U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) today announced that legislation to rename the Greenpoint post office in Brooklyn after former State Assemblymember Joseph Lentol has passed in the Senate. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Carolyn Maloney and passed in October of 2021. The bill now heads to the president’s desk for his signature.
“Assemblyman Joseph Lentol dedicated his life to serving the Brooklyn communities in his district,” said Senator Schumer. “He worked tirelessly to pass a criminal justice reform bill and to save the East River waterfront from harmful industrial uses, among many other valiant efforts. I was proud to work with Assemblyman Lentol on a number of issues—from saving JELLY Pool Parties, to solving widespread mail delivery issues throughout Williamsburg and Greenpoint—all for the betterment of the borough we are both lucky to call home. I’m so glad we can honor Assemblyman Lentol and his decades of dedicated service by renaming Brooklyn’s Greenpoint Post Office in his honor.”
“Joe Lentol was a public servant ahead of his time and devoted his life to serving Brooklyn’s most disadvantaged communities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “During his nearly 50 years of public service, Joe was a fierce advocate for progressive criminal justice and environmental reform. Today, he has continued his unwavering commitment to the people of New York by serving as a member of the board of the NYS Defenders Association. This post office designation will be a fitting tribute to his many years of unparalleled service.”
“I’ve known Joe Lentol since he was a young Assemblyman and I was working in the State Legislature for the Cities Committee,” said Congresswoman Maloney. “He has always been a wonderful public servant. Joe was a true champion for criminal justice reform, environmental protections, fair labor practices, and many other policies throughout his career. Over the years I’ve had the privilege of working with Joe on some of those issues, including preventing gun violence, building the Kosciuszko Bridge, and fighting for Bushwick Inlet Park. I am delighted that both the House and Senate have passed the bill to rename the Greenpoint Post Office as the Joseph R. Lentol Post Office – so that we can truly honor Joe’s contributions to Brooklyn in a way that will live for as long as the impact he has had on this community.”
Joseph Lentol represented Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Fort Greene, and parts of Clinton Hill in the New York State Assembly for nearly fifty years. During his tenure, Lentol chaired the Committee on Criminal and Civil Codes, the New York City Community Action Board, the Assembly Public Protection Budget Committee, the Assembly Committee on Public Employees, the Committee on Governmental Operations, and the Assembly Administrative Regulations Commission. Most notably, as chair of the Codes Committee, Lentol fiercely advocated for underserved and economically disadvantaged constituents, modernizing the criminal justice system, fair labor practices, and strong environmental laws and regulations. As a member of the board of the New York State Defenders Association, Joseph has continued his life’s work and commitment to serving New York’s most vulnerable communities.