Joe Lieberman: “I am pleased and honored today to introduce legislation with my colleague Senator Dodd to name the Federal courthouse in…”

“I am pleased and honored today to introduce legislation with my colleague Senator Dodd to name the Federal courthouse in New Haven, CT, after our dear friend and the former eight-term mayor of New Haven, Richard C. Lee. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro is introducing the same proposal in the House of Representatives. If it may be said that Federal buildings should help reflect the very best of the principles, purposes and spirit of America, then this courthouse could have no more appropriate name above its doors than that of Mayor Lee. For Dick Lee is the quintessential American, proud, principled, hardworking, and productive. In New Haven, he shook loose entrenched bureaucracies and forged new community coalitions dedicated to rebuilding New Haven after years of neglect and blight. He became a nationally recognized urban pioneer and helped to change the landscape of the American city. Dick Lee was born in New Haven. He loves the city and its richly diverse people. In May of last year, Mayor Lee was honored by the New Haven Colony Historical Society. During that tribute, Prof. Robert Wood of Wesleyan University drew inspiration from Mayor Lee's eloquence about his work. Dick Lee said that the core of a mayor's job was 'wiping away tears from the eyes' of a city's people so that 'each tear becomes a star in the sky' and not a source of daily despair. 'Filling the sky above with stars' was his highest calling.”