Gaveled in 3:22 PM · Albany, New York · 2015–16 session
NEW YORK STATE SENATE
THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
ALBANY, NEW YORK
March 17, 2015
3:22 p.m.
REGULAR SESSION
SENATOR TERRENCE P. MURPHY, Acting President
FRANCIS W. PATIENCE, Secretary
P R O C E E D I N G SACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Posting of the Color Guard.
(The Color Guard entered the Senate chamber and presented colors before the dais.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY: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.)
(The Color Guard marched to the rear double doors and exited the chamber.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Today we are joined by Reverend Andrew Nunez, senior pastor of Believers Mennonite Garifuna Ministries, from the Bronx. He will give our invocation.
REVEREND NUNEZ:Eternal God, the Creator of this universe, the God that loves us and cares for us, Lord, we thank You for bringing us here together to give You honor and give You glory and to recognize Your presence in our celebration today.
We thank You. And bless every Senator and every congregation and every community that they represent. {In Garifuna.}
May God bless you. Amen.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Pastor Nunez.
We'll have the reading of the Journal.
THE SECRETARY:In Senate, Monday, March 16th, the Senate met pursuant to adjournment. The Journal of Sunday, March 15th, was read and approved. On motion, Senate adjourned.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY: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.
Floor Leader, Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Mr. President, thank you.
I'd like to adopt the Resolution Calendar, with the exception of Resolution 936, by Senator Díaz; 976, by Senator Serrano; and 986, by Senator Stewart-Cousins. If we could have those not passed at this time but do the entire Resolution Calendar at this time.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:All in favor of adopting the Resolution Calendar with the exception of Resolutions 936, 976, and 986, signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Opposed, nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:The Resolution Calendar is adopted.
Floor Leader.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Thank you, Mr. President.
At this time could we take up a previously adopted resolution by Senator Ritchie. It would be 833. I'd like it read in its entirety. I would then call on Senator Skelos and then Senator Ritchie to speak on the resolution.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Legislative Resolution Number 833, by Senator Ritchie, memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 17, 2015, as 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum Day in the State of New York.
"WHEREAS, Fort Drum is located in Jefferson County, in Northern New York, and is the largest military installation in the Northeastern United States; and
"WHEREAS, Fort Drum is named for Lieutenant General Hugh Drum, a decorated national hero, former commander of First Army, and an early leader of the state's own volunteer militia, the New York Guard; and
"WHEREAS, For 30 years, Fort Drum has been home to the United States Army's storied 10th Mountain Division; and
"WHEREAS, The 10th Mountain Division includes the Army's most deployed combat units, serving with honor, distinction and great sacrifice as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom and other actions central to our nation's response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; and
"WHEREAS, Elements of the 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum in New York State, were first to be deployed in the aftermath of those attacks and, 13 years later, the last units to return from combat duty, so for the first time in more than a decade, nearly all of Fort Drum's soldiers and officers are back at home in New York State; and
"WHEREAS, 323 brave men and women who were members of the 10th Mountain Division and based at Fort Drum gave their lives in the cause of defeating global terrorism; and
"WHEREAS, The distinguished service of units posted to Fort Drum has been celebrated by Presidents, members of Congress, and members of the international community; and
"WHEREAS, In addition to its vital role in our nation's defense, Fort Drum is the largest single-site employer in the State of New York, and an economic engine for the state and region, with a direct impact of more than $1.2 billion in 2014 and more than $20 billion since the reactivation of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum; and
"WHEREAS, The 18,000 soldiers and officers of Fort Drum, and their families, are an integral part of the community and are welcomed as neighbors, coworkers, classmates, friends and fellow New Yorkers; and
"WHEREAS, The Army command is presently reviewing the status of military facilities around the globe and will soon make recommendations which will impact the future of Fort Drum and surrounding communities; and
"WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to salute the soldiers and officers of the 10th Mountain Division, to honor their dedication to preserving our freedom, and our nation, and to recognize their individual and collective contributions to our communities and to New York State; and
"WHEREAS, Fort Drum has and will continue to play an important and essential role in ensuring our nation's military readiness to defend our state and Nation against hostility and threats to our safety and national security; now, therefore, be it
"RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 17, 2015, as 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum Day in the State of New York; and be it further
"RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York, Major General Stephen J. Townsend, Commanding General of Fort Drum, the 10th Mountain Division, the Honorable John M. McHugh, Secretary of the Army, and members of Congress representing the State of New York."
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:I will now call on Senator Skelos.
SENATOR SKELOS:Thank you very much, Mr. President. And congratulating you on I think presiding for the first time.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you.
SENATOR SKELOS:And as Senator Terrence Murphy, also wishing you a Happy St. Patrick's Day, and to all of you.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you very much, Senator.
SENATOR SKELOS:We are truly honored today to have the commanding general of the 10th Mountain Division, Major General Stephen Townsend, visiting with us today, along with several of his service colleagues from Fort Drum.
I had the opportunity to chat with the general earlier. He reminded me that he was here two years ago, and last year that he was in Afghanistan. He also indicated "better in Albany than in Afghanistan," and I think we can all appreciate that.
I also want to thank Senator Patty Ritchie for helping to arrange their visit.
She is truly one of your biggest champions, and for good reason. The 10th Mountain Division has an incredible history of defending our country and fighting for freedom around the world. Your presence here reminds us how lucky we are as Americans to have brave young men and women dedicating their lives to protecting us.
New York is especially fortunate to have such an outstanding base located at Fort Drum. And now more than ever, it's critical that our state fights to support you. Fort Drum plays a vital role in our nation's defense and is also a significant contributor to our state's economy, particularly in the North Country.
I want you to know that the Senate supports you and that we are committed to helping Fort Drum avoid cutbacks that would threaten the future of the base and surrounding communities. We appreciate your service and want everyone serving at Fort Drum to know how proud we are of them and of their service.
I thank you all for joining us today.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Skelos.
I'll now call on Senator Ritchie.
SENATOR RITCHIE:Thank you, Mr. President.
It's an honor to welcome the 10th Mountain Division, led by Commanding General Stephen Townsend.
Today we are recognizing Fort Drum, the largest military installation in the Northeast United States. It's our state's largest single-site employer, with 18,000 soldiers and more than 3,000 civilian employees, home to the Army's most deployed combat unit.
It was exactly 30 years ago when the 10th Mountain Division arrived at Fort Drum. At that time sitting in my chair was Senator John McHugh, who is now the Secretary of the Army. Since then, Fort Drum has grown, along with the entire North Country community around it, with new schools, hospitals, housing, infrastructure, new businesses and jobs that support our troops and their families.
We are proud of Fort Drum's past. But Fort Drum Day is also a chance to look to the future. Later this week Army brass will be at Drum to listen to the public's comments on the plan, a plan that will reduce America's fighting forces to pre-World War II levels. At Fort Drum this could mean a reduction of as much as 95 percent.
I will be at the listening session, and I will share with the Army the resolution we just heard. I will tell them that we in the Senate are proud to have supported Fort Drum's growth, and about our commitment to the post's future. I will tell them about the laws we have passed in a bipartisan fashion to support our troops and our veterans, and I will tell them about the special place that Fort Drum soldiers hold in the hearts of all New Yorkers, a bond that was forged after September 11th when the 10th Mountain Division, soldiers from New York's own Fort Drum, were the Army's first to deploy in the global war on terrorism, and how these brave men and women are preparing right now to respond once again to defend our nation from more dangerous threats that are growing around all around us every single day.
To General Townsend and your troops who are assembled here today, you should know that we stand behind you. I want to thank you for being here and thank you for your service.
Among those that are in the chamber today are three New Yorkers: Sergeant Jacob Guimond, from Plattsburgh; Private First Class Tyler Sealey, from North Syracuse; Lieutenant Colonel TJ Rainsford, from Trumansburg. We are also joined by my good friend -- is he still behind me -- Senator Jim Wright, who once also sat in this chair. And we're also joined by Brigadier General Mike Sweezey.
In the gallery we are joined by Anthony Pieggi. Anthony is here representing Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. We certainly appreciate the Congresswoman's support to our troops and also for Fort Drum. Anthony, thank you for being here.
And we also are joined with representatives from our local community who are out working each and every day helping make sure that we support the troops and making their lives as good as possible for them when they're home and also their families when their loved ones are away. Those individuals have been here all day educating us so we know what Fort Drum really means to all of us.
I want to take a moment to thank our leader, Senator Skelos, along with Senator Klein and Senator Stewart-Cousins, for meeting with the General this afternoon.
I also want to thank our military veterans who serve in the Senate, especially Colonel Senator Larkin -- we would be remiss if we didn't single you out -- and each and every one of my colleagues for the support you have shown our military, our veterans, and also Fort Drum.
In closing, I just want to take a moment to mention the challenge coins that are on your desks. Challenge coins date back to ancient Roman legions. In today's Army, they are usually presented by commanders to signify a specific achievement. I was presented the coin by the Commanding General Mark Milley, who was here at our first Fort Drum Day, after being elected to the Senate. The General told me I had completed one challenge, and now the challenge was to represent my constituents. And that's what I'm doing here today.
I'm presenting each one of you with a challenge coin to honor our soldiers and also to thank you for stepping up and standing with me to help protect Fort Drum.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Ritchie.
Senator Little.
SENATOR LITTLE:Thank you, Mr. President.
I too would like to welcome General Townsend and all of our military people who are here today. And I'm very proud to recognize Sergeant Guimond, who is from Plattsburgh, New York, and proud to represent him and know of his service.
I'd also like to recognize the fact that Senator Ritchie is the one who began this Fort Drum Day and helps us all understand the meaning of Fort Drum and its importance to New York State, as well as the importance of the 10th Mountain division and what their role has been in the last years.
They have really borne the brunt of the service in Afghanistan and Iraq and have lost many members. But these are men and women who do not hesitate to put themselves in harm's way, and we're all fortunate to have them among us and really honored to be in their presence here today.
So thank you for being with us, and thank you to Senator Ritchie and Senator Skelos for allowing us to have a Fort Drum Day here.
