From the Office of Rep. Joe Morelle

September 8, 2023

Dear JOHN,

As your representative in Congress, I’m proud to deliver for Rochester by continuing my efforts to lower costs and build a better quality of life for all. Last year, I voted in favor of transformative legislation to combat the issues impacting families the most, including lowering the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs and taking proactive steps to combat the climate crisis. This year, many of those provisions have begun taking effect, but there’s still work to be done. Read more about how I’m continuing to fight for our community.

Making Healthcare More Affordable

One of the critical provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act was the creation of a new program allowing Medicare to negotiate the prices of some of the most expensive prescription drugs. Last week, on the heels of the White House naming the first ten prescription drugs selected for this negotiation program, I proudly announced my support for legislation to extend this program to more families in our community.

The Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act would extend this historic price negotiation program to individuals and families on private insurance plans, helping to ensure no one is forced to ration medication or skip a refill just to make ends meet. This common-sense legislation is an important step towards making healthcare more affordable for everyone, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in Washington to see it passed into law.

Lowering Energy Costs for Families

A graphic depicting some of the potential cost-saving areas from the Inflation Reduction Act tax incentives

In addition to the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs, energy costs continue to be a significant burden for working families. The Inflation Reduction Act contained both new and expanded tax incentives and other benefits to help make it easier and more affordable to upgrade to energy efficient appliances, purchase an electric vehicle, install residential clean energy systems, and more.

Millions of New Yorkers are already eligible for these tax incentives—visit my website here to find out if you or someone you know qualifies.

Reflecting on Labor Day

As the son and husband of life-long union members, I know just how important organized labor is to providing a sense of safety and security for working families. The labor movement built the middle class and remains the backbone of our economy—and we are all deeply grateful for the hard work and sacrifices that have made America what it is today.

As we reflect on Labor Day weekend, let us always remember the importance of our labor community and renew the fight to ensure workers everywhere have the essential rights and protections they deserve. In Congress, I’m proud to be a strong advocate for our unions, and I remain steadfast in my commitment to safeguarding the fundamental right to organize, strengthening working conditions, and ensuring fair pay for all.

Assisting Local Families

Every day, my office works tirelessly to help members of our community navigate federal agencies, access important resources, and secure money owed to them. Since the start of this year, my team has successfully resolved over 600 constituent cases and returned more than $10 million owed to local businesses and members of our community. Just last week, our team was able to secure nearly $60,000 in Social Security Disability Insurance back pay—money rightfully owed to people in our community.

Additionally, one of the issues we assist with most frequently is helping constituents overcome paperwork and logistical hurdles to secure passports through the U.S. Department of State. Thanks to the work of our team, we’ve helped hundreds of people in our community obtain appointments with their nearest passport office and secure the necessary documentation in time for their trips. These include families embarking on their first international journeys with their children, young people participating in church mission trips, and individuals reconnecting with far-away family members. If your passport is expiring in the next 12-18 months, don’t wait to start the renewal process! Visit the U.S. Department of State website here for more information.

It's a privilege to be able to assist our community and the individuals and organizations who call it home. While some issues are out of our control, we always try our best to secure a favorable outcome or find a resolution to whatever problem constituents may be facing. To read more about our work and learn about how we may be able to assist you or someone you know, check out my webpage here.

Warmest personal regards,

Joe Morelle

New York’s 25th Congressional District