The Student Newspaper of Saint Peter's Prep

The Petroc

The Student Newspaper of Saint Peter's Prep

The Petroc

The Student Newspaper of Saint Peter's Prep

The Petroc

Congressman Sires Visits Prep

Congressman+Sires+Visits+Prep

On Friday, October 24th, Congressman Albio Sires took time out of his busy schedule to visit Saint Peter’s to discuss his life, in particular his involvement in politics. Congressman Sires, a Democrat, serves the 8th District of New Jersey, which is comprised of mostly Hudson County, with represented parts of Essex, Bergen, and Union Counties as well, and has served since 2006.

Congressman Sires began his talk by discussing his early life and education. He was born in Cuba, but fled to America in 1962 and settled in West New York. He attended Memorial High School, where he became a standout basketball player. His basketball career continued through college, as he received a four-year basketball scholarship to play at Saint Peter’s University. He finished his education at Middlebury College in Vermont, where he received his Masters Degree.

Mr. Sires continued by speaking about his professional career and early involvement in politics. He was a teacher and business owner up until 1995, when his political career began. From 1995 to 2006, Mr. Sires served as the Mayor of West New York. When pressed on his time as mayor, he confessed the difficulties of presiding over a crowded urban center: “Being Mayor of West New York was extremely difficult because of the population. There are over 50,000 people living in a 1 square mile area. This proposed many problems that I attempted to solve throughout my time.” He additionally remarked that, “As mayor, you truly get to know the people you are serving. More than any other level of politics, a mayor can see the impact he has made on the community.”

In 2006, Mr. Sires became a Congressman, running on the Democratic platform. As a member of the House of Representatives, he served on the Financial Services Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. On the Financial Services Committee, he mainly dealt with continuing issues of affordable housing. He is the ranking member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, a branch of the Foreign Affairs committee. In terms of his impact on the Transportation and Infrastructure of his district, he was instrumental in implementing the Light-Rail system. He said that New Jersey’s Light-Rail system is one of the most successful in the country.

The Prep community wishes to thank Congressman Sires for his visit. It was a pleasure not only to hear him speak about his upbringing and background, but to experience also his honesty and passion for the political arena.