Gaveled in 11:11 AM · Albany, New York · 2013–14 session
NEW YORK STATE SENATE
THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
ALBANY, NEW YORK
January 14, 2014
11:11 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION
SENATOR DAVID J. VALESKY, Acting President
FRANCIS W. PATIENCE, Secretary
P R O C E E D I N G SACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:The Senate will come to order.
I ask everyone present to please rise and repeat with me the Pledge of Allegiance.
(Whereupon, the assemblage recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Today we are joined by Rabbi Israel Rubin, from the Chabad of the Capital District in Albany, and he will give us our invocation.
RABBI RUBIN:This Thursday the Jewish calendar marks Tu B'Shevat, the New Year for Trees and Fruit. It sounds ironic to celebrate trees and fruit when it's dark and dreary outside, but deep within the tree new life stirs as energies flow toward the growth of leaves, blossoms and fruit.
Throughout the seasons, a tree stands as a beautiful poem. It buds in the spring, offers leafy shade in the summer and brilliant foliage in the fall. But even in the dead of winter, especially in the dead of winter, the tree skeleton of bare trunk, branches and twigs may resemble our New York State roadmap.
Rising from the Big Apple on the bottom of the map to this Capital Region, growing north to touch the Canadian border, reaching out westward the full length of our state, these roads and thruways divide and branch off into our cities and towns, arterials, parkways, boulevards, city streets, alleys, even on to personal driveways.
Almighty God, in Thou inspire the honorable men and women of this Senate with good vision and noble wisdom to remember that our networks are all linked and connected, to think forward to fruit even when all seems bare and barren, to plan ahead for the future growth, and to yearn for the spring for the benefit of all people of this great state.
Amen.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:The reading of the Journal.
The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:In Senate, Monday, January 13, the Senate met pursuant to adjournment. The Journal of Sunday, January 12, was read and approved. On motion, Senate adjourned.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Without objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
Presentation of petitions.
Messages from the Assembly.
Messages from the Governor.
Reports of standing committees.
Reports of select committees.
Communications and reports from state officers.
Motions and resolutions.
Senator Carlucci.
SENATOR CARLUCCI:Mr. President, I move the following bills be discharged from their respective committees and be recommitted with instructions to strike the enacting clause: Senate Bill Numbers 2259, 2266, 2335, 2376, 3053, 3771A, 5703B, 5803.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:So ordered.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Thank you, Mr. President. I too have a motion.
On behalf of Senator Zeldin, I move that the following bill be discharged from its respective committee and be recommitted with instructions to strike the enacting clause. That would be Senate Print Number 6214, please.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:So ordered.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Thank you, Mr. President.
At this time I believe that there is a resolution before the house -- oh, we have to adopt the Resolution Calendar first, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:All those in favor of adopting the Resolution Calendar -- I believe there are exceptions, Senator Libous, to that?
SENATOR LIBOUS:There are exceptions. Mr. President, for some reason my glasses aren't working this morning.
(Laughter.)
SENATOR LIBOUS:And now that I've got them in focus, with the exception of 2778, by Senator Kennedy; 2686, by Senator Stavisky; 2886, by Senator Perkins; and 2758, by Senator Parker.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:All those in favor of adopting the Resolution Calendar with the exceptions of Resolutions 2686, 2758, 2778 and 2886, signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Opposed, nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:The Resolution Calendar is adopted.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Thank you, Mr. President.
And at this time I believe there's a resolution by Senator Kennedy, Number 2778, at the desk. Could we read the title only and then, if you could call on Senator Kennedy, he wishes to speak on his resolution.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Legislative Resolution Number 2778, by Senator Kennedy, honoring Barbara-Jo Hard upon the occasion of her retirement after many years of distinguished service as Cofounder and Executive Director of Bornhava.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Senator Kennedy on the resolution.
SENATOR KENNEDY:Thank you very much, Mr. President.
I rise today to honor Barbara-Jo Hard upon the occasion of her retirement from Bornhava Early Childhood Center for Children with Development Disabilities and Special Needs.
Barbara-Jo Hard has long been a leading advocate for children with special needs in Western New York. Through her relentless efforts, Bornhava has grown from a small preschool to a significant agency serving 150 children and their families.
