Adam Sackowitz, 20, of Westbury, a graduate, a junior at Hofstra University and longtime advocate/volunteer of the National Park Service was on Capitol Hill on July 24 to see the introduction of the Long Island Aviation History Act.
The bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study of certain historic aviation sites located on Long Island for possible inclusion into the national park system.
Sackowitz, who came up with the idea and drafted the legislation, started a letter writing campaign in late 2011 to get the proposed bill introduced. Sackowitz currently serves as a national park service guide at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site in Oyster Bay, and he wrote his first letter to Sen. Kemp Hannon, R-Garden City,who urged Sackowitz to contact Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-Mineola.
Sackowitz contacted McCarthy, who, in time, pledged her support. Sackowitz stated that the bill was "Long overdue and merited”.
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“Long Island’s Aviation Heritage is nationally significant and needs to be better interpreted,” Sackowitz added.
He sited Charles Lindbergh’s 1927 Trans-Atlantic Flight from Roosevelt Field and the production of over 30,000 fighter planes by long Island based aircraft manufacturers during the Second World War.
Sackowitz met with McCarthy and vowed to continue to fight for this piece of legislation.
“This is not the end, and more work and patience is needed to get the bill to the House Subcommittee on national parks, forests and public lands," Sackowitz said.
Sackowitz visited the Air and Space Museum, which is home to Charles Lindbergh’s spirit of St. Louis to answer questions. The Long Island Congressional Delegation co-sponsored the bill, including Rep. Peter King.
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Sackowitz also met with additional House members, including Staten Island/Brooklyn Rep. Michael Grimm and Rep. Shelly Berkley, D-Nevada, who is a member of the House General Aviation Caucus and represents a Las Vegas, Nevada District that borders Nellis Air Force base.
Berkley, now in her seventh term, has continuously advocated for young people to take a more active role in the political process.
Sackowitz plans to pursue a career with the National Park Service.
This article was written and submitted by Adam Sackowitz. What do you think of Sackowitz' efforts? Tell us in the comments.
