[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 3, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E93-E94]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING RICK COTTON FOR A LIFETIME OF LEADERSHIP

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. GREGORY W. MEEKS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 3, 2026

  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service and 
enduring legacy of Mr. Rick Cotton, one of the most impactful 
transportation leaders New York has ever known. His profound career 
reflects an unwavering commitment to public service, visionary 
leadership, and the belief that infrastructure can, and should, improve 
the lives of millions.
  Mr. Cotton earned an Artium Baccalaureus from Harvard College and a 
Juris Doctorate from Yale Law School and served as a law clerk to 
Justice William J. Brennan Jr., on the Supreme Court of the United 
States. He brings a distinguished record of leadership across the 
private sector, public service, and international affairs. Mr. Cotton 
spent 25 years at NBC Universal, including 20 years as Executive Vice 
President and General Counsel, and later served four years as President 
and Managing Director of CNBC Europe. Earlier in his career, he served 
the federal government as Executive Secretary at the United States 
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and as Special Assistant 
for Renewable Energy at the United States Department of Energy. Across 
every role, he demonstrated a

[[Page E94]]

rare ability to navigate complexity while keeping the public interest 
at the forefront.
  Mr. Cotton later served as New York State's Special Counselor to the 
Governor for Interagency Initiatives, where he helped advance some of 
the state's most transformative infrastructure projects. These efforts 
included the redevelopment of LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy Airports, 
Moynihan Train Hall and the Penn Farley Complex, the new Tappan Zee 
Bridge, the expansion of the Javits Center, and the Second Avenue 
Subway. These projects not only modernized critical assets, but 
reshaped how New Yorkers move, work, and connect across the region.
  In 2017, Mr. Cotton was appointed Executive Director of the Port 
Authority of New York and New Jersey. Under his leadership, the agency 
confronted some of the region's most complex infrastructure challenges 
and undertook one of the most ambitious capital programs in its 
history. This included a $30 billion transformation of the region's 
major airports and the full reconstruction of the Midtown Bus Terminal, 
laying the foundation for world class transportation facilities built 
for the 21st Century.
  More than the projects completed or milestones reached, Mr. Rick 
Cotton's legacy is reflected in the people he supported, the teams he 
strengthened, and the standard of professionalism he brought to work. 
His tenure will be remembered for its scale, its vision, and its 
lasting impact on generations to come.

                          ____________________