Bornhava opened its doors 31 years ago in 1983. As Bornhava's executive director and cofounder, Barbara-Jo has overseen the growth of the organization and always worked hard with extraordinary dedication to serving children and their families. In 1992, Bornhava moved into its current home location off Main Street in Amherst.
As an occupational therapist, I was able to work under Barbara-Jo Hard and learn from her firsthand. Her dedication to the children of Western New York is unmatched, and her retirement leaves a void that we must all work to fill.
I've known Barbara-Jo Hard my entire life, and she's had an enormous impact on me personally as well, as she introduced me to my wife, Katie, a physical therapist who was working at Bornhava at the time I was. Katie and I were married a few years after we met at Bornhava, something Barbara-Jo takes credit for, gladly, and we gladly give it to her.
In her own personal life, Barbara-Jo has committed herself to her church, her community, and her family. She has continually grown her family by reaching out across the entire world to adopt children, some with special needs, others in dire circumstances where raising them in the United States gave them the opportunity to live their lives to the fullest. This included adoptions of numerous children refugees and orphans from Vietnam and Russia during the height of the Cold War.
As American citizens, her children have grown and prospered and given back to the community just as their mother has.
Barbara-Jo Hard is one of Western New York's true servant leaders. She's always put the needs of others before her own and has served our community's children with a unique sense of loyalty, honor and distinction.
Throughout her tenure as Bornhava's executive director, Barbara-Jo has strived to provide an environment where children with developmental disabilities and special needs can prosper, grow and succeed.
For all of these reasons, it's my high honor and privilege to pay tribute to a woman I truly admire and respect -- a former boss, a true mentor, and a dear friend, not only to myself but to all Western New York children and families.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Thank you, Senator Kennedy.
The question is on Resolution Number 2778. All in favor signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Opposed, nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:The resolution is adopted.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Yes, Mr. President, I'd like to take up Resolution 2686, by Senator Stavisky, read the title only, and then please call on Senator Stavisky.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Legislative Resolution Number 2686, by Senator Stavisky, honoring President James L. Muyskens upon the occasion of his retirement as President of Queens College.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Senator Stavisky on the resolution.
SENATOR STAVISKY:Thank you, Mr. President.
I too am proud to sponsor this resolution, not only as the ranking member on the Committee on Higher Education but also as the State Senator who represents Queens College in the New York State Senate.
President Muyskens is retiring after 11½ years as president of Queens College. In fact, he's the ninth president of Queens College.
And in the interests of full disclosure, I went to graduate school at Queens College; my son also was president of the student government at Queens College. And this is truly a remarkable, remarkable part of the City University of New York.
President Muyskens has many, many accomplishments. To me, most important, he raised the undergraduate level at Queens College by establishing a general education curriculum. He increased the student body from 15,000 to 20,000 students and the full-time faculty by 300 faculty members. They opened a residential hall for 500 students a number of years ago, which attracts students from all over the world to this institution.
There's been a lot of construction at Queens College. Powdermaker Hall, which is the classroom instruction building, and Remsen, the chem lab facility, these have all been rehabilitated under President Muyskens.
He has been able to bring the college to the community. And most of my colleagues certainly from Queens know that when you have a swearing-in ceremony, you go to the concert hall and hold the ceremonies at Queens College. They are open to the community.
But don't just take my word for it. Washington Monthly ranked Queens College as number two in the country in value. You get what you pay for. In fact, you get more than what you pay for. I like to call it a Tiffany education at Target prices. And that's really what you're getting.
Princeton Review, they evaluated 378 colleges and ranked Queens College, part of CUNY, as second in race and class interactions. And that's an interesting category, because 50 percent of the students at Queens College were not born in the United States. They speak over 160 languages at Queens College. And to me, this is meeting the needs of the current population. The diversity, everybody knows how diverse Queens County is.
President Muyskens has come full circle. He spent 17 years at Hunter College, from an assistant professor all the way to acting provost. Then he went off to Kansas and to the University of Georgia. And 11½ years ago he returned to Queens College, which was then in a state of flux. They were having some problems on campus. We had a lack of leadership for a while. And yet he restored stability to the campus and to the students and to the faculty and to the community.