Thank you.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Little.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Thank you, Mr. President.
At this time I would ask that we would allow, by unanimous consent, Major General Stephen Townsend to address the body. And then, after his remarks, we would let other members who want to speak on the resolution to stand and speak on the resolution while it's still open on the floor.
So, Mr. President, at this time could we hear from Major General Stephen Townsend.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:General? Right up here, sir.
MAJOR GENERAL TOWNSEND:Good afternoon, and Happy St. Paddy's Day. Oh, there's got to be more energy here than that. Happy St. Paddy's Day!
(Laughter; applause.)
MAJOR GENERAL TOWNSEND:I'm a general. When I say "good afternoon," you all say "good afternoon" back.
(Laughter.)
MAJOR GENERAL TOWNSEND:Today we're all Irishmen, right? And we're also all members of Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division here today.
UNIDENTIFIED MEMBER:Yes, sir.
MAJOR GENERAL TOWNSEND:So thank you, Mr. President, Senators Skelos and Klein, Stewart-Cousins, and Senator Ritchie and all of you who are here today. Thanks for inviting all of us down here today for Fort Drum Day.
On behalf of the almost 20,000 soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum, thanks for allowing us this opportunity to address this gathering to provide you with an update on your 10th Mountain Division.
But first, before I go into that, a few words of thank to Senator Ritchie and her staff. Thanks again for making this possible for now four years in a row. And I think it's a thing we ought to sustain.
To all the veterans who are here today out of uniform -- it's easy to see those of us in uniform, but I know there are many veterans here today out of uniform -- thank you for your service and the support that you've given to our nation and this next Greatest Generation of Americans who are protecting our nation today.
To the friends, families and supporters of the 10th Mountain Division, without you it would make what our soldiers do at Fort Drum and overseas that much more difficult.
As you've heard, last year at this time I was with our division headquarters and other elements of the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan. This was, for the division headquarters, the sixth deployment since 2001. Five of those deployments were in Afghanistan. Over the last 18 months, the entire 10th Mountain Division was deployed to Afghanistan. Those deployments started in 2013 and ended right at the end of 2014, with our headquarters being one of the last elements to come back home.
Personally, I thought this was a fitting end to Operation Enduring Freedom. We've concluded U.S.-led combat operations in Afghanistan. The 10th Mountain Division was the first Army division to deploy to Afghanistan in 2001, and it was fitting, I thought, that we were the last U.S. division conducting combat operations in Afghanistan in 2014 as we brought Operation Enduring Freedom to a close.
All of our brigades have deployed multiple times during this war. As I speak to you today, however, the 10th Mountain Division finds itself at home, all at the same time, for one of the few times in the past 14 years.
But even as I say that, there's still about 70 soldiers deployed overseas. So even when we're all back, we're never really all back. We still have small units and individuals today supporting operations around the world, not only in Afghanistan but also in the Sinai, Kosovo, Central America, Europe and the Middle East.
Today our soldiers continue to conduct tough and realistic training for any possible mission that our nation may call on us to perform. One very important reason that we're able to conduct this kind of training is the fantastic facilities and training areas that we have available to us at Fort Drum. Fort Drum is one of the few places in our Army, with Alaska being really the only other one, where we can conduct extreme cold weather training.
New York's North Country breeds tough people, and it also breeds tough soldiers too. The past two winters have definitely proved that. Our Army needs to maintain that expertise, and Fort Drum will allow our Army to do just that.
A great example of our capabilities occurred during the blizzards of this past January. Our 1st Brigade combat team was deploying from our air field at Fort Drum on a major training exercise in Louisiana. The conditions were so bad that the Governor shut down the interstate here in New York. But we still deployed soldiers from our air field. Other bases in America were closing because they might get snow; we were launching planeloads of troops in the middle of a blizzard. That's what your Fort Drum can do.
Another important reason we're so well-prepared to answer the nation's call is because of the superb support we get from our North Country neighbors. While most Army posts have their own hospitals, Fort Drum does not. We rely on the local community for almost all of our healthcare.
We don't house all of our troops and families. About 60 percent of our married soldiers live off-base in the community.
Most Army bases have schools for their children; Fort Drum does not. Our kids go to school with the other children in the North Country community. In fact, this year's New York State championship football team from Indian River High School was comprised of over half military dependents.
New York's 10th Mountain Division is good for New York, this state. Our base brings right at $1.3 billion to the region in direct economic contributions. Eighty percent of that $1.3 billion is payroll. It's coming from our soldiers' paychecks, and it's mostly being spent in the local economy.
The federal government adds almost $57 million to the region's healthcare. The entire community benefits from that, not just the soldiers. The federal government adds $36 million to the region's schools. The entire community benefits from that, not just the soldiers and the children.
When we deploy overseas, we don't worry about what's happening on the home front. I tell folks all the time, when I was deployed last year to Afghanistan for almost 10 months, I never once looked back over my shoulder and wondered what was happening at Fort Drum. I knew that our soldiers back there, and our families, were going to be well taken care of by the folks at Fort Drum and by the North Country community.
This Friday our community will have an opportunity to highlight for the Army these special relationships and unique capabilities during this community listening session that I will host. Fort Drum will be one of the last Army installations to undergo this process to hold one of these events. It will provide an opportunity for our community and this state to make sure the Army is properly informed as they make future decisions about possible troop reductions.
And make no mistake; if sequestration stays in effect, there will be troop reductions on a major scale.
So what does the future look like? I look around the world and I see commitments for our armed forces increasing. I see real threats in this world. You only have to look at Iraq and Syria and the Ukraine and Africa -- I could go on. There will be demands for our nation's leadership.
I see these threats in Syria, I see these threats in Europe. I see our continuing campaign in Afghanistan. Just a few weeks ago, the Army announced that our 2nd Brigade would deploy to Afghanistan this summer. Other elements of our division continue to prepare for other future missions. The bottom line is your division at Fort Drum will continue to be very involved in Afghanistan and around the world.
I also think there's some risks. As I stand before you today, the biggest risk I can think of is sequestration. Over the last three years, the active Army has dropped about 80,000 soldiers, to 490,000 by the end of this year. And I think that's appropriate; we had grown to meet the demands of the war, and those demands now are less. Our current glide path is going to take us to a force, an Army of about 450,000. I think Secretary McHugh, if he were here, would tell you that that's probably the number that can just meet our national security strategy.
So I'm concerned about how we're investing in our nation's defense. With the return of sequestration, Army planners are already saying we'll have to go to 420,000, maybe lower. Some of the numbers that are being tossed about would make us smaller than we were before Pearl Harbor in 1941. That's what worries me.
I'd like to close by saying Fort Drum and its soldiers continue to feel the support not only of our local community but also from the State of New York as a whole.
I would be remiss if I did not thank the Governor for his recently announced pledge of $1.5 million to increase Fort Drum's buffer zone and $25 million for improvements to the state's road infrastructure around the base. This is the signal I think you send to the Army; you're putting your money where it matters. I commend you all for that.
Many among you have been vocal supporters of Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division as the Army looks for ways to downsize. But rest assured, your support and your gestures and your thanks don't go unnoticed or unappreciated.
Next week I'll be relinquishing command of this great division and bid farewell to Fort Drum and the North Country. I'd like to personally thank New York for all of its support during my three tours at Fort Drum. As an honorary New Yorker, I also have the Governor to thank for that distinction. I can honestly say that my wife Melissa and I will certainly miss Fort Drum, the North Country, and the great State of New York.
Ladies and gentlemen, once again, thank you for this opportunity to address this assembly. Please remember in your thoughts and prayers America's sons and daughters still deployed in harm's way around the world, standing watch on the walls at night so we can sleep peacefully in our beds, preserving our freedom and our way of life.
Climb to glory!
Thank you.
(Extended standing ovation.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:General Townsend and Fort Drum, our wishes are with you. Thank you for your dedication and service. We appreciate it.
Senator DeFrancisco.
SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: You know, this political business is sometimes very frustrating, and I'm sure more frustrating for the people who serve in the military. Because if you looked at something like we're going through now -- the reduction in forces, decisions about bases -- you would think that the basis for determining where the reductions are, what bases are downsized would be one based on merit, as opposed to the politics of Washington or the politics of Albany, in some cases.
But unfortunately, it isn't. The fact of the matter is that if the government decided these things on merit, what group of individuals, other than the 10th Mountain Division, have proven their worth to this country? What has done more for this country than the 10th Mountain Division? For 14 years, where everybody that was stationed there went overseas for at least one, usually more than one tour of duty. The sacrifices that they made, and of their family -- and the successes they have had -- are amazing.
So my thought would be this, that every person in this chamber should be contacting their Senators and their Congress representatives and making a cogent, strong argument based on merit where we retain the 10th Mountain Division, keep that wonderful base active in the North Country, and make sure that we repay them and are telling them that we know you deserve this based on merit and we're all going to be behind you.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you.
Senator Larkin.
SENATOR LARKIN:Thank you, Mr. President.
You know, those of you who were around today when some of the discussions were going on about the 10th, every time you heard General Townsend speak, you know that he had his heart, his whole Army heart, for New York.
This is an individual who's had four trips across the pond. Those of you who are wondering, when you look at his right arm -- I think it's still the right arm; I've been retired too long, General -- each one of those slashes means six months in combat. That's four years.
This is a man that went to Fort Drum two years ago and never -- every time you talked to Patty Ritchie, she would say the Army is pounding away to make Fort Drum something we all can be proud of.
And we all should be very proud of Patty Ritchie, because she brought this to our attention and how important this was to New York. And I know for a fact that somebody who used to have a seat in this house, she's called him. When I talked to McHugh last week, he said, "Tell Patty Ritchie I'm going to charge her telephone costs." That's the heart and soul of the people from the North Country.
But you know, when you start to think of 19,000 troops, there's not a state in this union that wouldn't strive to get it. But each and every one of us have an obligation. Every one of us know our Congressman. If you don't, shame on you. And if you don't know our Senators, shame on you.
You write them about federal money for railroads and this here, about time you sat down and said "Save Drum." Because when you save Drum, you save a lot for the State of New York. The Army's not going to put people in here unless they know that the people of the State of New York are really behind this.
