George Latimer

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Madam Speaker, I rise to salute the outstanding work of the Senior Citizen Council of Tuckahoe and Bronxville and the services that they provide to address the issues of isolation and loneliness to seniors in both villages. Their programs include a host of different activities, social and recreational programs, health and wellness, arts and crafts, musical programs, guest lectures, luncheons, and day trips. The council is led by chair Eleanor Gustavson, along with Sarah Belair, Maryann Dennen, Barbara McGraw, Jean Murrer, and a host of other active board members. The weekly senior programs are offered at both the Father Fata Hall in Tuckahoe and the Reformed Church of Bronxville. They are sponsored and supervised by Tuckahoe senior director Michelle Oliva and Bronxville senior director Lisa McGovern. The council is also helped by a community advisory board of prominent Tuckahoe and Bronxville leaders who give assistance and counsel to the council. From the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, I salute the Senior Citizen Council of Tuckahoe and Bronxville and will tell both of those senior groups I will be stopping by sometime soon with the cookies. Staff Salute

Mr. LATIMER. Madam Speaker, every freshman member comes into this institution with much to learn, and it is impossible to do that and function every day to represent the people of your district without the help of a committed, talented staff. Let me publicly express my gratitude for the hard work of the staff that I have had the pleasure of working with in this first term: chief of staff, Rich Orsillo; senior adviser on policy, Rob Hoch. My D.C. team is led by Jessica Merritt, deputy chief of staff and legislative director; along with Ryan Reed; Sidd Gannu; Jeremy Hoffner; Samantha Kirschner; and Ellie Lockhart. My Westchester team is led by Ellen Hendrickx, the district director; Michelle Gewanter, Edili Espaillat, Daphney Sintyl, Tara Conte, and Chanah Haigh. My Bronx team is led by Tremaine O'Garro, Bronx director, and Kelly Saunders. I owe a debt of gratitude to each and every one of them.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, since getting into office, Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth have actively tried to undermine the brave women who answer the call to service and joined the United States military. When Pete Hegseth took office, six women, leaders at the highest levels of our Armed Forces, were forced out of their positions. They were not minor roles. These women were generals, captains, admirals, and commandants who earned their rank through decades of service and sacrifice, yet they were removed because Pete Hegseth couldn't accept women holding the same authority and responsibility as their male counterparts. Additionally, executive orders were put into place to change standards such as physical evaluations, harassment reporting, and equal employment regulations. At a time when military enrollment is at an all-time low, Trump and Hegseth are doing everything in their power to make it even harder for half of our population to serve and protect the country they love. We salute and praise the women who show their love of country by serving in the United States military.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the community presence of Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church, a beacon of faith and service in the city of Mount Vernon, New York. Under the spiritual leadership of the Rev. Dr. Stephen Pogue, Greater Centennial traces its founding to 1896, 130 years ago. Those founders' vision has been realized in today's Greater Centennial: dynamic weekly worship services, Bible study classes, weekly prayer call, Sunday school and programs for young people, Wellness Wednesday programs, and in the outreach to assist those of the community in need with food and clothing, as well as seniors in need of companionship and care. Dr. Pogue has led Greater Centennial for over a decade, having served in the ministry previously from Harlem to Oakland, California. He holds master's and doctoral degrees in divinity studies. His service extends beyond the congregation as a chaplain for the Mount Vernon Police Department, vice chair of the Westchester County Human Rights Commission, and membership in prominent African-American organizations, including president of the United Black Clergy. From the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, we salute the Rev. Dr. Stephen Pogue and the church that he shepherds, Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church in Mount Vernon. Recognizing Chance Mullen

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, permit me to extend happy birthday wishes on April 4 to Pelham Mayor Chance Mullen, who is showing talent and leadership in the public sector, as well as in the private nonprofit world. Chance was elected as mayor of the village of Pelham in 2019 and is serving in his fourth term. He served previously as a trustee on the village board. Chance is the chief elected official for Pelham Village, a community of 7,000 people, with all the municipal responsibilities and headaches that come with the position of mayor: the responsibilities for police, fire, sanitation, and the like. Through all of that, Mayor Mullen has done an exemplary job, but that is not his only job. In his professional life, Chance serves as the executive director of the Housing Action Council, a regional nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income households. Finally, Chance Mullen is an active Pelham volunteer: Cub Scouts, Little League baseball, the Picture House, Pelham Civic Association, and more. From the floor of the House of Representatives, I wish a happy birthday to Mayor Chance Mullen and encourage him to take a break for at least one day. Recognizing Election Winners in New York

