[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 30, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5578-S5579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO LOU D'ALLESANDRO

 Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize State 
Senator Lou D'Alessandro for his decades of public service and advocacy 
on behalf of his fellow Granite Staters. Senator D'Allesandro--Lou as 
many of us call him--has been dedicated to constituent service for more 
than 50 years and has represented New Hampshire's District 20 in the 
New Hampshire State Senate for 13 consecutive terms. He leaves a legacy 
of fairness, determination, and genuine care for his constituents. 
Lou's exemplary years in New Hampshire government will be fondly 
remembered by communities across the State and by his colleagues in 
Concord.
  Born and raised in Boston, MA, Lou studied at Worcester Academy 
before attending the University of New Hampshire. He was not only a 
focused and diligent student, but also a player on the UNH football 
team and cocaptain his senior season. He also played 2 years of 
lacrosse and a year of baseball for the Wildcats. In 1963, shortly 
after graduating from UNH, Lou served as the first athletic director 
and as a basketball coach at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). 
Lou was inducted into the SNHU Penmen Hall of Fame in 1970 after his 
team won three consecutive conference titles. A year later, he would 
continue his educational path by earning his M.Ed. from Rivier 
University. Lou's academic persistence, extracurricular achievements, 
and impressive career were an early indicator of his leadership skills 
and compassionate team-player mentality--all attributes that would 
guide his transition into public service.
  Lou first ran for a seat in New Hampshire's House of Representatives 
in 1973, and his career in public office blossomed from there. He 
served two terms in the house and three terms on the New Hampshire 
Executive Council. In 1998, Lou began his quarter-century long run as a 
State senator representing District 20. During his time in office, Lou 
chaired the finance and capital budget committees and was a member of 
the administrative rules committee. This term, he also served as vice 
chair of the ways and means committee.
  Legislatively, Lou has worked tirelessly to listen to his 
constituents' values and reflect them in his extensive voting record. 
With a keen focus on the future, Lou concentrated much of his 
legislative attention on education and supporting New Hampshire's 
students. He has sponsored bills ranging from increasing access to free 
and reduced-priced school lunches to breaking the barriers to higher 
education. He has prioritized access to early-learning opportunities 
for young children, noting the importance of public education in

[[Page S5579]]

boosting the State's economy and future-driven development. Lou has 
passionately promoted funding the New Hampshire Community College 
system and the University of New Hampshire, demonstrating his lifelong 
commitment to ensuring Granite Staters' access to quality public 
education in K-12 schools and beyond. In addition to education policy, 
he has also supported statewide action to address climate change and 
fought to expand access to Medicare and reproductive health services. 
His passionate advocacy for these issues and more earned him the 
nickname, ``the Lion of the Senate.''
  Throughout a half-century of public service, Lou has fostered genuine 
relationships built on trust, courage, and partnership. During his time 
in office, he frequently reached across the aisle to ensure that his 
constituents' needs came before partisan division. He clearly 
understands the value of compromise and of compassion, even in a 
divisive and strenuous political climate. The public announcement of 
his retirement drew bipartisan messages of bittersweet congratulations 
from his Senate colleagues, including the Democratic leader who 
commended his leadership and commitment to public service, as well as 
the Republican senate president who praised his dedication to 
accomplishing meaningful work as an elected official. Lou has exuded 
grounded, thoughtful wisdom, which not only helped him achieve 
legislative successes, but also made him an approachable and reliable 
representative for his constituents. As his colleague Senator Donna 
Soucy expressed, Lou D'Allesandro was and continues to be a ``North 
Star,'' guiding future generations of State senators and leaving a 
legacy of service and mentorship.
  Lou's decades of public service will be celebrated later this year, 
and friends, family and colleagues will join together to reflect on his 
remarkable accomplishments. Having spent most of his life as a 
community leader, Lou will undoubtedly continue to serve his friends 
and neighbors with care and compassion in meaningful ways. He is 
surrounded by love and affection from his wife Pat and their three 
children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. I join in 
celebrating and thanking Lou for all he has done for the Granite 
State.

                          ____________________