So I congratulate President Muyskens on his tenure at Queens College. He's going off to become a professor of philosophy at the CUNY Graduate Center in Manhattan. But I think the fact that we stop today to honor President Muyskens is significant. And I ask anybody who would like to cosponsor the resolution to join me.
Thank you.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Thank you, Senator Stavisky.
The question is on Resolution 2686. All in favor signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Opposed, nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:The resolution is adopted.
Senator Stavisky.
SENATOR STAVISKY:Can we open the resolution, Senator Libous?
SENATOR LIBOUS:Sure.
Mr. President, Senator Stavisky would like to open the resolution. And as the policy in the chamber goes, all members will go on it. Unless for any reason you wish not to be on it, please let the desk know.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Thank you, Senator Libous.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Thank you, Mr. President.
Mr. President, at this time Senator Perkins has a resolution, 2886. He would like to have it read in its entirety and if you could call on Senator Perkins before its adoption.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Legislative Resolution Number 2886, by Senator Perkins, celebrating the life and accomplishments of Nelson Mandela, civil rights leader and prominent freedom fighter, and commemorating the 24th anniversary of his visit to New York City and the speech he presented to the people of Harlem.
"WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body, in keeping with its time-honored traditions, to recognize and pay tribute to those extraordinary individuals who foster ethnic pride and enhance the profile of cultural diversity which strengthens the fabric of the communities of New York State; Nelson Mandela was one such individual; and
"WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Nelson Mandela, civil rights leader and prominent freedom fighter, and to commemorate the 24th anniversary of his visit to New York City and the speech he presented to the people of Harlem; and
"WHEREAS, On June 22, 1990, Nelson Mandela and his wife, Winnie, made a worldly homecoming to New York City, as a crucial component of the unstinting quest to end apartheid; as part of his visit, Mr. Mandela was greeted by over 150,000 people as his motorcade moved from Queens through Brooklyn; he spoke to a crowd of over 100,000 people in Harlem; he addressed a crowd at the world-renowned Riverside Church -- where he would later be memorialized -- guided by former Manhattan Borough President and then-Mayor of New York City, David Dinkins; he addressed the United Nations Special Committee on Apartheid, was feted with a ticker-tape parade in Manhattan down the Canyon of Heroes, culminating in a speech to over 200,000 at New York City Hall, and made remarks to a packed house at Yankee Stadium to conclude this day of inspiration; and
"WHEREAS, On this day, Nelson Mandela was welcomed with open arms by over 100,000 people in Harlem who identified in him, as daughters and sons of Africa, a commonality of struggle, singularity of hope and unity of cause in fighting racism and oppression the world over; and
"WHEREAS, In his speech to the people of Harlem, which took place at the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevards in the middle of African Square, Nelson Mandela highlighted the common bond and mutual inspiration shared amongst all those gathered, saying 'Whilst my comrades and I were in prison, we followed closely your own struggle against the injustices of racist discrimination and economic inequality. We were and are aware of the resistance of the people of Harlem and continue to be inspired by your indomitable fighting spirit. I am able to speak to you because of the mass resistance of our people and the unceasing solidarity of millions throughout the world. It is you, the working people of Harlem, that helped make it happen'; and
"WHEREAS, Nelson Mandela's homecoming in Harlem occurred on the same day he delivered his famous speech to the United Nations Special Committee on Apartheid; as such, it was a befitting and appropriate bookend that ended with many of the same universal words of truth and power, including 'The light at the end of the tunnel is beckoning' . . . 'But we are not yet there. Let us act in unity. Let us double and redouble our efforts'; and
"WHEREAS, Nelson Mandela's presence in Harlem was an event of unparalleled inspiration to a local and global community that saw in him everything about themselves and the pillars of struggle and hope that unite us all; the evening ended with a resounding and redoubling chorus of the chant: 'And We Will Not Give Up The Fight!'; now, therefore, be it
"RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Nelson Mandela, civil rights leader and prominent freedom fighter, and to commemorate the 24th anniversary of his visit to New York City and the speech he presented to the people of Harlem; and be it further
"RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the family of Nelson Mandela."
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Senator Perkins on the resolution.
SENATOR PERKINS:Thank you very much.
The importance of honoring and cherishing Nelson Mandela's New York State roots is of paramount importance as we all seek to carry forth a flame of incandescent inspiration from the man's singular earthly glow.