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, March 18, was a day for democracy in New York State. Voters in many of our villages went to the polls to elect leaders to serve their home communities, running the village governments that provide basic services in their area: police, fire, sanitation, recreation, snow removal, land use authority, and the like. In Westchester's 16th Congressional District, let me salute those who have won. In the village of Bronxville, Helen Knapp and Vanessa O'Friel were elected as trustees to the Bronxville Village Board. William Prince was elected village justice. In the village of Elmsford, Nelson Lopez and David Signor were elected as trustees to the Elmsford Village Board. In the village of Scarsdale, Tim Foley, Ron Schulhof, and Scott Silberfein were elected as trustees to the Scarsdale Village Board. These elections were held without controversy or incident. There were no claims of illegal voting or stolen elections but just simply democracy at work. I congratulate the winners and thank all who competed in their service to the communities.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and congratulate the outstanding artistic talent of Deborah Loeb Bohren, a resident of Greenburgh, who has established her artistic vision through the photographer's lens. Deb worked for many years in corporate life in strategic communications, marketing, and public affairs. She even did a stint as district office director for Congresswoman Nita Lowey. However, her lifelong passion since being a student growing up in Yonkers has been in photography, at the level that includes exhibiting her works at galleries and in art shows from Europe to California to New England. She has opined that ``the essence of photography is the art and science of painting with light.'' She uses a camera as an artist would use a paint brush--a transformation. While she has exhibited her work across the globe, here at home locally sites such as the Upstream Gallery in Hastings-on-Hudson have exhibited her works. She shares her talent in photography as a guest presenter at camera clubs throughout the country and teaches a range of photographic courses. Mr. Speaker, from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, I salute the masterful photography and talent of Deborah Loeb Bohren.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Young Israel of Scarsdale, the dynamic, modern orthodox synagogue that draws congregants from New Rochelle and Scarsdale, reflecting an active community of faith and service. It is led by spiritual leader Senior Rabbi Jonathan Morgenstern, with his past service as a teacher and administrator at Westchester Day School. He holds degrees in economics and counseling as well as religious ordination. He is ably assisted by Associate Rabbi Nuriel Klinger. The synagogue's lay leadership team is exemplary, as well: Board Chair Melissa Schwechter, President Ari Weinberger, Executive Vice President Daniel Essner, and a team of volunteer board members, including Sisterhood Co-Presidents Lauren Ganz and Micole Weitzman. YIS has an energetic schedule of Shabbat worship services, prayer groups, Torah study, education and activities for youth and teens, and a social gathering that links the congregants--notably on April 26, the 54th anniversary gala event celebrating the founding of the shul. From the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, I salute Young Israel of Scarsdale for their 54 years of faith and commitment to their community.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 94.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the community asset in the south end of New Rochelle that serves so many residents: the New Rochelle YMCA. The Y was established in 1899 and became the owner of the current site on Weyman Avenue in 2006, assisted by legislation that I sponsored as a member of the New York State Assembly, and over the last 20 years, it has expanded its program for close to 5,000 members with healthy living programs, aquatics programs, and childcare services. The renovated pool and gymnasium are constantly in use, and the classes that are offered feature after-school programs and universal pre-K programs to assist those with chronic disease, Zumba, Tai chi, yoga, balance, strength and conditioning, and so many more programs. The leader and the CEO of the Y is Jennifer Ryan Safsel, a dynamic, energetic professional with years of nonprofit management. She is ably assisted by a capable team, Lisa Teddone, Dawn Carter, Dafne Ginn, Jace Young, Tanisha Miller, and so many others, along with the president of the board, Raymond T. Hall and members of the board including State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson. From the floor of the House of Representatives, we honor the New Rochelle YMCA.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to salute the outstanding presence in the city of Mount Vernon of Macedonia Baptist Church. Founded 113 years ago, Macedonia has been a bedrock of faith and community service in the African-American community on the south side of Mount Vernon, where I grew up. The church is led by Pastor Rev. Dr. Darren Morton, also a local Mount Vernon boy, who holds a degree in business administration and a doctorate in education and is a graduate of the Tabernacle Bible Institute and the Manhattan Bible Institute. The Macedonia family holds weekly Sunday services, Sunday school for young people, Wednesday Bible study every week at 7 p.m., and midweek Lunch with Jesus fellowship discussion over lunch. As they approach the solemn Christian season of Good Friday and Easter, Macedonia provides a daily 40 Day Lenten Journey series. Macedonia's outreach into the community as well--feeding those in need, clothing those in need, providing positive outlets for young people, and attention and care for our seniors--helps put their Christian values on display every day to the people of Mount Vernon. From the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, we salute Macedonia Baptist Church, its lay leaders, and its spiritual leaders for its vibrant presence in Mount Vernon. Hastings Farmers' Market

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, along the Hudson River in Westchester County, there is a place to go on a Saturday morning where you can find farm-fresh produce and goods from the Hudson Valley, the Hastings Farmers' Market. The market supports regional agriculture by bringing these products close to home on alternate Saturday mornings in the winter season and every Saturday throughout the spring and summer seasons, in the winter season from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Hastings Farmers' Market opened the summer of 1998. Now, under the leadership of Ms. Pascale Le Draoulec, it features dozens of vendors with a wide variety of offerings in the strategic location across from the Hastings-on-Hudson Metro-North Railroad station. The market, along with its sister market in Irvington, the Irvington Farmers Market, which is on Sundays, is convenient to all the Rivertowns residents and the city of Yonkers residents. The market's mission also includes educating and inspiring the market community about the benefits of local farming and sustainable practices. They invite charitable nonprofits and organizations to participate in the farmers' market, groups from the Girl Scouts of Hastings to the local volunteer fire department. From the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, we salute the Hastings Farmers' Market as a valuable and estimable community asset. Saluting Knights of Columbus Father John M. Grady Council 503

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to salute the leadership and the membership of the Knights of Columbus Father John M. Grady Council 503 located in Port Chester, New York, for their service to the community. The Knights, an organization of Catholic men nationwide, are organized into local councils and draw their membership in Council 503 from the parishes of St. John Bosco and the churches within the parish, including Corpus Christi-Holy Rosary, and formerly named Our Lady of Mercy. The Knights of Council 503, led by Grand Knight Mark Scocchera and Deputy Grand Knight Phil Dorazio, have an active program that works to support the parish with local dinners and fundraising events, programs for the seniors and the veterans of the Port Chester community and the Rye Brook community, and programs for young people, especially through the Scouting troop programs. They maintain an active Knights of Columbus hall that hosts their events and other events in the village with the ever-present chef, past Grand Knight Charlie Sacco, and his wife, the head of the Ladies Auxiliary, Toni Sacco, in charge. You can join them for Pasta Fridays every Friday night during Lent. It is very affordable. From the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, we salute the Knights of Columbus Father John M. Grady Council 503 for their service to Catholic values and their service to the local Port Chester and Rye Brook communities.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the exemplary work of The Rye Record, the local newspaper that covers the comings and goings of the Rye community since 1988. Printed twice each month, The Rye Record features stories about the activities of local government, city council, the planning board, zoning board, and other such agencies. Chronicles in The Rye Record include programs and services provided by local nonprofit organizations such as the Rye YMCA; the Rye Free Reading Room; the Rye Nature Center; the Rye Historical Society, and much more. It also includes the event and religious services of Rye's houses of worship and the many advanced recreation programs and special events. The newspaper, owned by the new team of John Elsen and Zach Wydra, has led a group of new and experienced writers working together on local sports, letters to the editor, calendar of community events, articles about Rye's history, school news, and sports. The Rye Record features reporters Camille Botello, Chris Marshall, and Miranda Ferrante, among many. It also includes contributing writers like longtime Rye residents Paul Hicks and David Hessekiel. They capture it all. From the floor of the House of Representatives, we salute The Rye Record, another example of local entrepreneurship and media savvy.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, let me recognize the talented medical research efforts ongoing to combat the scourge of cerebral palsy, an abnormal development or damage to parts of the brain during pregnancy or early in a baby's life, that controls movement, balance, and posture and has a devastating effect throughout that person's life. There is no known cure for CP. Supportive treatments including physical therapy, speech therapy, and some medications help, as well. CP is the most common movement disorder in children. Researchers are working every day to identify strategies to address the causes and effects of cerebral palsy. One such pioneer is Dr. Kathleen Friel, a Westchester resident who herself has battled with CP since birth. She has overcome her own case to achieve master's and doctoral degrees in physiology and neuroscience. She has also written and lectured extensively about the disease and therapies to reduce its impact--all of this personal bravery and effort while this Federal Government blindly and foolishly cuts NIH funding for the very research victims so desperately need. Mr. Speaker, from the floor of the House of Representatives, we salute Dr. Kathleen Friel for her personal battle with CP and her lifetime commitment to ease the suffering of her fellow individuals who also deal with cerebral palsy. Celebrating St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, this Sunday, the congregants of St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church will celebrate their 45th annual parish day, reflecting on their years of heritage and gratitude for parishioners not only from Yonkers, where the church is located, but from those who live across Westchester, the Bronx, and elsewhere in the metropolitan area. The church dedication dates back to January 25, 1981, with the present house of worship on Morris Street, in Yonkers, established in June of 1990. This parish has taken on a mission for youth ministry, the Junior Conference for Sunday School Children, and regional activity for youth camps from Connecticut to Pennsylvania. The church provides its Christian charitable outreach with a community barbecue annually on Memorial Day and clothing drives and giveaways for needy in the neighborhood. Taking their cue from the great apostle St. Thomas, who went from Jesus' side to India to deliver a Christian message of faith, St. Thomas Mar Thoma has delivered a message of service and faith in this current day. From the floor of the House of Representatives, we salute the clergy and the congregants of St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church on this, the 45th parish day. Birthday Wishes to Vanessa Gibson

