Bill to name post office for Hinchey is signed
SAUGERTIES, N.Y. » A bill approved by Congress to name the Saugerties Post Office on Market Street for late U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey has been signed into law.
The signing by President Donald Trump was announced Thursday by U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and U.S. Rep. John Faso, R-Kinderhook. They co-sponsored the measure with U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, a Democrat from western New York who died this past March.
“Having this bill signed into law is a tremendous milestone and privilege for our family,” Ilene and Michelle Hinchey said in a statement on behalf of the late congressman’s family. “Maurice would be humbled to have the Saugerties Post Office named in his honor, and we’re incredibly excited that Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand and Congressman Faso have been able to make that happen. We thank them sincerely, from the bottom of our hearts, for turning this dream into a reality. We look forward to celebrating this for generations to come.”
The post office is at 111 Market St. in the village of Saugerties.
Hinchey, who lived most of his life in Saugerties, died in November 2017 at age 79 after battling a rare neurological disorder. He served in the House of Representatives from 1993 until his retirement at the end of 2012. He served in the state Assembly from 1975 to 1992.
The congressman was perhaps best known for being an unflinching advocate for the environment, including through his support of the Clean Air Act and protecting the Hudson River.
The Catskill Interpretive Center in Mount Tremper is named for him, and he is buried on the grounds of the Route 28 facility.
Hinchey, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1956 to 1959, also was a strong supporter of military veterans..