Weekly Newsletter from the Office of Congressman Andrew Garbarino If you were forwarded this email, click here to subscribe An update from the office of Congressman Andrew Garbarino SPOTLIGHT A Visit From Former Congressman Peter King This week, Andrew was pleased to receive a visit in his Washington, D.C. office from his predecessor in representing New York's Second District, former Congressman Peter King. Andrew is proud to call Congressman King a friend and always values his insights and advice informed by nearly 30 years representing Long Island in Congress. ANDREW IN THE NEWS New York lawmakers rebuke Biden, FAA for agreeing to house migrants at JFK building " Several members of New York’s Republican congressional delegation on Wednesday signed onto a scathing letter sent to the heads of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey condemning the decision to house migrants at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The letter, authored by Rep. Anthony D’Esposito and co-signed by Reps. Elise Stefanik, Nick Langworthy, Marc Molinaro, Claudia Tenney, Nick LaLota, Andrew Garbarino, Brandon Williams and Mike Lawler, denounces the move to open an emergency shelter for arriving migrants in an old postal warehouse at JFK...“By greenlighting this location on June 5, 2023, the FAA chose to put politics ahead of the safety of New Yorkers, the aviation industry, and its passengers,” reads the letter. Instead of collaboratively using their resources towards combating the expected summer shortfall of administrative capabilities, the FAA and JFK are instead choosing to exacerbate the failed border policies of the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and President Biden.” The lawmakers blast the plan as flying in the face of security recommendations laid out after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and express concern that the migrant shelter will overwhelm authorities at the airport. The 9/11 Commission carefully laid out recommendations to prevent and combat acts of terrorism, some of which addressed major vulnerabilities in general and cargo aviation security, such as inadequate screening and the need for layered security systems,” the letter says " Read the full article here. WHAT'S NEW IN NY-02 Standing With Our Veterans This weekend was the OperationVEST DogTag Run, an event to honor our veterans and active military. This event is the 2nd run of the season in the Suffolk County Veterans Run Series and creates awareness about the challenges our veterans and active-duty military personnel face when returning home, especially those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. CASEWORK HIGHLIGHT: Helping Veteran Enjoy Our National Parks A Vietnam veteran contacted Andrew's office for help securing a national park pass. The National Park Service offers a free Military Pass as a way to thank current U.S. military members and their dependents, Gold Star Families, and veterans for their support of our country and to encourage them to explore recreational opportunities on their public lands and waters. Andrew's casework team connected the veteran with the appropriate contact with the National Park ervice to secure his pass and he was able to immediately start enjoying national parks on Long Island. Andrew knows how frustrating dealing with bureaucracy can be. That is why he has an entire team dedicated to helping constituents get what they need for the federal government. If you need help dealing with a federal agency, contact our office and our team will get to work on your case. KEEPING UP WITH CONGRESS Andrew Urges European Allies To Join US To Counter Iran Nuclearization This week, Andrew joined Congresswoman Claudia Tenney and more than 30 of their bipartisan colleagues in sending letter to the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, urging the countries to initiate snapback sanctions on Iran under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2231. "Our four countries have a history of working together to fight evil across the globe through our NATO alliance," the letter reads in part. "In the spirit of this strong and continued partnership, we ask that you stand together with us once again to counter Iran’s rapid progress toward nuclear weaponization." You can read the full letter here. Andrew Helps Introduce Bill To Make Unused Transit Benefits Available To Long Island Commuters This week, Andrew co-led the COVID-19 Commuter Benefits Distribution Act, which permits a one-time payment of unused transportation fringe benefits to riders who no longer commute to work. In a statement Andrew said, “Thousands of Long Islanders commute to work on the LIRR every single day, a ritual that was largely put on hold during the pandemic. For those that didn’t return to their commutes, an unfair IRS rule has prohibited them from accessing the portion of their salaries that were set aside for transit benefits but never utilized. Long Islanders should be able to access this part of their compensation and be granted the flexibility to use transit benefits as they see fit as they continue to face economic challenges due to inflation and rising costs. I was proud to have supported the Commuter Benefits Distribution Act last year and I applaud Congressman D’Esposito for introducing this legislation in the new Congress.” Thanks for reading! Do you know someone who might like to receive these updates? Forward this email to your friends and families and tell them to click below to subscribe! Click Here To Subscribe Rep. Andrew R. Garbarino Congressman representing New York's 2nd Congressional District Washington, D.C. 2344 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-7896 Patchogue 31 Oak Street Suite 20 Patchogue, NY 11772 Phone: (631) 541-4225 Rep. Garbarino | 2344 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]