[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 15, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE LIFE OF THE HONORABLE RAYMOND L. BRAMUCCI

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 15, 2015

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with the deepest respect and the 
heaviest of hearts that I rise today to pay tribute to my good friend 
and outstanding political leader, Raymond L. Bramucci. His passing 
marks the end of an era and leaves a legacy of public service to which 
we should all strive.
  Born in Ludlow, Massachusetts, Ray's story is one so many children of 
immigrants share. His success was built on hard work and community 
service. One of four children of an Italian butcher who lost everything 
during the Great Depression, Ray worked a variety of factory jobs as a 
boy to help his family survive. He dropped out of high school at age 17 
and entered the United States Air Force where he served for four years 
with honor and distinction.
  After finishing his service in the Air Force, Ray moved to New York 
City where he joined the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. 
Rising through the ranks, he became a senior director widely respected 
for championing fair play by both workers and employers. This 
commitment to balance earned Ray a distinguished reputation among all 
those he worked with.
  Senator Bill Bradley chose Ray to lead his New Jersey office, a post 
he held for more than twenty years before he was tapped by then 
Governor Jim Florio to serve as Commissioner of New Jersey's Department 
of Labor. His political acumen and policy prowess once again earned him 
the respect and admiration of all those who worked with him. As 
Commissioner, Ray left an indelible mark on public policy with one of 
his signature achievements--the passage of the Workforce Development 
Partnership Act, which trained unemployed workers in high-tech, 
emerging trades.
  Ray later served as the Executive Director of the Scion Hall 
University Institute on Work, a not-for-profit organization advocating 
workplace equity. He was also an arbitrator on the New Jersey Board of 
Mediation, a Special Advisor to the President of Montclair State 
University, and an adjunct professor of political science at Rutgers 
University. Ray ascended to the national stage in 1998 when then 
President Bill Clinton asked him to serve as Assistant Secretary of 
Labor at the United States Department of Labor. He oversaw the 
administration of national Youth Opportunity grants and became a 
driving force in employment and training nationwide. He also supervised 
job training across the country, including more than 100 Job Corps 
Centers.
  Even after his service at the United States Department of Labor 
concluded, Ray remained active as a consultant on worker training, 
labor issues, conflict resolution and arbitration for public and 
private sector clients. Throughout his life, Ray demonstrated a unique 
commitment to public service. He fought hard for policies that 
strengthened the American workforce in immeasurable and innumerable 
ways.
  On a more personal note, I will always be grateful to Ray for his 
friendship, support, and guidance. He was not only a good friend but, 
like for so many others, a mentor. I am honored to stand today to pay 
tribute to Raymond L. Bramucci for his many contributions to our nation 
and to extend my deepest sympathies to his wife, Sue; his sons, Michael 
and Dante; as well as his many family, friends, and colleagues. I 
consider myself fortunate to have called him my friend and he will be 
deeply missed by all of those fortunate enough to have known him.

                          ____________________