This week, I announced the 15 projects I submitted to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration as part of the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) Community Project Funding (CPF) process. The CPF is fiscally targeted and limited in scope. This year, it is capped at just .5% of federal spending.

This program returns taxpayer dollars to municipalities in New York’s 24th District to help fill gaps, improve public services, and create greater opportunities across the region. The 15 projects we submitted, which you can find below, range from improving the water quality in Watertown to helping build a much-needed emergency communications tower in Niagara County.

As your elected voice in Congress, I will continue to advocate for these targeted and fiscally responsible projects that will benefit our community and address unmet needs. My office and I will oversee these projects closely and monitor all federal funds to ensure they are used appropriately and efficiently in the best interests of the American taxpayers.

FY24 CPF Requests Submitted:

$4,000,000 for the Town of Constantia Northshore Sewer Project;
$6,400,000 for the City of Canandaigua Water Plant;
$1,300,000 for Cayuga County Public Safety Training Center;
$6,000,000 for the Development Authority of the North Country Phase 1 Army Water Line Pipeline Replacement Project;
$1,500,000 for the Town of Lima Vital Community Facilities Project;
$3,500,000 for Town of Farmington Brickyard Road Tank and Transmission Main Improvements;
$3,500,000 for the Town of Fayette Sewer District No. 1;
$6,500,000 for Genesee County Water Security and Resilience Prole Road Transmission Main;
$1,600,000 for Keuka College Rural Community Outpatient Clinic;
$700,000 for Livingston County Water and Sewer Authority Regional Water & Wastewater Cybersecurity Improvement Project;
$2,000,000 for Niagara County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Tower Project;
$4,000,000 for the County of Orleans Public Safety Building;
$800,000 Town of Oswego Lakeshore Commercial Sewer District;
$5,000,000 for the City of Watertown Water Quality Improvement Project;
$2,400,000 for the Town of Wolcott Salt Storage Barn.

Supporting Legislation to Limit Wasteful Spending and Grow Our Economy

I voted in support of the Limit, Save, Grow Act, which works to responsibly address the current debt limit crisis while prioritizing responsible spending on bipartisan priorities. It will lead to trillions in taxpayer savings over the next decade and enacts critical reforms that will enhance our economic prosperity. Importantly, this legislation will not reduce funding for vital priorities we all share, like supporting veterans programs and programs that help seniors.

Currently, Americans are facing an economic crisis due to persistently high inflation, rising interest rates, and debt at unsustainable levels. Instead of politicizing the impending debt limit predicament, Democrats should prioritize responsible spending and work with House Republicans on a long-term solution to reduce reckless spending, save taxpayer money, and grow our economy.

President Joe Biden’s refusal to participate in negotiations is yet another example of his irresponsible and colossally failed leadership. It's now time for President Biden to come to the negotiating table and work with House Republicans on a path forward to economic stability and growth.

Specifically, the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 will:

Lead to over $3.6 trillion in taxpayer savings over the next decade;
Limit future spending increases to 1% annually;
Reclaim $60 billion in unspent COVID funds;
Restore commonsense work requirements for federal assistance programs to ensure individuals who can work seek employment;
Prohibit $465 billion from being wasted on Joe Biden’s student loan giveaway, which bypassed Congress and supports wealthy Americans;
Defund Biden’s new army of IRS auditors and protect middle-class Americans from a weaponized bureaucracy;
Repeal “Green New Deal” run-away spending and save taxpayers approximately $1.2 trillion; and
Maintain critical investments in bipartisan priorities through the appropriations process.

Watch my remarks on the House floor here in support of this bill.

Defending American Manufacturers and Protecting American Jobs

Rep. Tenney speaks on the House Floor to defend American Manufacturers & Uphold US Trade Laws

In June 2022, President Biden issued an unprecedented Emergency Declaration, which allowed Chinese solar product manufacturers to flood our economy with unfairly traded solar products with no additional tariffs for two years. Motivated by the “Green New Deal Agenda,” this rule will have serious ramifications for American jobs spanning a wide range of industries that rely on U.S. trade laws to fairly compete with China.

This week, I voted in favor of a resolution that I championed to repeal the Biden Administration’s harmful Solar Emergency Declaration. By allowing Chinese solar product manufacturers to flood our economy with unfairly traded products, Biden’s rule undermines our trade laws and the principle of fair competition.

The Senate must take up this resolution immediately and join us in standing up for American workers and businesses.

Watch my remarks on the House floor here or at the link above!

Transparency and a well-informed public are vital components of our self-governing Constitutional Republic! I'm committed to restoring transparency to government, which is why I explain every vote I take on the House floor.