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I extend happy birthday wishes this week to Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson as she celebrates another year of service to her Bronx neighbors and friends. I had the pleasure of serving with Vanessa as a colleague in the New York State Assembly alongside many former assembly colleagues, Joe Morelle, Adriano Espaillat, Paul Tonko, Claudia Tenney, Nicole Malliotakis, Grace Meng, and Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Vanessa Gibson's service in that chamber, exemplary as it was, was a prelude to her subsequent tenure in the New York City Council, where she was elected in 2013 and 2017, and now her historic election as the first female and the first African American to serve as Bronx borough president in 2021, reelected in 2025. As she celebrates her birthday this Thursday, March 19, we give her a happy birthday shout-out from the floor of the House of Representatives. Happy birthday to Vanessa Gibson.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, let me salute the excellent online news outlet, MyHometownBronxville, which has provided a bedrock of local news and information about the comings and goings of the village of Bronxville since 2007. Under the leadership of editor and publisher Sarah Thornton Clifford and the original leadership of Marcia Lee, MyHometownBronxville provides the latest news, sports, events, and information about the Bronxville community. The team in charge attends village meetings and events at the library, schools, houses of worship, and the business community to give a firsthand view of the people and the activities that drive the cultural and community life of Bronxville. Editor Clifford, a graduate of Princeton and Yale with professional media experience at Time Inc. and Sports Illustrated, is ably abetted by Neely Bower, Sue DeJoy, Jeannie Murrer, and others, and we recognize the past contributions of Allaire Warner in providing the hometown connection that is sadly lacking in so many other places. From the floor of the House of Representatives, we acknowledge the outstanding work of MyHometownBronxville and its dedicated team.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bruce Frankel, a longtime youth baseball coach and active member of his community in Larchmont, as he celebrates his 73rd birthday this month. Bruce has been deeply involved in the village he has called home for more than two decades. He currently serves on the village's zoning board, co-chairs the Larchmont Traffic Commission, and is an active member of the Larchmont Temple. He is best known by Larchmont families for his time coaching in the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Little League and the town's travel baseball program. Through this program, he has taught hundreds of kids not only the fundamentals of baseball but also the values of hard work, determination, adaptability, and perseverance. Mr. Speaker, from the floor of the House of Representatives, I wish a happy birthday to Bruce Frankel and thank him for all he has done for our community.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1422. Mr. Speaker, no one in this Chamber should be under any illusions about the nature of the Iranian regime. For decades, Iran has funded terrorist proxies, threatened our partners and allies, supplied training and arms that killed and maimed dozens of American forces in Iraq, and pursued weapons capabilities that destabilize the Middle East and endanger global security. Congress has long acted in a bipartisan way to confront that threat. One of the most powerful tools available to the United States has been economic pressure, sanctions that deny the regime the revenue it uses to fund terrorism, repression, and regional aggression. That is precisely what this legislation seeks to strengthen. The House Foreign Affairs Committee passed this bill out of committee almost 1 year ago. The purpose was straightforward: to tighten enforcement against Iran's oil trade and target the global financial networks that allow Tehran to continue selling its petroleum despite existing sanctions. This bill provides the executive branch with additional tools to do exactly that, although it is unfortunate that some of the sanctions authorities have been watered down at the Trump administration's request. This legislation expands secondary sanctions authorities to target foreign companies that knowingly purchase, transport, refine, insure, or finance Iranian oil and petroleum products. That includes shipping companies, port operators, insurance providers, and other logistical actors that help move Iranian crude around the world. Crucially, it focuses attention on the network of foreign refineries and intermediaries, particularly in China, that have become the primary buyers of sanctioned Iranian oil, giving the executive branch clearer authority to penalize those actors and disrupt that trade. Taken together, these measures are intended to close loopholes in the existing sanctions architecture and make it far more difficult for Tehran to generate billions of dollars in oil revenue. Unfortunately, the Trump administration spent years talking about maximum pressure. The reality looked very different. In practice, the administration often failed to fully enforce the sanctions authorities already available to it and at times actively undermined them. Last year, President Trump pardoned the founder of Binance, who pleaded guilty to a sanctions evasions crime