LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Rakif Rezkalla upon the occasion of
becoming a United States Citizen

WHEREAS, Throughout history, our great Nation has been known as a place
of hope and opportunity for countless people who have journeyed from
afar, and across oceans, to build new lives for themselves and their
families; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to pay special honor
to those people whose life journeys have carried them across the world
to become enfranchised in the freedoms of our Nation; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Rakif Rezkalla
upon the occasion of becoming a United States Citizen; he naturalized at
a ceremony on Friday, October 24, 2014, at the James T. Foley Federal
Courthouse in Albany, New York; and
WHEREAS, Becoming a citizen of the United States is a very significant
milestone; it marks the completion of a long naturalization process and
the formal start of membership in this great democracy; and
WHEREAS, Citizenship comes with important rights and equally important
responsibilities including the right to vote in elections and the
responsibility to exercise that right and participate in our nation's
democratic process; and
WHEREAS, It is with radiant pride that an individual can claim to be a
Citizen of the United States, for in becoming a United States Citizen,
an individual becomes part of an undying legacy of democracy and part of
the august story which is America; and
WHEREAS, Rakif Rezkalla now personifies our shared commitment to
preserve, enhance and yet affect that patrimony of freedom which is our
American heritage; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Rakif Rezkalla upon the occasion of becoming a United States Citi-
zen; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Rakif Rezkalla.