Redesignation of Paterson Great Falls Nhp Facilities

Floor Speech

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Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 249, a bill that would ensure that the name of Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr., will forever be etched into the landscape of the city that he so passionately served.

This legislation would rename two beloved landmarks within Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, the Scenic Overlook Trail Bridge and Overlook Park, as the Bill Pascrell, Jr. Scenic Overlook Trail Bridge and the Bill Pascrell, Jr. Overlook Park.

These places offer sweeping views of the Great Falls, a symbol of American ingenuity, labor, and power.

There could be no more fitting a tribute to a man whose career reflected those same qualities. For decades, Bill Pascrell fought for the people of Paterson and the State of New Jersey. Anyone who visited Paterson, as I have on many occasions, knew that he lived, ate, and breathed Paterson. That man loved Paterson and was Paterson.

Mr. Speaker, it is also fitting that, on the week that we honor police officers, who put their lives on the line to protect and serve us, this is the time that we will pass this bill honoring Bill Pascrell. He never backed down from standing up for working people and for first responders. From the halls of city hall to Congress, he was a tireless advocate for working families, veterans, public health, and local infrastructure. Yet, what defined him was his unshakable belief in the potential of his hometown, a city that helped build America and the city that he never stopped believing in.

By renaming these park features in his honor, we are not just commemorating his public service. We are linking his legacy to a history of American industry, immigration, and a resilience that Great Falls represents.

Bill Pascrell deserves this legacy. He was a legacy. He had a great sense of humor, and when he walked in, everyone knew he was in the room. We miss him dearly here, and his name belongs in this place not only in the official record, but in the very landscape of the community that he loved.

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Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Pou).

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Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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