[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 23, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S33]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS OF INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mrs. CLINTON (for herself and Mr. Schumer):
  S. 1892. A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 37 Carl Path in Deer Park, New York, as the 
``Raymond M. Downey Post Office Building''; to the Committee on 
Government Affairs.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Madam President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
to pay tribute to a great New Yorker, a beloved leader and noble public 
servant, Deputy Chief Ray Downey of the New York City Fire Department. 
The legislation I'm introducing today with my colleague, Senator 
Schumer, would name a post office in Deer Park, New York as the 
``Raymond M. Downey Post Office Building.''
  Firs, I want to express my deepest sympathies to his wife, Rosalie, 
and their five children for their terrible loss.
  A hero among heroes, Ray Downey was one of the most decorated members 
of the Fire Department, awarded five medals for valor and 16 unit 
citations. His esteemed career spanned nearly 40 years with the New 
York Fire Department, including service with both ladder and engine 
companies, as well as rescue squads. A former Marine, Downey joined the 
New York fire department in 1962, first serving in Brooklyn.
  From the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995 to the 1993 
World Trade Center bombing, Chief Downey helped lead the department 
with his skill and courage. He was considered a leading expert on 
rescues involving collapsed buildings. For nearly 15 years, he 
commanded Rescue Company 2 and in August, because of his leadership and 
skill, he was promoted to Special Operations Command, which dealt with 
hazardous materials and rescue work. The reach of his work extended 
beyond New York City. He was a leader of the Urban Search and Rescue 
Team, which assisted in the Walton Floods response in Upstate New York, 
as well as the ``ice storm'' that hit Upstate in 2000 and Hurricane 
Georges and the Dominican Republic.
  Due to his incredible knowledge of how buildings fall down, he has 
been described as having ``rock star'' status among firefighters across 
the country. Congressman Israel, who introduced the companion 
legislation in the House of Representatives, summed it up well, saying, 
``He is a national treasure.'' I could not agree more.
  Chief Downey was also a member of a national advisory commission on 
domestic response to terrorism. Nearly five years ago, he warned that 
our next war would be fought in an urban area, and, unfortunately, he 
was right. Early on September 11, at age 63, just like he did a 
thousand times before, Ray Downey responded to the call for duty. In 
spite of his age, he joined the heroic and unforgettable effort to save 
lives in World Trade Center towers. The unmistakable courage and the 
incalculable sacrifices that he and all the public safety officers who 
responded that day made for the good of their communities and their 
country are the kinds of virtues and values that make them real-life 
heroes.
  It has been reported that after September 11, Ray Downey's wife 
Rosalie, found a manila folder in his brief case filled with letters 
and praise from his lifetime of service. This modest man, who never 
boasted of his incredible rescues, had immense pride in his work, and 
rightly so. He quietly chronicled his service to the city and the 
manila folder grew thicker.
  His life of service will also live on in the hearts and minds of all 
those whose lives he touched through his bravery and leadership. We 
will never forget Ray Downey's extraordinary career and I ask you to 
join us today in supporting this legislation, which will create a 
lasting tribute to this legendary figure. Ray Downey leaves behind a 
grateful city, in awe of all he achieved on its behalf.

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