pertaining to Iran in 2023. The administration also failed to meaningfully disrupt the Iran-China energy trade or marshal the sustained diplomatic effort required to build international pressure against Tehran's illicit oil exports. As a result, Iran continued generating billions in energy revenue while the administration's policy drifted. Now we find ourselves in a very different, and far more dangerous, situation. The United States started a war with Iran that Congress did not authorize and the American people overwhelmingly think makes us less safe. Thirteen Americans have died in the conflict, and over 140 have been injured. The administration started this military campaign without a strategy or an endgame. The regime has not collapsed, but gas prices are up 30 percent. Americans are paying $2 billion each and every day because of this administration's impulsive and illegal war. Consider the trade-off: The money Trump has already spent on this war could have paid for a full year of ACA premium tax credit extensions for Americans here at home. What about that price at the pump? In a ham-handed attempt to fix a problem of its own making, the Trump administration has suspended sanctions against Russian oil used to finance Putin's war machine, while at the same time it dawdles on a peace solution in Ukraine. It is possible that the President will soon declare victory and move on. However, the question of Iran will remain, as will its threats of retaliation and destabilization. It may very well emerge from this conflict damaged, unstable, and led by a leadership even more extreme and vengeful than before. That is why tools like the ones in this bill remain important. Sanctions can help contain the regime's ability to rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, reconstitute its military capabilities, and restart its nuclear ambitions. Strong enforcement of these sanctions can also ensure that Iran cannot, once again, finance stabilizing activities across the region through oil revenues flowing into Tehran. At the same time, the future of Iran is highly uncertain. Only time will tell whether the conduct of the administration will, in the long run, cause more harm than good. However, our responsibility is to ensure that the Iranian regime does not have the resources to rebuild the machinery of repression at home or violence abroad. This legislation strengthens the tools needed to maintain that pressure for those with the sense to use it. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation. I urge its support, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, this bill will be critical for closing loopholes in our existing sanctions infrastructure against Iran, strengthening the President's authorities to limit Tehran's oil trade. I compliment the bill's sponsor, my colleague from New York. Last year, after an air attack, President Trump announced that we had obliterated Iran's nuclear capacity, but here we are again. Apparently, the job last year wasn't sufficient. Trump's war of choice with Iran this year has made this bill even more necessary because while the President may want to move on from this war he started at some point in time, war is a two-way street. Just because he may want to claim victory, as he already has, and even though Iran's capabilities will be reduced, Iran may very well pose an even greater threat now that diplomacy has been taken off the table by this President. To limit the long-term threat posed by Iran, it is critical that we further limit Tehran's ability to circumvent existing sanctions, tighten the screws on its ability to sell oil, and ensure that it does not gain access to the resources it needs to reconstitute either its nuclear program or its weapons capabilities. This President has put us at considerable risk by starting this war and enabling a regime that is perhaps even more hard-line than the one that preceded it. While we can't close Pandora's box, we can and should take all steps necessary to prevent Tehran from building back the arsenal it now would surely want to use against us. This bill accomplishes some of that task, and I support it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Madam Speaker, I rise to salute the outstanding work of the Greenburgh Nature Center, its professional staff, and its volunteer leadership for providing an environmental oasis for all to enjoy in the middle of a bustling suburb. The nature center is a 33-acre preserve just steps away from busy Central Avenue that offers hiking trails, demonstration gardens, and a live animal museum with barnyard animals and other wildlife. It provides educational programs, youth camps for kids, and an annual environmental set of events that welcomes the whole community. The professional team is led by Executive Director Alix Dunn. She had spent decades in environmental work with nonprofits in California before returning home to Westchester. Alix is aided by Marybeth Cagney, Chloe Digianni, Rosa Van Zandt, Elisabeth Mulder, Greg Wechgelaer, Andrew Michalski, and many others. The board of directors provides volunteer and community-based support and direction, led by President Dolya Fleck and other leaders: Jackie Feffer, Melissa Jones, Naomi Haber, Jim Blann, and former Town Councilwoman Diana Juettner. Madam Speaker, from the floor of the House of Representatives, we salute the team at the Greenburgh Nature Center for its constant advancement of this valued community asset. Recognizing Sound Shore St. Patrick's Day Parade

