WHEREAS, Congressman Peter W. Rodino, Jr., the son of Italian immigrants, was born and raised in the City of Newark; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Rodino worked his way through law school at night, earning his degree from Rutgers Law School in Newark in 1937; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Rodino enlisted in the United States Army in March 1941, served honorably during World War II as a captain with the First Armored Division in North Africa and in Italy, and was awarded a Bronze Star, a War Cross and Knight Order of the Crown of Italy; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Rodino was elected to Congress in 1948, and served with distinction for a period of 40 years; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Rodino became a champion of civil rights legislation, and helped guide the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 through its complicated approval process; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Rodino served as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee from 1973 to 1989, and was instrumental in securing legislation on immigration reform, antitrust reform, fair housing laws and equal rights for women; and

WHEREAS, in 1974, Congressman Rodino guided the Judiciary Committee through the impeachment proceedings against President Nixon with extraordinary skill and a spirit of fundamental fairness and bipartisanship; and

WHEREAS, after his service in Congress, Congressman Rodino continued to teach and mentor lawyers and students at Seton Hall Law School; and

WHEREAS, it is appropriate and fitting for the State of New Jersey to mark his passing and to honor his memory;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICHARD J. CODEY, Acting Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

1. The flag of the United States of America and the flag of the State of New Jersey shall be flown at half staff at all State departments, offices, agencies and instrumentalities during appropriate hours beginning Tuesday, May 10, 2005 through Monday, May 16, 2005, in recognition and mourning of the passing of Congressman Peter W. Rodino, Jr.
   
   
2. This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal this 10th day
of May in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand
and Five, and of the Independence of the United
States, the Two Hundred and Twenty-Ninth.

/s/ Richard J. Codey

Acting Governor
[seal]