[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 77 (Friday, June 4, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1051-E1052]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             FALLEN HEROES

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. MELVIN L. WATT

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 20, 2004

  Mr. WATT. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to honor all 
those who have died in military service with a moment of silence. I am 
particularly reminded of the courage and sacrifice of our World War II 
soldiers as we celebrate the long-awaited opening of the monument to 
those who died in that war. As Americans we express our gratitude to 
them this year as we reflect on the fact that men and women are again 
fighting and dying for our country.
  Almost 800 American soldiers have died since the beginning of 
hostilities in Iraq. I would like to recognize four of these 
individuals, all reservists and residents of the 12th Congressional 
District of North Carolina, who died this past year. Specialist Mark A. 
Bibby, a twenty-five year old student at North Carolina A&T State 
University in Greensboro, NC, was killed on July 21, 2003 when a bomb 
exploded near his Humvee in Baghdad. Specialist Lunsford Brown, also a 
native North Carolinian and student at North Carolina A&T, died on 
September 20, 2003, in a mortar attack at the Abu Ghraib Prison in 
Baghdad. He was twenty-seven years old and the father of a three-month-
old baby girl, Amber.
  On April 23rd, 2004 the remains of Army Sergeant Elmer C. Krause, 
also a resident of Greensboro, North Carolina were identified. Sergeant 
Krause had been listed as missing on April 9th when his convoy came 
under attack. He was forty years old and had a nine-year-old son, 
Jonathan. Relatives said he wanted to go to Iraq ``so someone else 
could come back home.'' Most recently, on May 3rd, Sergeant Gregory L. 
Wahl, of Salisbury, North Carolina, died when his vehicle flipped into 
a canal in Balad, Iraq. He was thirty years old and the father of four-
year-old Alexis. I extend my condolences to the families, friends and 
communities in my congressional district who mourn the loss of these 
men.
  Today, I honor all our fallen heroes and sincerely hope that our 
soldiers in Iraq will soon come home safely and honorably.
                               __________
                               

 TRIBUTE TO HOWARD J. RUBENSTEIN ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF RUBENSTEIN 
                               ASSOCIATES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, June 4, 2004

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the exceptional 
contributions to New York City and to our nation made by Howard J. 
Rubenstein. Tonight his outstanding firm, Rubenstein Associates, Inc., 
will mark half a century of success in public relations. Joining in the 
celebration will be leaders in the national, state and local 
government, as well as the worlds of commerce and culture--and what a 
fitting tribute this broad selection of friends and admirers will be!
  Howard Rubenstein's name is associated with quality clients across 
the nation, from the San Francisco Opera to the Miami Convention & 
Visitors Bureau. But most typical of his long and impressive list of 
450 clients are the unique institutions of New York, such as the 
Yankees, the Guggenheim Museum and the Plaza Hotel. Howard has stood by 
New York City through thick and thin, hard times and flush times, and 
always he has displayed a unique talent for making the world see New 
York through his loving eyes. He's helped the city in its quest to be 
the quintessential American metropolis of our time.
  The investment he has made in the future of New York--and by 
extension in the country at large--has helped to further the concept of 
public-private partnerships. Nobody better understands the symbiotic 
inner workings among business, the media, politics and the civic sector 
than Howard does. His ability to see the big picture enables him to 
understand where different entities can form alliances for the 
betterment of all. One of Howard's most significant successes is his 
participation in the co-founding of the Association for a Better New 
York. ABNY, which remains as influential today as when it was formed 30 
years ago, is a civic organization that brings together leaders from 
every facet of New York life to work together to improve all aspects of 
the City.
  Mr. Speaker, my respect for Howard Rubenstein was made all the more 
profound by his response to the September 11th attacks. Howard worked 
tirelessly to help the city and our nation recover. He threw himself 
into the task of expeditiously rebuilding downtown at a time when 
people worried that it might never recover. And he worked energetically 
to bring tourism back to New York after that terrible day.
  But Howard Rubenstein doesn't need a crisis to inspire his vision. He 
has been an instrumental force in the city's bid to bring the 2012 
Summer Olympic Games to New York City. He helped transform the New York 
Marathon from a four-lap road race in Central Park into the most 
significant running event in the world. His firm has also been a huge 
factor in the phenomenal success of the Tribeca Film Festival--another 
boost to Lower Manhattan. And his efforts have brought about and 
transformed important institutions--for example, Howard was one of the 
original founders of the Museum of Jewish Heritage--A Living Memorial 
to the Holocaust.

[[Page E1052]]

  Mr. Speaker, Howard is one of the true mainstays of the New York City 
business community. Decision-makers and young, talented individuals 
seek out his advice and counsel all the time, and he makes himself 
available to assist them. Governors, senators and mayors have all 
turned to Howard at some point, and his firm maintains a huge civic and 
nonprofit practice. Organizations such as the Partnership for New York 
City, NYC & Co., the UJA Federation and Covenant House all acknowledge 
a tremendous debt to Howard Rubenstein.
  Howard also serves on numerous boards. A particular concern of his 
has been helping at-risk young people receive quality education and 
athletic opportunities after school. Howard serves on the boards of 
both the Inner City Scholarship Fund and the Board of the Police 
Athletic League. He's also been a long time board member of the Federal 
Law Enforcement Foundation, which helps raise money for families of 
officers who have fallen in the line of duty. His service on the board 
of the Central Park Conservancy has been crucial in finding private 
support to maintain that great urban park.
  Howard is always looking for ways to reinvest in New York. He never 
forgets how much the city has given to him in his rise to the prominent 
position he enjoys today. His professional and personal life testifies 
to his gratitude to the city--and to the country that allowed a 
youngster from Brooklyn to achieve his dreams. His wife, Amy, has been 
his strongest supporter in all of his endeavors.
  And his children continue to share in those dreams: His sons Steven 
and Richard, and daughter Roni, work side by side at his firm.
  Mr. Speaker, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the founding of 
Rubenstein Associates, and in recognition of his many contributions to 
his hometown and his neighbors, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
offering a heartfelt congratulations and thank you to Howard J. 
Rubenstein.

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