When he visited our state in 1990, it was merely weeks after he had served nearly three decades in prison simply for standing up for the hallmark causes of justice, equality and shared humanity.
Twenty-four years ago, cracks were appearing in the artifice of apartheid, but the foundational cement was as hard as ever. The prime factor that drove his visit was deepening the tide that would forever rend it asunder. That approach is best encapsulated in the following quote: "We fought injustice wherever we found it, no matter how large or how small, and we fought injustice to preserve our own humanity."
Guided by the city's first black mayor, David Dinkins, Mr. Mandela reached millions of New Yorkers on his inspirational journey. When Nelson Mandela visited New York, it was a homecoming of the highest order, one that spoke to so many spiritually, emotionally, socially and culturally. It is a moment that was born in time and born of the time surrounding it and a moment of perpetuity that is handed down to each of us.
Nelson Mandela came to my neighborhood, to the cultural, political and geographic nexus of Harlem. He came to a specific place, but his message was universal. It was a message for each borough, for each county, for each person, for each of us that are part of the Empire State.
The pride that I felt when Nelson Mandela visited New York is a pride that resonated from 125th Street and traveled to all corners of this state as he spoke to everyone who has ever been a dreamer, an advocate, an organizer, to everyone who has ever put their principles first and to those who live every moment of their life imbued with the naturally incurable hope for a fairer and more equal tomorrow. Thank you.
I'd like to open up the opportunity for my colleagues to cosponsor as well.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Thank you, Senator Perkins.
Senator Montgomery on the resolution.
SENATOR MONTGOMERY:Yes, thank you, Mr. President.
I want to thank my colleague for introducing this resolution, and I'm very happy to join him in cosponsoring it.
And I'm remembering the day that Mayor David Dinkins set aside for Nelson Mandela Day in the City of New York. He was hosting a very significant and important celebration.
And one of my colleagues who has since retired from the Assembly but at that time was chair of the Association of Black and Puerto Rican and Latino Legislators, Assemblymember Albert Vann, decided that it was important for us who were stuck in Albany, so to speak -- if you consider being stuck here when something important is going on in your district -- that he wanted to make sure that those of us who were members of the caucus had an opportunity to celebrate Nelson Mandela in person.
And so he made sure that there was a bus made available for us. We all got on that bus and were able to travel to the city for that day. And I am eternally grateful to Assemblymember Vann because that was my one opportunity to have a very, very personal experience with this great and wonderful international leader.
And so there are many, many different people who are part of the wonderful experience and certainly the inspiration of Nelson Mandela. But to have been there to actually see him, shake his hand, say hello and give him a hug and welcome him to his other home, which we felt was New York City -- for him, I'm grateful.
So thank you, Senator Perkins. This is an opportunity for us to say how much we appreciate this light unto our world that Nelson Mandela represents. So thank you, and I'm happy to cosponsor it.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Thank you, Senator Montgomery.
Senator Parker on the resolution.
SENATOR PARKER:Thank you, Mr. President.
I rise to add my voice to those who want to celebrate the life and the legacy of Nelson Mandela, Madiba.
And I want to thank Senator Perkins for bringing this resolution forth and in commemorating this important day but, more importantly, the life and the legacy of Nelson Mandela.
I feel like in many ways I get to stand before you in this position because of the work of Nelson Mandela. He was far more than just a freedom fighter in the country of South Africa, but for many young people, particularly in the mid-'80s when I was in college, he was our King figure. He was fighting apartheid, which many of us saw as the modern-day Jim Crow at that time. We can say there's a more modern-day Jim Crow still going on, but that's a speech for another day.
But the work that Nelson Mandela did and the strength and character that he brought, having been imprisoned for 27 years and then, you know, becoming president of his country -- and doing all that with such grace. And having the kind of vision and, you know, the kind of intestinal fortitude that kept him for almost 30 years keeping up the struggle, even after he was imprisoned and beaten and denied the opportunity to see what his people had been going through, was important.
At that time there were many of us at college campuses, me at the time at the Pennsylvania State University, you know, protesting the investments of those universities in South Africa. And we were very, very successful in doing that. But it is really Nelson Mandela's example that pushed us on to do the right things not just for corporations and large institutions here in America and for what was happening for the people of South Africa who were suffering, but also then to look at that and connect that to our struggles here as people of African descent in America and continue to fight for ourselves.
