Rep. Louise Slaughter passed away on Friday, after suffering injuries from a fall at her Washington, D.C. residence. Slaughter spent nearly 50 years in public service, and among her latest accomplishments was securing more than $15 million in federal funding for a new train station in Rochester. New York Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are calling on Amtrak to rename the depot in Slaughter's honor.
The Rochester Intermodal Station opened in 2017. The Senators contend that the building would not exist if it weren't for Slaughter's efforts.
With the passing of Slaughter, a vacancy now needs to be filled in the 25th Congressional District. The U.S. Constitution places the responsibility for scheduling a special election for seats in the House of Representatives with state governors. The last time Gov. Andrew Cuomo faced this predicament, the special election was scheduled to coincide with the general election.
Cuomo's office has not yet indicated what plans will be made for the election of Slaughter's successor. However, on Sunday, he added his voice to those who think the train station in Rochester should be named in honor of Slaughter. Cuomo released this letter on Sunday, that he has sent to Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson:
Dear Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson,
The New York community continues to mourn the passing of Congresswoman Louise Slaughter. She was a larger than life presence who made all New Yorkers proud over her decades of service.
In her honor, I join Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand in calling on Amtrak to rename the new Rochester Intermodal Station after Congresswoman Slaughter.
Congresswoman Slaughter was instrumental in securing federal funding for this project, which is a symbol of New York State's commitment to rebuilding its transportation infrastructure for the 21st century. The beautiful new station, which the Congresswoman and I opened in October, is a gateway to the Finger Lakes - welcoming passengers with a better travel experience, improved rail service and a world-class facility. Thanks to the Congresswoman's tireless dedication to this project, Rochester finally has a train station of the caliber the region deserves.
It is fitting that this shining example of Rochester's revitalization bear the name of a leader who was integral to making it happen - Congresswoman Louise Slaughter.
Beyond the train station, Congresswoman Slaughter was also a trailblazer who fought relentlessly for the people of her district. She has led the way on the major issues of our time, from environmental preservation to women's rights to attracting 21st century jobs in cutting edge industries like photonics.
In recognition of her leadership and in memory of her legacy, I urge Amtrak to rename the Rochester train station in honor of Congresswoman Slaughter.
