Floor SpeechNeutral2026-01-27

HONORING THE LIFE OF DR. EDWARD JAMES BLAKELY

EnvironmentVeterans

Context

On 2026-01-27, Representative Mark Takano (D-CA-39) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING THE LIFE OF DR. EDWARD JAMES BLAKELY" in the House. The speech addressed the environment and also covered veterans affairs.

Full Text

HONORING THE LIFE OF DR. EDWARD JAMES BLAKELY

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 19 (Tuesday, January 27, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 19 (Tuesday, January 27, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E77] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING THE LIFE OF DR. EDWARD JAMES BLAKELY ______ HON. MARK TAKANO of california in the house of representatives Tuesday, January 27, 2026 Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize United States Air Force veteran, public servant, and champion for equitable and humane urban planning, Professor Edward James Blakely, who passed away last year at the age of 87. Dr. Blakely was called to serve his community, state, and country after receiving bachelor of arts at the University of California, Riverside, where he excelled both in the classroom and as a four-sport athlete. He served in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, in Oakland after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, and around the world following some of the most devastating natural disasters of our lifetime. In addition to his service on the ground when communities needed him most, he shared his time, talent, and energy with students in the classroom and in the hallways of higher learning. He served as a professor of Urban Planning at the University of California, Berkely, as Dean of the School of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and as the Dean of the Milano Graduate School of Public Policy at the New School in New York. Later in life, Dr. Blakely's passion for public service called him to Australia, where he served as the District Commissioner for the Greater Sydney Commission and an Acting Commissioner on the New South Wales Land and Environment Court. His multiple books on urban planning, the students he impacted, and the communities he touched serve as a living legacy to his commitment to making our society more equitable for the benefit of humanity. He, nor his deeds of good work, will not soon be forgotten from this earthly plane. My prayers are with Dr. Blakely's family and friends. ____________________

View original source →

HONORING THE LIFE OF DR. EDWARD JAMES BLAKELY Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 19 (Tuesday, January 27, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 19 (Tuesday, January 27, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E77] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING THE LIFE OF DR. EDWARD JAMES BLAKELY ______ HON. MARK TAKANO of california in the house of representatives Tuesday, January 27, 2026 Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize United States Air Force veteran, public servant, and champion for equitable and humane urban planning, Professor Edward James Blakely, who passed away last year at the age of 87. Dr. Blakely was called to serve his community, state, and country after receiving bachelor of arts at the University of California, Riverside, where he excelled both in the classroom and as a four-sport athlete. He served in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, in Oakland after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, and around the world following some of the most devastating natural disasters of our lifetime. In addition to his service on the ground when communities needed him most, he shared his time, talent, and energy with students in the classroom and in the hallways of higher learning. He served as a professor of Urban Planning at the University of California, Berkely, as Dean of the School of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and as the Dean of the Milano Graduate School of Public Policy at the New School in New York. Later in life, Dr. Blakely's passion for public service called him to Australia, where he served as the District Commissioner for the Greater Sydney Commission and an Acting Commissioner on the New South Wales Land and Environment Court. His multiple books on urban planning, the students he impacted, and the communities he touched serve as a living legacy to his commitment to making our society more equitable for the benefit of humanity. He, nor his deeds of good work, will not soon be forgotten from this earthly plane. My prayers are with Dr. Blakely's family and friends. ____________________