Brother of Fallen 9/11 Hero Will Attend State of the Union Address as Guest of Senator Hillary Clinton

Clinton Urges President to Award Glenn Winuk the Medal of Valor for His Heroic Sacrifice

January 26, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced that she will be inviting Jay Winuk to be her guest at this year’s State of the Union Address on Monday, January 28. Jay Winuk is the brother of Glenn J. Winuk, a Manhattan resident, originally from Jericho, NY and volunteer firefighter who lost his life on 9/11.

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Glenn Winuk was an attorney working at a law firm in Lower Manhattan when the first plane struck on the morning of September 11, 2001. A volunteer firefighter and EMT for over 19 years, Glenn rushed from his law office to assist in the evacuation of the World Trade Center towers in the immediate aftermath of the attacks. After identifying himself as a rescue professional, Glenn borrowed a mask, gloves, and a medic bag in order to aid in the rescue and evacuation mission. He died courageously when the South Tower collapsed.

Jay Winuk is the Vice President of myGoodDeed, an organization he co-founded with David Paine in 2002 to honor the victims, family members and survivors of the attacks on America, as well as the rescue and recovery workers and the thousands of volunteers who gave so much on and following 9/11. The organization pays tribute to them by working to establish 9/11 as a National Day of Voluntary Service, Charity and Good Deeds, and by encouraging individuals, employers and groups to perform good deeds during the week of 9/11 each year. Senator Clinton is proud to support Jay’s efforts with myGoodDeed, serving as a member of the nonprofit’s Honorary Congressional Advisory Board, cosponsoring a concurrent resolution inspired by the program that expresses the sense of Congress that September 11 be recognized as a national day of service, participating in the program herself, and encouraging her staff to do so as well (visit – www.mygooddeed.org).

Following the tragic events of September 11, Jay Winuk and his family were forced to fight the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in their attempt to receive federal “line of duty” recognition for Glenn and the benefits to which they were entitled. Both Senator Clinton and Representative Peter King have been vocal critics of the DOJ’s decision, and sent letters to the agency requesting that the federal recognition be granted and the benefits awarded. Following a federal court ruling in Glenn’s favor last June, the DOJ relented earlier this month, providing the long overdue recognition to the Winuk family and promising them survivor benefits under their Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Act (PSOB).

The Medal of Valor, the nation’s highest award for a public safety officer, was presented by President Bush on September 9, 2005 to the families of 442 heroic public safety officers who lost their lives on the morning of September 11, 2001. In a letter sent last week, Senator Clinton urged the President to honor the memory and sacrifice of Glenn Winuk by presenting his family with the Medal of Valor. (See-http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?id=290900&&).

Source: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton