October 20, 2023

Dear JOHN,

For the second week in a row, Republican chaos in the House of Representatives has left us without a Speaker of the House. Despite countless attempts by Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and my House Democratic colleagues to present Republicans with a bipartisan path forward, they continue to remain paralyzed by their internal dysfunction. At a time when our government is in desperate need of order and stability, Republicans appear capable of only makings things worse.

Congress needs leadership that will lay aside dangerous political agendas and govern responsibly. And the American people deserve a Congress that will put their needs first. Too much is at stake, and to do anything less would be a dereliction of our oath and duty.

I’m going to continue my efforts in Washington to break through this logjam, re-open the House, and get us back to the work of addressing the issues facing our community. Read more about my work below.

It was great to join my friends and colleagues from the National Photonics Initiative and the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Optics and Photonics Caucus for an event on Capitol Hill this week!

The optics and photonics industries are helping lead the way to address some of our country’s most pressing challenges—and companies and research institutions right here in Rochester are on the frontlines of these important efforts. In Washington, I’m proud to continue my efforts to raise awareness of the cutting-edge work of our optics and photonics industries among my colleagues, build on the progress of the CHIPS and Science Act, and secure more federal investments in these high-tech fields.

You can count on me to always advocate for Rochester’s optics and photonics community, and I look forward to more great events like this one!

On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to meet with actor and director Clark Gregg and discuss our work together to combat deepfakes and protect creators’ voice and visual likeness rights. Alongside our partners at SAG-AFTRA, I’m proud to be leading the fight here in Washington to address these issues—as well as other challenges related to artificial intelligence—head on.

Thank you, Clark, for taking the time to meet with me, and I look forward to our continued work together on these important issues!

This week, I had the pleasure of meeting with Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s Ambassador to the United States to celebrate the continued partnership between Rochester and our Canadian allies.

I look forward to continuing my efforts alongside all my Canadian partners to advance our mutual interests, bolster our economies, and build a better world for us all.

Click here to register

Please feel free to reach out to my Rochester Office at 585-232-4850 or my Washington, D.C. Office at 202-225-3615 if we can be of assistance to you or your family. Visit morelle.house.gov to learn more.

Warmest personal regards,

Joe Morelle

New York’s 25th Congressional District