Look at what Drum has been. Many of us were there when it was Camp Drum. Then it became Fort Drum. As the General said, their children go to local schools, their hospitals are used by our people.
But you know, you can talk about leaders. But if you don't have a leader who has it in his heart, you don't have a leader. We're blessed to have somebody that belongs to the Army, that belongs to us, has put his heart and soul. And he told you today what the issues are.
And this country is not totally safe as everyone thinks it is. Our young men and women are on the line every day. And unless you've been in combat and had to write home and say your son, your daughter was killed today, you'll never get the real reaction of what it is all about.
General, we're very proud of you. We thank you very much for your leadership and trying to save a great military installation for the great State of New York. May God bless you and your troops.
(Applause.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Larkin.
Senator Marcellino.
SENATOR MARCELLINO:Thank you, Mr. President.
General, let me echo the words of my colleagues who just spoke before me. You have my commitment. I will be on the phone, as soon as this session has ended, to my Congresspeople and my state Senators, my U.S. Senators, both of whom I know well.
And I will be on the phone telling them that Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division deserve to be kept here in New York and the North Country. You've done a hell of a job. You've always had our back. Now it's our turn to have yours, and we do.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Marcellino.
Senator Farley.
SENATOR FARLEY:Thank you, Mr. President.
You know, as somebody that grew up in Watertown and is very familiar with Fort Drum and the area, I want to thank the General and the Fort Drum family that are here and thank them for their service. We deeply appreciate it.
But I'm speaking to everybody in this room and everybody in the gallery. It is so important that we keep this facility in New York State. Because $1.3 billion in revenue that it brings to New York State, the largest employer in this state, and it would be devastating to this area and to this state should it be diminished.
And also, that 10th Mountain Division, the most renowned fighting force I think that this nation has ever seen. Everything that they've done, they've done well. And they certainly are a credit to this state and to Fort Drum.
But I think we all should be alert to the fact that we have to save Fort Drum. Contact your Congressperson, contact your Senators and so forth. Everybody, and that includes the people in the gallery. Because Fort Drum is a huge asset to this state and something that is needed for our country.
As the General said, we are in perilous times, to say the least. The trouble that is going around the world, we're going to need a fighting force. And we've got one, we can't diminish it.
And I wish everybody well, and thank you for visiting us again.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Farley.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:At this time, Mr. President, I'd like to open up the resolution to all members. And as the policy goes, if someone chooses not to be on the resolution, please let the desk know. Otherwise everybody's name will be posted to the resolution.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:So ordered.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Mr. President, at this time I believe there's a report of the Judiciary Committee at the desk. And could we have that report read for the Court of Claims nominations at this time.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Senator Bonacic, from the Committee on Judiciary, reports the following nominations for judges of the Court of Claims:
Gerald W. Connolly, Jr., of Watervliet;
Daniel P. Conviser, of New York City;
Matthew J. D'Emic, of Brooklyn;
Walter Brooks DeBow, of Saratoga Springs;
Vincent M. DelGiudice, of Staten Island;
Jeffrey A. Goodstein, of Rockville Centre;
Richard C. Kloch, Sr., of North Tonawanda;
Lawrence K. Marks, of Port Washington;
Christopher J. McCarthy, of Delmar;
Kimberly A. O'Connor, of Guilderland;
Richard M. Platkin, of Glenmont;
Stephen J. Rooney, of Staten Island;
Catherine C. Schaewe, of Vestal;
Timothy J. Walker, of Eden; and
Henry F. Zwack, of Stephentown.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Senator Bonacic.
SENATOR BONACIC:Thank you, Mr. President.
Approximately two weeks ago, Governor Cuomo sent us 27 Court of Claims judges to be reconfirmed. Because of the large bulk, we're doing 15 today.
And all of these judges are incumbents. They have served the state in an exemplary way, with proper temperament. They have gone through the Governor's judicial screening committee, and they have been put forth by the Governor to this body.
And I want to thank the Governor for putting forth these judges that have done a good job while they have served on the Court of Claims, and deserve to continue.
Now, earlier today the Senate Judiciary Committee met and considered the reappointment of 15 judges to the Court of Claims. The judges are joining us in the gallery today, many with friends and family members.
And pursuant to the provisions of Section 9 of Article VI of the Constitution, and the provisions of Section 2 of the Court of Claims Act, the Judiciary Committee has reported all of the nominations to the floor.
I will introduce the judges, their friends and family in attendance today. And when I am done, I will invite any Senator who wishes to speak on any of the nominees to do so.
So let me start. The first judge is the Honorable Judge Gerald W. Connolly. He's here with his bride Tricia; his daughter Casey; son Christopher; son Sean; Gerald and Ida Connolly, his parents; Mike Connolly, a brother; and Steve Connolly, a brother.
The second judge is the Honorable Judge Daniel P. Conviser.
The third is the Honorable Judge Matthew J. D'Emic.
The fourth judge is the Honorable Walter Brooks DeBow, and he's here with his bride Andrea; his sons Anderson, Sawyer and Bennett; and his dad, Tom DeBow. And he brought his mother-in-law, Millie Kosier.
The next judge is the Honorable Judge Vincent DelGiudice, and he brought the love of his life, Catherine Paradiso.
The next is the Honorable Judge Jeffrey A. Goodstein, with his bride Alyce and sons Alex and Max.
The next judge is the Honorable Richard Kloch, Sr., with his bride Ellie, good friend Richard Winter, and another good friend who I think we all know, the Honorable George Maziarz, former Senator.
The next judge is the Honorable Judge Lawrence Marks.
The next judge is the Honorable Christopher J. McCarthy, with his bride Katherine.
The next judge is the Honorable Kimberly A. O'Connor, with her spouse, Tom; daughter, Lauren; Richard and Dorothy Usas, parents -- I hope I pronounced that right -- Justina Cintron Perino, law clerk; and Diane Deyo, assistant.
The next judge is the Honorable Richard J. Platkin, with his spouse, Laurie Conway.
The next judge, the Honorable Stephen J. Rooney, with his spouse, Kathryn.
The next judge is the Honorable Catherine Schaewe.
The next judge is the Honorable Timothy J. Walker, with his spouse, DianaRae; daughter, Raelynn; son, Joshua; mother-in-law, Marie Radtke; friend, Morgan Stevens, girlfriend of Joshua Walker; Darryl Colosi, law clerk; Angela Colosi, friend and Darryl's wife; and Cynthia Cavarella, secretary.
Last but not least is the Honorable Judge Henry F. Zwack, with his spouse, Laura; son, Michael; law clerk, Loretta Branigan; secretary, Joanne Vinter.
I'd like to move all these nominations to the floor for Senate confirmation, and I now ask you to recognize any speaker who wishes to speak with respect to these nominees.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Bonacic.
Senator Skelos.
SENATOR SKELOS:Thank you very much.
And let me start off by thanking Senator Bonacic and members of the Judiciary Committee for their due diligence in moving these nominations and confirmations on the reappointment of these Court of Claims judges.
Congratulations to all.
I want to just say hello and congratulations to my good friend Jeff Goodstein, Judge Jeff Goodstein, from my home community of Rockville Centre. He is an outstanding jurist, a dear friend, and certainly deeply involved within our community -- a volunteer fireman and so many other activities, president of Temple B'nai Shalom, former president.
So, Jeff, we congratulate you. And I want to welcome your wife Alyce and two sons -- I see them waving somewhere -- Alex and Max. We had a great dinner last night, and we appreciate all of you for being here.
So my dear friend Jeff, congratulations.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Skelos.
Senator Gianaris.
SENATOR GIANARIS:Thank you, Mr. President.
Among these many fine nominees, I just wanted to put in a good word for someone I've known for almost two decades now. Dan Conviser is someone who I worked with before I was elected to office as a staffer in the Assembly. He's done tremendous work in public service before he was a judge and now as a judge. And I would encourage all my colleagues to recognize his fine work and approve his nomination.
Thank you.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Gianaris.
Senator Golden.
SENATOR GOLDEN:Thank you, Mr. President.
I rise too to congratulate all of our judges, all of the great judges that are being reappointed here today. It shows how great this state is, by its jurists. And they do a fine and great job here in this great state.
But I've got to tell you I'm pointing out two people that come from my community. I had the privilege of growing up with Matt D'Emic, although he looks a lot younger than I do. And if you look at all the awards, he looks like he's much more popular than I am as well.
(Laughter.)
SENATOR GOLDEN:But he's been a great judge. And the funny part about it, he worked for Ron Aiello, who was the administrative judge back in 1993, and he was the law assistant. And today Matt is the administrative judge.
And we're proud of him and his family and the great work that he's been able to do, working not just as the administrative judge but his role that he played in domestic violence and working with mental health, which was essential in helping our communities across the County of Kings and across the state as the other judges have done here.
I will tell you that if you look at the year 1993, 2245 homicides in the City of New York, you always see the public safety, it's law enforcement, it's our mayors, our governors that get a tremendous amount of credit. But really a lot was done by you, our judges, in bringing this state back to where it had to be and bringing our city back to where it had to be. And the congratulations goes to all of you.
And Judge DelGiudice, Vinnie, outstanding job that you've done in creating that gun part in the County of Kings. It was a pilot program and today is a greatly successful program in many, many parts of the country dealing with the gun arrests and gun situations in the County of Kings. And now he sits in Richmond County; I lost him to Staten Island. But a great judge as well.
Congratulations to you and your families, Judge D'Emic, Judge DelGiudice, and to all of our judges and to their families. God bless and good luck.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Golden.
Senator Breslin.
SENATOR BRESLIN:Thank you, Mr. President.
I'll be brief, as the time is growing late. I have four judges from the Capital District I would like to mention. Each of them have special qualities, but each of them share in common a great deal of intelligence, a great deal of patience and temperance, and also the performance over the years, and deserve to be renominated and to be accepted again for another period of time.
The first is Chris McCarthy. It's a good day for Chris to be renominated, St. Patrick's Day. Chris was the senior counsel in Governor Pataki's office, taking on any number of issues, including but not limited to insurance and banking. And during that period of time I got to be good friends with Chris and later his wife, Katherine.