And so today I rededicate myself to justice here in the State of New York, in Brooklyn, and in my district in the name of the life and the legacy of Nelson Mandela.
Thank you.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Thank you, Senator Parker.
Senator Sanders on the resolution.
SENATOR SANDERS:Thank you, sir.
It is good that Senator Perkins has brought this to us. It allows New York State to go on record as saying that we too recognize that we lived in a day of giants, a day when giants walked the earth.
And I'm speaking of course of Nelson Mandela, a person who, although his body was imprisoned, his presence was felt in every corner on this globe. The presence was felt by everyone who appreciates and loves justice and dignity for all human beings. Nelson Mandela went beyond being just the South African leader, he went beyond being all of these. He became the leader of everyone who loves justice, everyone who loves the idea of democracy.
He did more for the people of this earth staying in a prison cell for 27 years -- although he was offered three times that if he would just renounce his principles, he would be allowed to walk free. He could have done this many a time, and chose that the struggle that he was fighting was more important than just his individual freedom. He understood well that an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
So it is good that we in New York State stop and think about it, to think that how can we find ways of rooting out any type of apartheid that we find ourselves in, how do we find out ways of uniting with all different type of people to ensure that the many of us who like justice, who insist on freedom, can oppose the few who want to take it away from folk.
So with that, I say that Senator Parker is right, that we do need to dedicate ourselves -- not in an abstract situation, but in this Senate hall that we need to look within ourselves and within these bills that we are debating to see what can we do to make sure that the beloved community becomes closer and more a reality. And in that way we honor Nelson Mandela by becoming or allowing the Nelson Mandela in us all to come forward.
Thank you very much.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Thank you, Senator Sanders.
Senator Hassell-Thompson on the resolution.
SENATOR HASSELL-THOMPSON:Thank you, Mr. President.
I stood yesterday when the leaders of our chambers presented a resolution on Nelson Mandela, and I spoke yesterday. And I guess people want to know why would I speak again. I would never let an opportunity to talk about Mandela pass and not add my voice. And particularly to my colleague, to Bill Perkins.
You know, Bill has become in his own way the conscience of many of us in these chambers. And I think that his personal knowledge of Nelson Mandela added a dimension that somehow was missing yesterday.
And so that I appreciate you bringing that personal dimension to us, Bill. Because as all of us stand here, we believe, many of us believe that we embrace justice for all. But I know that we all need to work harder to ensure that we do.
So each time we talk about Nelson Mandela, it is a reaffirmation that there is work to be done. But there is the possibility in all of us to help to make it a reality.
So I thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity, and to you, Bill Perkins, for bringing this resolution for us this morning.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Thank you, Senator Hassell-Thompson.
The question is on Resolution 2886. All in favor signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Opposed, nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:The resolution is adopted.
Senator Perkins has asked that the resolution be open for cosponsorship, Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Yes, Mr. President. Again, as the policy goes, if someone chooses not to be on the resolution, please let the desk know.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Very good.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Mr. President, at this time Senator Parker has Resolution Number 2758. Could we please read it in its entirety and call on Senator Parker.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Legislative Resolution Number 2758, by Senator Parker, mourning the death of Congressman Major Robert Odell Owens, distinguished citizen and devoted member of his community.
"WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and the great State of New York; and
"WHEREAS, It is with great sorrow and deep regret that this Legislative Body records the passing of Congressman Major Robert Odell Owens, noting the significance of his purposeful life and accomplishments; and
"WHEREAS, Major Owens, who served in the House of Representatives until 2007, died on Monday, October 21, 2013; and
"WHEREAS, Major Owens was born in Collierville, Tennessee, on June 28, 1936, to Ezekiel and Edna Owens; in 1956, the year he graduated from Morehouse, Mr. Owens married Ms. Ethel Werfel and was later remarried to the former Maria Cuprill; and
"WHEREAS, After earning a master's degree in library science in 1957 from Atlanta University (which later became Clark Atlanta), Mr. Owens moved to New York City and worked as a librarian in Brooklyn from 1958 until the mid-1960s; as a librarian, he became a fixture in the Brooklyn community working as a crusader for working-class families, which led him into fighting poverty as part of the Mayor John V. Lindsay administration in the 1960s, and eventually into a position as a New York State Senator; and
"WHEREAS, After serving Brooklyn as a State Senator, Major Owens ran successfully for the Congressional seat previously held by Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, which he continued to serve for 24 years; among his many achievements include the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and many years of increased funding for the historically black colleges and universities; and
"WHEREAS, After his retirement from Congress, Major Owens returned to the world of academia and taught at Medgar Evers College in Central Brooklyn; in his death, Brooklyn has lost a true hero who led by example and cared deeply for the community he lived in for so many years; and
"WHEREAS, Congressman Major Owens distinguished himself in his profession and by his sincere dedication and substantial contribution to the welfare of his community; and
"WHEREAS, Mr. Owens is survived by his wife, Maria, his children, Chris, Millard and Geoffrey, his brothers, Ezekiel Jr., Mack and Bobby, his sister, Edna, stepson, Carlos, stepdaughter, Cecilia, four grandchildren and four step-grandchildren; and
"WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of compassion, Congressman Major Owens leaves behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended; now, therefore, be it
"RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the death of Congressman Major Robert Odell Owens, distinguished citizen and devoted member of his community; and be it further
"RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the family of Congressman Major Robert Odell Owens."
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Senator Parker on the resolution.
SENATOR PARKER:Thank you, Mr. President. On the resolution.
I want to thank you for an opportunity to celebrate the work and all of the efforts of my Congressman, Major Owens. Growing up, Major Owens was my Congressman. He was the person, you know, who spoke at my graduations and somebody who I knew to be fighting for me. He was a person that my family went to when we were having difficulties of any kind, and someone who we felt was always on call.
How appropriate is it that today, being the week of the birth of the Reverend Martin Luther King, that we have the opportunity here in the State Senate to honor Major Owens, Dr. King, and Nelson Mandela. And it is no small stretch to put Major Owens in that category. This is somebody who in his own right was the conscience of the Congress in the time that he served there.
He was a tireless fighter on behalf of education, coming from -- you know, we see oftentimes a librarian as just a keeper of books. But he was more than that, he was a keeper of knowledge. He was somebody who always cared about our young people. And in fact he's most famous in the district for his Martin Luther King, Jr., Commission that gave out scholarships to young people, that provided educational opportunities for young people, that provided upliftment in the community and brought economic development and access to opportunity.
Major Owens was somebody also in the context of political empowerment who was always on the vanguard. He was somebody who encouraged young people like myself to be involved in politics, who oftentimes fought for candidates that nobody else wanted to fight for. He was oftentimes on the side of the underdog.
In fact, representing the 21st Senatorial District in Brooklyn that is a primarily Caribbean community in the part in which I live, I remember my first political campaign working for Una Clarke, Una S.T. Clarke. And Una was running as an insurgent candidate at the time. And the county was against her, and the only major elected official in that area, who lived in that area who was supporting Una Clarke was Major Owens.
Unfortunately, in 1991 he suffered a heart attack and had a triple or quadruple bypass. It was like, you know, a really, really serious heart operation. He was in the hospital for about a week. And I remember this because I went and got him myself, he went directly from the hospital when they released him to do a train stop for Una Clarke.
That's the kind of dedication that this man had, that his health wasn't even as important as was the fight for justice and the fight for inclusion, as we saw that the election of Una Clarke as the first Caribbean immigrant ever elected to the City Council was for the political incorporation of Caribbean people in Brooklyn and in New York.
And how fitting is it now that that Caribbean immigrant's daughter is now succeeding Major Owens in the U.S. Congress, my new Congresswoman, Yvette D. Clarke.
And so we're here to celebrate not just the work and the life of Major Owens, but his after, the things that he has left behind: The sense of justice, the institutions, the sense of political empowerment that Brooklyn has because Major Owens was there. We are better as a people, as Brooklynites, and as New Yorkers because Major Owens served.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Thank you, Senator Parker.
Senator Smith on the resolution.
SENATOR SMITH:Thank you very much, Mr. President.
And let me thank my colleague Senator Parker for bringing this resolution to the floor today.
As so many of my colleagues spoke so eloquently about Nelson Mandela yesterday and today, Major Owens so too deserves those same type of accolades. Many may not realize that Major Owens has had an impact on many of the elected officials in particular of color that sit in this chamber and the Assembly chamber.
