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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Tom Caltagirone |
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Caltagirone: Legislation honoring late House Speaker Manderino easily passes House
HARRISBURG, Oct. 23 -- State Rep. Tom Caltagirone, D-Berks, said he is pleased his legislation to honor the accomplishments of the Commonwealth’s first Italian-American speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, James J. Manderino, was overwhelmingly passed by the House today.
Caltagirone’s legislation (H.B. 1192) would rename the state's Keystone Building, which houses the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and a number of other state agencies and offices in Harrisburg, as the Speaker James J. Manderino Office Building.
First elected to the House of Representatives in 1966 to represent the 58th Legislative District, Manderino was elected speaker in 1989. He also served as majority whip and majority leader during his nearly quarter century of service.
When a controversial abortion bill was introduced in the House in October 1989, he skillfully moderated the televised debate and won widespread praise for his fairness and fortitude. He was the main force behind a nationally recognized Pennsylvania job-development program called PennPRIDE, which was a proposal of 28 programs for jobs, education and economic development.
“This building designation would be a fitting tribute to James Manderino’s tremendous accomplishments and his contribution to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the House of Representatives,” Caltagirone said.
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
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CONTACT: Gabrielle A. Prutisto |