[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 97 (Thursday, June 27, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1207-E1208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              1996 ELLIS ISLAND MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 27, 1996

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, every year, the National Ethnic 
Coalition of Organizations honors Americans from all ethnic backgrounds 
with its Ellis Island Medal of Honor. This year, I was deeply honored 
to be one of the recipients of this prestigious award.
  I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of this 
year's honorees. It is a distinguished group of Americans, including my 
colleagues, Senator Spencer Abraham, Congressmen Ben Gilman, Ray 
LaHood, Tom Manton and Charlie Rangel.
  The Ethnic Coalition of Organizations is dedicated to pursuing 
harmony between all ethnic groups. This is a goal which I applaud. I 
would like to enter into the Record a press release announcing these 
awards, and a list of these distinguished award recipients.

                Ellis Island Medals of Honor Awards Gala


  the 10th annual ellis island medals of honor awards ceremony--neco 
chairman william denis fugazy leads dramatic ceremony dedicated to late 
             medal recipient, congresswoman barbara jordan

       Ellis Island, NY, May 19.--Standing on the hallowed grounds 
     of Ellis Island--the portal through which 17 million 
     immigrants entered the United States--a cast of ethnic 
     Americans who have made significant contributions to the life 
     of this nation, among them Gov. George E. Pataki, U.S. Rep. 
     Charles B. Rangel, NYC Police Commissioner Howard Safir, and 
     ``street singer'' Arthur Tracy, today were presented with the 
     coveted Ellis Island Medal of Honor at an emotionally 
     uplifting ceremony.
       NECO's annual medal ceremony and reception on Ellis Island 
     in New York Harbor is the Nation's largest celebration of 
     ethnic pride. This year's 10th annual event was dedicated to 
     the memory of U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan, a 1990 Ellis Island 
     Medal recipient, who recently passed away.
       Representing a rainbow of ethnic origins, Pataki, Rangel, 
     Safir, Tracy, and other Ellis Island Medal of Honor 
     recipients, including Baltimore Orioles baseball team owner 
     Peter Angelos, entertainer Jerry Vale and NAACP President 
     Hazel Dukes, among others, received their awards in the 
     shadow of the historic Great Hall, where the first footsteps 
     were taken by the millions of immigrants who entered the U.S. 
     in the latter part of the nineteenth century.
       ``Today we honor great ethnic Americans who, through their 
     achievements and contributions, and in the spirit of their 
     ethnic origins, have enriched this country and have become 
     role models for future generations,'' said NECO Chairman 
     William Denis Fugazy. ``In addition, we honor the immigrant 
     experience--those who passed through this Great Hall decades 
     ago, and the new immigrants who arrive on American soil 
     seeking opportunity. Everyone came here with little more

[[Page E1208]]

     than the clothes on their backs. But all they needed was hope 
     and opportunity.''
       Mr. Fugazy added, ``It doesn't matter how you got here or 
     if you already were here. Ellis Island is a symbol of the 
     freedom, diversity and opportunity--ingredients inherent in 
     the fabric of this nation. Although many recipients have no 
     familial ties to Ellis Island, their ancestors share similar 
     histories of struggle and hope for a better life here.''
       One of the emotional high points of the day came when the 
     words spoken at the 1990 event by the late Congresswoman 
     Barbara Jordan, one of the first African-Americans to accept 
     the Ellis Island medal, were replayed over the public address 
     system after this year's ceremony was dedicated to her 
     memory. Mr. Fugazy recalled how the ailing Jordan flew to New 
     York, dramatically arriving in a wheelchair with a team of 
     medical personnel.
       Established in 1986 by NECO, the Ellis Island Medals of 
     Honor pay tribute to the ancestry groups that comprise 
     America's unique cultural mosaic. To date, some 500 ethnic 
     American citizens and native Americans have received medals.
       NECO is the largest organization of its kind in the U.S., 
     serving as an umbrella group for 75 ethnic organizations and 
     whose mandate is to preserve ethnic diversity, promote ethnic 
     and religious equality, tolerance and harmony, and combat 
     injustice, hatred and bigotry.
       Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients are selected each 
     year through a national nomination process. Screening 
     committees from NECO's member organizations select the final 
     nominees, who are then considered by the Board of Directors.
       Among this year's recipients were Michigan Senator Spencer 
     Abraham; members of the U.S. Congress Thomas Manton, Benjamin 
     Gilman, Danny L. Burton, and Ray Lahood; Justices Anthony 
     Celebrezze and Damon J. Keith; Sam DiPiazza (Vice Chairman, 
     Coopers & Lybrand); Rabbi Marc Schneier; ASPCA President 
     Roger Caras; WCBS News executive Jerry Nachman; Christopher 
     Komisarjevsky (Burson-Marsteller USA President); Air Force 
     Major General Marcelite J. Harris, and Air Force Lieutenant 
     Colonel William Gregory (astronaut); and former New York Mets 
     Manager Jeff Torborg. (Please refer to media kit insert for a 
     complete list of 1996 honorees and previous recipients.)
       Past Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients have included 
     several U.S. Presidents, entertainers, athletes, 
     entrepreneurs, religious leaders and business executive such 
     as Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, George Bush, 
     Richard Nixon, Mario Cuomo, Christine Todd Whitman, Bob Hope, 
     Frank Sinatra, Michael Douglas, Gloria Estefan, Coretta Scott 
     King, Rosa Parks, Elie Wiesel, Muhammad Ali, Mickey Mantle, 
     General Norman Schwarzkopf, Barbara Walters, Terry Anderson 
     and Dr. Michael DeBakey.


