[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 189 (Tuesday, November 26, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1507]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF AMARJIT SINGH BUTTAR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOE COURTNEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 26, 2019

  Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to observe and mourn the 
passing of an extraordinary American, Mr. Amarjit Singh Buttar of 
Vernon, Connecticut. Amarjit passed away surrounded by his loving 
family in Connecticut on Wednesday, November 20, 2019.
  His life was a quintessential American story. Born in 1938 in the 
Punjab region of India, he was raised as a disciple of the Sikh 
religion. In 1965, he emigrated to the United States with his wife, 
Rajinder Kaur Thind, and immediately embarked on an epic, relentless 
effort to contribute and succeed in his new homeland. He was accepted 
to University of Michigan Law School in 1966 and after graduation used 
his degree to pursue a lifetime of work helping fellow citizens in 
need. He moved to Connecticut with Rajinder, his two sons, Gursimrit 
Singh Buttar and Angad Singh Buttar, and began a career applying his 
legal acumen at the State of Connecticut Workers Compensation 
Commission. This agency adjudicates all the work-related injury claims 
in the state, affecting thousands and thousands of on-the-job accidents 
and illnesses that can result in tremendous stress and hardship if not 
handled correctly. Amarjit assisted the quasi-judicial state 
Commissioners in the handling of claims, demonstrating total command of 
the law and its processes. His innate compassion for people was a huge 
help to workers and their families who often found the system 
frustrating and daunting. As a young lawyer who represented workers 
compensation clients years ago, I personally saw him in action, deftly 
resolving complex cases and issues before the Commissioners even needed 
to rule. His diligence and competence were respected and admired by all 
who came into contact with him.
  Amarjit's other best known public service was his passionate 
dedication to our country's democracy. He valued the right to vote, to 
participate in elections, and to run for office. In Vernon, where we 
both lived, Amarjit and I met a long time ago as members of the local 
Democratic Town Committee, and in every election, whether at the local 
level or for the U.S. Presidency, he was a stalwart volunteer showing 
up at every meeting, phone bank, ``literature drop'', or election night 
gathering to support the candidates. Sometimes I benefitted from his 
help, when I ran for State Representative from 1986 to 1992, and later 
for U.S. Congress 2006 to the present. But also Amarjit himself 
benefitted when he successfully ran for the Vernon School Board, where 
he served two terms, including a stint as Chair.
  When he was first elected in 2001, it was an exciting moment, since 
he was the first Sikh-American in Connecticut to achieve the milestone 
of elective office and one of the first nationwide. It's important to 
note that as strong a Democrat as Amarjit was, in office he 
demonstrated total respect and comity for his Republican colleagues and 
was always focused on advancing the best interests of the school 
children of the town, not a partisan agenda. His other notable 
electoral highlight was when he was selected as a delegate to the 
Democratic National Convention in 2004 in Boston, Massachusetts. There, 
he witnessed in person Barack Obama's famous keynote address, a 20-
minute speech that introduced him to the country, and that began his 
journey to the White House in 2008.
  As busy as Amarjit was with his public service, he always found time 
for his family. They are a close-knit group, sharing time and 
activities (including volunteering at Democratic Headquarters). In 
August of this year his family celebrated 50 years of marriage to 
Rajinder. Amarjit was also intensely devoted to his two sons. His son 
Angad shared a story of his dad's devotion: ``Though not a sports fan 
himself, he raised two sons who are avid fans. When he would take his 
oldest son to Hartford Whalers games when he was a child, he would 
playfully cheer for the opposing teams such as the rival Boston Bruins 
or the Montreal Canadiens, while his son would vigorously cheer for the 
hometown team.'' Madam Speaker, showing your playful love of your 
children in the middle of hostile hockey fans I believe is the ultimate 
proof of familial devotion! Both boys today are now grown and graduates 
of the University of Connecticut, pursuing successful careers--
Gursimrit in New York and Angad in Virginia where he lives with his 
wife, Simmi Bhuller. Amarjit also found time for his fellow Sikh 
community in Connecticut and across the country. My casework staff in 
Connecticut can amply attest to his high volume of calls, asking for 
assistance for his many many friends--which we always welcomed.
  Madam Speaker, I believe Amarjit's life can be summed up with a 
simple phrase: ``He made a difference.'' For his family, his Sikh 
community, his Vernon community and his American community, Amarjit 
created a transformational legacy that touched thousands of lives, for 
the better. That is a proud legacy, and I ask that the entire House 
join me in expressing our deepest condolences to his family and 
saluting his groundbreaking life.

                          ____________________