[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 125 (Tuesday, July 22, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H3534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING ARTHUR COIA OF RHODE ISLAND

  (Mr. Amo of Rhode Island was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. AMO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a recently passed 
giant of the labor movement in Rhode Island and around the country, 
Arthur Coia.
  Labor was the heart and soul of Arthur Armand Coia. He was born into 
a family of labor leaders. As a member of Local 271 in Providence since 
his teenage years, he worked in construction while going to Providence 
College and attending law school. He was always close to his union 
roots.
  A union man through and through, he dedicated his life to expanding 
workers' organizing rights. He fought for the right to earn a fair 
paycheck and have dignity and safety on the job.
  He started out as the business manager of the Rhode Island Laborers' 
District Council and rose to become the general president of LiUNA and 
vice president of the AFL-CIO.
  Arthur worked tirelessly to make life better for the working men and 
women of our country. He helped found the Laborers' Health & Safety 
Fund of North America, transforming job-site safety, and the Laborers-
Employers Cooperation and Education Trust, helping union labor train 
workers and expand market share.
  There is no doubt that his work saved lives, prevented accidents, and 
helped union labor gain new opportunities in the 21st century.
  Arthur was not only a labor leader, he was also a dedicated father, 
grandfather, husband, and friend. My thoughts are with his family at 
this incredibly difficult time.
  I hope they, as I do, take heart in his service to the movement and 
to others. His contributions will not be forgotten.


              recognizing alan hassenfeld of rhode island

  Mr. AMO. Mr. Speaker, Alan Hassenfeld, another titan in Rhode Island, 
spent his life bettering the lives of countless individuals in our 
country and around the world.
  Born in Providence in 1948, Alan dedicated his professional life to 
bringing joy to generations of children as the CEO of his family's 
company, Hasbro Toys.
  Alan helped the company acquire quintessential children's brands like 
Play-Doh, Monopoly, and Nerf, and took their iconic tuber, Mr. Potato 
Head, to new heights in the Hollywood film ``Toy Story.''

  Growing up in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, I have fond memories of Mr. 
and Mrs. Potato Head statues popping up across Rhode Island. Under 
Alan's guidance, Hasbro teamed up with the State of Rhode Island for a 
tourism campaign featuring the whimsical statues of the spud made by 
local artists highlighting the Ocean State's role as the birthplace of 
fun.
  However, it was outside the toy chest that Alan's incredible civic 
spirit and unmatched generosity shone. His contributions to Rhode 
Island's civic life were numerous and impactful.
  Alan spearheaded a political ethics reform movement, pioneered 
concepts of social responsibility at the corporate level, and worked to 
end the use of child labor in toy production supply chains. He invested 
in generations of public sector leaders. He founded the Hassenfeld 
Child Health Innovation Institute at Brown University to improve family 
mental health and created RI For Gun Safety to promote commonsense gun 
reform.
  Perhaps most notably, he provided the vision and the founding 
donation for Hasbro Children's hospital in Providence.
  Thanks to Alan, Rhode Island is home to a world-class pediatric 
healthcare facility providing for the specialty and emergency needs of 
the littlest New Englanders.
  Alan was a philanthropist, businessman, and reformer, but, most 
important, he was a dear friend, husband, stepfather, uncle, and 
granddad.
  Before taking this office, and once sworn in, Alan provided me wise 
counsel sharing pragmatic, solutions-oriented advice on how to be of 
service and make change.
  Alan exemplified community spirit and dedication to others, business 
acumen, incredible generosity, friendship, and, of course, leadership. 
He represented the best of Rhode Island, and he will be truly and 
deeply missed.

                          ____________________