   congratulations to the 1996 ellis island medal of honor recipients

       Hon. Spencer Abraham, Lebanese, United States Senator; 
     Sarkis Acopian, Armenian, Conservationst; Hon. Wendell R. 
     Anderson, Swedish, Community Leader; Peter Angelos, Esq., 
     Hellenic, Attorney; Robert Annunziata, Italian, Business 
     Leader; Nicola M. Antaki, Syrian, Business Leader; Carl J. 
     Bazarian, Armenian, Community Leader; Martin S. Begun, 
     Russian, Educator/Community Leader; Bruce Bendell, Eastern 
     European, Buisness Leader; James M. Benson, Swe/Eng/Ire/Scot/
     Ger/Fr, Business Leader; Kenneth Berg, Russian, Business 
     Leader; A. Steve Betzelos, Hellenic, Business/Community 
     Leader; Lena Biorck Kaplan, Swedish, Community Leader; W. 
     Paul Brogowski, Polish, Business Leader; Hon. Dan Burton, 
     Welch, Member of Congress; John J. Cali, Italian, Business 
     Leader; Roger A. Caras, Eastern European, Author; John A. 
     Cavanagh, Irish, Business Leader; Hon. Anthony Celebrezze, 
     Italian, U.S. Circuit Court Judge; Andreas D. Comodromos, 
     Cypriot, Business/Community Leader; Anthony D. Dalesandro, 
     Italian, Business Leader; Tarik S. Daoud, Arabic, Business/
     Community Leader; Ruda B. Dauphin, Polish, Media Director; 
     Bettie Dawood, Lebanese, Business/Community Leader; Countess 
     Nadia de Navarro-Farber, Bulgarina, Real Estate Developer; 
     Jean-Jacques de Saint Andrieu, French, Business Leader; Hon. 
     Dennis DeConcini, Italian/English, United States Senator 
     (Ret); Ramon Abi-Rashed DeSage, Lebanese, Industry Leader; 
     Fernando M. DeSousa, Portuguese, Community Leader; Federick 
     W. Devine, Irish, Labor Leader; Richard ``Bo'' Dietl, German/
     Italian, Business Leader/Author; Nicholas P. DiPaolo, 
     Italian, Business Leader.
       Samuel A. DiPiazza, Jr., Italian, Business Leader; Hazel N. 
     Dukes, African, Community Leader; Most Rev. John A. Elya, 
     Lebanese, Religious Leader; Hon. Albert J. Emanuelli, 
     Italian, Justice, New York State; Michael D. Francis, Esq., 
     Austrian/Russian, Business Leader; Mario J. Gabelli, Italian, 
     Business Leader; Hon. Benjamin Gilman, Member of Congress; 
     Joesph J. Grano, Jr., Italian, Business Leader; George L. 
     Graziadio, Italian, Business Leader; Lt. Col. William Gregory 
     Albanian, Astronaut; Eugene P. Grisanti, Polish/Italian, 
     Business Leader; Nahum Guzik, Russian, Business Leader; John 
     Kaare Hagen, Norwegian, Business Leader; Antoine C. Harovas, 
     M.D., Hellenic, Physician; Maj. Gen. Marcelite J. Harris, 
     African, Government Leader (Military); John E. Herzog, 
     Hungarian, Business Leader; Arthur E. Imperatore, Italian, 
     Business Leader; Joseph P. Jarjura, Lebanese, Business/
     Community Leader; Norman Katz, German, Business Leader; 
     Joseph Kazickas, Lithuanian, Business Leader; Hon. Damon J. 
     Keith, African, Circuit Judge; John J. Kelly, Irish, Business 
     Leader; Christopher Komisarjevsky, Russian, Business Leader; 
     Murray Koppelman, Polish/Russian, Community Leader; Leo Paul 
     Koulos, Hellenic, Business Leader; Hon. Ray Lahood, Labanese, 
     Member of Congress; Carmella La Spada, Italian, Humanitarian; 
     Bennett S. LeBow, Eastern European, Business Leader; Daok 
     Lee, Korean, Educator/Community Leader; Anthony Lomangino, 
     Italian, Business Leader; Hon. Thomas J. Manton, Irish, 
