public Law 89-97; 79 Stat. 286) in the House of Representatives;
Whereas, John Dingell witnessed President Lyndon B. Johnson sign into law the Social Security Amendments of 1965 (Public Law 89-97; 79 Stat. 286), which enacted the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.);
Whereas, John Dingell was a crusader for the environment, helping to author and shepherd to passage the Clean Air Act; the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, which formed the basis of the modern Federal Water Pollution Control Act; the Endangered Species Act of 1973; and the Safe Drinking Water Act;
Whereas, John Dingell fought to make civil rights a part of the platform of the Democratic Party in 1960, standing up to people who believed it would alienate certain voters and declaring that making civil rights a platform issue was the right thing to do;
Whereas, John Dingell was a strong supporter in the House of Representatives of the Civil Rights Act of 1957; the Civil Rights Act of 1960; the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and the Voting Rights Act of 1965;
Whereas, During every Congress in which he served, John Dingell introduced legislation to provide universal health care;
Whereas, John Dingell, over the course of his tenure in the House of Representatives, served with the following 11 Presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama;
Whereas, John Dingell served as Dean of the House of Representatives from January 3, 1995, to January 3, 2015;
Whereas, John Dingell was a constant champion for the people of Michigan and his district, and provided the critical assistance necessary to enable Ann Arbor to receive a $13.9 million grant from U.S. Department of Transportation's "Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery" (TIGER) to affect the replacement of the East Stadium Bridges;
Whereas, John Dingell retired from the House of Representatives in 2015 and was succeeded by his beloved wife, Deborah;
Whereas, in 2014, President Barack Obama awarded John Dingell the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor of the United States;
Whereas, John Dingell was the truest and most loyal fan of University of Michigan athletics; and
Whereas, John Dingell lived his life with courage, honor, passion, and integrity, fighting for the betterment of our country and our state, and becoming one of the most influential lawmakers in our nation’s great history;
RESOLVED, That the City Council of the City of Ann Arbor hereby names the East Stadium Blvd Bridges the “John D. Dingell, Jr. Memorial Bridges”.
Sponsors: Mayor Taylor, and Councilmembers Ackerman, Eaton, Griswold, Grand, Lumm, Bannister, Ramlawi, Smith and Nelson