[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16827]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    IN RECOGNITION OF BROOKLYN DEPUTY BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIANA REYNA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 20, 2016

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay 
tribute to Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna, who is receiving 
Greenpoint YMCA's Spirit of Service Award, given in recognition of her 
efforts to better the community in which she lives and serves. Deputy 
Borough President Reyna has been a dynamic and effective leader who has 
worked for real change.
  Deputy Borough President Reyna made history as the first Dominican-
American woman elected to public office in New York State when she won 
her seat in the New York City Council in 2001. As a Councilwoman, she 
garnered praise as an advocate for affordable housing and economic 
development, and she pushed for funding for family literacy and youth 
programs. Additionally, she has been a tireless supporter of women and 
minority owned small businesses, supported high-tech innovation, and 
encouraged entrepreneurs and start-up companies. She also sought to 
fight crime in her district. She authored a bill that increased fines 
for illegal conversions from industrial to residential uses, which 
passed the Council in 2007 and was signed into law by Mayor Bloomberg.
  Ms. Reyna became Deputy Brooklyn Borough President in 2014. As Deputy 
Borough President, Ms. Reyna has been a champion for the BQ Green 
Project, which would create a park that connects communities separated 
by the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, allowing for new open spaces, 
bolstering local businesses, and improving quality of life for 
thousands of residents in the community. She has also fought for zoning 
laws that would allow for affordable industrial spaces to remain in 
Brooklyn in an effort to keep industry and jobs in the borough.
  In every position she has held, Deputy Borough President Reyna has 
demonstrated dedication to families and businesses in our great city. 
She is a tenacious and effective public servant who has instituted 
great changes to the borough of Brooklyn and New York City at large.
  Deputy Borough President Reyna has lived in New York her whole life, 
growing up in Brooklyn. She attended Pace University in Pleasantville, 
New York. From there, she went on to work as Chief of Staff for a New 
York State Assembly member. Deputy Borough President Reyna is a proud 
resident of Brooklyn, NY, a place she believes ``holds our future, our 
children, our neighbors, our artists, our entrepreneurs, our schools, 
and our businesses.''
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating Brooklyn 
Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna for her continuous commitment to 
improving her community, city, and country.

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