     Member of Congress; Scrafin U. Mariel, Puerto Rican, 
     Business/Community Leader.
       Charles H.McCabe, Jr., Irish, Business Leader; Paschal 
     McGuinness, Irish, Labor Leader, Brian McLauhlin, Irish, 
     Labor Community Leader; Dennis McSpedon, Irish, Labor Leader; 
     Haroutine Mekhjian, M.D., Armenian, Cardiac Surgeon/Community 
     Leader; Spiros Milonas, Hellenic, Business Leader; Luis A. 
     Miranda, Jr., Puerto Rican/Latino, Educator/Community Leader; 
     Hugo M. Morales, M.D., Hispanic, Eductor/Community Leader; 
     Thomas J. Moran, Irish/Italian, Business Leader; Bruce A. 
     Morrison, Irish, Government/Community Leader; James H. 
     Moshovitis, Hellenic, Business Leader; Jerome A. Nachman, 
     Rumanian/Russian, Journalist; Dr. Julius R. Nasso, Italian, 
     Business Leader; Ricahrd T. Nasti, Italian, Business Leader; 
     Vincent Natrella, Italian, Community/Political Leader; Paul 
     Nussbaum, German, Business/Community Leader; Harry L. Pappas, 
     Hellenic, Business Leader; Hon. George E. Pataki, Hungarian/
     Irish/Italian, Governor--State of New York; Ludovit Pavlo, 
     M.D., Slovak, Physicial/Community Leader; John A. Payiavlas, 
     Hellenic, Business Leader; Maryanne K. Peneachio, Polish, 
     Hoeaker; Fammioe Petallides-Holiday, Cypriot, Business/
     Community Leader; Joseph, M. Pizza, Italian, Business Leader; 
     William F. Plunkett, Jr., Esq., Irish, Attorney; Hon. Charles 
     B. Ragnel, African, Member of Congress; Kiewoong Walter Rhee, 
     Korean, Community Leader; Nicholas L. Ribis, Italian, 
     Business Leader; Joe E. Rodriguez, Puerto Rican, Business 
     Leader; Mauro C. Romita. Italian, Business Leader; Jack 
     Rosen, Easter European, Business Leader.
       Rustum Roy, Asian Indian (East), Educator/Researcher/
     Author; Hon. Howard Safer, Russian, New York City Police 
     Commissioner; Louis P. Salvatore, Italian, Business leader; 
     S. Gary Schiller, Austrian/German, Community Leader; Rabbi 
     Marc Schneier, Viennese, Religious/Community Leader; Martin 
     E. Segal, Russian, Business Leader/Patron of the Arts; John 
     T. Sharkey, Irish, Business Leader; Steven H. Shepsman, 
     Eastern European, Business Leader; Rolland G. Smith, 
     Genglish/Irish, Journalist; John L. Soldini, Italian/Irish, 
     Educator/Labor Leader; Hon. Nicholas A. Spano, Italian, New 
     York State Senator; Sonja B. Stefanadis, Hellenic, Community 
     Leader; Robert M. Stutman, Russian Business Leader; Philip 
     Suarez, Puerto Rican, Business Leader; Lou Switzer, African, 
     Business Leader; Rosemarie Taglione, Danish/Italian, Business 
     Leader; Joseph H. Talfour, Sr., Slovak, Attorney, Business/
     Community Leader; Marilyn Jordan Taylor, Scottish, Architect; 
     Raymond C. Teatum, Irish, Public Official; Fred S. Teng, 
     Chinese, Business/Community Leader; Dr. Nick John Topetzes, 
     Hellenic, Educator/Community Leader; Jeffrey A. Torborg, 
     Swedish/German/English, Major League Baseball Plaoyer, Coach, 
     Manager, Broadcaster; Arthur Tracy, Russian, Entertainer 
     ``The Street Singer''; Pauline Trigere, French, Business 
     Leader; Jerry Vale, Italian, Singer/Entertainer; Dennis R. 
     Washington, Norwegian, Business Leader; John S. Wilcha, 
     Czecholsovakian, Business Leader; Dr. John D. Young, Chinese, 
     Business Leader; Brad Zackson, Rumanian/Russian, Business 
     Leader.

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