He's a graduate of Harvard, has a master's degree from Harvard, a law degree from Columbia. And he has all those attributes I previously mentioned, and very deserving of the renomination we are doing here today.
Secondly, Jerry Connolly. Jerry Connolly, who again I've known through the years. Jerry, another individual worked in Governor Pataki's office but had the experience of being an assistant district attorney in Westchester County. A graduate of Manhattan and Fordham Law School, was with the AG's office, was with the Inspector General, and on.
And I might add that each of these judges, I've chatted with other Supreme Court judges who have the highest compliments for each one of them.
On to the third would be Kimberly O'Connor, who started with Bob Carney, the district attorney in Schenectady, had a wonderful career there, but went on to private practice, went on to the Division of Criminal Justice, the counsel of Criminal Justice, the Inspector General's office, and on and on and on. Has taken on, as an acting Supreme Court judge during these last number of years, a number of high-profile cases. Another candidate who comes from Governor Pataki's office and comes highly recommended.
Last but not least is Richard Platkin, who was general counsel to Governor Pataki. And Richard is a graduate of RPI, graduated first in his law school class. And as was highlighted, not only did he graduate with a 4.0 index, but it happened to be 4.05, which a lot of us legislators really had a hard time wondering about those kinds of achievements, comparing them to our own.
He's done an extraordinary job and has risen as an acting Supreme Court judge who's also now head of the Commercial Division in Albany Supreme Court.
All four I have the highest degree of regard for, have done an exemplary job, and deserve this renomination.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Breslin.
Senator Flanagan.
SENATOR FLANAGAN:Thank you, Mr. President.
I was getting a little concerned there; Senator Breslin was on a roll. He threw in Platkin at the end; otherwise, it was going to be, you know, all Irish for St. Patrick's Day.
(Laughter.)
SENATOR FLANAGAN:And I want to add my voice to Senator Skelos. While I know Judge Goodstein is his constituent, and welcome to his family, I want to just congratulate him because he's a fellow Touro Law School grad, which makes me very proud.
And two other quick observations. Number one, the only person missing in the gallery is Governor Pataki.
(Laughter.)
SENATOR FLANAGAN:In reality, he should be here in some way, shape or form. But obviously he is.
And just one last quick anecdote about Richard Platkin. Judge Platkin, I will tell you that we used to hate people like you in law school.
(Laughter.)
SENATOR FLANAGAN:Generally it would take us two semesters to add up to 4.05.
But nonetheless, the one thing I remember -- and I don't know why this sticks in my head -- Judge Platkin was really a gentleman to work with in so many different ways. But I remember talking to him about law school, and this is way before this was even really readily available, he had a computer. He had a computer, and I think he even had a laptop. It was probably homemade, but that may be one of the many reasons why he became valedictorian. So that stuck in my mind.
But congratulations to everybody, Judge Goodstein as well.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Flanagan.
Senator DeFrancisco.
SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Unfortunately, there's no nominees from Central New York, but we've been blessed with the Honorable John J. Brunetti, who I'm sure most of you know and most of you know what a great, great judge he is and what a great wit he is.
But in looking over all of these nominees who have served before, it sort of proves the point that things in this house should be done on the merits. And we've got successful judges who have served admirably and should be renominated. Unfortunately, it wasn't as soon as you all wanted, but it got here. And now you can rest for another 10 years, I think.
So congratulations to all of you. The quality is outstanding. And have a great another term in your judicial career.
Thank you.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator DeFrancisco.
Senator Farley.
SENATOR FARLEY:Thank you, Mr. President.
I rise here as somebody who's been here a long time. This is the second time I've voted for all you guys.
(Laughter.)
SENATOR FARLEY:But you know, I know many of you. And in all the years that I've been here, I've never seen so many legal minds up in the gallery, 15 of you. I'll tell you, that is really something.
I'm proud of your service, and we're proud to renominate you. And I think it's a credit to you and your families how well you've done on the bench.
And a very successful new term. My best wishes to all of you.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Farley.
Senator Savino.
SENATOR SAVINO:Thank you, Mr. President.
I also want to rise and congratulate all of today's nominees and their reappointments. And I was happy to participate in the Judiciary Committee.
As I sat there, I went through all of the resumes and I started to think of the collection of experience, decades of experience among these 15 judges in all areas and expertise of the law. So congratulations to them and their families.
But I want to mention two people in particular, two Staten Islanders. One is, of course, Judge Vincent DelGiudice, and he is here with his lovely wife, Catherine Paradiso.
And the second is Stephen Rooney, who not only is an accomplished jurist, as I said in the Judiciary Committee, but he was wise enough to marry a woman who is well known to many of the members of this chamber. Those of you who came later may not have met her, but she was the counsel to Senator John Marchi, the longest-serving member, and that is Kate Rooney. And she is here with her husband today.
So congratulations to everyone, to the Rooneys and the DelGiudices.
And thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Savino.
Senator Gallivan.
SENATOR GALLIVAN:Thank you, Mr. President.
I also extend my congratulations to all of our nominees, and in particular, two from the Eighth Judicial District, the Honorable Richard Kloch, Sr., and my long-time friend and constituent, the Honorable Timothy J. Walker.
Both have an outstanding record, they're outstanding jurists in their own right, although specializing in different areas, both outstanding members of the community, very dedicated to their family and friends and, more importantly, good people. Which is the type of people that we should have in every office across the state.
So I thank the two of you for your service. I thank all of you for your service as well and wish you all the best of luck.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Gallivan.
Senator Ortt.
SENATOR ORTT:Thank you, Mr. President.
Well, it's a special day when we have in the chamber the folks who make the laws, the folks who interpret the Laws and, as we saw with our soldiers from Fort Drum, those who go forward and protect and defend those laws.
But I rise to speak in support of someone who hails from my hometown of North Tonawanda in Niagara County, and that's Judge Richard Kloch, who has served on the bench for over 30 years as both city court judge in North Tonawanda and as a Court of Claims judge since 2001. He currently serves as supervising judge for the criminal courts of the Eighth Judicial District and handles a criminal, civil and matrimonial trial calendar.
Judge Kloch is a product of North Tonawanda High School, University of Buffalo, and University of Buffalo Law School. He started his career as a public servant almost 40 years ago -- when he was 10, right, Judge?
(Laughter.)
SENATOR ORTT:He was counsel to the New York State Office of Drug Abuse Services and, as a 26-year-old, he ran and won election as city attorney in North Tonawanda. Above all else, he is proud of being a North Tonawandan, and he bleeds the red and blue of his beloved NT.
He is an adjunct professor of law at UB Law School as well as a senior lecturer in criminal justice at Niagara University.
His daughters, Sara and Rochelle, could not be here, as Sara is about to deliver grandchild number 11 and Rochelle is currently representing North Tonawanda High School at a Model U.N. competition. Sons Richard, Robert and Philip are all hard at work, but Judge Kloch is joined here today by the love of his life, Ellie, and by good friends Richard Winter and of course my predecessor, Senator George Maziarz.
Judge, congratulations to you and thank you for your continued service to the people of the Eighth Judicial District as well as to the people of New York. You've made North Tonawanda very proud.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Ortt.
Senator Marchione.
SENATOR MARCHIONE:Thank you. I'd also like to send my congratulations to all of you and thank you for the hard work that you all have done.
In particular, I rise for the purpose of talking about Judge Henry Zwack and also Judge Walter Brooks DeBow, both from the judicial district that I represent.
In the past, Judge Zwack has consistently shown a genuine commitment to serving our state and his local community. In 2006, he was nominated to the Court of Claims by former Governor Pataki. And prior to his appointment to the Court of Claims, Judge Zwack served as general counsel, executive deputy commissioner, and acting commissioner for the State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.
He was also counsel to the late Senator Owen Johnson, who was such a dear friend, trusted mentor, and respected colleague to so many here in the chambers that we just discussed just yesterday in honoring.
He's a graduate of Siena College and Albany Law School. And it's just my honor to be here and to congratulate him on his nomination and being a judge for his second term.
Also, Judge Walter Brooks DeBow is a constituent from Saratoga County, and throughout his career he has continually demonstrated a deep and abiding commitment to public service. He has served since 2006.
Prior to his service on the Court of Claims, he served in the Office of Counsel to former Governor George Pataki from 1995 to 2006. And when he left the Governor's office, he has risen to the position of deputy counsel to the Governor.
I had an opportunity recently to meet with Judge DeBow, and I can tell you that he's qualified, honorable and committed to serving his fellow New Yorkers.
He's a graduate from State University of New York and a graduate of Emory University Law School in Atlanta, where he earned his Juris Doctor.
Judge DeBow is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Saratoga County Bar Association. And it's my honor today to also second his nomination.
Congratulations to all of you. Thank you for being here today. And thank you for representing us all so admirably.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Marchione.
Senator Panepinto.
SENATOR PANEPINTO:Thank you.
I want to congratulate all of the nominees today, but in particular I want to about Judge Richard Kloch. You know, I'm a Town of Tonawanda guy, and the judge is a North Tonawanda guy. There's always a little rivalry there.
But I've tried five cases in front of Judge Kloch. And I tried my first case in front of him in 2001. He probably doesn't remember it, it was a little summary jury trial that he tried to get settled and he was unsuccessful. But you know, the four trials I've had with him since then, he is a gentleman and has -- he's a lawyer's judge. He treats people like they would want to be treated.
Now, he's not the most patient judge in the world --
(Laughter.)
SENATOR PANEPINTO:-- and he will move you along, you know. And one time I was doing direct examination, I was four questions in, and he really thought that was too much and he made me skip on forward.
So -- but he might not be patient, but he is practical. And he's a people person, and he works to get cases resolved. And that's the kind of people we need on the bench in this state.
Also, you know, you get to know judges when you appear in front of them during what's called special term, you know, when you argue motions. And I can say, you know, without hyperbole that Judge Kloch runs the best special term in the Eighth Judicial District. It is like a stand-up-comedian show when he is on the bench, and he has the lawyers in stitches, because he makes the law fun. And it's -- you know, we have serious cases, but the judge reads all the papers, he's prepared, and he makes the work that we do a lot of fun. And I commend him for that.
