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“HONORING THE LIFE OF THE HONORABLE RAYMOND L. BRAMUCCI” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1279 on Sept. 15, 2015.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE LIFE OF THE HONORABLE RAYMOND L. BRAMUCCI
______
HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO
of connecticut
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with the deepest respect and the heaviest of hearts that I rise today to pay tribute to my good friend and outstanding political leader, Raymond L. Bramucci. His passing marks the end of an era and leaves a legacy of public service to which we should all strive.
Born in Ludlow, Massachusetts, Ray's story is one so many children of immigrants share. His success was built on hard work and community service. One of four children of an Italian butcher who lost everything during the Great Depression, Ray worked a variety of factory jobs as a boy to help his family survive. He dropped out of high school at age 17 and entered the United States Air Force where he served for four years with honor and distinction.
After finishing his service in the Air Force, Ray moved to New York City where he joined the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Rising through the ranks, he became a senior director widely respected for championing fair play by both workers and employers. This commitment to balance earned Ray a distinguished reputation among all those he worked with.
Senator Bill Bradley chose Ray to lead his New Jersey office, a post he held for more than twenty years before he was tapped by then Governor Jim Florio to serve as Commissioner of New Jersey's Department of Labor. His political acumen and policy prowess once again earned him the respect and admiration of all those who worked with him. As Commissioner, Ray left an indelible mark on public policy with one of his signature achievements--the passage of the Workforce Development Partnership Act, which trained unemployed workers in high-tech, emerging trades.
Ray later served as the Executive Director of the Scion Hall University Institute on Work, a not-for-profit organization advocating workplace equity. He was also an arbitrator on the New Jersey Board of Mediation, a Special Advisor to the President of Montclair State University, and an adjunct professor of political science at Rutgers University. Ray ascended to the national stage in 1998 when then President Bill Clinton asked him to serve as Assistant Secretary of Labor at the United States Department of Labor. He oversaw the administration of national Youth Opportunity grants and became a driving force in employment and training nationwide. He also supervised job training across the country, including more than 100 Job Corps Centers.
Even after his service at the United States Department of Labor concluded, Ray remained active as a consultant on worker training, labor issues, conflict resolution and arbitration for public and private sector clients. Throughout his life, Ray demonstrated a unique commitment to public service. He fought hard for policies that strengthened the American workforce in immeasurable and innumerable ways.
On a more personal note, I will always be grateful to Ray for his friendship, support, and guidance. He was not only a good friend but, like for so many others, a mentor. I am honored to stand today to pay tribute to Raymond L. Bramucci for his many contributions to our nation and to extend my deepest sympathies to his wife, Sue; his sons, Michael and Dante; as well as his many family, friends, and colleagues. I consider myself fortunate to have called him my friend and he will be deeply missed by all of those fortunate enough to have known him.
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