Congresswoman Pelosi commemorates the LGBT victims of the Holocaust at the “Friends of the Pink Triangle” ceremony at the Twin Peaks Vista Overlook, Calif. (Courtesy of Nancy Pelosi’s office).

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic minority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, credited the nonprofit Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth with being “part of a national movement for justice” while the group honored her efforts fighting for gay rights during its 20th anniversary gala Friday evening.

She said the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman, “will be left in the dustbin of history,” predicting that the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn it after hearing arguments in March.

“There’s no time to waste, there’s much work to be done,” Pelosi said at Carlyle on the Green at Bethpage State Park. “All of our caucus is very committed to the GLBT agenda.”

She also evoked the memory of Harvey Milk, a Bay Shore native who became the nation’s first openly gay politician when he was elected in San Francisco, a leading city in the modern gay rights movement where Pelosi’s district office is located.

Also honored were Edie Windsor, who brought the lawsuit challenging DOMA to the Supreme Court, and Andrew Stern, the chief operating officer of NARAL Pro-Choice NY.

“This organization matters to me,” Stern said, choking up at times. ”It matters a lot to me.”

He recalled being called names, shoved in lockers and having his sweater lit on fire at alma mater, Plainedge High School, whose gay-straight alliance also presented him with an award.

He called it the best award and most meaningful recognition he’s ever received and accepted it on behalf of his parents. “This means the world to me,” he said.

David Kilmnick, chief executive officer of LIGALY, reflected upon how far his group has come in the past two decades while announcing that it will be opening its third center, the “GLBT center of the Hamptons,” this summer.

“It was indeed a different time in 1993,” he said, recalling the fear among LI’s gay and lesbian youth then to even gather the courage to ask him where GLBT could come together when he’d visit local schools to raise awareness about LIGALY. ”Twenty years later it is certainly a different time.”

“GLBT centers save lives,” he said. “From the bottom of my heart,” he told the crowd, pausing for a moment to collect himself, “thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Congresswoman Pelosi commemorates the LGBT victims of the Holocaust at the “Friends of the Pink Triangle” ceremony at the Twin Peaks Vista Overlook, Calif. (Courtesy of Nancy Pelosi’s office).

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, is accepting an award from the Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth at the nonprofit group’s 20th Anniversary Gala on Friday evening.

Also being honored are Edie Windsor, whose lawsuit challenging the Defense of Marriage Act was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in March, and Andrew Stern, the chief operating officer of NARAL Pro-Choice NY.

“We are thrilled to be honoring Congresswoman Pelosi for her decades of heroic leadership and advocacy on behalf of the GLBT community and people living with HIV/AIDS,” said David Kilmnick, chief executive officer of LIGALY. “This year’s honorees represent some of the most important voices in the movement for GLBT equality.”

Pelosi’s district office is in San Francisco, a leading city in the modern gay rights movement and the first in then nation to elect an openly gay politician—Bay Shore native Harvey Milk.

Pelosi, Windsor and Stern will receive the honors before a crowd of more than 400 local civic, political and business leaders at Carlyle on the Green at Bethpage State Park.

Democratic members of LI’s congressional delegation—including Reps. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) and Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola)—will be on hand to show their leader around.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, left, who went to Washington D.C. Tuesday to lobby for Sandy aid, meet with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Reps. Peter King and Steve Israel.

Seventy eight days after Sandy, the remaining $51 billion of the $60-billion northeast aid package finally passed the U.S. House of Representatives, sparking praise from Long Island lawmakers who two weeks ago were at war with the Republican majority that initially snubbed superstorm survivors.

“Tonight’s vote to provide $60 billion in Hurricane Sandy relief was an outstanding victory,” said Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford), who famously blasted House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) for the delays. ”It is unfortunate that we had to fight so hard to be treated the same as every other state has been treated. But we did fight this bias against the northeast and thank god our residents won.”

Rep.  Steve Israel (D-Huntington) said, “New Yorkers can finally rest assured that help is on its way. I’m delighted that the House finally passed the Sandy relief bill, but the real heroes are the New Yorkers rebuilding their lives, homes, and businesses.”

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Conn. Gov. Dannel Malloy released a joint statement saying, “We are grateful to those members of Congress who today pulled together in a unified, bipartisan coalition to assist millions of their fellow Americans … at their greatest time of need.”

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) said he expects the bill to easily pass the Senate and be sent to the President’s desk for signing.