The United States Embassy Chancery in Pristina, Kosovo may soon be referred to as the “Eliot L. Engel Building.”
On Tuesday, Democratic Reps. Ritchie Torres and Gregory Meeks, of New York, introduced bipartisan legislation to rename the American embassy building alongside Republican Reps. Michael McCaul and Brian Mast.
What You Need To Know
- Lawmakers have introduced bipartisan legislation to rename the United States Embassy Chancery in Pristina, Kosovo to honor late Rep. Eliot Engel
- The group writes that Engel was a “leading voice in Congress for U.S. recognition of Kosovo’s independence and maintained deep ties to the Albanian-American community throughout his tenure”
- Engel died earlier this month at age 79. He represented New York’s 16th, 17th and 19th congressional districts
The group writes that Engel was a “leading voice in Congress for U.S. recognition of Kosovo’s independence and maintained deep ties to the Albanian-American community throughout his tenure.”
Engel died earlier this month at age 79. He represented New York’s 16th, 17th and 19th congressional districts, and served as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee from 2019 to 2021.
“Eliot Engel was not merely a Member of Congress; he was a hero to many,” Torres said. “The lives of hundreds of thousands were saved by his unwavering advocacy. He played a pivotal role in protecting Kosovo Albanians from ethnic cleansing and genocide at the hands of the murderous regime of Slobodan Milošević.”
“For decades, he was an institution in the Bronx and a ferocious fighter for the independence of the world’s youngest democracy: Kosovo,” Torres added. “The legacy he leaves behind will endure for generations to come and this legislation will ensure his work is rightfully forever honored.”