[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 20]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 27522]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING RETIRING LACKAWANNA COUNCILMAN RICARDO ESTRADA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2005

  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor retiring Lackawanna 
City Councilman Ricardo Estrada, who will on December 31, 2005, 
complete 8 years of service as a member of the Lackawanna City Council.
  Ricky Estrada is a leader of significance in the city of Lackawanna 
and in his beloved first ward that he has served so well. Consistently 
re-elected by his constituents, Ricky Estrada has been a strong voice 
for an economically challenged community, and it is his leadership that 
will allow for the resurgence of Lackawanna's first ward in the years 
to come.
  It would be hard for me, Mr. Speaker, to imagine a group of elected 
leaders who support our vision for the reform of the transportation 
infrastructure of Buffalo and Lackawanna's waterfront areas than the 
elected leaders of the city of Lackawanna. Leaders like Ricky Estrada 
have long recognized the need to offer greater public access to our 
region's waterfront, and his support and that of his colleagues has 
been outstanding and meaningful, and effective for the people he 
represents.
  While my friend Councilman Estrada will be succeeded on the 
Lackawanna City Council by an effective community leader, it is 
unquestioned that his retirement will be a loss for the city council in 
general and for the city as a whole. It is my fervent hope that Ricky 
Estrada will remain an active member of our community, so that we may 
continue to work together toward the betterment of our region.
  Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for this opportunity to honor Councilman 
Estrada, and his faithful service to the residents and taxpayers of the 
city of Lackawanna.

                          ____________________