[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 144 (Thursday, October 6, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 6, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
   SENATE MINORITY LEADER MANFRED OHRENSTEIN HONORED FOR LIFETIME OF 
                                SERVICE

                                 ______


                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 6, 1994

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to the attention of my 
colleagues the distinguished career of a mentor of mine who had a 
profound, positive impact on me.
  Working for New York State Senator and Senate Minority Leader Manfred 
Ohrenstein was like playing three dimensional chess. He came at 
problems from every conceivable angle.
  While he has a brilliant intellect, Manfred Ohrenstein is driven 
above all by what he believes is right. His progressive values are rock 
solid. In 34 years of public service, his commitment to equal 
opportunity for women and minorities, a woman's right to choose, 
education and civil rights has never wavered.
  Manfred Ohrenstein was a Democrat practically from the time he set 
foot on American soil 56 years ago, when he entered the United States 
in 1938 with his family, escaping Nazi Germany.
  He was deeply inspired by President Roosevelt. Democrat politics 
began almost immediately to shape his views and the way he looked at 
life in his new country. FDR's magnificent leadership both domestically 
and internationally during World War II defined for him what great 
leadership was all about.
  In 1959, he became active in New York City as a reform Democrat. In 
1960, he ran for the State senate. It proved to be a watershed year for 
Democratic politics. In the primary, he was honored to run with the 
support of former Gov. Herbert Lehman and Eleanor Roosevelt. In 
November, it was with great pride that he shared the Democratic ticket 
with John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
  The Kennedy years and those that immediately followed were an 
exhilarating time for Manfred Ohrenstein. He thrived on working 
alongside other like-minded Democrats in the civil rights movement, in 
the women's movement, in the struggle to ban nuclear weapons, and in 
opposing the Vietnam War. It was a time unlike any other, and Manfred 
Ohrenstein was proud: proud to be a Democrat and proud that his party 
was the party that worked for change and new ideas.
  After President Kennedy was senselessly assassinated in 1963, many of 
the people, who had believed so strongly in him--and his vision for 
America--went to work for Robert Kennedy. Manfred Ohrenstein was one of 
those people. And few people experienced more heartbreak when RFK's 
life was also taken by an assassins bullet.
  But Manfred Ohrenstein never lost faith. On the contrary, he fought 
for the ideals of the Kennedy brothers which changed this Nation 
forever, molding the post-war generation of Democrats and heralding a 
new age of progressive Democratic politics.
  Manfred Ohrenstein was thrilled to be a part of that generation. 
Still, in the twilight of his career as Senate Minority Leader, Manfred 
Ohrenstein continues to keep the Kennedy legacy alive, missing no 
opportunity to acknowledge the deep personal debt we owe to this unique 
family for its contribution to our party and to this country.
  We just lost another outstanding member of this family and a 
constituent of mine, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who was a great woman 
in her own right. Her passing symbolizes the end of an era.
  A few weeks ago, Congressman Joseph Kennedy came to my district to 
chair a congressional field hearing in my district which reunited 
Manfred Ohrenstein with the family he has served so faithfully. It was 
a touching moment to see the two of them standing side by side, with a 
microphone, speaking in a unified voice for positive change.
  Following the Kennedy years, Manfred Ohrenstein found new and 
different challenges in Democratic politics. In 1975, his Democratic 
colleagues in the State senate elected Manfred Ohrenstein as their 
leader. It was the post-Watergate year and Hugh Carey took office 
as Governor, breaking a 16-year Republican stranglehold on New York 
State's Executive Mansion. Stanley Steingut took over as Speaker with a 
new Democratic Majority in the Assembly.

  Their mettle as new Democratic leaders was put to the test 
immediately during the New York City fiscal crisis, as the prevailed in 
rescuing New York City from bankruptcy. Minority Leader Ohrenstein has 
always been proud that the Senate Democrats time and again have 
provided the narrow margin of victory in the Senate that kept the 
greatest city in the world from going into decline.
  At the end of the Carey years, Mario Cuomo was elected Governor. 
Manfred Ohrenstein relished the rare opportunity to work with someone 
whose intellectual gifts equaled his own. Together with the Democrats 
in the assembly, they brought stability to New York State during 
difficult economic times.
  This fall, Manfred Ohrenstein will be handing over the reins to an 
exciting group of talented, committed Democrats who are certain to make 
great strides in New York State politics for years to come: Karen 
Burstein, Carl McCall, and of course, Mario Cuomo.
  With that cast of characters and many others, New York State can move 
into the future, continuing to fight for education, abolishing assault 
weapons, controlling handguns, passing a hate crime bill, passing a gay 
rights bill and advancing a woman's right to choose.
  As Manfred Ohrenstein said when he announced his decision not to run 
for reelection, he is not retiring. He is simply moving on. In the days 
ahead, he expects to be deeply involved in the struggle in Washington, 
to advance President Clinton's progressive agenda for this country, and 
to return Hillary Clinton to the White House as well, preserving the 
best one-two punch the United States of America has seen since Franklin 
and Eleanor Roosevelt.
  Not since the years of the Kennedy's has there been such a commitment 
to change, to the reinvigoration of the Democratic party, and the 
exploration of bold new ideals. And if I know Manfred Ohrenstein, he 
will be fighting on the front lines for that agenda and those ideals 
until the day he dies.
  Mr. Speaker, it was an honor to work with Manfred Ohrenstein, but it 
was more of an honor just to know him. Neither I nor the State of New 
York can thank him enough for all he has done for us.

                          ____________________