Promoting Safe and Secure Elections |
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This week, I introduced the PROTECT Electoral College Act. This bill ensures state election laws are enacted in accordance with the Constitution and driven by elected state legislators who are accountable to the American people.
In the 2020 election, several states changed their election rules at the last minute in ways that violated their own state laws or the Constitution. My bill prohibits federal election grants from going to states that modify their election procedures in this way. To restore confidence in our elections, we need to promote transparency and make sure the rules of the road are followed. Activist judges, partisan officials, or unelected bureaucrats should not be allowed to unilaterally change the rules in ways that violate established laws.
As co-chair of the Election Integrity Caucus, I am committed to promoting transparency in our elections and preserving our sacred right to vote.
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Vaccine Mandates are Unconstitutional |
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Recent changes announced by the CDC demonstrate once again that federal bureaucrats continue to erode our freedoms while completely disregarding the facts. The vaccine works and Americans who want a vaccine can receive one. But it should not be mandated and if Americans do receive the vaccine, they should not be forced to wear a mask. The vaccine mandates being pushed in New York and elsewhere are unconstitutional.
The CDC director said recently that the relatively small number of breakthrough infections that occur in vaccinated Americans can be contagious only in ‘rare occasions.’ The fact remains that vaccinated Americans are at significantly less risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19 or being hospitalized. The science has also consistently demonstrated that children and schools, especially elementary schools, are not significant for transmission.
This bait and switch by the CDC is a knee-jerk reaction to political pressure from activists, not scientists. It is going to harm our nation’s vaccination efforts, not help them. Parents know what is best for their kids, and children two and above should not be forced to wear a mask as the CDC is now recommending.
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I Oppose Speaker Pelosi's Spending Spree
This week I voted against the appropriations bill proposed in the House. This bill irresponsibly increases discretionary spending by almost 20% while cutting defense spending significantly when accounting for inflation.
These spending increases are on top of the $1.9 trillion partisan funding package Democrats already pushed through Congress just a few months ago, billions of which currently remain unspent. This bill also drops longstanding pro-life provisions such as the Hyde and Weldon Amendments, rolling back protections for health care professionals who do not wish to participate in abortions and requiring taxpayer funds to be spent on elective abortions for the first time since 1976. In addition, this package will undermine our nation’s energy independence and make it harder to source critical minerals domestically, increasing our reliances on adversaries like China for the rare earth elements we need to manufacture batteries, electronics, and solar panels.
Finally, it includes several provisions that will undermine our immigration laws, allowing non-citizens to receive federal student aid and preventing the Department of Homeland Security from accessing the necessary information to enforce our laws and deport criminals. In a period with the highest inflation in 14 years and when small businesses and families are already suffering because of the Biden Adminsitration’s policies, we should be focused on proven solutions, not more failed progressive legislation that will worsen the current situation.
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The Biden Admin Leaves Vacuum in Afghanistan |
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As the United States withdraws from Afghanistan, adversaries like China are already filling the void. Leaving Afghanistan after decades there is something we should debate, but leaving without an exit strategy as the Biden Administration is doing now is completely unacceptable. The Administration’s rapid exit without a firm plan in place for what comes next has created a power vacuum that is being filled by our adversaries, like China and the Taliban.
You can bet that the Chinese Communist Party has a strategy. In Afghanistan and around the world, it is competing against us with everything it has. In Congress and as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I'm working to ensure we recognize this challenge and counter the threats posed by China.
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My Thoughts on White House Censorship
President Biden's Administration confirmed recently that it is actively pressing companies to censor the American people's free speech. This kind of government collusion with Big Tech is deeply problematic. I sent a letter to the White House this week along with many of my colleagues to urge President Biden to stop pressuring companies to censure American speech. You can read the full letter demanding answers on this censorship plan here.
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Civil Air Patrol: Celebrating 80 Years of Service |
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This week, I introduced a bipartisan resolution recognizing the historical contributions of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) over the past 80 years. In its early stages after WWII, the CAP tracked enemy aircraft, deterred enemy submarines, and conducted radiological monitoring as well as counter drug reconnaissance.
Today, the CAP assists state and local agencies, the Coast Guard, the National Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the America Red Cross and first responders in a variety of ways including aerial and ground search, rescue, and disaster operations. The individuals serving in the Civil Air Patrol play a critical role in our national security and have been doing so honorably for 80 years. Read more about my resolution honoring them here.
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Recognizing National Intern Day
This Thursday marked "National Intern Day"! I’m so grateful for the hard work of our interns in D.C., Utica, and Binghamton. We had an outstanding team this summer and look forward to welcoming a new class of interns this Fall.
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My Votes This Week
I'm committed to restoring transparency to government, which is why I explain every vote I take on the House floor. While we may not always agree, you will always know where I stand on the issues and how I vote in Congress. To read more about my votes, please click here.
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H.R. 1664, To authorize the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes, as amended: I voted “Yes” on H.R. 1664. This bill authorizes the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a commemorative work on Federal land in Washington D.C to honor the extraordinary acts of valor, selfless service, and sacrifice of Medal of Honor recipients.416-0
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Motion to Table H.Res. 554, Condemning Speaker Pelosi for her decision to prohibit Republican Members of Congress from serving on a Select Committee: I voted “No” on the Motion to Table H.Res. 554. As I’ve said before, this is the first time in our Nation’s history that a Speaker of the House has blocked members of the minority party from serving on a Select Committee. While the Senate has produced bipartisan assessments of the events on January 6, Speaker Pelosi and Democratic leaders in the House have done nothing but play politics. This resolution passed the House by a vote of 218-197.
