Senate Resolution No. 875

BY: Senator BRESLIN

OBSERVING April 11, 2019, as the Centennial
Birthday of Hugh L. Carey, a well-respected
political leader and often referred to as "The Man
Who Loved New York"

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is proud to observe milestones of
prominent public servants of indomitable faith and dedication whose life
and countless accomplishments will forever stand as a paradigm and
inspiration for others; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
observe the Centennial of the birth of Hugh L. Carey, a well-respected
political leader who held two terms as Governor of the State of New
York; and

WHEREAS, Hugh L. Carey was born on April 11, 1919, in Brooklyn, New
York, the third of Margaret and Dennis Carey's six sons; his mother's
ancestors were from County Tyrone, Ireland, and his father's descendants
were from County Galway; and

WHEREAS, He attended St. Augustine's School in Park Slope, New York,
and went on to graduate from St. John's University and St. John's
University Law School with the degree of Juris Doctor; and

WHEREAS, In 1939, Hugh L. Carey enlisted as a Private in the 101st
Cavalry, Squadron C, of the New York National Guard; he proudly served
his country as a member of the Timberwolf Division in its hard fought,
10-month campaign across Northern France and Holland, leading some of
the first American troops across the Rhine, and effected the liberation
of the Nordhausen concentration camp; and

WHEREAS, For his valiant service, Hugh L. Carey was the recipient of
the Combat Infantryman's Badge, Bronze Star and the Croix de Guerre; he
left active duty with the esteemed rank of Colonel; and

WHEREAS, On February 27, 1947, Hugh L. Carey married the former
Helen Owen Twohy; together they were the proud parents of 14 children:
Alexandria, Christopher, Susan, the late Peter, the late Hugh, Michael,
Donald, Marianne, Nancy, Helen, Bryan, the late Paul, Kevin and Thomas;
Hugh was also the loving grandfather of 24 grandchildren and 19
great-grandchildren; Helen Carey died on March 8, 1974, after 27 happy
years of marriage; and

WHEREAS, In his first political campaign in 1960, Hugh L. Carey was
elected to the House of Representatives from the 12th Congressional
District (CD) in Brooklyn, returning for six more terms from the 15th CD
after district lines were re-drawn; and

WHEREAS, He served on the Education and Labor Committee, the
Interior Committee and was elected unanimously to the Ways and Means
Committee; during his seven terms in the United States Congress, he

became a Deputy Whip and framed several pieces of landmark legislation
on education, the rights of the disabled and revenue sharing; and

WHEREAS, Hugh L. Carey was elected the 51st Governor of the State of
New York on November 5, 1974, the first Democrat in 16 years, and was
re-elected in 1978; and

WHEREAS, On St. Patrick's Day in 1977, Governor Hugh L. Carey joined
with Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, House Speaker Thomas P. (Tip)
O'Neill, and Senator Edward M. Kennedy in an appeal to Americans to stop
arming the Irish Republican Army; the group, dubbed the Four Horsemen,
continued to speak out against violence and urged the pursuit of peace
in Northern Ireland; and

WHEREAS, As Governor, Hugh L. Carey was the architect of the
financial plan that averted the bankruptcy of New York City and began a
sweeping program of fiscal reform and economic development to restore
the vitality of the State of New York; his extensive tax reduction
program in excess of $2.5 billion was the keystone of restoring New
York's competitive economy in the 1970s; and

WHEREAS, One of Hugh L. Carey's earliest acts as Governor was
signing the historic Willowbrook consent decree, committing New York
State to sweeping reforms in the care of the developmentally disabled;
as Governor, he dealt with controversial problems such as Love Canal and
the pollution of the Hudson River; he also instituted the "I Love New
York" campaign and founded the Empire State Games; nationally, he was a
spokesman for regional concerns and a proponent of comprehensive
programs for urban and industrial revitalization; and

WHEREAS, On December 30, 1982, during his final week in office, The
New York Times editorial board
dubbed Hugh L. Carey "A Governor for Hard Winters," noting: "it is hard
to imagine how anyone else could have done so well in leading the state
through its hardest winter."; and

WHEREAS, A book portraying Governor Hugh L. Carey's life and career
cited him as "The Man Who Saved New York," and he was often referred to
as "The Man Who Loved New York"; and

WHEREAS, Governor Hugh L. Carey founded the Conference of Northeast
Governors (CONEG); in 1991, he was chosen by his fellow former Governors
as the first Chairman of the National Institute of Former Governors and
was re-elected as chairman through 1993; and

WHEREAS, In 1993, Governor Hugh L. Carey was appointed by then
President Clinton to the American Battle Monuments Commission, where he
was involved in the planning of a World War II Memorial in Washington,
D.C.; and

WHEREAS, Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Governor Hugh
L. Carey was asked to represent New York State and speak at dozens of
funerals for fallen firefighters throughout the five boroughs and
surrounding counties; and

WHEREAS, Governor Hugh L. Carey founded The Carey Cup, a bi-annual
challenge between the Metropolitan Golf Association and the Golfing
Union of Ireland to promote commerce between the U.S. and Ireland; and


WHEREAS, He was also the founding Chairman of the Paul Robert Carey
Foundation, established in memory of his seventh son who had served in
the Clinton White House and as the 77th Commissioner of Securities and
Commission; and

WHEREAS, Governor Hugh L. Carey was a trustee of the Flax Trust,
which works to promote economic development and reconciliation in
Northern Ireland; and

WHEREAS, Recognized for his commitment and devotion, Governor Hugh
L. Carey was honored by numerous nonprofit organizations including: the
New York City Landmarks Conservancy, which gave him one of its inaugural
Living Landmarks awards; Saint John's University, which named a building
in his honor; and the New York State Council on the Disabled; and

WHEREAS, Governor Hugh L. Carey enjoyed life to the fullest,
spending time with colleagues, friends and family; he died on August 7,
2011, at the age of 92; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is pleased to have this opportunity
to express its highest admiration for Governor Hugh L. Carey, a
remarkable public servant who worked to bring proper attention to New
York, which merits recognition in the grand panorama of the history of
our State and Nation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
observe April 11, 2019, as the Centennial Birthday of Hugh L. Carey,
whose unselfish concern for the welfare of others enhanced the lives of
all New Yorkers; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Hugh L. Carey.