[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 78 (Monday, May 6, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H2859-H2860]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      WELCOMING THE HONORABLE TIMOTHY M. KENNEDY TO THE HOUSE OF 
                            REPRESENTATIVES

  The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Nadler) is recognized for 1 minute.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, as dean of the New York delegation, it is my 
distinct honor to rise today to introduce Congressman-elect Tim 
Kennedy.
  I can think of no better person to represent New York's 26th 
Congressional District and succeed our friend Brian Higgins than Tim 
Kennedy. As a lifelong resident of Buffalo who grew up in a blue-collar 
family, Tim embodies the values of hard work, family, and fighting for 
the little guy that makes western New York so great.
  As a New York State senator for over 13 years, Tim has been a 
formidable advocate for our region. As chair of the New York Senate 
Transportation Committee, he secured a historic $100 million for the 
Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, helped deliver record 
investment for our roads and transportation networks, and spearheaded 
legislation enhancing transportation safety and accountability.
  Beyond transportation, Tim has been a long-time champion for western 
New York's workforce and economic development, which is evidenced 
through his support for the Northland Workforce Center and the 
revitalization of Buffalo's iconic Central Terminal.
  As he steps into his new role, I speak on behalf of the entire New 
York congressional delegation, and we are confident that Tim Kennedy 
will continue to fight tirelessly for the prosperity and safety of our 
community.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Kennedy), 
our newest Member.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Nadler, my colleagues 
in the New York delegation, Mr. Speaker, and Leader Jeffries.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand before you humbled by the opportunity God has 
given us to be together in this moment, this awesome and magnificent 
responsibility that has been granted to me by the people of western New 
York.
  I am grateful to those who have entrusted me with their vote and 
their confidence to represent our beloved Buffalo-Niagara region in the 
United States Congress.
  I want to take a moment to recognize my family, who is here with me, 
my wife, Katie, and our children, Connor, Eireann, and Padraic. I also 
want to recognize my parents, Martin and Mary Kennedy, and my in-laws, 
Dave and Jane Duerk. My brother, John, also made the visit down, along 
with many other family members and friends. I am grateful that they can 
all join us here today.
  Looking down on us are our baby angel, Brigid, along with so many 
other family members and friends who have passed on and whose spirits 
remain with us here today on this auspicious occasion. They are no 
doubt toasting and celebrating in Heaven above.
  Calling Buffalo, New York, and America home were the O'Briens and 
O'Donohues, Wilsons and Flynns, Dobmeirs and Stearns, McCarthys and 
Duffys. Mixed all together, the result is a Kennedy.
  I hail from the City of Good Neighbors, the community of good 
neighbors; the original home of the Seneca Nation of Indians; the 
village of Buffalo, burned to the ground by the British in the War of 
1812, and rebuilt and incorporated in 1832; the western terminus of the 
Erie Canal, helping to transform our Nation through improved commerce; 
a border community with our greatest ally, Canada, to the north; a 
region surrounded by Great Lakes; and, in between, one of the greatest 
wonders of the world, Niagara Falls. The grandeur of the falls is only 
surpassed by the people who have defined the region around us.
  Today, we stand as a community of patriotic citizens who have always 
championed democracy and freedom, from the days of serving as a final 
stop on the Underground Railroad to the Niagara Movement, the precursor 
of the NAACP, which was formed in our community. The equality and 
justice these leaders strove for over a century ago has yet to be fully 
achieved, and there is still so much more work to be done.
  In Buffalo-Niagara, we walk in the footsteps of Frederick Douglass, 
Harriet Tubman, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mary Talbert, Shirley 
Chisholm, and so many other civil rights leaders. In their spirit, we 
march on.
  It was Niagara Falls that made Buffalo the City of Light. While we 
have seen our share of darkness, Buffalo is seeing a resurgence that 
generations

[[Page H2860]]

only dreamt of, as a melting pot of ethnicities and cultures are 
helping to redefine our region and an economic renaissance has taken 
hold. We are a working-class community with a belief in achieving a 
better life and the American Dream through education; honest, hard 
work; and perseverance.
  I believe the character traits that define us in the Buffalo-Niagara 
region are the same ideals held by all Americans. I believe the hope we 
hold as a western New York community in achieving our greatest 
potential is shared equally by all communities across our country.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues to change our country 
for the better. I am hopeful that we in this Chamber can demonstrate 
leadership on a world stage that our fellow Americans can be proud of.
  I wish to thank, once again, the people of western New York for 
having faith in me to lead our community and our country in the United 
States Congress.
  God bless us all. God bless America.

                          ____________________