[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 154 (Tuesday, November 30, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2008]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF THE HONORABLE GEORGE ONORATO, DISTINGUISHED NEW YORK 
                             STATE SENATOR

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 30, 2010

  Mrs. MALONEY. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Senator George 
Onorato, a distinguished public servant who will be retiring from the 
New York State Legislature at the end of the current session. 
Throughout his career, George Onorato has devoted himself to his 
country and to public service.
  In recognition of his lifetime of service to others, Senator Onorato 
was honored last month by the Taminent Democratic Club in Astoria, New 
York. George Onorato has served as the Chair of its Board of Directors 
since 1972, and this year is marking his sixth decade as an active Club 
member. As its Male District Leader, he has helped ensure the Taminent 
Club's premier status as one of the largest and most active Democratic 
political clubs in all of Queens County. He is a lifelong resident of 
the western Queens community that he has served as an elected official 
with distinction for more than a quarter century.
  A compassionate, dedicated public servant, Senator Onorato is 
deservedly respected by colleagues on both sides of the aisle in both 
chambers of the New York State Legislature. Since first being elected 
to represent the people of his beloved Queens in the New York State 
Senate in 1983, he has successfully sponsored legislation to preserve 
and improve the quality of life for consumers, tenants, the 
environment, members and fellow veterans of the U.S. armed forces, and 
the elderly, including hundreds of thousands of Medicare patients. He 
has served in the Senate leadership since 1992, currently holding the 
position of Assistant Majority Leader and the Senate Majority's Liaison 
to the Executive Branch. Drawing on the keen understanding of the needs 
of working men and women that he developed while serving for a decade 
and a half as Secretary/Treasurer of Bricklayer's Local #41, George 
Onorato is Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Labor. He has 
also been a champion of the environment and in particular on issues 
involving air quality and on waterfront development. He has also been a 
passionate and effective advocate for providing more affordable housing 
for the elderly and for moderate and low income New Yorkers. He is a 
past President of the Conference of Italian American Legislators.
  In addition to his long and distinguished tenure as a New York State 
Senator, George Onorato served heroically in our nation's armed forces. 
He earned a Presidential Citation for his service in the United States 
Army, 118th Medical Battalion from 1950 to 1952. Steadfast in his 
devotion to his fellow veterans and those currently serving in the 
armed forces, he sponsored legislation providing student aid to Vietnam 
veterans, and in 1997 introduced a measure to increase the level of 
such funding. He sponsored and supported legislation to help develop a 
database for research on dioxin-related birth defects of children born 
to Vietnam veterans. And in 2003, Senator Onorato helped found the 
bipartisan New York State Armed Forces Legislative Caucus.
  In addition to his dedicated public service, George Onorato is deeply 
devoted to his family and his faith. He is married to the former Athena 
Georgakakos. They have three adult children, Joanne, George and Janice, 
and six grandchildren. His wife regularly accompanies him to 
legislative sessions in Albany, where the two of them are a universally 
admired and inseparable couple.
  Madam Speaker, in recognition of his courageous wartime service to 
our country in the United States Army, to the people of the State of 
New York, and to his beloved family, I ask that my distinguished 
colleagues join me to pay tribute to the enormous contributions to 
civic life made by the Honorable George Onorato.

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