February 14, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E129 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS HONORING CHARLES C. COOK, SR. and is currently an adjunct faculty member at J. Jasen entered into his eternal rest on Feb- ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE Cleveland State University. ruary 4, 2006, at the age of 90. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE Her life long professional focus on improving Without seeking to be repetitive, Mr. Speak- the state of struggling urban school districts is er, the fact remains that Judge Jasen was HON. VERNON J. EHLERS evidenced throughout her profession. Her ca- widely regarded as one of the sharpest legal minds of his era. Taking his seat on the Court OF MICHIGAN reer in education began in her hometown of New York City, where she taught at the ele- of Appeals back in the days when that bench IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES mentary and high school levels. She later was still elected by popular vote statewide, Tuesday, February 14, 2006 served as a school principal and District Ad- Judge Jasen was the last western New Yorker Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor ministrator and served twice as Super- to serve on the court, and his decisions were Charles C. Cook, Sr., for his 36 years of ex- intendent of two of the lowest performing widely regarded as fair and impeccably re- emplary service at the U.S. Government Print- school districts in New York City, Chancellor’s searched. Rising to the position of senior as- ing Office, GPO. District and Crown Heights District in Brooklyn. sociate judge before his mandated retirement Charlie came to the GPO in November 1969 Her leadership is credited with dramatically im- in 1985, Judge Jasen was well known as a and was assigned as a Compositor in the proving academic achievement in both of lawyer’s judge—someone who knew the law, Monotype Section. In 1978, he was promoted those districts. who understood both its limits and its full po- to the position of Printing Specialist in the Ms. Bennett’s tenure in Cleveland parallels tential. Composing Division, Office of Superintendent. that of her work in New York. Chosen as Su- Following his retirement, Judge Jasen’s ca- In June 1979, Charlie was reassigned to the perintendent of the Cleveland Municipal reer in law—even past his 80th birthday—con- Customer Service Department, Congressional School District in 1998, she began the monu- tinued to flourish and become all the more dis- Information Division. It was here that Charlie mental task of lifting the Cleveland School Dis- tinguished. His appointment by the United truly honed his skills serving GPO’s congres- trict out of its decades-old state of failure and States Supreme Court as a special master to sional customers. Over the years, Charlie despair. During her tenure, Ms. Bennett imple- assist in determining the true border between worked closely with Senate and House com- mented policies and programs that served to lllinois and Kentucky along the Ohio River is mittee staff, the Office of the Secretary of the raise the grade throughout the system, includ- but one example of how this keen legal mind Senate, the Clerk of the House, Sergeant at ing academic performance, financial stability continued its contribution to the jurisprudence Arms, and the Capitol Police on numerous and the restoration of school classrooms and of his State and Nation. projects. One of the most prestigious of these buildings. Additionally, Ms. Bennett forged vital This past Sunday’s Buffalo News editorial- projects was the Presidential Inauguration. partnerships with parents, teachers and local ized the career of Judge Jasen, and it is that Charlie coordinated all the printing require- and state leaders, thereby fostering an atmos- editorial with which I will close this extension ments for the Joint Congressional Committee phere of achievement and renewal through a of remarks. on Inaugural Ceremonies for the four inau- unified effort. On behalf of all Members of the House, I gurations from 1989 to 2001. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honor and extend to the Jasen family our most heartfelt In 1993, Charlie was promoted to Super- recognition of Superintendent Barbara Byrd sympathy, as well as our appreciation for the intendent, Congressional Printing Management Bennett, whose leadership, dedication and many contributions made by Judge Matthew Division, and in 2004, he was called on by the service on behalf of every child of the Cleve- Jasen to the American way of life. Judge Public Printer of the United States to serve as land Municipal School District has become a Jasen was the Court of Appeals’ first Polish- Strategic Marketing Officer. He has served in source of hope and foundation for academic American member, and it is fitting that I close that capacity until his retirement. achievement today, and for the future of public this extension of remarks with the traditional On behalf of the entire Congressional com- education in Cleveland. I wish Ms. Bennett Polish toast—‘‘Sto Lat’’—which literally trans- munity, I extend congratulations to Charlie for and her family an abundance of health, peace lated means ‘‘100 years.’’ While Judge Jasen his many years of exemplary service to the and happiness as she journeys onward from could not give a chronological century to serve GPO and the Congress. We wish him all the here. the people of this State and Nation, in effect he made good on that toast, and I am hon- best in his retirement. f ored to pay tribute to his memory here today. f HONORING THE LIFE OF RETIRED [From the Buffalo News, Feb. 12, 2006] IN HONOR AND RECOGNITION OF NEW YORK STATE COURT OF AP- JASEN, GENERATION’S LEGAL STANDOUT BARBARA BYRD BENNETT PEALS JUDGE MATTHEW J. Sorrow flows at the passing of one of the JASEN most respected and skilled lawyers and judges of his generation. Former Court of HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH Appeals Judge Matthew J. Jasen, who died OF OHIO HON. BRIAN HIGGINS Saturday at the age of 90, was both a bril- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF NEW YORK liant legal mind and a respected adviser who Tuesday, February 14, 2006 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES guided the practice of law in this region and nationally. Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in Tuesday, February 14, 2006 Jasen was the first Polish-American and honor and recognition of Barbara Byrd Ben- Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, on April 14, the last Western New Yorker to sit on the nett, upon the occasion of her retirement that 2005, as New York’s highest court prepared to state’s highest court, serving there for 18 follows seven years of steadfast service and sit outside of Albany for the first time in recent years, becoming senior associate judge there before retiring at the legally mandated age commitment as Chief Executive Officer of the memory, I had occasion to recognize the pro- of 70 (a mandate he upheld in writing the Cleveland Municipal School District. fessional career of retired New York State high court’s opinion on its validity). He also Ms. Bennett was born and raised in Harlem Court of Appeals Judge Matthew Jasen. Dur- was a highly regarded arbiter who, even in and was educated in the public school system. ing that extension of remarks, I was honored retirement, was called upon by the U.S. Su- She graduated high school early at age 16 to take note of the many personal and profes- preme Court to work as a ‘‘special master’’ and earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in sional accomplishments of Judge Jasen, in a deciding such questions as the proper loca- English from Long Island University at age 19. manner consistent with the honors bestowed tion of the Illinois-Kentucky boundary along She earned two Masters degrees, was a Penn upon him by his successor colleagues on the the Ohio River. He was known for clear and concise opinions, and for his mentoring of Fellow at Columbia University during her doc- Court of Appeals that day. lawyers and judges. toral studies and holds several honorary doc- Today, Mr. Speaker, I rise to call the He was a forceful arguer and legal scholar toral degrees. Ms. Bennett was an adjunct House’s attention to the passing of this great whose fairly common early year dissents to professor at several New York City universities legal giant in New York State. Judge Matthew Court of Appeals decisions in several areas ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:31 Feb 15, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A14FE8.001 E14FEPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMREMARKS E130 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks February 14, 2006 were later vindicated in subsequent court Public Policy Center Research Report Series, tional Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, rulings, sometimes after his retirement. He No. 06–1, issued in January. This analysis in the National Alliance of Business, Xavier Uni- won a string of legal honors, including a spe- my view—I do not impute it to either the Fed- versity, the American Chamber of Commerce cial Buffalo Law Review issue featuring ac- colades from the state’s top judges. eral Reserve or Ms. Sasser—strongly argues in Brussels, the Cincinnati Symphony Orches- Jasen should have been New York’s chief in favor of Federal legislation to raise the min- tra and the Cincinnati Art Museum.