Some of the key bills we considered this week are explained below. To read more about these votes and see the full list with explanations of all the legislation considered this week by the House of Representatives, please click here.

I voted “Yes” on H.J. Res. 39, Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Commerce relating to "Procedures Covering Suspension of Liquidation, Duties and Estimated Duties in Accord With Presidential Proclamation 10414. This resolution would repeal the Biden Administration’s emergency proclamation to allow the import of solar products from China with no additional tariffs for two years. Last year, an American solar manufacturer petitioned the Commerce Department to investigate whether China was circumventing tariffs on solar products by shipping them through multiple countries in Southeast Asia. Before that investigation was finished, President Biden issued a proclamation to allow the imports of unfairly traded solar products from China. At the end of last year, it was discovered by the Commerce Department that China was indeed violating U.S. trade laws. I strongly support upholding our nation’s trade laws and holding bad actors, such as China, accountable for attempts to hurt American small businesses and workers. President Biden’s emergency proclamation would do just the opposite. His unprecedented and dangerous move is a boon for Chinese solar manufacturers and the Chinese Communist Party that controls them. I will always stand with American manufacturers and jobs, not the Chinese and President Biden’s woke “Green New Deal Agenda”. This resolution passed the House by a vote of 221-202.

I voted “No” on H. Con. Res. 30, Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove all United States Armed Forces, other than United States Armed Forces assigned to protect the United States Embassy, from Somalia. This resolution would require the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from Somalia within 365 days of its passage under the War Powers Resolution. Currently, the U.S. has approximately 500 troops stationed in Somalia that are primarily focused on providing intelligence and training the Somalian troops in their important counterterrorism efforts. With the support and training of U.S. troops, Somalia has had great success in combatting al-Shabaab, al-Qaeda’s greatest affiliate, which has killed over a dozen Americans and countless others, including 67 killed in the 2013 Westgate mall attack in Nairobi and 150 mainly Christian students at the 2015 Garissa University College attack. In fact, since May 2022, when this deployment occurred, Somalian troops have retaken more land controlled by al-Shabaab than in the last five years combined. I am strongly against forever wars and believe that Congress must always hold the executive accountable for delivering long-term strategies for our global counterterror operations with clear benchmarks for success or failure. However, prohibiting the United States from maintaining this small support force without a sufficient replacement or long-term plan in place will only serve to allow a resurgence of al-Shabaab that could destabilize the region and threaten the United States and our allies. This bill failed to pass the House by a vote of 102-321.

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 2811, the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023. Americans are currently facing an economic crisis due to persistently high inflation, rising interest rates, and debt at unsustainable levels. In response this bill responsibly addresses the debt ceiling while limiting wasteful spending, saving taxpayer dollars, and growing our economy. This bill will lead to over $3.6 billion in taxpayer savings over the next 10 years, bringing us back to the 2022 federal spending baseline. Then moving forward this bill will limit future federal spending increases to 1% annually. Finally, this legislation will also repeal President Biden’s student loan giveaway, new army of IRS auditors, and “Green New Deal” runaway spending. It is time that President Biden stops his refusal to negotiate and comes to the negotiating table to work with Republicans on a path forward to economic stability and growth. The inability to get spending under control now threatens our ability to keep caring for our most vulnerable in the future and to provide an economic climate that ensures robust opportunity for all. This bill passed the House by a vote of 217-215.

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 1339, the Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act. New York’s 24th Congressional District is the top agriculture district in the northeast, truly putting food on all our plates. As our agricultural economy continues to advance, it becomes ever more reliant on technology and data, which is often provided through satellite providers. This bill would require the FCC to review its rules concerning fixed, mobile, and earth exploration satellite services to recommend changes to promote precision agriculture. By updating these processes, we will give farmers the data they need to reduce their needed fertilizer and efficiently manage their land. The bill passed the House by a vote of 409-11.

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 1353, the Advanced Local Emergency Response Telecommunications Parity Act. Throughout the nation, and especially in rural areas, many emergency responders rely on satellites to communicate with themselves and residents. However, some areas of the country do not have reliable access to these lifesaving technologies. In response, this bill streamlines FCC red tape and provides certainty for satellite communications providers who want to provide customers with access to emergency services where and when it is otherwise unavailable. This bill passed the House by a vote of 422-1.

I voted “Yes” on H. Res. 90, Demanding that the Government of the PRC and the CCP immediately release Mark Swidan, an American citizen who was detained unjustly and is sentenced to be executed by the Chinese government after his driver and translator were found in possession of illegal drugs. However, Mark Swidan was not in the country during the alleged offense and no drugs were found on him or in his hotel room. To this day the Chinese government has still not provided any credible evidence to back up its criminal charges and is merely attempting to use this American citizen for leverage. This resolution calls on the Biden administration to prioritize efforts to secure Mr. Swidan’s release and condemns the Chinese government and Chinese Community Party for its poor treatment of Mr. Swidan. I continue to keep Mr. Swidan in my thoughts and prayers, and I hope his quick release can be secured. This resolution passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 418-0.

