[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 89 (Friday, June 28, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1174]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TIME FOR A CAREER CHANGE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN J. LaFALCE

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 27, 2002

  Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Speaker, I have been blessed with the honor and 
privilege of representing the people of Western New York for thirty-two 
years: two in the New York State Senate, two in the New York State 
Assembly, and twenty-eight in the U.S. House of Representatives. For 
eight of my years in the House, I served as Chairman of the important 
Small Business Committee. For the last five years, I have served as 
Ranking Democrat on another major committee of even broader reach and 
import, the House Financial Services Committee.
  I am extremely grateful for the honor the citizens of Western New 
York have given to me and most especially for the trust they have 
imparted to me over the course of those thirty-two years. During all 
that time, I have tried my best to serve the people of Western New York 
honestly, diligently, faithfully and intelligently and have worked hard 
to honor, earn, and deserve their trust.
  In that span of three decades, I have met and worked with some of the 
most talented and noble men and women in this country. I shall treasure 
each and every one of those relationships.
  But there comes a time to seek new horizons. And, for me, this is the 
right time. So I announce today that I will not be seeking another term 
in Congress.
  I pondered very seriously whether to seek new horizons in 1992, at 
the time of the last redistricting, when my two closest friends in 
Congress, Henry Nowak and Matt McHugh, decided to leave. For many years 
now, I have been thinking about what I should do subsequent to the 2002 
redistricting. I very much want to see the Democrats regain a majority 
in the House. Had the court-imposed plan not been withdrawn today, I 
might well have decided to run and be part of that effort.
  But I have every confidence that a Democrat will win in the new 28th 
Congressional district and there are many talented Democrats who could 
represent it well: Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, Mayor Bill Johnson 
of Rochester, Mayor Anthony Masiello of Buffalo, State Senator Byron 
Brown, State Senator Richard Dollinger, many Assemblymen and women, 
including Robin Schimminger, Sam Hoyt, Arthur Eve, Francine DelMonte, 
David Gantt. There are others who are also equally well qualified, 
including former Erie County Legislative Chairmen Len Lenihan and Chuck 
Swanick, Niagara Falls Councilman Paul Dyster, Niagara County District 
Attorney Matt Murphy, County Legislator Lynn Marinelli, etc.--the list 
goes on and on.
  Engaging in a contest against other talented and honorable Democrats 
such as these is not something I choose to do. Instead, I choose to 
pursue new horizons.
  Until this very day, I have been making contingency plans to run, not 
knowing what the Court would ultimately decide. And the information I 
have been receiving, including polling data, has made it clear that I 
would win both a primary and a general election. The primary election 
because of the historic Democratic primary voter turnout in Erie, 
Niagara and Orleans Counties, which has always been far higher than the 
turnout in Monroe County (approximately 3 to 1); and the general 
because the new 28th has a significant Democratic voter registration 
advantage--the first time I would have had such an advantage.
  But winning has never been the issue. The issue has been whether I 
wanted to seek new horizons within the new 28th District by getting to 
know and seeking to serve the 410,000 of the 654,000 residents who 
would be new constituents for me, or whether I wanted to seek new 
horizons elsewhere.
  And so this time, this year, I have decided to pursue those new 
horizons elsewhere rather than seek re-election. I have no plans to 
retire. I am doing what so many in this country now do at my point in 
life--changing careers. Whether this career change will take me back to 
the law, or a career in social justice, academia, corporate governance 
or other public service, I simply do not know. But I am excited and 
enthusiastic at the prospect of exploring this vast range of new 
opportunities.
  I am pleased to have been able to assist the citizens of Western New 
York and to help our local communities over the past three decades. 
While I have decided not to seek another term, I plan to continue 
working hard on behalf of my district and country for the balance of 
this year and beyond.
  I have often been asked why I chose to be in public service. The 
answer is simple: there is no greater satisfaction than to serve one's 
community. I have consistently believed and said that public service 
gives one a unique opportunity not only to serve one's fellow citizens, 
but to be engaged in, and apply one's mind and heart to, the great 
issues of our day, to be fully involved in the action and passion of 
our time. My experience has underscored that perspective. I am grateful 
to the citizens of Western New York for giving me that privilege, and 
most especially, for the trust they have placed in me.

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