TITLE: A SALUTE TO BILLY LEONARD,
FRESNO AND MADERA COUNTIES' LABOR LEADER OF THE YEAR
SPEAKER: HON. RICHARD H. LEHMAN OF
CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TEXT:
Text that appears in UPPER CASE identifies statements or
insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the House on the floor.
[*E1478] MR. LEHMAN OF CALIFORNIA. MR. SPEAKER, TODAY, I RISE BEFORE
THE HOUSE TO HONOR AND COMMEND MR. BILLY R. LEONARD, FRESNO AND MADERA COUNTIES'
"LABOR LEADER OF THE YEAR." MR. LEONARD, A LONG TIME PARTICIPANT IN
ORGANIZED LABOR, IS AN APPROPRIATE RECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD.
A NATIVE OF OKLAHOMA, MR. LEONARD MOVED TO THE FRESNO AREA WITH HIS FAMILY IN
1948. HIS LONG HISTORY OF EFFORTS FOR LABOR INTERESTS BEGAN IN 1951 WHEN HE
JOINED THE LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION LOCAL
294. MR. LEONARD WAS A MEMBER OF THE TEAMSTERS UNION FROM 1954
TO 1959 AND BECAME FIELD REPRESENTATIVE FOR LOCAL 294 IN 1978, SERVING IN THIS
CAPACITY UNTIL 1987. HE IS CURRENTLY SERVING AS BUSINESS MANAGER FOR LOCAL 294.
BILLY LEONARD'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF WORKER
INTERESTS AND RIGHTS IS EXTENSIVE. HE IS CURRENTLY PRESIDENT OF THE FRESNO,
MADERA, KINGS, TULARE COUNTIES BUILDING TRADES COUNCIL, IS ON THE EXECUTIVE
BOARD OF THE FRESNO-MADERA CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL, AND IS A MEMBER OF THE
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA DISTRICT COUNCIL OF LABORERS. MR. LEONARD
ALSO SERVES ON THE NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE OF THE 46 COUNTIES NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
DISTRICT COUNCIL OF LABORERS.
MR. LEONARD'S POSITIVE ATTITUDE, HARD WORK, AND RAPPORT WITH HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE
PLAYED A FUNDAMENTAL ROLE IN LOCAL UNION COHESIVENESS AND
INFLUENCE ON ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO LABOR. HIS LEADERSHIP QUALITIES, HOWEVER,
ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE LABOR ARENA. HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE KOREAN WAR EFFORT
EARNED HIM 2 BRONZE STARS AND A SILVER STAR FOR BRAVERY. IN ADDITION, HE HAS
BEEN INFLUENTIAL IN RECRUITING EFFORTS OF UNION MEMBERS FOR
LOCAL PROJECTS TO WHICH HE IS COMMITTED; NAMELY, THE MEUX HOME HISTORICAL
RESTORATION PROJECT AND FRESNO'S RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE.
I ASK MY COLLEAGUES IN THE HOUSE TO JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING BILLY LEONARD FOR
HIS RECENT DISTINCTION AND WISH HIM THE BEST AS HE CONTINUES HIS EFFORTS FOR
LABOR AND THE COMMUNITIES OF THE FRESNO AND MADERA AREA.