And he's a credit to the bench, and I'm honored to be able to support his nomination.
Thank you.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Thank you, Mr. President.
And before I congratulate all of the appointees, I want to welcome our former colleague Senator George Maziarz to the chamber today.
George, it's good to see you and good to have you back.
And I, like Senator Farley, was here when the first round of nominations came through, and it's certainly an honor for me to stand before this body and say congratulations to each and every one of you.
And Judge Kloch, because of my relationship with Senator Maziarz, I've gotten to know you a little bit, and my special and personal congratulations to you, sir. And I have no stories to tell, because I'm not an attorney, but I just wish you the best.
I stand before this body to speak about someone that I know personally very well, and that's Catherine Schaewe, Judge Schaewe. I've known her for many years and actually back to her private practice days when she was representing many of the towns in Broome County.
And thank God she was, as many of you know that some of our small towns depend on their legal counsel quite a bit. And she was quite active, and many times I thought she was the mayor or the town supervisor in helping them get through some of their tough times.
But not only did she have a great practice in working with our local elected officials, but she had a wonderful private practice and had many clients that were very upset when she became a judge, because as you know, that ends, and then the other career starts.
And she has been an outstanding jurist. She has been just a wonderful, wonderful person on the bench. The stories that come back as far as her demeanor and her patience, her calm.
And I'm just proud to call her a friend and proud to second her nomination today, and I wish you the very, very best in the years to come.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Libous.
The question is on the nominations to the Court of Claims as read by the Secretary. All in favor signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Opposed, nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:The nominees are hereby confirmed as judges of the Court of Claims.
(Extended applause.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Mr. President, I'll be with you in a second here.
Mr. President, at this time could we take up Resolution Number 986, by Senator Stewart-Cousins, have the title read, and then I would call on Senator Stewart-Cousins to speak on the resolution.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Legislative Resolution Number 986, by Senators Stewart-Cousins and Larkin, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Senator Stewart-Cousins.
SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:Thank you, Mr. President.
And yes, Happy St. Patrick's Day to you.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you.
SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:I rise because last weekend the nation watched the commemoration of Bloody Sunday. March 7, 1965, was when marchers marched from Selma to Montgomery over the Edmund Pettus Bridge. And it was called Bloody Sunday because of the brutality that the marchers experienced because they wanted to exercise their rights to vote.
President Obama stood on that bridge. Forty thousand people joined him at the site to not only commemorate the lives that were lost in that struggle, but to remind us on that bridge how far we have come. And to remind us that freedom isn't free and just because laws are passed, it doesn't mean that they are enacted properly. And that we have to be vigilant about maintaining our freedom and our commitment to equality and justice.
In 1965, in Alabama, 99 percent of the voting population was white, while 1 percent was black. And that wasn't because black people didn't want to be there, it was because blacks were subjected to regulations regarding voting that nobody else was subjected to -- things like counting bubbles on soap bars or naming every single judge that served in the district, or make up whatever the question is, because you know the answer would not be correct because there was no intention, despite the laws, to let people vote.
And so it was the courage of Dr. King and so many unsung heroes that brought people to that bridge, people from all races, creeds, religions, with the firm understanding that justice could be done. And they were met by police forces, dogs, hoses, and beaten back. And of course we know that it created an awareness that allowed for the right things to happen for the people.
One of the people who had to guard the marchers is in this chamber. One of those people who, despite the recalcitrance of what was going on, had as his job as an officer to make sure marchers were protected. And when Bloody Sunday was being commemorated, Colonel Senator Larkin said to me: "Are we going to say something about Bloody Sunday?"
We stand here yearly, whether it's to commemorate Dr. King or Black History Month, and Senator Larkin has shared his experiences. And we all have heard them, and it becomes a matter of what happens in this chamber. But when you juxtapose this huge reminder of what America represented not so long ago, where people would never, ever, ever dream of a day where we are today -- but people who were expected to support the bad behavior of the time served our country and put themselves in front to make sure that protesters' rights were preserved. People risked their lives, and some people never forgot the sacrifice of that moment.
So I really stand here for two reasons. I stand here to say, with gratitude, that had there not been those movements, I wouldn't be here, so many of my colleagues who are here would not be here, obviously Congressman Lewis would not have been introducing President Barack Obama.
So we have so much to be grateful for. And again, so much to preserve. Because I also stand here at a time when 38 percent of the people turned out to vote recently. And so this is also a great time to remind people of the sacrifices people made in order for us to have the freedoms and to use the power that is in our hands on a daily basis -- because too many people's lives were lost and too much blood was shed. It is an obligation.
And I also stand here to thank my good friend the Colonel, Senator Larkin, who was a young guy back in '65, who knew what he was sent to do and despite the resistance of the time, in his heart he understood his duty to the country, to his president, and to the cry of freedom for those who marched.
So I thank you, Mr. President, and a special thank you, Senator Larkin, for your friendship and your commitment to justice.
(Applause.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Stewart-Cousins.
Senator Larkin.
SENATOR LARKIN:Thank you, Andrea.
You have to excuse me a little bit (coughing). I remember March the 7th -- Tom, it's good to have a drink. Thank you.
On March the 8th I went to work in the Pentagon, and I walked in, I was late, I was there at a quarter to 6:00. And I was said to get my you-know-what into the boss's office. He said, "Did you see what happened in Alabama yesterday?" I said, "I watched the 11 o'clock news."
He said, "The chief of staff is going to have a meeting at 11 o'clock, and we'd better have a plan, because it's us."
And I thought for a minute and I said, "You know, there's a lot of other full colonels laying around here. What can I do?" But you never checked on General Cotton. He was a VMI grad, so we forgive him.
But he said, "Lark, we're going to get there. We just gave the president some language that he can use for a press conference." And he come on. I thought he was too weak, to be honest with you. And I apologize to him, he's dead.
But the next thing we did, on Friday we flew to Maxwell, at Montgomery, Alabama. And the first thought was this is another march coming. And Ralph Abernathy, who I'd never met in my life -- but to this day, I think he was one of the best there was -- he came to us and said, "There will be another march, on the 21st, and we will not stop." So we said, "Please let us prepare a battle plan and we'll see it."
Now, remember, I was three weeks away from being a lieutenant colonel and all I had to do is you-know-what up and I would have not been a colonel.
But when you started to look at the pictures that they provided us, Bull Connor with a 12-inch hose knocking people off the bridge. What a disaster. And we didn't have anybody in that line that said "Stop them"?
My heart was touched. I commanded an all-black company, in combat and their blood was just as red as the next company that was all white. You can go to combat and we can draft you; you can't use our bathroom. By the way, you can't vote, either. What kind of a country do we have?
And I was so proud of the people in the Pentagon, because everybody, from the chief of staff on down, all said the same thing: This is disgraceful. We go and fight for other countries to salvage them, but we don't try to fix the heartaches that we've caused in our own country.
We picked the sites. The Secret Service looked at them, criminal investigators looked at them. We had four sites they were going to march. They would camp out at night.
One of the interesting things was Bull Connor. Bill Perkins, where is he at? My good friend Bill Perkins, one of his friends, his constituents in Harlem, was a marshal for the march. He was part of the Tuskegee Indian group, the pilots of World War II.
Connor had an article in the paper; he said "We swept them off the bridge." I went to meet him, and he said "I don't take orders from tin soldiers." I won't repeat it because I don't want to see it in the press what I said, but some of you ladies have never heard it, I know, but some of the men have heard it, what I told him.
I will tell you this. I said, "If you're on that bridge when we cross the bridge, you'll need a plastic surgeon." This man was a disgrace.
The governor wasn't any better. When we give the orders to activate, Wallace had some filthy language to talk about the president. His answer was, "Well, if I activate them, the taxpayers of Alabama will have to pay for them. But if the President activates them, they'll do it."
The good part for us was we, the United States Army, then came in and took care of it. What did we do? We called units in from all over America. Somebody laughed at me. I said every commander of a battery company that's going to be called to active duty that's going to line the streets, I want some commander to stick their piggies in that chamber to see that there was no ammunition in them.
And the march maneuver went together, everybody got in place, and there was a delay. And a delay. And a delay.
So I went to my new friend Ralph Abernathy, and I said, "You've got to get them out of here. You've got a lot of people out there on the sides of the road who are rednecks" -- and I called them something else, "bigots."
Why? Because I served with those who weren't of my skin. I have four grandchildren that are biracial. When you say that about somebody else, you're saying it about my family too.
But the nicest part of it, Abernathy went in and told Jesse Jackson and Jose Williams -- which I couldn't do -- "Please get moving." And he said, "Martin, it's time to march."
Twenty-five hundred people. Four days later, we marched the last steps to Montgomery, 25,000 people. I believe in my heart and soul -- and there were Congressmen that were there. I never met John Lewis. First of all, I was told don't get involved in politics. I said not me, never in my life will I ever do politics.
(Laughter.)
SENATOR LARKIN:But the nicest part about it was Dr. Abernathy, when we finished, he said, "You know, you didn't have to do some of the things you did."
Oh, yes, I did have to do them. My orders were to see that there was no damage, no miscalculation, and no casualties. And everybody shall be treated as human beings and treated with dignity.
We finished. The march was over. I believe in my heart and soul that in June, when the United States Senate -- I'm proud to say that the Republican votes were in there -- passed the Voting Rights Act, why? Because some of them came to Alabama in casual. And they recognized that what a disgrace.
News media from all over the world marched in that 50-some miles from Selma to Montgomery.
And what did we show to America? We can tame our own people? No, what we should be saying is that it is time to close that gap and let those Americans who are Americans and have the entitlement to vote, they should be.
And in August the president of the United States signed the bill. And as General Cotton said, but we can't forget the one casualty. On the way back from Montgomery to Selma, we had told them please stay east of the line of march you came on. One lady didn't. Her name was Viola Liuzzo. I'll give you the spelling after. Not bad for 50-some years ago; you remember. She went over there and went in drinking. Well, the bigots were there, and she was killed.