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H.R.2365, Gold Star Mothers Family Monument Extension Act: I voted “Yes” on H.R. 2365. This bipartisan bill will extend the authorization for the establishment of a Gold Star Families Monument, which expired in January 2020. 412-0
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S. 1910, the Major Medical Facility Authorization Act: I voted “Yes” on S. 1910. This bipartisan bill will authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to move forward with projects at a select group of facilities to make these locations safer, more modern, and better able to meet the medical needs of veterans. This bill passed the House by a vote of 413-7. Having already passed the Senate, the bill will now head to the President to be signed into law.
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S.957, To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that certain medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have physical locations for the disposal of controlled substances medications: I voted “Yes” on S.957. This bipartisan bill will allow everyone in a community to use drop boxes at VA medical centers to dispose of unused controlled substance prescription medications. This bill passed the House by a vote of 424-0. Having already passed the Senate, the bill will now head to the President to be signed into law.
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H.R. 4346, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2022: I voted “No” on H.R. 4346. I was deeply troubled by this partisan bill, which was reported out of the Appropriations Committee without a single Republican vote. House Democrats included massive spending increases at a time when our National Debt is approaching $29 trillion and without addressing the debt ceiling, which we are quickly approaching. H.R. 4346 includes a $582 million increase over this year’s spending levels and follows a budget outline that increases overall non-defense spending by a whopping 17%, while slashing defense spending when accounting for inflation. This legislation was adopted by a vote of 215-207.
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H.R. 4373, the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2022: I voted "No" on H.R. 4373. This extremely partisan bill includes dangerously unprecedented funding increases while advancing unnecessary, progressive policy provisions. This bill alone includes a 12% increase over current levels, with $3 billion directed to climate change programs like the green climate fund, with little oversight or accountability. In addition, this bill includes alarming changes to long-standing language to protect the life of the unborn. Specifically, language that prohibits foreign aid from being used to pay for abortions was omitted entirely. The bill also includes other controversial changes, such as a permanent repeal of the Mexico City policy, which prohibits organizations that receive foreign assistance from performing abortions. This legislation was adopted by a vote of 217-212.
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H.R. 4300, the Alexander Lofgren VIP Act: I voted “Yes” on H.R. 4300. This legislation will make the "America the Beautiful Pass," which provides access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, including national parks and national wildlife refuges, free to our active-duty service members, veterans, and Gold Star Families. This bill passed the House by a vote of 420-0.
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H.R. 2497, the Amache National Historical Site Act: I voted "Yes" on H.R. 2497. This bipartisan bill establishes the Amache National Historic Site in Colorado as a unit of the National Park System. This bill passed the House by a vote of 416-2.
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H.R. 2278, which would allow for the creation of a “September 11th National Memorial Trail Route”: I voted “Yes” on H.R. 2278. The trail will connect the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York to the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia and to the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. This bill passed the House by a vote of 423-0.
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H.R. 4502, the Fiscal Year 2022 Minibus Appropriations Package: I voted "No" on H.R. 4502. This bill irresponsibly increases discretionary spending by almost 20% while cutting defense spending significantly when accounting for inflation. These spending increases are on top of the $1.9 trillion partisan funding package Democrats already pushed through Congress just a few months ago, billions of which currently remain unspent. This bill also drops longstanding pro-life provisions such as the Hyde and Weldon Amendments, rolling back protections for health care professionals who do not wish to participate in abortions and requiring taxpayer funds to be spent on elective abortions for the first time since 1976. In addition, this package will undermine our nation’s energy independence and make it harder to source critical minerals domestically, increasing our reliance on adversaries like China for the rare earth elements we need to manufacture batteries, electronics, and solar panels. Finally, it includes several provisions that will undermine our immigration laws, allowing non-citizens to receive federal student aid and preventing the Department of Homeland Security from accessing the necessary information to enforce our laws and deport criminals. This bill passed the House by a vote of 219-208.
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Continuing to Fight for Our Veterans |
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Once again, the VA Clinic in Bainbridge is being threatened with closure by VA officials in Washington. Our veterans have put so much on the line for our nation, in return they deserve nothing but the best care. I'm fighting to make sure our veterans have continued access to care at a location convenient to them.
In 2018, the Bainbridge Clinic was closed and after lobbying from community leaders and my testimony to the House Committee on Veteran Affairs, it was successfully reopened. Over 3,600 veterans live in Chenango County and use the Bainbridge VA Clinic. We cannot let them down, and that is why I sent a letter to the VA encouraging its leaders to keep the Bainbridge VA Clinic open. I will always fight for our veterans and ensure they have the care they need!
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Orgill Distribution Center Ribbon Cutting
I would like to congratulate the Orgill Distribution Center on cutting the ribbon on its new facility in Rome. This is an exciting development that will bring more than 200 jobs to the Mohawk Valley. I'm grateful to Orgill for its commitment to our region and look forward to its continued growth in Central New York.
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New Cold Point Facility
Cold Point opened a new facility this week in Rome. This was a long and laborious project and I am excited that it has been completed. I would like to extend my congratulations to the new President, Steve Schreppel, and the entire Cold Point team. It is great to see companies grow and thrive in New York.
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Have news or updates to share? Email me! |
If you have updates regarding events in the community or other news to share from across New York's 22nd District, please visit the "Contact Me" page on my website to share it with me. My team will try to include as many of your updates from around #NY22 as we can each week.
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