Congresswoman Tenney's Weekly Newsletter Have questions? Contact Me Here Passed: Legislation to Prohibit a Federal Gas Stove Ban Nearly 46% of New York households rely on natural gas to fuel their cooking appliances, power their electricity, and run their home heating systems. Yet earlier this year, Kathy Hochul’s $229 billion dollar budget made New York the first state in the nation to ban gas stoves in new construction. Now, under the Biden administration, federal agencies are potentially exploring similar policies in what would be an unprecedented and inappropriate expansion of federal power. This week, I voted in favor of two pieces of legislation that work to preemptively block any future attempts by the Biden administration to restrict the use of gas stoves or otherwise limit consumer choice. Federal bureaucrats have no right telling American consumers what kind of stoves they can use, and this week, House Republicans made that abundantly clear. READ MORE: Tenney votes to prohibit federal ban on gas stoves Safeguarding Second Amendment Rights for Disabled Veterans and Law-Abiding Gun Owners The stabilizing brace was invented in 2012 to assist disabled veterans with difficulty controlling their firearms. After its creation, the brace was sent to the ATF for review to ensure that the brace did not change the firearm’s classification under federal law. Under the Obama administration, the ATF ruled that adding a stabilizing brace to a firearm would not change its classification. However, now the Biden administration’s radical and weaponized ATF has reversed this longstanding policy in a blatantly politicized policy change that directly targets law-abiding gun and stabilizing brace owners. This week I supported a resolution to block the Biden administration's revised rule, which threatens to turn veterans and responsible, law-abiding gun owners into felons overnight. By passing the disapproval resolution, House Republicans are taking clear action to prevent the Biden administration's overreach and infringement on the constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly the rights of our disabled veterans. This crucial disapproval resolution will prevent the Biden administration from unjustly radicalizing the ATF. 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.R. 277, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act. For decades, successive presidential administrations have circumvented the constitutional legislative authority of Congress to an unprecedented degree by implementing executive regulations that have cost American taxpayers an estimated $309 billion. In response to this massive expansion of the unaccountable bureaucratic state, the REINS Act will require any regulation with an economic impact of over $100 million to be approved by the American people’s elected representatives in Congress. This is commonsense, responsible governance. If the REINS Act had been implemented at the beginning of President Biden’s term, 69 regulations would have met the threshold for mandatory congressional review, including the unconstitutional student loan forgiveness program that will cost American taxpayers billions. It is time Congress finally rein in these burdensome costs and bureaucracy on American families and businesses, and this is a great step forward. I was honored to vote for this as part of the Limit, Save, Grow Act, and was honored to vote for it again when it passed by a vote of 221-210. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 1640, the Save Our Stoves Act. In February 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued a proposed rule that sets extraordinarily strict energy efficiency standards on gas stoves and ovens. According to the DOE itself, only about 4% of stoves available today will meet these standards, so DOE’s actions effectively amount to a ban on most gas stoves. This unreasonable and unprecedented attack on the ability of American consumers to choose the energy sources that work best for them is an egregious overstep of federal authority. This legislation will amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) to prohibit the DOE from enacting an energy conservation standard that effectively bans a class of products based on the type of fuel it consumes. This will ensure any rules are technologically feasible and economically justified. It is important to ensure technologies are allowed to compete on their merits and not receive an unfair boost through overreaching and ideologically-driven government mandates. This bill passed by a vote of 249-181. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 3099, the Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords Act, which creates a new Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords within the State Department. In 2020, the Trump administration spearheaded the groundbreaking Abraham Accords to normalize and improve relations between Israel and four members of the Arab league: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. After these important steps, there is now a need to reinforce and expand these agreements. In response, this bill creates a new Special Envoy who shall have the rank and status of ambassador, reporting directly to the Secretary of State, and being nominated by the President and subject to Senate confirmation. The position will help strengthen relations between Israel and other countries in the region, coordinate efforts across the U.S. government, and provide diplomatic support for Israel’s integration into cooperative regional security efforts. It is vital for national security that we encourage peace in this region and I am honored to be a cosponsor of this legislation. This resolution passed the House by a vote of 413-13. I voted “Yes” on H.J. Res. 44, Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives relating to "Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached 'Stabilizing Braces,'”. This resolution would overturn the Biden administration’s rule seeking to redefine pistols equipped with stabilizing brace attachments as short-barreled rifles (SBRs), impacting an estimated 10-40 million Americans according to the Congressional Research Service. Stabilizing braces help individuals, particularly those with disabilities, safely and securely handle their firearms. By redefining pistols with stabilizing braces as SBRs, they would need to be registered with the ATF in addition to the application of expensive and onerous