Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) released the following statement on the sudden passing of New York State Senator José R. Peralta. In a letter to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York State Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie, and New York State Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Rep. Espaillat has urged that the New York State DREAM Act be renamed in honor of Senator Peralta’s legacy and in recognition of his steadfast leadership and unyielding desire to see the DREAM Act passed and signed into law.
“It was my privilege as a fellow Dominican-American to serve with Senator José R. Peralta, who was an honorable steward of the public trust and tireless representative for communities in Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights and Woodside,” said Rep. Espaillat (NY-13). “As a main sponsor of the New York state DREAM Act, Senator Peralta believed wholeheartedly that we each have an obligation to ensure equal opportunities for the advancement of all persons. Renaming the New York State DREAM Act in his honor would be a fitting tribute to his legacy and the work that will continue for generations to come.
“Respectfully, I ask that when the New York State Legislative Session reconvenes on January 9, 2019, that both the Assembly and Senate come together to rename the New York State DREAM Act in honor of Senator Peralta and upon its passage, that Governor Cuomo sign the bill into law recognizing and codifying its most ardent champion, New York Senator José R. Peralta, into the official record.”
Click here to read Rep. Espaillat’s letter to Governor Cuomo and New York State Senate Leadership in its entirety.
