Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is praising Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, as well as his borough’s Congressional delegation, for introducing legislation today that would rename the Morrisania branch of the United State Post Office in honor of Herman Badillo.
“I want to thank Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, along with representatives José Serrano, Charles Rangel and Joseph Crowley, for their support and for introducing legislation to rename the Morrisania Post office branch in honor of Herman Badillo,” said Borough President Diaz. “Herman Badillo was a true pioneer, and this legislation is a tremendous step in our efforts to honor his groundbreaking service in the United States Congress.”
Borough President Diaz believes that renaming the Morrisania branch of the United States Post Office, a facility acknowledged on the National Register of Historic Places and the borough’s most significant federally-owned building, would be a fitting tribute to Mr. Badillo’s service to federal government as a member of the House of Representatives, where he served from 1971 through 1977 and was the first individual of Puerto Rican descent to be elected to the United States Congress as a voting member.
Among his other accomplishments, Mr. Badillo was the first Latino to be appointed as a Commissioner of New York City, the first Latino to be elected to serve as a Borough President in New York City, the first Latino to be a Deputy Mayor for any New York City Mayor and the first Puerto Rican to serve as the Chairman of the City University of New York.
Borough President Diaz first mentioned the proposal in his annual “State of the Borough” address last month. His initial letter to congress can be read at http://on.nyc.gov/1ExUIhP.