September 23, 2023
Dear Friends,
Every day, my Democratic colleagues and I go to work ready to advance policies that deliver for our communities. We’re laser-focused on cutting costs for seniors and working families through measures like the Inflation Reduction Act, which is already lowering out-of-pocket health care costs by capping the price of insulin and forcing Big Pharma to negotiate on drug prices. We’re working to end our nation’s overdose epidemic with a response rooted in hope and expanded access to treatment. And we’re growing the middle class by investing in our infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, bringing safer roads, clean water, and high-speed internet to communities across the nation while strengthening domestic manufacturing and advancing clean energy technologies. All told, Democratic policies have created an unprecedented 13.5 million American jobs since the beginning of the Biden administration.
But now, dysfunction and infighting among House Republicans are threatening to derail that historic progress. With precious few days left to avoid a government shutdown on October 1, Republicans are at war with each other. The House majority has only managed to pass one of the 12 appropriations bills required to keep the federal government functioning, despite the inclusion of extreme policy riders and draconian spending cuts designed to appease the most far-right members of the Republican caucus. These “poison pills,” which violate the terms of the Fiscal Responsibility Act Speaker McCarthy negotiated with President Biden in May to avoid a breach of the debt ceiling, would have a catastrophic impact on American families.
The severe cuts being pushed by Republicans would impose an $800 million slash to food benefits for low-income mothers and children, remove 224,000 teachers from our classrooms, and eliminate access to early childhood education for 51,000 children in Head Start, all while curtailing reproductive rights for women. Even Senate Republicans oppose these devastating cuts that would eviscerate a wide range of federal programs that working families rely on, from health care and public safety to childcare and education. But House Republicans are pressing forward with their plot to shut down the government unless they can inflict even more harm on the American people.
House Republicans have laughed off the consequences of a shutdown, with one far-right representative stating that if the government did stop functioning, “most Americans won’t even miss it.” This cavalier attitude is as dangerous as it is wrong. A Republican shutdown would cause immediate and widespread harm to the American people, endangering our national security and impacting services American families desperately need. Among many other far-reaching consequences, a shutdown would:
- Curtail basic food and environmental safety inspections;
- Stop new loans for small businesses;
- Limit access to beneficiary assistance for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid;
- Stall critical research on diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s; and even
- Force our active-duty military personnel to work without pay
Republicans have the power to avoid this calamitous outcome by passing a bipartisan government funding bill consistent with the terms of the Fiscal Responsibility Act. But instead of working with Democrats, Speaker McCarthy has sent the House home for the weekend with no compromise or plan in sight, seemingly content to push us ever closer towards a cliff. It is long past time for Republicans to end the partisan stunts and get to work on behalf of our families and our communities.
This week I joined a letter with close to 100 of my Democratic colleagues calling on Republicans to unite with us to avoid a shutdown. We know the consequences should they continue to block a budget. The ramifications will fall on everyday Americans, causing workers to miss paychecks, families to be evicted, and seniors to have limited access to Social Security and Medicare services.
My colleagues and I are ready to come together to vote on a budget consistent with the bipartisan deal made earlier this year. In these critical coming days, I will continue urging my Republican colleagues to abandon their path of destruction and join with us to avert the pain a shutdown would inflict on American families.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- Each year, I have the honor of nominating a group of exceptional students from our Capital Region to serve our country by attending one of our nation’s service academies.
- I’m proud to announce that this year’s academy nomination process is now open!
- From now through the application deadline on October 27th at 5:00 PM, interested students may apply for a nomination from my office to attend the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
- Each applicant for a nomination must meet the following eligibility requirements as of July 1st of the year of admission:
- Must be at least 17 years of age and no older than 22 years of age
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must be unmarried, not pregnant, and without legal obligation to support children or other dependents
- Must reside within the boundaries of New York’s 20th Congressional District
- Must meet the medical, physical, and academic requirements of the Academy.
- If you or someone you know is interested in applying to a service academy, I encourage you to visit my website to learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply!
