Congressman Tom Suozzi represents New York’s Third Congressional District, which encompasses most of the North Shore of Long Island and is the home of seven private clubs. The Congressman was born in Glen Cove, N.Y., in 1962 and is the youngest of five children born to Joseph and Marguerite Suozzi. Rep. Suozzi attended Boston College and Fordham University School of Law and is a CPA and attorney. He served four terms (1993-2001) as the Mayor of Glen Cove, N.Y., a position his father also held from 1956-1960. Suozzi served as Nassau County Executive from 2001-2009 and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016. Suozzi is Vice Chair of the Bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus and serves on the House Ways and Means Committee. National Club Association Vice President of Government Relations Joe Trauger and Congressman Tom Suozzi spoke at the Metropolitan Golf Association’s 2021 President’s Council meeting at Glen Oaks Golf Club in October 2021, and Joe took the opportunity to interview him for this article. Since the interview occurred, Congressman Suozzi announced he is running for the Democratic nomination for Governor of New York. The primary election will be held in June and the general election on November 8, 2022.
What inspired you to get involved with politics and governance?
My dad, an Italian immigrant, and the best man I have ever known, lived a great American success story. The first one in the neighborhood to go to college, he fought in World War II as a navigator on a B-24, and then returned home and went to Harvard Law School. He became our local mayor and a New York Supreme Court Judge. He was always helping people. My mom, a registered nurse, was the same way—always trying to lift people up. Growing up there was a photo in the house of my dad with John F. Kennedy. Public service always seemed like a normal part of life. I am so glad I have devoted much of the past 30 years of my adult life to it.
The National Club Association (NCA) represents private clubs such as city, country, golf, yacht and athletic clubs. What’s been your experience with clubs as a mayor, county executive and representative? In your view, what are some of the positive impacts private clubs have on their communities? Are there things clubs can do better?
One of my first jobs was as a caddy. I grew up around golf courses. As Mayor of Glen Cove and Nassau County Executive I oversaw several municipal golf courses. In 2002, I helped save a Senior Tour Tournament by helping find sponsors and dramatically upgrading, to Tour standards, the Eisenhower Red Course, designed by Devereux Emmet. It was a great success for many years. In both 2002 and 2009, the U.S. Open was hosted at one of the greatest state-owned public golf courses—Bethpage Black, located in Nassau County. Public and private golf courses are a big part of the quality of life in the areas I represent in Northeastern Queens and the North Shore of Long Island. They are beautiful. They preserve open space. They provide entertainment, economic activity and jobs. Many are hosts for fundraising for charitable events and many of the courses in my area are steeped in history and tradition—you have all bet a $5 Nassau from Nassau Country Club!
You are the Vice Chairman of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. Why was the caucus founded and what is its purpose?
The bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus consists of 27 Democrats and 27 Republicans committed to working across party lines to try and find real solutions. The Caucus meets weekly and is not afraid to take on the tough issues such as health care, immigration, infrastructure and government reform. Bipartisan solutions are necessary to achieve comprehensive and sustainable reform to the nation’s most pressing issues—and this past November, our group helped negotiate and pass the largest infrastructure bill of the last 50-plus years. It was bipartisan. Only by reaching across party lines can we get things done for the people we serve.
You serve on the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over taxes and many other major issues. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in 2017 limited the deduction for state and local taxes, known as SALT. Restoration of this deduction has been a key priority for you and may be addressed in President Biden’s Build Back Better plan. Why is this deduction so important to you and what is the likelihood of a full restoration of the deduction?
The $10,000 SALT cap has been a body blow to homeowners in my home state of New York, as well as other high cost of living states like New Jersey and California, who have been unfairly double taxed the past four years. Right now, I am leading the negotiations and debate over repealing the SALT cap, or at least lifting the SALT cap. A final agreement to address SALT will put hard earned dollars back into the pockets of millions of families and allow local communities to continue to fund programs that address people’s quality of life.
NCA supports H.R. 3109, the Personal Health Investment Today Act (PHIT) and would like to thank you for cosponsoring this legislation that would allow taxpayers to use a small amount of their health savings account for fitness-related activity. What are the prospects of this bipartisan legislation being passed this Congress?
Physical fitness for America’s children is one of the best ways to build a healthy lifestyle and prevent future health expenses. But unfortunately for many Americans, financial barriers exist that prevent participation in physical activities and youth sports. The Personal Health Investment Today Act is common sense legislation that has broad bipartisan support and will open the door for kids across the country to participate in sports. I will work to ensure this legislation will be brought to the House floor for a vote.
As a nation, what kinds of things do we need to focus on to maintain our competitive position relative to other economic powers in the world, particularly China?
China and similarly situated countries are boasting that they do not think democracy can survive in the current world of social media and the 24-hour news cycle. They don’t think we can do big things anymore because we are too divided. But guess what? We just proved them wrong with the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure package that will put millions of Americans to work. To maintain a competitive position, we must empower American businesses, businesses must share their success and empower their workforce with good wages and benefits, and we must support critical supply chain manufacturing here in the United States and with our allies. We must recognize that China is our strategic adversary. We don’t seek conflict, but we must acknowledge that they have serious human rights abuses in their own country, have been playing unfairly on the economic front, and they have a strategic plan to dominate the world economically, technologically and militarily. The sooner we accept that, the sooner we can win our future.
Create your ideal foursome: one Democrat, one Republican and one member of the LPGA or PGA Tour. Jack Kennedy, Theodore Roosevelt and my neighbor, Darrell Kestner.