Mr. LATIMER. Madam Speaker, the month of March, with St. Patrick's Day to be celebrated on March 17, is a time to honor those of us of Irish-American heritage. Across the Nation, much less in Westchester and in the Bronx, there will be parades and festive dinners to salute the Irish experience and accomplishments here in America. One such event is the 14th annual Sound Shore St. Patrick's Day Parade, scheduled for Sunday, March 22, in Mamaroneck. This loops together the Irish in communities from Larchmont to Rye and Port Chester to New Rochelle. Tonight, there is the annual Hearts & Shamrocks dinner, which was, for many, the annual scholarship fundraising effort for deserving students. At the dinner, the parade's 2025 grand marshal, Matt McCauley, will turn over his sash to the parade's 2026 grand marshal, Joe Carvin. Joe is a resident of Port Chester and a former resident of Rye Brook. He is an accomplished business executive, and yet he finds time to work with high school students, a voluntary action. He served as village trustee of Port Chester and as Rye town supervisor. I regret being unable to join them tonight, but we salute Matt, Joe, and parade leaders Joe Mauro and Michael Murphy as they celebrate together. From the floor of the House of Representatives, this grandson of Enniskillen in County Fermanagh sends our very best. Recognizing Ronald Hicks

Mr. LATIMER. Madam Speaker, I rise to salute the newly installed archbishop for the Archdiocese of New York, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Ronald Hicks. Archbishop Hicks has assumed the spiritual leadership of the 2.8 million-member Catholic community that includes Westchester and the Bronx, succeeding the much-loved Timothy Cardinal Dolan, who served for 16 years. Archbishop Hicks was most recently in charge of the diocese of Joliet, Illinois, and is well known by Pope Leo, also an Illinois native, who made this key assignment. The New York Archdiocese has 300 parishes and also runs 153 schools with an aggregate enrollment of 49,000 students. It runs a seminary, cemeteries, and links with various Catholic charitable organizations. A native of Illinois, Archbishop Hicks was ordained to the priesthood in 1994, served in local parishes as a seminary dean, and in an important assignment in Latin America before becoming a bishop. From the floor of the House of Representatives, we welcome Archbishop Ronald Hicks to New York, and we wish him great success in his pastoral services and in his church leadership.

Mr. LATIMER

Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, for nearly two decades, Westchester's own Richard ``Dick'' Ottinger walked in these Halls as a Congressman and served in this Chamber, representing his neighbors with insight and energy. Dick Ottinger was first elected to the House in 1964. He left to seek a seat in the United States Senate in 1970 but returned here in 1974 to serve 10 more years. He was an early leader on environmental issues before they became commonplace, and his advocacy for the cleanup of the Hudson River benefited generations to follow. In his post-congressional years, he turned to teaching as a professor at Pace University School of Law, with a building being named in his honor. We lost Dick Ottinger on February 16, and he joins in our memories the great House Members from New York who we have recently lost, Charlie Rangel and Nita Lowey. Dick, like them, is a role model for all of us who serve here today. Please join me in a moment of silence to honor him.