[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 46 (Wednesday, April 12, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E542]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CONGRATULATING ASSEMBLYMAN JOHN ROONEY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARGE ROUKEMA

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 12, 2000

  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, today I congratulate New Jersey State 
Assemblyman John E. Rooney on receiving the New Jersey Conference of 
Mayors' prestigious Legislator Award. Assemblyman Rooney is one of the 
most outstanding and respected members of our State Legislature. He is 
a trusted friend and advisor whose counsel I value greatly. This award 
recognizes the landmark work he has done in the New Jersey Assembly, 
particularly initiatives he has sponsored that have helped hold down 
municipal property taxes.
  Assemblyman Rooney's dedicated career in public service began in 
1976, when he was elected councilman in his hometown of Northvale. In 
1979 he became the borough's first Republican mayor in a quarter 
century--serving and subsequently brought about the first Republican 
majority on the Borough Council in more than a decade. He was elected 
to the State Assembly in 1983 and has been re-elected every two years 
since then.
  As an assemblyman, he has authored a number of landmark bills, 
including the legislation that established the Division of 
Developmental Disabilities and the law giving firefighters the right to 
know the location of toxic materials at industrial sites. He also 
sponsored the constitutional amendment eliminating expensive special 
elections, instead allowing county political committees to fill 
legislative vacancies. His work in challenging the state's authority 
over solid waste disposal has saved municipalities millions of dollars 
and, in turn, helped control property taxes.
  Born in Brooklyn, New York, Assemblyman Rooney first came to New 
Jersey to attend Rutgers University, where he graduated magna cum laude 
with a degree in business management. He also holds a master's degree 
in marketing from Rutgers, masters in political science and history 
from the University of Maryland, and a degree in language from Syracuse 
University. He served in the Air Force as a Russian linguist, where he 
won commendations from the National Security Agency for outstanding 
intelligence work. He has made his professional career as a sales 
executive in the electrical motor and control industry.
  Active in government, professional and civic organizations, 
Assemblyman Rooney has been a member of the New Jersey Conference of 
Mayors, the American Legion, Vietnam Veterans for America, Elks, the 
Water Pollution Control Federation and the American Management 
Association. He is a former chairman of the Northern Valley Community 
Development Program, a former president of the Northern Valley Mayors' 
Association, and a commissioner of the Bergen County Utilities 
Authority.
  Assemblyman Rooney and his wife, Martha, have two adult children, 
Beth and Patrick. His family has always been supportive, and made it 
possible for Assemblyman Rooney to serve in this distinguished way.
  I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in 
congratulating this outstanding public servant, who has helped improve 
the lives not only of his hometown as Councilman and Mayor but the 
entire State of New Jersey as a leading legislator. He most certainly 
has made his community and the State of New Jersey a better place to 
work, own a home and raise a family.

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