[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12668-12669]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      A TRIBUTE TO THE 2008 ELLIS ISLAND MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 17, 2008

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate 
the 2008 recipients of the coveted Ellis Island Medal of Honor. 
Presented annually by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations 
(NECO)--a group representing more than 250 organizations that span the 
spectrum of ethnic heritages, cultures and religions--the Ellis Island 
Medal of Honor pays tribute to our Nation's immigrant heritage, as well 
as individual achievement. The medals are awarded to U.S. citizens from 
various ethnic backgrounds who exemplify outstanding qualities in both 
their personal and professional lives, while continuing to preserve the 
richness of their particular heritage. Since NECO's founding in 1986, 
more than 1,700 American citizens have received Ellis Island Medals of 
Honor, including 6 American Presidents, several United States Senators, 
Congressmen, Nobel Laureates, outstanding athletes, artists, clergy, 
and military leaders.
  As we all know, citizens of the United States can trace their 
ancestry to many nations. The richness and diversity of American life 
makes us unique among the Nations of the world and is in many ways the 
key to why America is the most innovative country in the world. The 
Ellis Island Medals of Honor not only celebrate select individuals but 
also the pluralism and democracy that enabled our ancestors to 
celebrate their cultural identities while still embracing the American 
way of life. This medal is not about money, but about people who really 
seized the opportunities this great country has to offer and who used 
those opportunities to not only better their own lives but make a 
difference in the lives of those around them. By honoring these 
outstanding individuals, we honor all who share their origins and we 
acknowledge the contributions they and other groups have made to 
America. I commend NECO and its Board of Directors headed by my good 
friend, Nasser J. Kazeminy, for honoring these truly outstanding 
individuals for their tireless efforts to foster dialogue and build 
bridges between different ethnic groups, as well as promote unity and a 
sense of common purpose in our Nation. Madam Speaker, I ask all of my 
colleagues to join me in recognizing the good works of NECO, and 
congratulating all of the 2008 recipients of the Ellis Island Medals of 
Honor. I also ask unanimous consent that the names of this year's 
recipients be placed into the Congressional Record following my 
statement.
  LTC Madelfia A. Abb; Noubar B. Afeyan, PhD; Charles R. Ajalat, Esq.; 
Robert A. Altenkirch; Hon. Goli Ameri; Roger E. Ashley; Ahoud 
Avshalomov; Anthony P. Basile; Vasile Beluska; Daniel O. Bernstine; 
William Boesch; John William Butler, Jr.; LT Jack J. Cambria; Hon. Ben 
Nighthorse Campbell; Dr. Brian Carty, FSC; Dr. Samir Narayan Chaudhuri; 
Col. Dik Cheung, MD; Dr. Karlene ChinQuee; Annette Choolfaian; Abla A. 
Creasey, PhD; Hon. Joseph Crowley; Edward Deeb; Arthur A. Dugoni, DDS, 
MSD; Christopher Erikson; Richard Farkas; Peter B. Fodor, MD, FACS; 
Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD; Robert L. Ganley; Hon. George A. Grasso; Hon. 
Joseph R. Guccione; Noosheen A. Hashemi; Stephan S. Huh; Hon. Dora L. 
Irizarry; E. Neville Isdell; Chief Anthony J. Izzo; Dr. Stuart W. 
Jamieson; Trevor O. Jones; Patrick J. Kelly, MD, FACS; James W. Keyes; 
Laya Khadjavi; Darioush Khaledi; Parisa Khosravi; Daewon Khym; Peter J. 
Kight; Wilson Ko, MD; MG Anthony R. Kropp; Pamela H. Kwatra; William 
Landberg; Fred Horst Langhammer; Anthony J. Lariccia; Young Bin Lee, 
MD; BGen. Paul E. Lefebvre; Robert H. Lessin; Demetrios G. Logothetis; 
Col. Eugene V. Lombardo; F. Joseph Loughrey; Xindi Lu; Terry J. 
Lundgren; Franklin R. Manios; Matthew J. McCoy; General Duncan J. 
McNabb; Maria Mehranian; Leo Melamed; Lewis C. Merletti; Bernd (Ben)

[[Page 12669]]

Messing; Benjamin Mevorach; Avid Modjtabai; Jacqueline Murekatete; Mary 
Najarian; Vartkes Najarian, MD, FACS; Jacques Nasser; Long V. Nguyen, 
PhD; Franco Nuschese; CAPT. Robert R. O'Brien, Jr.; Ronald J. Onesti; 
Maria Otero; Randy Y. Owen; Mehmet C. Oz, MD, FACS; Laurice Y. Parkins; 
Richard P. Parrillo; Mukesh (Mike) Patel; Bhupendra R. Patel, MD; 
Gloria Perez; Hon. August B. Pust, PhD; Robin D. Rapaport; Lt. Cdr. 
Tamsen A. Reese; Michael P. Ricatto; Daniel M. Rooney; Thomas P. 
Rosandich, PhD; Harut M. Sassounian; Dhiraj H. Shah, MD; Jerome Shaw; 
Hon. Paull H. Shin; Sampat S. Shivangi, MD; Gary A. Sinise; Theodore M. 
Solso; Dr. Theodore J. Strange; Hon. Evelyn Lundberg Stratton; Haldun 
Tashman; Gerald N. Tirozzi, PhD; Stephen J. Trachtenberg; Nadadur 
Vardhan; Victor S. Wahby, MD; Aldona Z. Wos, MD; Chun To (Tony) Yeung; 
Louis S. Zamperini.

                          ____________________