WASHINGTON D.C. – The Maritime Port Council of Greater New York announced on Thursday, October 13, 2011, they will be presenting Congressman Charles Rangel the 2011 "Government Man of the Year" award this Saturday.

"It is a delight and an honor to receive this prestigious award," Rangel said. "Creating jobs and supporting our maritime workers is so important, now more than ever. As we continue to look for ways to reduce unemployment, the maritime industry will play a major role in rebuilding our infrastructure and can put people to work right away."

The Maritime Port Council consists of 50 affiliated unions representing over 500,000 members in the Greater New York and New Jersey Area. Other honorees at the event include Mike Sacco, President of the Seafarers International Union and Francis X. Pecquex, retired Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO, who will be receiving the Pall Hall Award of Merit and the Joseph Sacco Lifetime Achievement Award, respectively.

"When we see more and more demoralizing cuts to government programs, real people end up hurting and need friends to stand up for them," Rangel Added. "I will continue to be a friend of the Maritime Port Council as I work hard to ensure their rights are fully protected."