Some people said, well, we got out of here easy. But we didn't. We should have got out of there with everybody in the same thing.
But just think about it. You know, when someone says you can't do that, I get upset about it, you know? Why? Because I swore to uphold and defend the Constitution and defend my country. And when you harass and do something against our citizens, you're doing it against every one of us.
I was proud to be on that march. Of course, I had some very, very -- a couple of days, you know, where you're like this: Somebody said "You get any sleep last night?" I said, "Yeah, between 12:00 and 12:30." Why? If something goes wrong, you'll be saying, Goodbye, Lark, you retired major. Three weeks later, I was a colonel.
And to this day, I communicate with some of the people I met. These weren't rabble-rousers, these were young men and women -- and some of them were up in their years. And their attitude was: I'm an American citizen, I was born here in Selma, Anniston, wherever it might be, and you won't give me the right to be a full citizen. But yet you can take my family and put them in combat to defend this country. When we do that, ladies and gentlemen, we really ought to forfeit our responsibilities. Because without doing it and worrying about others, we fail in our duties as fellow citizens.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Larkin.
Senator Panepinto.
SENATOR PANEPINTO:Thank you, Mr. President. That's a very difficult person to follow. Senator Larkin, thank you for your efforts following Bloody Sunday.
I had the pleasure of meeting John Lewis about 20 years ago. In a prior career, I was a union organizer, organizing low-wage African-Americans and Latinos across the South. And I had to pick up Congressman Lewis at the airport and bring him to a rally we had in North Carolina.
And I had the pleasure of spending about an hour and a half in the car with him and talking about the events of Bloody Sunday.
And I hadn't planned on speaking on this resolution today, because we had two eloquent speakers, but my mother sent me an email this weekend and she said, you know, I never knew that, you know, Bloody Sunday, you know, was the day that you were born, because I was busy on March 7, 1965, giving birth to you.
And so to my mother that, you know, delivered me that day and to John L. Lewis and all the people that fought on the bridge and, you know, Congressman Lewis, when I met him 20 years ago, said: It's interesting, I never met anybody born on Bloody Sunday, and you're doing the kind of work that I'm proud to have you doing -- you know, working on behalf of, you know, working people and organizing them.
So for the efforts that Senator Larkin made and the marchers on the Selma bridge, I'm proud to speak on behalf of this resolution.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Panepinto.
Senator Montgomery.
SENATOR MONTGOMERY:Thank you, Mr. President.
I rise to -- I also find it very difficult to follow Senator Larkin, but I am very honored and pleased that our leader, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, has introduced this to remind us of this important incident in American history.
And I am reminded by the fact that Edmund Pettus was the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan of Alabama. And so that bridge represented, for the people who gathered there and attempted to do the march, the bridge really was emblematic of the problem that they were facing. And that is an attempt to keep people from being able to participate in the American society.
And so the resistance was severe on both sides, the determination of the people to cross that bridge and the resistance reflected in the name of the bridge.
There were two people in that march that I just wanted to mention as well. Ralph Bunche was one of the people on that bridge. He had won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for his work in the Arab-Israeli peace truce.
And Martin Luther King, who was also one of the leaders of the march, won a Nobel Peace Prize the year before, in 1964, for his work.
So these two giants were present together to lead a march. And obviously, historically, they shall remain forever important in the history of America and the world.
So it was with a particular sense of pride that we had represented, in the 50th anniversary celebration, two men who I consider to be giants in history in America: Barack Obama, who is our president, the first African-American president in the history of our nation, and Eric Holder. These are two men who represent the advancement that was reflected in that march across the bridge named for the Grand Dragon of the KKK. In defiance of that, these men stood to celebrate the 50th anniversary. I was tremendously proud.
And, Mr. President, I am extremely proud today to be part of the group in the Senate who is led by another first in the history of New York State, and that is Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the first African-American woman to be voted by colleagues in the Senate as our leader.
And there will be a time, an hour and a moment, when you will not only be majority leader, but you will also break down the door and be in the room with the -- however other number of men are going to be in that room, you're going to be in that room too, representing all of us here.
So, Mr. President, thank you. This is a very historical moment, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this resolution.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Montgomery.
(Applause from the gallery.)
SENATOR HOYLMAN:Thank you, Mr. President.
I've been inspired to rise as well by the comments of Senator Stewart-Cousins and my other colleagues. Because, as Senator Stewart-Cousins suggested, all of our civil rights struggles are linked. And on this day when we think of Selma, we remember the words of President Obama during his 2013 inaugural address when he said "from Seneca Falls to Selma to Stonewall." The President himself linked all of our civil rights struggles.
And we're so fortunate in New York that we actually have two of those historic sites in our great state -- Seneca Falls, of course, where the women's suffrage movement was born, and Stonewall, which is in my district, where the modern LGBT rights movement was born.
And I have to say, all of our movements are linked and we still have unfinished business left in our respective efforts.
And in my community, Mr. President, we have to remind ourselves daily, and we should do so on the floor of this body, that we still do not have full equality for transgender individuals. Meaning that 25,000 New Yorkers, Mr. President, can be denied a seat at a restaurant, kicked out of their homes, get fired simply because they're transgender.
And as we look back to the successes we've had with Selma and Seneca Falls, we have to remind ourselves of the challenges ahead and those involved with the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act and how we have to make certain that we pass that bill this year.
Thank you, Mr. President.
(Scattered applause from gallery.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you.
Senator Hassell-Thompson.
SENATOR HASSELL-THOMPSON:Thank you, Mr. President.
I rise, as possibly the last speaker, to thank Senator Stewart-Cousins for printing this commemorative resolution today, and also to thank Senator Larkin.
This is my 15th year in the State Senate, and I have never failed to listen as he tells the different stories of this march and others that he participated in in his role as a protector.
And I thought it was very interesting that today we had Fort Drum, we had judges. How historic a day this is. And yet while it talks about how far we've come, it also talks about how far we have yet to go. Selma was the beginning of a crucial awakening in this country. And I appreciated not only our President but, you know, I posted on Facebook last week a picture of my President and Congressman Clyburn as they stepped from the plane in Alabama, walked across the tarmac as they headed toward the march. And I sent them a message, Mr. President and Mr. Clyburn: Thank you for the commemoration. Thank you for helping us not forget. Thank you for helping us to remind our children that there is still a fight yet to be won. Thank you for commemorating a time when people were united, Senator Larkin, around this issue.
And I'm hopeful that people will become reunited around this issue. As I looked at young white and black and Latino girls and boys lie down in the streets -- Senator Panepinto's daughter in Rochester -- in places across this state, saying that we are united around the need for justice. And all this is about justice. And all of this is about we still have to grow up in this country and fulfill the American dream.
There are many people who have been very successful in capturing the dream for themselves and their legacies. But if we're going to have a future for the next generation of children, we still have work to do. We still have doors to open. We still have the DREAM Act to pass. We still have justice that must be pronounced and proclaimed in this state.
So as we commemorate Selma through this resolution today, do not think that that is the end, that it is the close of a chapter. But it is the beginning of a new chapter. And those of us who continue to persevere here need to understand the seriousness of our obligation to ensure that we come here every day, recommitted to the purpose of providing just laws and a just path for the children of tomorrow.
Thank you, Mr. President.
(Scattered applause from gallery.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Hassell-Thompson.
Senator Espaillat.
SENATOR ESPAILLAT:Thank you, Mr. President.
I want to congratulate Senator Stewart-Cousins, Senator Larkin, and those that have spoken on this historical event.
History has the ability to be elastic. Perhaps when it is written, it only impacts a small number of people, but as the pages turn, it continues to embrace many others. And certainly this is a historical resolution on an important event that shaped the course of this country. But I am compelled to think that the best way to honor the memory of Bloody Sunday is not with words but with deeds, with actions.
And I am concerned that even today, in this very chamber, the action that we take very often is contrary, very contrary to the spirit of what happened at that bridge.
And so many decades later, we still wrestle here to be fair with immigrants and pass the DREAM Act. And if we were to hold a DREAM vote today, many of the folks that are elevating the legacy of that bridge will vote against it.
And many decades after crossing that bridge, we still cannot cross the bridge to do away with Jim Crow laws and support farmworkers the way we should in this state.
And many decades after this historical event, we sit here every day in this chamber and we continue to deny women their full rights.
And on a daily basis when we come back to these chambers, even after the very flowery speeches and words, our deeds and our actions are not consistent with what happened at that bridge and we continue to discriminate against the LGBT community.
So perhaps that bridge was crossed because African-Americans needed the right to vote or because they were fighting against discrimination and racial violence and Jim Crow. But that bridge means a whole lot different now. It's elastic. It's bigger than this room. And we continue every year to really humiliate the legacy of the bridge with our actions here.
So I will say that again, when we come up again next year and we bring up another one of these resolutions, we should really celebrate them with our actions and our deeds and not with our words.
Thank you, Mr. President.
(Applause from gallery.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Espaillat.
Senator Hamilton.
SENATOR HAMILTON:Thank you, Mr. President.
I just want to say 50 years has passed since the march to Selma over the Pettus Bridge, and in commemorating the legacy of that march, myself and other elected officials marched across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. There were over 600 people walking arm in arm over the bridge. And as I walked over the bridge, my mind reflected if I had the faith in order to walk into the Valley of Death. Would I be able to walk over a bridge knowing that I would be hit in the head, maybe shot or murdered?
So for those people who risked their lives for us to vote, I stand on their shoulders. But for them, I would not be here today as a State Senator. But for them, I would not have been able to get an education with the Civil Rights Act.
So I just want to pay my respects to the seniors and elders who paved the way for me to be the person that I am today, and to my grandmother and great-great grandmother, whose great-grandmother was a slave, to the legacy of hard work, of believing in the American system that works.
And in saying that I am proud to be an American, I am proud to live in a country that has allowed me to become an attorney, allowed me to become a State Senator. And I believe in justice for all. And I just hope in the near future when we do vote in this chamber, we believe in the American dream and the Pledge of Allegiance, as all God's children are created equal.
Thank you very much.
