Congressman Steve Israel (D-Dix Hills) opened a Great Neck district office Thursday, saying the new workspace reflected his focus on his local constituency.
“The most important thing that a member of Congress does is solve people’s problems with the federal government,” said Israel. “And in order to solve those problems, you have to be in their community. And that’s why one of my first priorities was to open an office here.”
In addition to the new Great Neck office, Israel has offices in Melville and Washington, D.C.
Local residents and officials, including state Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) and Town of North Hempstead Councilwoman Anna Kaplan (D-Great Neck), mingled in the Barstow Road office, with photos of Israel and dignitaries such as former president Bill Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decorating the walls.
Great Neck is a new beat for Israel, whose constituency saw changes following a redistricting process that took effect in January. Israel’s 3rd District now encompasses much of former Rep. Gary Ackerman’s district, including the Great Neck and Port Washington peninsulas, Glen Cove, Roslyn and parts of northeast Queens.
The office opening coincided with an ongoing lockdown and manhunt in Boston, as police searched for a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings following a gun battle early Thursday morning. Israel offered sympathy and support to the people of Boston in an interview with the Great Neck News.
“Today, whether you’re in Great Neck or Washington, we’re all in Boston. We’re in Boston in our thoughts and in our prayers,” Israel said. “And not only are we getting to the bottom of what happened, but this another reminder of the dedication and the strength of our police, our emergency services and we need to thank them.”
Israel also castigated the U.S. Senate for its effective filibuster of tighter gun control measures this week, and called on the House to bring those regulations to a floor vote.
“It was a dereliction of duty,” he said. “Every time we have one of these tragedies, as we did in Connecticut, we say that they are teachable moments and then we forget the lessons until the next tragedy.”
“The Senate has failed to act. The House still has an opportunity to act,” Israel continued. “ And I’m pushing Speaker [John] Boehner to at least schedule a vote. If people want to vote against it, they can. I hope people will vote for it.”
It would be an act of “cowardice” for the House to refuse to take up gun-control measures, according to Israel – especially expanded background checks, which Israel said were supported both by his constituents and a majority of National Rifle Association members.
“My constituents and all Americans deserve a vote on this issue in the House of Representatives,” he said.
