Washington, DC – Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton along with Congressman Brian Higgins introduced a resolution today to rename a portion of U.S. Route 20a that runs near Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, after Tim Russert. The stretch of U.S. Route 20a located in Orchard Park, New York, that runs from Abbot Road to California Road, will be designated as the ‘Timothy J. Russert Highway,’ in honor of the NBC Washington Bureau Chief and moderator of Meet the Press who passed away last Friday. Russert, a native son of Buffalo, New York was an avid sports fan who was passionate about his hometown football team the Buffalo Bills.
“Though he redefined Washington for generations to come, Tim Russert was always—to his very core—Mr. Buffalo,” said Schumer. “He was a shining example of the very best in Western New York—a down-to-earth, family man with rock solid values and an irreplaceable twinkle in his eye. He always cared about the Bills, and whenever I went on Meet The Press, we’d spend a few minutes before or after the show talking about the team. By naming this portion of Route 20a in his honor, we hope that Tim Russert will never be far from the home he loved so dearly.”
“Tim Russert was loved and respected throughout the halls of Washington for his journalistic integrity and trademark tenacity – but during all of his years in D.C. he remained a true Buffalonian at heart,” said Senator Clinton. “Some people may not have understood why he would sign off of a hard-hitting political talk show with a hearty ‘Go Bills,’ but if you knew Tim you knew it made perfect sense. I hope that by renaming this stretch of Route 20a near Ralph Wilson Stadium in Tim’s honor, that it will in some way bring him closer to the city and team he loved so much.”
“Whether it was talking about growing up in South Buffalo in his books or using the NBC bully pulpit to cheer on the Bills before a big game, to many, Buffalo helped define who Tim was. Buffalo was always in Tim’s heart and Tim will always live on in the hearts of Western New Yorkers. It’s only fitting that from now on, Bills fans driving down “Timothy J. Russert Highway” will always reminded of this hometown hero and personification of the 12th man.”
“The proposal to rename the stretch of U.S. Route 20a that runs next to the stadium in honor of Tim Russert is a wonderful tribute to a great man. I want to thank Senator Clinton, Senator Schumer and Congressman Higgins for their efforts to make this happen. I, like many others, was shocked when I heard the sad news of Tim’s passing. We loved Tim and he loved Buffalo and the Bills,” said Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, Jr.
To view a copy of the resolution please follow this link - http://clinton.senate.gov/documents/news/06_17_08_Russert_Resolution.pdf