I voted “Yes” on H. Res. 311, Encouraging the expansion and strengthening of the Abraham Accords to urge other nations to normalize relations with Israel and ensure that existing agreements reap tangible security and economic benefits for the citizens of those countries and all peoples in the region. This resolution recognizes Israel’s 75th anniversary and celebrates the historic progress made by the Abraham Accords in creating a lasting peace in the Middle East. Under the Trump administration, Israel and multiple Middle Eastern and North African states signed the Abraham Accords, which finally established diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. This agreement set up a strong foundation of regional dialogue and cooperation, making it the most significant development towards Middle East peace in over 25 years. As a member of the Abraham Accords Caucus in Congress I am honored to support this resolution and continue to support the longstanding friendship and alliance between the U.S. and Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East. This resolution passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 401-19.

The FBI Must Investigate Threat Posed by California-Based Vegan Extremist Group

Direct Action Everywhere has been actively participating in meetings within rural communities across the country, including in Niagara County, to fundraise and recruit others to actively disrupt farms.

Recently, at least two farms in Niagara County have reported instances of trespassing activity near their land. In the past week, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office has asked farmers to stay vigilant for trespassers on their property.

This week, I sent a letter to the FBI urging them to take swift action in response to the group's criminal activity.

This threat of theft and trespassing posed by this vegan activist group is completely unacceptable. It is the absolute last thing our farmers should be facing right now as they struggle through a labor shortage and soaring costs.

Our local law enforcement agencies have responded swiftly to protect our farmers, and now it is time for federal authorities to do the same. Basic constitutional rights must be upheld, and basic property rights must be protected. The promotion of organized criminal activity in our community by this out-of-state group or any other cannot and will not be tolerated. Read the full letter here.

My Concerns Regarding Proposed Changes to Western Regional Off-Track Betting Structure

For 50 years, Western Regional Off-Track Betting has shared operational control between 15 county governments and the Cities of Rochester and Buffalo. Under this established system, Western Regional OTB has brought jobs, tax revenue, and entertainment to Western New York. Over the past two years, Western OTB returned over $13.9 million to offset local county taxes across Western New York.

Democratic legislators in Albany working with Governor Kathy Hochul may consider changes to the structure of Western Regional OTB in a manner that would greatly disadvantage rural counties in New York, depriving them of both a voice and critically important revenue streams.

County leaders throughout New York’s 24th district have reached out concerned about efforts to dismantle, politicize, and disadvantage rural communities within Western Regional OTB. When ‘Home Rule’ created the ownership of Western Regional OTB, member counties were given equal representation. NYS Senate Bill 7855 would strip rural counties of their 50-year established authority of this public-private sector partnership in favor of Governor Hochul and left-wing legislators in Albany. I stand with local leaders across the district in calling on Kathy Hochul to drop this misguided plan. It should be dead on arrival during budget negotiations in the Albany sewer. With a budget that is nearly four weeks late, a crime surge, and historic mass outmigration, Albany Democrats should leave Western OTB alone and focus on the real problems facing New Yorkers.

Introducing Legislation to Extend Health Coverage Tax Credit for Delphi Salaried Retirees

When the Health Coverage Tax Credit expired at the end of 2021, it left numerous individuals, including many Delphi Salaried Retirees in New York's 24th District, without access to affordable health insurance plans.

The HCTC provides refundable tax credits to cover more than 70 percent of health insurance premiums for certain retirees whose pensions have been taken over by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

Congress should pass a clean extension of this program through 2027 to restore this important tax credit. I am honored to lead the fight to make the HCTC permanent. Read more here.

ICYMI: Our Most Recent Webinar on Passports Services

Thank you to all who attended the fourth installment of our monthly webinar series, which provided a general overview of who qualifies for a passport, how to apply, what assistance we can provide in the application process, and other relevant questions or concerns.

If you missed this most recent webinar or any others, don't worry, we post them all to our website for your convenience.

You can find recordings of all our past webinars here.

Need Help with a Federal Agency? Call us today.

If you or someone you know ever needs assistance with a federal agency, we are just a phone call away and are ready to help you! Please contact my Victor Office at 585-869-2060, my Oswego Office at 315-236-7088 or my Lockport Office at 716-514-5130! Thank you for the opportunity to represent you.

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 24th 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 #NY24 as we can each week.