A 24 year veteran of the Legislature, Assemblyman Butler was first elected
to the New York State Assembly in April of 1976, and enjoyed victories
in every Assembly race since then. Through his legislation, Assemblyman
Butler has proven to be an ardent advocate for the elderly, the disabled,
the unborn, veterans, small business and the working men and women of
our City and State.
As senior member of the Assembly Labor Committee, Assemblyman Butler
sponsored and supported legislation to increase the minimum wage, unemployment
insurance, and disability and workers compensation. As Chairman of the
Assembly Subcommittee on the Special Problems of the Aging and as senior
member of the Assembly Aging Committee, he has held numerous statewide
hearings aimed at determining and addressing the unmet needs of our senior
citizens. Assemblyman Butler helped to create, with the Assembly leadership,
the SCRIE Program (Senior Citizens Rent Increase Exemption) and has been
one of the leading forces in raising the maximum income eligibility for
the SCRIE Program. In addition, he was also a prime sponsor of the EPIC
Program, New York State's Senior Prescription Program, which assists seniors
with their prescription drug costs.
During his twenty four years in the Assembly, Mr. Butler moved up the
ranks to become Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore, to which he was appointed
in 1993. Assemblyman Butler previously held the positions of Vice Chairman
of the Majority Conference, Chairman of the Majority Conference and Chairman
of the Committee on Standing committees. He was also a member of the Executive
Committee of the Eastern Regional Conference of the Council of State Governments.
Assemblyman Butler served on the Rules, Aging, Economic Development,
Labor and Oversight, Analysis and Investigations Committees. He has also
served on the Joint Budget Conference Committee's Subcommittee on Higher
Education in 1998, 1999 and 2000, which helped to maintain and increase
funding for higher education initiatives such as TAP, HEOP, SEEK and BOCES
and worked to keep tuition affordable at SUNY and CUNY,
As Chairman of the Queens Assembly Delegation, Assemblyman Butler successfully
secured hundreds of thousands of dollars for numerous recreational, cultural,
educational, civic, youth, anti-crime and senior programs throughout Queens.
In 1988, Assemblyman Butler received the Brooklyn Diocese's Pro Vita
award, presented to him by Bishop Francis J. Mugavero in recognition of
his efforts on behalf of the unborn and in support of life. In 1992, he
was the recipient of the New York State Catholic Conference Public Policy
Award, presented by John Cardinal O'Connor and the Bishops of New York
State. Assemblyman Butler has also been the driving force behind the Maternity
and Early Childhood Foundation, a non-for-profit statewide organization
which promotes alternatives to abortion, successfully securing approximately
17 million dollars for the Foundation since 1983.
A hallmark of Assemblyman Butler's tenure was his active involvement
in civic affairs. As a full-time Assemblyman, he worked closely with community
advocates on a host of issues from improving educational and youth programs
to strengthening police protection and other important services. One of
the original founders of the 114th Auxiliary Police Corps., he was also
Past President of St. Joseph's Home School Association and served as a
member of its Parish Council.
Assemblyman Butler was Vice-Chairman of the Queens Democratic County
Committee and for thirty years was the Executive Member of the Powhatan
Regular Democratic Club, one of the oldest clubs in New York State. In
conjunction with the Powhatan Club, Assemblyman Butler was the organizer
for the last twenty-nine years of an annual Toy for Tots Drive for the
needy.
Mr. Butler is a lifelong resident of the District he represented, covering
Astoria, Long Island City and Jackson Heights. A graduate of LaSalle Academy
and Cathedral College, Assemblyman Butler also attended St. Joseph's Seminary,
Columbia University and the State University at Albany. Prior to his election
to the New York State Assembly, Mr. Butler, who holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree, was an account executive and sales manager in the field of broadcasting,
both in radio and television.
Married to the former Mary Kerr, Assemblyman Butler and his lovely wife
have three children: Kathleen, a health care administrator; Denis, a civil
court judge of the City of New York; and Thomas, President of Butler Associates,
a Manhattan based Public Relations and Marketing firm.
