[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6] [EXTENSION] [Page 8084] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HONORING DEAN TIPPS ______ HON. ZOE LOFGREN of california in the house of representatives Wednesday, May 7, 2008 Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Madam Speaker, today I rise along with my fellow Members of Congress Anna Eshoo, Sam Farr, Mike Honda, Barbara Lee, Doris Matsui, Jim McNerney, George Miller, Jackie Speier, Pete Stark, Ellen Tauscher, Mike Thompson, and Lynn Woolsey to congratulate Dean Tipps on his retirement and to honor a man whose career of over 40 years has been dedicated to empowering and bettering the lives of working men and women. For the last 22 years, Dean Tipps has been executive director of the California State Council of the Service Employees International Union. In this capacity, he has directed the council's statewide legislative and political activities on behalf of the 650,000 California members of the Service Employees International Union. As the director of the largest union in California, Dean Tipps' impact has reached beyond SEIU membership as the growth, innovation, and persistent advocacy of the SEIU has served as an example to other unions in a variety of industries. Mr. Tipps' vision, leadership, and strategic thinking have had a substantial impact on California's people and politics over the last few decades. Dean's ability to build coalitions and bring together the necessary resources has meant that working people have had a powerful voice in electoral and legislative arenas. Dean Tipps has been a leader in many of the labor movement's victories in California, including the defeat of State Proposition 226, the election of Gray Davis, and labor's special election victories in 2005. He began his political work in 1976 as the first legislative advocate for the California Tax Reform Association and was deeply involved in the politics of California's property tax revolt. In 1979, he moved to Washington, D.C., to become the founding executive director of Citizens for Tax Justice. At CTJ, Mr. Tipps developed the successful campaign strategy that defeated Howard Jarvis' Proposition 9 in 1980 and was involved in initiative campaigns in Massachusetts, Ohio, and other States. He subsequently went to work for the Service Employees International Union where he became the Public Sector Division Director. In 1986, he returned to California to assume direction of SEIU's California State Council and has continuously led the council except for taking leave in 1988 to navigate the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee. In his many capacities and positions with various groups, Dean Tipps has remained constant in his dedication to helping our country fulfill its responsibility to the men and women who labor in service jobs that make our lives more comfortable. He leaves grateful colleagues and a grateful membership. We are proud to add our thanks for his many years of advocacy and our congratulations for all his achievements. ____________________