(Applause from gallery.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Hamilton.
The question is on the resolution. All in favor signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Opposed?
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:The resolution is adopted.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Mr. President, I'd like to open up this resolution for cosponsorship. So if there's anybody who chooses not to go on it, let the desk know. Otherwise everybody will go on.
And also Resolution Number 463, by Senator Marchione, which is Down Syndrome Awareness Day, I'd like to open that up for cosponsorship. And if anybody chooses not to be on it, let the desk know.
And if that's okay with you, sir, at this time I'd like to take up Resolution 936, by Senator Díaz. Could we have it please read in its entirety, and I believe that Senator Díaz is here and he would like to speak on it.
SENATOR DIAZ:Now?
SENATOR LIBOUS:Now, sir.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:The Secretary will read.
SENATOR DIAZ:(Inaudible.)
SENATOR LIBOUS:Now. Now.
THE SECRETARY:Legislative Resolution Number 936, by Senator Díaz, memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to declare March 11, 2015, to April 12, 2015, as Garifuna-American Heritage Month in the State of New York.
"WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and pay just tribute to the cultural heritage of the ethnic groups which comprise and contribute to the richness and diversity of the community of the State of New York; and
"WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in keeping with its time-honored traditions, it is the intent of this Legislative Body to applaud and commemorate events which foster ethnic pride and exemplify the cultural diversity that represents and strengthens the spirit of the people and the State of New York; and
"WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to declare March 11, 2015, to April 12, 2015, as Garifuna-American Heritage Month in the State of New York; and
"WHEREAS, Garifuna-American Heritage Month celebrates the great contributions of Garifuna-Americans to the fabric of New York City, and pays tribute to the common culture and bonds of friendship that unite the United States and the Garifuna countries of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines; and
"WHEREAS, Garifuna-American Heritage Month affirms the culture, identity and self-esteem of a people; it celebrates a rich heritage and illuminates Garifuna history and tradition, as well as the spirit of an indomitable people; and
"WHEREAS, In 1665, two Spanish ships wrecked off the coast of St. Vincent; and
"WHEREAS, The West African slaves who escaped to the island eventually intermarried with the Caribs and the Arawaks, indigenous native peoples; and
"WHEREAS, The new race of people, known as the Garifuna, grew strong and prosperous on the island; and
"WHEREAS, In 1795, the Garifuna began the Second Carib War against the British; battles raged throughout St. Vincent over the next year, with both sides enduring heavy losses; and
"WHEREAS, On June 10, 1796, the final battle commenced with the Garifuna and British, resulting in the Garifuna's surrender; and
"WHEREAS, The surviving Black Caribs were forcibly transferred to the neighboring island of Balliceaux; and
"WHEREAS, On March 11, 1797, the defeated Garifuna were loaded onto a convoy of eight vessels and transported to Roatan, Honduras, which arrived on April 12th of that year; and
"WHEREAS, The Garifuna began to migrate to the United States during the 1930s; today, New York City is home to the largest Garifuna community outside of Central America; and
"WHEREAS, This year commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the Happy Land Social Club Fire tragedy that brought attention to New York City's Garifuna community; this milestone should serve as the turning point to advance the integration of the Garifuna community as it promotes its political, economic, social and cultural development; and
"WHEREAS, On May 18, 2001, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed the Garifuna language, dance and music as a 'Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity'; and
"WHEREAS, Garifuna-American Heritage Month provides an opportunity to recognize the significance of their contributions to the quality and character of life, and, through many events and activities throughout the month, for all people to gain a greater appreciation of Garifuna history and traditions, and of the role Garifuna-Americans have played, and will continue to play, in our society; and
"WHEREAS, In 1823, William Henry Brown, the first American playwright of African descent, wrote 'The Drama of King Shotaway,' recognized as the first black drama of the American Theatre, which has as its subject the 1795 Black Caribs' (Garifunas') defense of the Island of Saint Vincent against colonization by the British; and
"WHEREAS, Today, New Yorkers of Garifuna heritage such as Sara Logan, Rosemary Ordonez Jenkins, Mirtha Colon, Eleanor Cecelia Castillo-Bullock, Sulma Arzu-Brown, James Lovell, Rosita Alvarez, Paula Castillo, Martin Bermudez, Edson Arzu and Jose Francisco Avila continue to recognize and honor the cultural practices of their ancestors; now, therefore, be it
"RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to declare March 11, 2015, to April 12, 2015, as Garifuna-American Heritage Month in the State of New York; and be it further
"RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York."
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Senator Díaz.
SENATOR DIAZ:Thank you, Mr. President.
Mr. President, before I say anything, I would like to express my -- my disgust, my uncomfortable -- being uncomfortable today, because I've got a group of Garifunas coming from the Bronx, all the way from the Bronx. And we sat here for two hours to see -- to be recognizing a general, the appointments of 15 judges, the resolution, and we are finally going to close.
So I hope that when Espaillat talks about, and -- what's the name of the Senator? -- Brad Hoylman talking about all the discrimination that the bridge can do, that you include in that bridge too that people from the Bronx come here, all the way, and they were left here till the end.
So, Mr. President, thank you very much. Today, today, ladies and gentlemen, is a very special day. Today I'm honored to be the sponsor of this great resolution and of the fifth annual celebration of Garifuna-American Heritage Month in the New York State Senate.
Today I'm honored to have the opportunity and privilege granted to me by the distinguished leaders of the Senate, the Honorable Senator Dean Skelos, the Secretary of the Senate, Mr. Frank Patience, and the members of this body that have allowed me to introduce this resolution.
Mr. President, members of the Senate, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to welcome the delegation from the Garifuna community who are sitting in the gallery.
(Applause from the gallery.)
SENATOR DIAZ:Go ahead. Go ahead. You have been applauding everybody here, so why not applaud yourself too.
(Exchange in Spanish with audience members in the gallery.)
SENATOR DIAZ:This delegation, Mr. President, is presided by Mr. Jose Francisco Avila, president of the Garifuna Coalition, USA, who has joined us in the Senate chambers today, along with Mrs. Rosemary Ordonez Jenkins, Mrs. Rosita Alvarez, Mrs. Olga Leiva, the Reverend Andrew Nunez, senior pastor of the Believers Mennonite Garifuna Ministry, who gave the invocation, and Mr. Aurelio Martinez.
And Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you all something about Mr. Aurelio Martinez. Mr. Aurelio Martinez, you should know that Mr. Aurelio Martinez is a national musical legend in Honduras and throughout Latin America, and that during the November 27, 2005, national elections in Honduras, Mr. Martinez -- that guy over there. {In Spanish.} Martinez, this is your day today.
Mr. Martinez made history when he became the first Garifuna or African descendant to be elected to the Honduran National Congress representing the Department of Atalántida.
(Applause from gallery.)
SENATOR DIAZ:You should also know, ladies and gentlemen, that this past Saturday, March 14th, at the Hostos Community College Auditorium in Bronx County, Mr. Martinez was honored by the New York Garifuna community with a musical tribute celebrating the 30th anniversary of his legendary musical career.
During that event, Saturday, last Saturday, this past Saturday, together with Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz, Jr., Assemblymembers Marcos Crespo, Luis Sepúlveda, and Michael Blake, in celebration of Garifuna Heritage Month, I had the honor and privilege of presenting a proclamation and citation to Mr. Aurelio Martinez in recognition of his legendary musical career.
Ladies and gentlemen in the gallery and in the chamber, it is important for you to know that the Garifuna community has been an integral part of New York City and especially of Bronx County for more than 80 years.
It is also important to know that the Garifunas have been coming to the United States of America in search of a better life since 1930. Their vitality, their talent and their commitment constitute tremendous resources for our state and our city.
But, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, and my fellow Senators, you should know that it took a tragic event, a fire that took the lives of 87 people, for the government institutions to start paying attention to this great community. This year we commemorate the 25th anniversary of that tragic fire.
On March 25, 1990, a social club known as the Happy Land was set on fire, causing the death of many people and inflicting tremendous pain and suffering to the rest of the Garifuna community throughout the state and throughout the nation.
Today, as the State Senator representing the 32nd Senatorial District in Bronx County, it is an honor and a privilege for me to have this huge delegation of Garifuna joining us in the Senate gallery. Look at that beautiful group. Aren't they beautiful.
(Applause from the gallery.)
SENATOR DIAZ:It's a beautiful thing.
To you, to you, my colleagues, members of the Senate and staff, I invite you to join us at a reception after session in the Well for a very, very Garifuna celebration. The celebration of Garifuna-American Heritage Month will continue on Thursday, April 9th -- this is important, write it down -- on Thursday, April 9th, when more than 500 people will gather at Maestro's Caterers in the Bronx for the Annual Abrazo Garifuna.
(Applause.)
SENATOR DIAZ:If you, my colleagues and staff, would like to travel to the Bronx, you will be more than welcome to attend.
In closing -- now is the good thing {in Spanish} -- in closing I want to say to the Garifuna delegation, thank you for accepting my invitation to come to this chamber. And in Garifuna: "Buiti Achúluruni. Seremein Bini-noun búnguío."
(Applause from gallery.)
SENATOR DIAZ:This is Senator Díaz, and this is what you should know.
Thank you.
(Laughter and applause from gallery.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Díaz.
Senator Serino -- Senator Serrano, my apologies.
SENATOR SERRANO:No problem. Thank you very much, Mr. President.
And it gives me great pleasure to rise and speak in support of Senator Díaz's resolution honoring the wonderful and rich Garifuna community. Every year he knows, the Senator knows how excited I get when he brings all of us together to celebrate this very occasion, because it's so important.
The cultural contributions of the Garifuna community are immeasurable, but for so long these weren't fully understood. Thanks to Senator Díaz, we now have a showcase to understand how important the Garifuna community is for this wonderful mosaic that we call New York.
In the Bronx, but throughout the entire five boroughs and indeed the State of New York, the Garifuna community is in many ways a history lesson of the new Americas and how Central America and South America shaped the way that we are today, shaped our society today. And indeed, in the Bronx, the growing and strong and vibrant Garifuna community has made innumerable contributions.