As we have, so many of us on this side of the aisle have joined the fight to provide pre-K for our young people today, Major Owens took up that fight for community action programs back in the '60s and the '70s. I myself had the ability to go to Washington, and it was Major Owens who decided to take up that fight when so many of our community action programs were being threatened.
To some of my colleagues community action programs may not mean a lot, but in the neighborhoods of Southeast Queens and in Bed-Stuy and Harlem, community action programs are the difference between being caught up and being sent to jail or in some negative activity, or being able to sit in this chamber and advocate for opportunities for young people to come forward this day.
Senator Parker laid out all the facts that need to be presented on behalf of Congressman Major Owens. I stand today not only to support the resolution but to make sure that my colleagues take the time, when you have an opportunity to Google Senator or Congressman Major Owens, do so. Read the rich history that he has contributed to, and I guarantee you you will find some nexus between his life and yours that would allow you at some point in time to not only pray for his family but also to thank God for the presence and the impact that he had on our state and our city.
Thank you very much, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Thank you, Senator Smith.
The question is on Resolution 2758. But before that, Senator Montgomery would like to speak on the resolution.
SENATOR MONTGOMERY:Yes, thank you, Mr. President.
I rise to also thank my colleague Senator Parker for introducing this resolution.
But I just want to correct the record for this moment. Congressman Major Owens was my congressman.
(Laughter.)
SENATOR MONTGOMERY:And long, long before I came to Albany as an elected official, as an advocate in the community working on behalf of children and families in Brooklyn and across the state, it was Senator Major Owens that was our go-to legislator in the State Legislature.
And he was not only the person who supported us and sponsored legislation on our behalf, but he also taught us how to be effective leaders as it relates to working and advocating for our communities.
And let me just say that Major Owens was a Morehouse man. And so every time the Morehouse choir came to Brooklyn, wherever they were, if Major Owens was in the audience he would dutifully get up and go and join the choir. So I was very, very touched by that because not many people feel that strongly about their alma mater.
But as the parent of a Morehouse young person, one of the things that the president of the college said to my son's class as he was entering Morehouse was that "We did not bring you to Morehouse to be an intellectual elite. We are here to teach you and to prepare you to be leaders of your people."
And I was extremely, extremely touched by that because as I look at Major Owens, I can see what Morehouse means to the young people in this nation, especially young men of color. He exhibited that. He was in every single way the person that I believe the president of Morehouse was talking about. He was truly a Morehouse man.
And I appreciate that because of so much that he meant not only to me personally, but to the people that I worked with. Those of us who have been part of a struggle, we did not always know how to access power. He was there for us to help us understand and open the doors. So I thank him, I praise him, and I also praise Morehouse.
Thank you.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Thank you, Senator Montgomery.
Senator Perkins on the resolution.
SENATOR PERKINS:Thank you very much.
I want to be brief because I just wanted to, for the record, let it be clear that Major Owens was the congressman from Brooklyn. He spent a lot of time with us in Harlem.
(Laughter.)
SENATOR PERKINS:And it was good time, because when we were struggling around hospital closings and anti-poverty programs closing, he was always available. And he was a role model for some of us who were looking forward to getting involved in community activism.
And so I just wanted to let it be known that we appreciate him as if he was one of our congressmen as well.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Thank you, Senator Perkins.
The question now is on Resolution Number 2758. All in favor signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:Opposed, nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:The resolution is adopted.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Thank you, Mr. President.
I believe that Senator Perkins would like to open this resolution up? Senator Parker. The other Senator Perkins, yes. Senator Parker would like to open this resolution up.
And as the policy goes, if you choose not to go on the resolution, please let the desk know.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:The resolution is open for cosponsorship.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Mr. President, is there any further business at the desk at this time?
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:There is no further business.
SENATOR LIBOUS:There being no further business, I move that the Senate adjourn to January 22nd at 3:00 p.m., intervening days being legislative days.
ACTING PRESIDENT VALESKY:On motion, the Senate stands adjourned until Wednesday, January 22nd, at 3:00 p.m., intervening days being legislative days.
(Whereupon, at 11:55 a.m., the Senate adjourned.)
Highest impact first.