[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8552]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      A TRIBUTE TO THE 2012 ELLIS ISLAND MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 6, 2012

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 
2012 recipients of the coveted Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Presented 
annually by the National Ethnic Coalition (NECO), 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. We honor these outstanding 
individuals because they create a better world for all of us in the 
future by the work they do today. Since the Medal's founding in 1986, 
more than 2,000 American citizens have received Ellis Island Medals of 
Honor, including six American Presidents, several United States 
Senators, Congressmen, Nobel Laureates, outstanding athletes, artists, 
clergy, and military leaders.
  This medal is not about money, but about people who 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. 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. Even in the midst of 
difficult financial times, this award serves to remind us all that with 
hard work and perseverance anyone can achieve the American dream. In 
addition, by honoring these remarkable Americans, 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.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 
good works of NECO, and in congratulating all of the 2012 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.

              2012 Ellis Island Medal of Honor Recipients

       A. Marshall Acuff, Jr., Michael W. Allen, PhD, Nancy 
     Arabian, Carol M. Baldwin, Michael D. Bennett, Neil Berg, 
     Peter Bheddah, Ravishankar Bhooplapur, Herman Chanen, Sam 
     Chang, Johnson Chen, Sanjiv Chopra, MD, MACP, William A. 
     Cooper, Bita Daryabari and Helene Irma der Stepanian.
       Leena Doshi, MD, NYS Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy, 
     Angelo Dundee, Robert F. Dunn, Annie Falk, Leonard A. 
     Ferrari, PhD, Jason C. Fu, Bob Gaudio, Fletcher Doud Gill, 
     Nishan Goudsouzian, MD, Richard H. Grace, Dr. Peter Gruss, 
     VADM Robert S. Harward, USN, David A. Hirsch and Chung-Wha 
     Hong.
       Surendra Jain, MD, James J. Jimmerson, Esq., Robert Trent 
     Jones, Jr., Dr. Henry (Hyun Suk) Kang, Kevork Karajerjian, 
     AIA, Declan Kelly, Howard Kessler, Michele Kessler, Dalida 
     Keuroghlian, Dongsuk Kim, Paul Klaassen, Gerda Weissmann 
     Klein, Emrah Kovacoglu, Thomas C. Lee, MD and Harry 
     Leibowitz, PhD.
       Sugar Ray Leonard, Hoi Ken Leung, William Li, MD, Emily E. 
     Lin, AIA, Superintendent David Luchsinger, Felix Luu, David 
     E. Luzzi, PhD, MBA, David S. Mack, Spiro J. Macris, DDS, Kai 
     D. Mai, DDS, Ray Mancini, Steven G. Mandis, John A. 
     Mattiacci, DPM, Leonard Mazur and James H. McGuire.
       Hon. Gregory W. Meeks, Papken Megerian, Lt Col Ed Monroe, 
     USAF (Ret), Dr. Gordon H. Mueller, Colonel Mark Mykleby, USMC 
     (Ret.), Ryan Nabors, MSIR, Ohannes Nercessian, MD, Helen Ngan 
     Shim Ng, General Raymond T. Odierno, USA, BGen Joseph L. 
     Osterman, USMC, Edith Padilla-Serrano, John A. Peca, Helen K. 
     Persson, Alice Petrossian and H.E. Dr. Vanda Pignato.
       First Deputy Commissioner Rafael Pineiro, NYPD, Pasquale 
     Pistorio, CAPT Wayne Porter, USN, Dominic L. Pugliani, Thomas 
     C. Quick, Edward J. Rappa, Hon. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Ghassan 
     M. Saab, Peter Kaivon Saleh, DrPH, Theresa Patnode Santmann, 
     Wido L. Schaefer, Dr. Tamer Seckin, Dr. Hasu P. Shah, Peter 
     Stephen Shelley, MME, Brooke Shields, Joan Ellyn Silber, PhD, 
     Dr. Rajendra Singh, Ronald E. Spears and Joyce Philibosian 
     Stein.
       John P. Thomas, MD, FACS, Dr. Ronan Tynan, Frankie Valli, 
     Mohammad Reza Vaziri, Helen verDuin Palit, DHL, CAPT Joe 
     Vojvodich, USCG, Paul E. Wakim, DO, Jose M. Wiley, MD, FACC, 
     FACP, FSCAI, Maj. Gen. James L. Williams, USMC (Ret.), Dr. 
     Carolyn Y. Woo and Tommy C. Xie.

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