So I get so excited when I know that the groups are coming up here to talk about what they're doing, to show how far they've come. But really it is a tremendous celebration of the diversity that we all celebrate and that we take for granted, but we should celebrate it every single day.
So thank you very much for being here.
(Applause from the gallery.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Serrano.
Senator Espaillat.
SENATOR ESPAILLAT:Thank you.
I want to rise to congratulate Senator Díaz for his efforts to bring the Garifuna community here once again this year to Albany. And, you know, the Reverend has established a series of abrazos -- embraces, right? -- where he highlights the great qualities of many of our communities across the City of New York.
So I commend him for his efforts, and I welcome you to Albany, particularly Aurelio Martinez, who's a former member of the Honduran Congress, and Mr. Avila.
But the Reverend has made a mistake. He believes, truly believes, and I believe that he truly believes that the Garifuna community is exclusive of his district and the Bronx. And he is mistaken. Because there are Garifuna in Manhattan.
(Applause from gallery.)
SENATOR ESPAILLAT:There are Garifunas in Brooklyn.
(Applause from gallery.)
SENATOR ESPAILLAT:There are Garifunas in Queens.
(Applause from gallery.)
SENATOR ESPAILLAT:I dare to say that there may even be some Garifunas in Staten Island.
(Applause from gallery.)
SENATOR ESPAILLAT:And let me tell you, Reverend, I went to Providence, Rhode Island, and I met Mr. Avila's twin brother -- I thought I was speaking to him -- who is also a Garifuna.
So again, Reverend Díaz, I thank you for bringing them here. But they belong to all of us. With that I say to you {in Garifuna}.
(Cheers, applause from gallery.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Espaillat.
Senator Hamilton.
SENATOR HAMILTON:Yes, good evening.
I just want to say there's a woman named Vilma Zuniga who is a Garifuna, and she exposed me to the culture. And Vilma is a loving person, she's a warm person, she invites you to her home. And her mother reminds me of my grandmother, who's still alive.
And I see Rosita Alvarez over here, and say hello to her.
And Senator Díaz, you're right, and Senator Espaillat; we have Garifuna people all over the world. But the ones from Brooklyn are the ones I know. And they're loving people, they're warm people. And they're bilingual, trilingual.
But what I love about the Garifuna people, they identify with being African. They identify with the African culture.
Ms. Honduras, please stand up. Are you there? Yay, Ms. Honduras.
(Applause.)
SENATOR HAMILTON:They are beautiful, caring people with a strong heritage of being independent, fighting for their rights. I love their music. I love to enjoy -- I love the food, I always eat well at the events --
(Laughter.)
SENATOR HAMILTON:-- and the good cooking.
And a lot of times in other cultures the women are always slim and skinny, but Garifuna women are just the right -- you know (gesturing).
(Laughter from gallery.)
SENATOR HAMILTON:So I just want to say God bless the Garifuna people. And Albany, we welcome you to Albany. And God bless you all, thank you for coming here today. Thank you.
(Applause from gallery.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Hamilton.
Senator Rivera.
SENATOR RIVERA:Thank you, Mr. President.
So I will tell everyone ahead of time, Mr. President, that I will neither comment on anyone's girth or, or say something in the Garifuna language, because I know that I would get it wrong.
But I am very proud to not only welcome you all to Albany, but to say that I am very glad and proud, really, that there are so many Garifunas that live in my district.
Now, I am from Puerto Rico, born and raised. And there is a phrase in Puerto Rico that is a famous poem: "Tu Abuela 'donde 'sta?" "And your grandma, where is she at?"
Now, what does that mean? There is a whole conversation in Puerto Rico about the African heritage of Puerto Rican people. And there's a famous poem in the 1970s that just questions that if people in Puerto Rican say "Oh, there's no African in my heritage," then the question you ask them is {in Spanish}: "And your grandmother, where is she at?" Because I'm sure that she has heritage.
So as I was growing up, there was always something about -- we were taught how African heritage was such an important part of who we were as Puerto Ricans. So when I came to New York and I became a Senator, that is when I really got to meet the Garifuna people. And that is when I got to learn about the history of this group of African folks that traveled to Central America that established themselves as a different group from a lot of other ones in the entire country and in the entire world and made their own heritage.
It's just a further example of how the African Diaspora all over the world just has, as it plants itself all over the world, whether it's in Puerto Rico, in the Dominican Republic, here in the U.S. or certainly in Central America, it becomes -- it just makes it greater.
So I am very glad to have the Garifuna people as part of the 33rd Senatorial District. I'm glad to have you here as guests. And hopefully we will have much to work together to make sure that we make not only the 33rd Senatorial District but the Bronx a little bit better every single day.
Thank you for being up here.
Thank you, Mr. President.
(Applause from gallery.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Rivera.
Senator Parker.
SENATOR PARKER:Thank you very much.
Let me -- I'm State Senator Kevin Parker, representing the 21st District in Brooklyn, which I think rivals the Bronx for the number of Garifuna people living in the community.
But I certainly want to first thank Senator Díaz for really leading the charge on making sure that our communities of all hues, races, ethnicities and religions are being recognized every year on the floor of the Senate.
But also, you know, I want to associate myself with the kind words of all my colleagues, who certainly have a significant respect for the Garifuna people.
You know, I really wanted to kind of speak for a moment just to what we really are talking about when we talk about the Garifuna culture. That people are quick, oftentimes, to talk about what we refer to as "surface culture," looking at people's dress and dance, right, and language, but not talk about what anthropologist Clifford Geertz calls "deep structure" culture.
And what we see in the Garifuna people is really a resistance to imperialism and colonialism and enslavement and oppression that our people have gone through.
(Applause from gallery.)
SENATOR PARKER:And so when we hear this language that people can't pronounce it -- well, you can't pronounce it because you ain't heard it. Because it's an African language in most of its parts and its deep structure.
And when you hear the syntax, right, and the grammatical structure, and you start trying to look at, you know, Romance languages, you say, Oh, we can't find it. That's because it don't come from Romance countries. Right? It comes from Africa.
And when we hear that, what we're seeing in this people is a people who are essentially maroons. Right? They're essentially maroons. These are people who have had to fend for themselves -- and not just in a place that was inhospitable but hostile to their very existence. And so --
(Applause.)
SENATOR PARKER:And so this tribute is not simply to all of the beautiful things that we see in terms of dance and song and music and food and all those other things, but really thank you to your ancestors and to your very spirit of being ones who resist.
As we talked here today earlier about the 50th anniversary of Selma and we talked about -- even, you know, what we talked about in terms of Fort Drum Day, is that it's important to us to fight for the things that we think are important. Right? And what you saw in Senator Ritchie's commemoration of Fort Drum was talking about preserving the culture of that place.
And that's what Reverend Díaz is talking about, that we are with you in preserving your culture. That your culture is our culture, that we continue to not just live together and love together, but continue the struggle together.
Thank you, Mr. President.
(Applause from gallery.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator Parker.
The question is on the resolution. All in favor signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Opposed?
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:The resolution is adopted.
(Applause from gallery.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Senator LaValle.
SENATOR LaVALLE: Mr. President, as is our tradition, we will open this resolution for sponsorship for anyone who wants to be on the resolution. And again as part of our tradition, you are assumed on the resolution unless you do not want to be on the resolution.
We have another resolution by Senator Serrano. Would you please read the title only and then recognize Senator Serrano on his resolution.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Legislative Resolution Number 976, by Senator Serrano, mourning the untimely death of Anthony Mason, outstanding athlete, New York City sports icon, and devoted member of his community.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Senator Serrano.
SENATOR SERRANO:Thank you very much, Mr. President.
I just wanted to take a moment to honor the legacy of a great New York sports legend in Anthony Mason, who as we all know --
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Quiet, please. Quiet, please.
SENATOR SERRANO:-- as we all know, died, unfortunately died at a very young age, the age of 48, this past February 28th. He passed away in Manhattan after suffering a heart attack.
But best known for his years as New York Knick, he really did do a lot to give New York sports fans, many of us who were very frustrated Knicks fans from the 1980s, a sense of pride. What a difference the team was in the '90s with the likes of Anthony Mason, John Starks, Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley. It was so exciting to know that the Knicks, while they may have been underdogs in any particular game, were going to exhibit the tenacity to make them competitive against any other team.
And I believe in many ways that was seen most deeply in Anthony Mason. His in-your-face style proved that in anything in life, having the will to succeed, the will to prepare, the tenacity, the perseverance, will take you very far.
So in 1994, Mason helped bring the Knicks to the NBA finals, where they lost a tough, and in my case heartbreaking, series to the Houston Rockets. In 1995, Mason received the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, which is given to the League's best-performing player for his team coming off the bench.
In '96 and '97, Mason led the NBA in minutes played in the subsequent two seasons. Also in '97, Mason earned All-NBA (third team) and NBA All-Defensive Team (second team). He was selected in 2001 to the NBA All-Star Game. And Mason retired with an average of 10 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game.
So I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge how he helped many sports fans from all different genres to feel a sense of pride in being a New York sports fan. He'll be missed, and I want to take a moment to honor his legacy.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Thank you, Senator.
The question is on the resolution. All in favor signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Opposed?
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:The resolution is adopted.
Senator LaValle.
SENATOR LaVALLE: Mr. President, if we can go back to motions and resolutions and recognize Senator Valesky for a motion.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:Senator Valesky.
SENATOR VALESKY:Thank you, Mr. President.
On behalf of Senator Carlucci, I move that Senate Bill 1743 be discharged from its respective committee and be recommitted with instructions to strike the enacting clause.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:So ordered.
Senator LaValle.
SENATOR LaVALLE: Mr. President, is there any other business at the desk?
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:No other business.
SENATOR LaVALLE: Hearing no other business, I move that we adjourn until Wednesday, March the 18th, at 3:00 p.m.
ACTING PRESIDENT MURPHY:On motion, the Senate stands adjourned until Wednesday, March 18th, at 3:00 p.m.
Happy St. Patrick's.
(Whereupon, at 5:35 p.m., the Senate adjourned.)
Highest impact first.