regulations. Failure to comply with these new requirements would carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison and substantial fines. Stabilizing brace owners who do not register their pistol with a stabilizing brace would be required to either render their firearm inoperable, surrender it to the ATF, or detach the brace in a manner that prevents reattachment. This is yet another attack by the Biden administration on law abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights. I cosponsored this resolution and was honored to support it. This bill passed the House by a vote of 219-210. I voted “Yes” on the Veto message for H.J. Res. 42, Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. After Congress passed a nullification resolution on a bipartisan basis, President Biden vetoed this resolution, thereby enabling DC to undermine the safety of our police officers and their ability to do their jobs effectively. President Biden’s veto of this resolution is a de facto endorsement of the radical DC City Council, whose policies have effectively endorsed the “Defund the Police” movement. The law passed by the Council will restrict police access to the tools they need to do their jobs and even threaten their privacy and the safety of their families. In fact, this law was so extreme, that even Democratic DC Mayor Muriel Bowser refused to sign it into law. Since the bill was enacted, 1,190 police offers have left the DC police force and the city has experienced a sharp spike in crime. We should combat America's growing crime crisis and anti-police rhetoric by supporting our law enforcement officers, and this should start right here in our Nation’s capital. This veto override required a 2/3 majority to pass and failed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 233-197. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 1615, the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) was created to protect the public against unreasonable risks of injury associated with consumer products and investigate incidents of product-related deaths, illnesses, and injuries. However, in March 2023, under the influence of environmental activists, the CPSC moved to investigate regulatory action against gas stoves. This is not in response to any specific incident or danger but a part of the Democratic attack on natural gas. In response to this politicization and weaponization of the CPSC, this bill prevents the use of any federal funds to ban stoves or impose regulations that would substantially increase the price of stoves. Americans have the right to choose the technology that works for them and their families. Technologies should not be forced on consumers through government mandates, we must allow them to compete in the marketplace and win on their merits. This bill passed the House by a vote of 248-180. I voted “Yes” on H. Res 377, which calls on the Russian government to immediately release Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter who was wrongfully detained on espionage charges in March 2023. Evan Gershkovich has reported on numerous stories in Russia, including the wildfires in Siberia, COVID-19, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It is unjust and abhorrent that the Russian government would wrongfully imprison any journalist, especially an accredited and acclaimed journalist from the Wall Street Journal. The arrest is nothing more than a demonstration of a desperate Russian government, which is now seeking to collect hostages to bargain for the return of their own criminals. These actions should not be tolerated, which is why this resolution passed unanimously with the support of all members of Congress. This resolution passed the House by a vote of 422-0. Cosponsored the Finn Sawyer Access to Cancer Testing Act This week, I cosponsored the Finn Sawyer Access to Cancer Testing Act to ensure patients on Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) can receive molecular diagnosis testing at the time of their diagnosis rather than only for recurrent or metastatic cancers. This will enable patients to develop a more targeted approach to their treatment and care plans, allowing for a higher likelihood of successful treatments. This legislation is named after Finn Sawyer Schafran, a three-year-old avocado-loving, energetic, and intelligent young boy from Syracuse, New York, who tragically lost his hard-fought battle with cancer in 2018. Finn, and many others like him, could have benefited from earlier molecular diagnosis testing. Finn was a fighter and he remains an inspiration. Despite his young age, Finn’s impact on the world continues to be astonishing and long-lasting. This legislation, which is inspired by his life and legacy, will ensure that any future child in his same position has easier and earlier access to molecular diagnostic testing that will improve treatment and care plans for patients. NEW: June Monthly Webinar on Small Business Administration Assistance for Constituents Next week my office will be hosting a webinar on how the Small Business Administration can provide support and assistance to small businesses across New York's 24th District. The webinar will provide a general overview of the programs and assistance provided by the Small Business Administration as well as information on how constituents can access and utilize them. Those interested in attending this webinar should RSVP by emailing [email protected]. Participants who register in advance will receive a link to the Zoom meeting on the morning of the event. When: Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at 12:00 pm Where: Webinar will be held via Zoom RSVP: [email protected] Our Upcoming June Mobile Office Hours My office will be hosting our final mobile office hour session for the month of June this coming week. During mobile office hours, you can receive one-on-one assistance from my team of expert caseworkers on a range of federal issues. If you are interested in attending, please schedule an appointment by calling (315) 236-7088 or walk in anytime to receive assistance. Scheduling an appointment ahead of time will allow for an expedited casework experience. Ontario County Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2023 Time: 10 AM-12 PM Place: Naples Town Office Address: 106 South Main St, Naples NY 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. ‌ ‌ ‌ Rep. Tenney | 2349 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]