[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 143 (Monday, September 16, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E898-E899]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING EDWARD D. PETTITT, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CLAUDIA TENNEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 16, 2024

  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and remember the 
extraordinary life of Edward ``Ed'' D. Pettitt, Sr. Born on June 27, 
1961, in Newfane, NY. Ed was a man of deep conviction and unwavering 
principles. Raised on his family's farm, Ed's early years were steeped 
in the values of hard work, independence, and a deep connection to the 
land. He was the beloved son of George and Marion Pettitt, who 
instilled in him a commitment to family and community that would guide 
him throughout his life,
  A brilliant student, Ed graduated as valedictorian from Newfane High 
School in 1980. He then attended the State University of New York at 
Buffalo, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical 
Engineering, graduating magna cum laude in 1986. His love of learning 
led him to further his education, obtaining a Master of Science in 
1998, followed by a second Master's in Creative Studies from SUNY 
College at Buffalo in 2002.
  Ed's professional career was marked by innovation and excellence. 
Over his 35-year tenure at Mahle (formerly Delphi Harrison Thermal 
Systems), he earned more than 20 patents and was inducted into the 
Delphi Automotive Systems Innovation Hall of Fame in 1997. His 
dedication to his work culminated in receiving the prestigious 2013 
``Boss'' Kettering Award, and he retired as a Product Engineering 
Manager in 2020.
  However, Ed's legacy extends far beyond his professional 
achievements. He was a man deeply committed to First Principles 
Thinking--a philosophy that guided his approach to life, problem-
solving, and civic engagement. Ed believed in the importance of 
returning to fundamental truths and using them as a foundation to build 
solutions, a method that influenced both his engineering work and his 
advocacy.
  Central to Ed's belief system was the conviction that natural 
rights--those to life, liberty, and property--originated not from any 
earthly government, but from our Creator. He held that these rights 
were inalienable and that governments were instituted among men to 
protect them, not to grant them. This belief fueled his passionate 
advocacy for the Second Amendment, as he viewed the right to keep and 
bear arms as a fundamental protection of these God-given rights. To 
safeguard these principles, Ed founded the Second Amendment For Ever 
(SAfE) organization in Niagara County. He was a staunch defender of the 
rights of responsible gun owners, believing that public safety and 
personal security were interdependent, both sustained by the 
individual's right to self-defense. Ed's commitment to

[[Page E899]]

this cause was rooted in his deepseated belief that the Second 
Amendment was essential to preserving all other freedoms.
  Ed also championed the rights of farmers and the agricultural 
community in Niagara County. Recognizing the challenges faced by rural 
areas under the current political system, he was a vocal advocate for 
Rural Electoral Equity. He argued that rural communities were 
politically disenfranchised, with power disproportionately concentrated 
in urban centers like New York City. Ed believed this imbalance 
undermined the principles of a republic, where all regions should have 
an equal voice in governance.
  His advocacy extended to challenging the 1964 Supreme Court ruling in 
``Reynolds v. Sims,'' which mandated that Senate districts be 
apportioned based on population rather than by county. Ed contended 
that this ruling led to political gerrymandering that favored urban 
areas at the expense of rural communities, affecting key issues such as 
gun control, energy, land use, and criminal justice.
  Ed's vision was to make Niagara County a leading example of how rural 
areas could assert their rights and push back against state overreach. 
He worked tirelessly to build coalitions with other counties, 
strengthen local government, and create barriers to state infringement. 
As part of his efforts to support the agricultural community, Ed helped 
form the Niagara County Agricultural Rights Advisory Panel, ensuring 
that the voices of local farmers were heard and their rights protected. 
His contributions to the community were recognized through several 
awards, including the 2018 Ken Burner Memorial Award and the 2022 
Oliver Jones Memorial Award Sportsperson of the Year from the Niagara 
County Federation of Conservation Clubs, Inc.
  Above all, Ed was a devoted family man. He married his high school 
sweetheart, Lisa (Bowers) Pettitt, in 1981, and together they raised 
four sons: Edward II, Jonathon, Michael, and Thomas. He was a loving 
grandfather to five grandchildren, with whom he shared his love of the 
outdoors, including fishing, camping, kayaking, and farming.
  Edward D. Pettitt, Sr. will be remembered as a man of integrity, a 
fierce defender of constitutional rights, and a tireless advdcate for 
rural communities. His legacy lives on through his family, his 
community, and the many lives he touched with his unwavering commitment 
to freedom, justice, and the principles upon which this Nation was 
founded.

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