[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 26, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING JERRY A. KOWNIG

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 26, 1997

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a man who has involved 
himself in his community for more than 40 years, working to reform the 
political process.
  He started in politics in City College as a member of the Young 
Liberals. In 1956 he was office manager for the New York State 
Stevenson for President Committee and was a founder of the Village 
Independent Democrats, the organization which in 1961 ousted the 
legendary Carmine DeSapio as leader of Tammany Hall. He also worked 
with reform candidates in the Bronx as they sought to overthrow the 
Buckley organization.
  It was in these campaigns that he developed his expertise in the 
petition process. He went to Washington where he worked on legislation 
such as the first Federal family planning legislation. He returned to 
the Bronx where he met the light of his life, Mary Geissman. In 1975, 
he joined the staff of the New York State Assembly Election Law 
Committee. He worked on major legislative changes in election law, such 
as the mail registration law and the first Presidential primary in New 
York in which the names of the Presidential candidates appeared on the 
ballot.
  On a personal note, Jerry was a great help to me for all of my public 
career, helping me with petitions as far back as when I was district 
leader. Jerry Koenig has devoted himself to bettering the political 
process in New York State for all of his life. He has worked to make 
change work for the better, to open up the political process for the 
people. On his retirement, all of us in politics, indeed all citizens, 
owe him a debt we can never repay.

                          ____________________