The publication is reproduced in full below:
PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE JAMES J. FLORIO: LIFE AND LEGACY
______
HON. DONALD NORCROSS
of new jersey
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, October 4, 2022
Mr. NORCROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my late friend and former governor, Jim Florio--a dedicated public servant who cared deeply for those in New Jersey and the Nation.
Governor James J. Florio was born in Brooklyn, New York on August 29, 1937. He was raised by his mother, a homemaker, and his father, an Italian American shipyard painter. Before completing high school, James Florio enlisted in the United States Navy and served for three years before his discharge in 1958. He continued to serve as a naval reservist for eighteen years, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Following his service, Governor Florio earned his high school equivalency degree from the State of New Jersey. He went on to complete an undergraduate degree from Trenton State College before earning a J.D. from Rutgers University in 1967. Prior to being elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1969, Governor Florio was the Assistant City Attorney for the City of Camden, New Jersey. He would serve in the General Assembly for four years, and in 1974 was elected to the House of Representatives for fifteen years before being elected Governor of New Jersey in 1989.
Governor Florio was an environmentalist long before it was popular. In Congress, Governor Florio was the prime sponsor of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as the Superfund Act, which was one of the most remarkable pieces of legislation which cleaned up hazardous sites across the country. It was an initiative that aimed to reduce the number of toxic dumping sites across the United States and especially in the State of New Jersey.
On January 16, 1990, Governor James Florio was inaugurated as the 49th Governor of New Jersey, becoming the first Italian American to hold the position. Governor Florio helped to craft legislation that led to the creation of the Pinelands National Reserve and signed the Clean Water Act, one of the strictest in the Nation at the time. He also oversaw legislation restricting semi-automatic assault weapons in the State of New Jersey and received the John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award for his efforts in championing gun control.
After his term as Governor, he was appointed as a Professor of Public Policy and Administration at the Edward J. Blaustein School at Rutgers University, and was also a founding partner of Florio, Perrucci, Steinhardt, Cappelli, Tipton & Taylor, LLC. In 2002, he was appointed Chair of the New Jersey Pinelands Commission by former Governor James McGreevey, a role he proudly held for three years before serving as Chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York's Board of Directors.
Governor James J. Florio was the beloved husband of 42 years to Lucinda (Coleman) and loving father of Christopher, Gregory, Catherine
(Pipas) as well as stepfather to Mark Rowe. He also was a brother, grandfather of ten and great grandfather of two.
Madam Speaker, on behalf of myself, the State of New Jersey, and the Nation, we are grateful for his service to our state. We lost one of our greatest champions, and he will be missed by all who had the honor of knowing him. My deepest sympathies to his family and his loved ones.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 160(1), Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 160(2)
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
House Representatives' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
Alerts Sign-up