Congressman Lester Wolff Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Floor Speech

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Mr. SUOZZI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Huffman for allowing me this time.

I rise today in support of this bill that I have sponsored, a bipartisan bill, H.R. 263, which, as has been mentioned, would rename the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge as the Congressman Lester Wolff Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Grijalva. I want to thank, again, Congressman Huffman and my colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee for their work on this bill, as well as the members of the New York delegation, all of whom are cosponsors of and support this legislation.

Congressman Lester Wolff, who represented my district for 16 years, is our Nation's oldest living former Congressman, and, in January, he will turn 101 years old.

The renaming of the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge in his honor is in recognition of his monumental contributions to the preservation and protection of our environment.

These precious wetlands, at Congressman Lester Wolff's urging, were protected in 1968. It was in 1967 that the New York State Legislature, at the insistence of then-Governor Nelson Rockefeller and the master planner, Robert Moses, authorized a bridge across the Long Island Sound.

Lester immediately saw the bridge would despoil this pristine and precious resource of the Long Island Sound and soon found himself at the center of an enormous political fight. Lester eventually won this fight, and the Oyster Bay Wildlife Refuge was born. Today, it covers over 3,200 acres of one of the most important areas for natural refuge anywhere on the north shore of Long Island and is home to many endangered species.

Not only was Lester a champion for our environment, he also served our Nation honorably in our military. Lester served in the Civil Air Patrol during World War II and commanded the Congressional Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, rising to the rank of colonel.

In 2014, Wolff received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to also support this legislation so we may honor this great Congressman whose efforts were an important part of our Nation's environmental history.

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