Marvin Moriarty, the Northeast Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, stated in 2004 that Congressman Rothman had “become the linchpin for ecological conservation activities in the Meadowlands. His unstinting efforts on behalf of the Meadowlands are encyclopedic in volume and scope”.

From 2001 to 2007, Congressman Rothman also secured $10 million in federal funds, plus additional state and local matching funds, to buy up those parcels not already publicly-owned to create an 8,400 acre ecological preserve in the Hackensack Meadowlands.

Congressman Rothman’s efforts to preserve the Hackensack Meadowlands were covered extensively by the media at the time and selected extracts can be found in Further Reading here. A 2002 Congressional newsletter to constituents on the topic can be found here.

In recognition of his work, he was awarded various awards including:

– the Golden Phragmites Award (presented by the NY/NJ Baykeeper in September 2001 for Outstanding Work on Behalf of the Hackensack Meadowlands)

– the 2004 National Great Blue Heron Award (presented by Marvin Moriarty, the Northeast Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the North American Waterfowl Management for Significant Contributions to Waterfowl and Wetland Conservation), and

– the Pete & Toshi Seeger Wetlands Preservation Award (presented by Jeff Tittel of the New Jersey Sierra Club in November 2012 for “Groundbreaking Work in Protecting The New Jersey Meadowlands – for Taking Political Risk While Calling Attention to Wetlands Protection”).

During his 16 years in Congress, Congressman Rothman conducted more than 150 town hall meetings in person and nearly a dozen telephone town hall meetings.

For samples of Congressman Rothman’s Notices to Constituents concerning Listening Session dates, times and locations from 1997 to 2012, see the Photo Gallery.

In his January 2013 article “Reflections on 25 Years in Public Office and the End of a Political Career”, Congressman Rothman cited the constituent service record of his Congressional Office as a source of great pride: “Aside from […] legislative and advocacy achievements, I am so proud of my Constituent Service staff who have helped literally hundreds of thousands of our neighbors. I am also thankful, and was made better and wiser, for having met and spoken with so many at schools, churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, cultural centers, supermarkets, factories, senior citizen centers, veterans halls, rallies and at the more than 150 town hall meetings I conducted, as well as with our troops who shared their time and their stories on my visits to war zones and other places abroad and at home”. Read the full article here.

One area, in particular, of focus for Rothman’s office, was to assist the lawful applications of many thousands of individuals seeking to become U.S.citizens. He and his staff helped people of all national origins. When addressing those foreign born, Spanish-speaking individuals concerned how a congressman’s office would handle their cases, Steve would say: “Todos mis abuelos fueron immigrantes.  Por eso, en mi corazon y mi alma, yo soy un immigrante. Siempre” Translation: “All of my grandparents were immigrants [to the U.S.]. So, in my heart and soul I am an immigrant. Always.”