May 15, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 81 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E602]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING TOM MORRISON

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                           HON. ERIC SWALWELL

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 15, 2019

  Mr. SWALWELL of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the 
life's work of Thomas Roger Morrison, who served as a trusted local 
reporter and staple on televisions in my district since 1982.
  Tom was born in Oakland, California on January 7, 1936 to proud 
parents, Lozetta and John Morrison. Shortly after his graduation from 
Oakland High School in 1954, Tom joined the Army and deployed to Korea. 
He patrolled the newly established Korean Demilitarized Zone in 1956 
and 1957.
  Tom took on the role of a volunteer reporter for local Channel TV 30 
in 1982. After reporting on local stories for a time, Tom joined the TV 
30 staff and became the anchor of the 580/680 News. He served in this 
role for 10 years and received two prestigious Bay Area Television 
Association awards for his work during that time.
  After budgets no longer allowed the 580/680 News program to continue, 
Tom kept our community informed on local news and developments through 
his bi-weekly ``Mayor's Report.'' With this platform, he would meet 
with local mayors and county supervisors to ensure that local residents 
had access to information about upcoming events and what was happening 
in their local government.
  Tom's connection to the community was deep. His voice became 
synonymous with the annual Saint Patrick's Day parade in my hometown of 
Dublin, as he served as the announcer for so many years. Whether he was 
reporting from the tarmac at the Livermore Airshow, hosting an election 
special, or a segment of the Slice of Life show, Tom was a trusted and 
revered source of news in my district.
  Tom's work on behalf of our community continued until just two months 
ago, very shortly before his passing. His passion and commitment were 
recently memorialized when the studio at TV 30 adopted the honorary 
title, ``Tom Morrison Studio.''
  After a long and valiant battle with cancer, Tom Morrison passed away 
peacefully on April 18, 2019. He is survived by a large and loving 
family, including Kathy, his wife of 23 years, his two sons, Kevin and 
Michael, his step-children, Stacey, Kristin, Amy, and Bradley, his 
sister Jenean, and the eight grandchildren he absolutely adored.

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