Congressional Record—House H209
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January 12, 2015 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H209 Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, as the want to say ‘‘senior member’’—in the our Nation. His values, his vision, and senior member of the New York delega- New York delegation for getting us off his effectiveness for the people of New tion, it affords me a great honor to to a start to sing the praises of Mario York were an inspiration around the come from the Empire State of New Cuomo. It is my honor to join the New world. He was a man of principle and York, where we have so many people York delegation. I feel honored to do eloquence—that was good—and all the we are proud of, but because Mario so. Four of our children were born in world saw, again, that manifested in Cuomo represented the true nature of New York, so that gives me some the ‘‘shining city on a hill’’ speech at the American Dream, we from the standing on the subject. the 1984 Democratic Convention. State of New York would just like to Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor to With those soaring words, Governor laud the contributions that he has join the New York delegation in paying Cuomo summoned the best of America made, not just to Queens, where he was tribute to the memory of Governor and called us to empower the working raised, not just to the great State of Mario Cuomo. I am reminded of Eccle- people and middle class families who New York, but to those democratic siasticus. We all know this, but just are the backbone of our Nation. He principles that all of us believe in, and think of how appropriate it is for Mario asked us to remember how futures are no one could articulate it the way our Cuomo. built. We know Mario Cuomo’s lan- great Governor has. In Ecclesiasticus, it says: guage and leadership will echo through So many people have come to this Now let us praise great men, the heroes of the ages just as vital, just as urgent, country from faraway places, and our Nation. just as energizing as his words were somehow, when they succeed, some They led the people by their counsel and that day. change their names, some change their their knowledge of the laws. From their font In word and deed, Governor Cuomo attitudes, and some just absolutely for- of wisdom, they gave instruction. challenged us to make real the Amer- These are godly men whose righteous deeds get how they got here and how they ican Dream. He had it for his family. were perceived; but Mario Cuomo was have not been forgotten. Their wealth is their descendants, and their inheritance is He wanted it for everyone else, for all different. their children’s children. Their bodies are who strived to realize it, and opened Mario was so proud of the fact that buried in peace, and their names will live the doors of opportunity for every his parents were immigrants. He was forever. American family. proud of the fact that they came here The people will tell of their wisdom, and Family meant everything to him. He with nothing but a hope and a dream the congregation will continue to sing their was a proud Governor of New York for that their son would succeed. He suc- praise. three terms, but his proudest achieve- ceeded in everything that he touched, Does that remind you of Mario ment was his beautiful family. No one from neighborhood arbitration, to sec- Cuomo? Is that perfectly appropriate could miss the pride and inspiration he retary of state, to Lieutenant Gov- for him? Surely, those words apply to found in his immigrant parents and ernor; and, of course, the Nation re- the life and legacy of our great de- how he talked about them so beau- members him as Governor and as one parted friend, Mario. tifully or in his boundless dedication to who articulated the principles not of As a fellow Italian American, I have Matilda and his children. the Democratic Party, but of the entire always taken great pride in his leader- Our country has lost a great leader, country at a Democratic Convention. ship. As a San Franciscan who hosted but his family has lost a devoted hus- Of course, he leaves behind a son the Democratic Convention, we in Cali- band to his wife of over 60 years, to Ma- who, for those of us who attended his fornia had some kind of claim on Mario tilda. He was a loving father to five funeral would have to say not only did Cuomo because of the great speech that children—Margaret, Andrew, Maria, he talk about his father in terms that he made at that convention which Mr. Madeline, and Christopher—and was a made us all feel proud, but in that RANGEL referenced, but my observing doting grandfather to some really love- voice that he had, if you closed your of his greatness goes farther back than ly grandchildren. eyes for one moment, you would see that. My husband, Paul, and I and our en- that Mario Cuomo did not die. He left It was during a trip to Italy that we tire family are heartbroken. We are his son to continue in describing the were invited by President Carter in really heartbroken by his passing, and great opportunity that we have in this 1980 to bring the sympathy and support we continue to extend our deepest sym- great country. of the American people to Italy at the I am so glad that so many New York- pathy and love to Matilda and their time of the earthquake, when they lost ers are here. Because we are here for family. 2,700 lives and which left 265,000 people I hope it is a comfort to them that so such a short period of time—we are in homeless. I mention that because we many people in their own State, in the committees and reorganizing—the del- went by helicopter from village to vil- country, and, really, throughout the egation has asked me to reduce my re- lage to village. Villages were dev- world mourn their loss and continue to marks to 2 minutes, and I share that astated. pray for them and continue to be in- concern with the rest of our great dele- Mario Cuomo, here was this person spired by this great man. gation. who had such a large spirit and a good It is my great pleasure to yield back As Ecclesiasticus says: soul, who could sympathize with these the balance of my time so that the gen- People will tell of his wisdom, and the con- people in English and Italian. For ex- gregation will continue to sing his praise. tleman from New York, JOSEPH CROW- ample, in a village where a First Com- LEY, may control the remainder of my I thank Mr. CROWLEY for yielding. I time. munion class was rehearsing for First thank him for bringing us together to Communion, all of the 7-year-olds in sing the praises of Mario Cuomo. f that village were in that church when Mr. CROWLEY. Thank you. COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF the earthquake hit. The roof came Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentle- MARIO CUOMO down, and every 7-year-old in the vil- woman from Rochester, New York, The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under lage was lost. LOUISE SLAUGHTER. the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- Imagine the grief of those individual Ms. SLAUGHTER. I thank Mr. CROW- uary 6, 2015, the gentleman from New families and of that community to lose LEY for yielding to me. There is so York (Mr. CROWLEY) is recognized for those children, but as you would ex- much on my mind as to what I could the remainder of the hour as the des- pect, he was up to the task, knowing say about him. ignee of the minority leader. that words were completely inadequate I knew him longer than the rest of Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield and that no sympathy could meet the the New Yorkers. I met him in 1973. I to the gentlewoman from California pain that they were feeling; nonethe- was a member of the Democratic State (Ms. PELOSI), the minority leader of less, there was this beautiful, sympa- committee in Rochester, New York, the House. thetic man identifying with these peo- and I was asked by the district attor- Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman ple from a region from which his fam- ney to come over to his house and meet for yielding. ily had come in southern Italy. a man from New York City who was I thank the distinguished member Mario Cuomo was a pillar of strength thinking about running for Governor; and longest-serving member—I don’t through his community, his State, and so I joined my friends and sat in the VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:30 Jan 13, 2015 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K12JA7.033 H12JAPT1 rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H210 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 12, 2015 living room for about an hour, await- those 2 years of showing him upstate This week in 1975, I became a member ing the guest from New York to get off New York. And then when he got elect- of the New York State Assembly. This the telephone in the kitchen and come ed lieutenant governor—I ran that up- week in 1975, Mario Cuomo became sec- out and talk to us.