[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 121 (Monday, September 25, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H6987-H6988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 DR. LEONARD PRICE STAVISKY POST OFFICE

  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 5923) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 29-50 Union Street in Flushing, New 
York, as the ``Dr. Leonard Price Stavisky Post Office''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 5923

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DR. LEONARD PRICE STAVISKY POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 29-50 Union Street in Flushing, New York, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Dr. Leonard Price 
     Stavisky Post Office''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
     a reference to the ``Dr. Leonard Price Stavisky Post 
     Office''.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van 
Hollen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Virginia?

[[Page H6988]]

  There was no objection.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5923, introduced by the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Ackerman), designates the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 29-50 Union Street in Flushing, New York, as the Dr. 
Leonard Price Stavisky Post Office.
  Dr. Stavisky, a member of the New York State Senate, represented 
Flushing, Queens, from 1965 until his death in 1999. He served with 
distinction during those years, and I hope my colleagues will join us 
in supporting this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I also urge our colleagues to support this resolution. I 
want to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Ackerman), our 
colleague, for introducing this resolution and recognizing the service 
of Dr. Stavisky in this way.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to him the balance of my time.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5923, a 
bill that would designate the United States Postal Service facility 
located at 29-50 Union Street in Flushing, New York, as the Dr. Leonard 
Price Stavisky Post Office. It is more than fitting that a Federal 
facility be named after Leonard in a community that he so ably 
represented for so many years; and I note for the record that the bill 
is cosponsored by every Member of the New York State delegation, both 
sides of the aisle.
  Leonard was born in the Bronx and graduated from City College of New 
York in 1945. He continued his studies by earning a Master of Arts 
degree from Columbia University in 1946. He capped off his education 
with a doctorate in American History from Columbia in 1958.
  Leonard had a long and illustrious first career in academia, spending 
more than 30 years working and teaching at Colombia University, the 
State University of New York, the City University of New York, Colgate 
University, Long Island University, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute 
and State University. He taught history and political science and 
worked at the administration level as well.
  Until 1990, Leonard was an adjunct professor of political science at 
Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs. His extensive 
background in education enabled him to be a strong and effective 
advocate and expert on education issues during his legislative career.
  Leonard earned his political stripes while serving on the New York 
City Council from 1954 to 1960. He was elected to the New York State 
Assembly in 1966, served as chairman of the Education Committee for 
more than 8 years. As chairman of the committee, he became an outspoken 
and passionate advocate of State support for public education.
  In 1975, Leonard sponsored the legislation that prevented severe 
budget cuts in New York City's public schools in the wake of the city's 
severe financial crisis.
  Leonard became my successor in the New York State Senate; and there 
he continued his fervent support of public education, including pushing 
for fiscal autonomy for the State University of New York.
  At the national level, Leonard served as a commissioner on the 
Education Commission of the States and was chairman of the Education 
and Labor Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

                              {time}  1800

  In these capacities he was a tireless advocate for States on 
educational issues involving the Federal Government and school 
districts across the Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, most of all, Leonard passionately represented Flushing, 
New York, in the Borough of Queens during his time in the New York 
State assembly and senate until his untimely death in 1999. He was 
active in all phases of community affairs, especially in Flushing. He 
served on the boards of directors of the Bay Community Volunteer 
Ambulance Corp., the Latimer Gardens Community Center, the Bland Houses 
Community Center, the Dwarf-Giraffe Boys League, the Flushing Boys 
Club, and the North Flushing Senior Center.
  In addition, he worked closely with the Mitchell-Linden Civic 
Association on numerous local issues. The members of this association 
have sought to honor Senator Stavisky by renaming the post office in 
their community after him. Dr. Stavisky could have comfortably stayed 
on in the academic field his entire career. Rather, he chose to 
selflessly participate in the political process in order to effectuate 
the policies he thought necessary to further public education.
  I would like to note, Mr. Speaker, that Leonard's wife, Toby, is 
carrying on Leonard's work, elected in her own right as the senator 
from New York's 16th State senate district, succeeding Leonard after 
his passing. Toby is the first woman elected to the State senate from 
Queens County. Leonard and Toby's son, Evan, is a prominent political 
consultant in New York.
  Mr. Speaker, Leonard Price Stavisky's life of hard work, 
perseverance, and selflessness brought integrity and dignity to public 
office. It is appropriate to pay tribute to his memory by renaming this 
post office in Flushing, Queens in his honor. I sincerely hope the 
whole House will join us in commemorating his decades of service to the 
people of Queens and to the city and State of New York, and I urge all 
to support H.R. 5923.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor and respect that I 
rise today to pay tribute to my late colleague and dear friend, Leonard 
Stavisky, and to pledge my support for the renaming of a post office in 
Queens on his behalf. I wish to thank the dean of the Queens County 
Delegation and Senator Leonard Stavisky's predecessor in Albany, 
Congressman Gary L. Ackerman for bringing this fitting tribute to our 
attention today.
  Leonard Stavisky was a giant in Queens County politics. I had the 
pleasure of getting to know Leonard during our time shared in Albany. I 
served in the State Assembly and Leonard was a senior Member of the 
State Senate. Leonard was a lifelong New Yorker who was deeply 
committed to leaving his community better than he had found it. 
Passionately devoted to all issues impacting his native Queens, Leonard 
worked particularly hard to ensure that all individuals had access to a 
quality education. He served admirably as Chairman of the State 
Assembly Education Committee and as Ranking Member of the Senate Higher 
Education Committee. Leonard also strived to personally reach the lives 
of New York City students in his role as administrator at Queensborough 
Community College and at his alma mater, City College. It is perhaps 
this quality, his deep and honest care for the welfare of all 
individuals, which we will remember most about Leonard and mourn 
deepest.
  After Leonard's passing, his widow, Toby Ann Stavisky, was elected to 
the State Senate to replace him. Senator Toby Stavisky was the first 
woman elected to the State Senate from Queens County and continues to 
serve as a strong advocate for working families in the footsteps of her 
late husband. I am proud that she continues his fight in Albany. I also 
wish to recognize Leonard and Toby's son, Evan, who worked on his 
father's campaign and helped elect his mother to the State Senate. He 
is a successful communications consultant today.
  I wholeheartedly support the renaming of the post office in Flushing 
as the Dr. Leonard Price Stavisky Post Office not only as a tribute to 
Leonard's career but as a memory of our friendship and his lasting 
impact on Queens. I congratulate his family on this memorial.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5923.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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