Marking National Apprenticeship Week 

I kicked-off my week on Monday morning by joining UNICON, County Executive Bello, Mayor Evans, as well as many other of my partners in government and members of our community to highlight the start of National Apprenticeship Week!

From a young age, I’ve held a deep appreciation for the value of apprenticeships. I very clearly remember my father attending apprenticeship classes on Monday evenings during my childhood—and because of these opportunities, he was able to build a long, fulfilling career as a pipefitter.

I hear daily from employers in Rochester who are struggling to find and retain qualified workers, but by continuing our work to expand apprenticeships and other critical job training opportunities, we will bolster our high-skill workforce and better support local businesses. I’m grateful to all my partners for standing with me in this effort, and I know through our work together, we can continue to build brighter futures for everyone in our community.

 Welcoming NY to DC 

Back in Washington, I had the opportunity to welcome people from across New York State who are doing important work to support our community. Here’s some of the groups I met with this week!

I was honored to welcome Special Agent in Charge Matthew Miraglia from the FBI Buffalo Field Office to Washington on Tuesday and get an update on the incredible work he and his teams in Buffalo and Rochester are doing to keep our communities safe.

I’m looking forward to our continued collaboration as we work to increase cooperation between all levels of law enforcement, get illegal weapons off our streets, and help give our families the safety and security they deserve. Thank you for stopping by!

Always happy to see my long-time friend New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie! Speaker Heastie has been an incredible partner throughout my career in public service, and I’m grateful for our continued work together to support Rochester and the entire great State of New York.

It was great to have you in Washington—come back any time!

 An Update on the Ongoing Situation in Washington 

On Tuesday, I cast my vote in favor of a short-term funding bill, an essential step to avert a catastrophic government shutdown. This decision marks the second instance this year where I’ve supported such a measure. Although relying on temporary solutions is far from perfect, I am comforted by the fact that our action ensures the ongoing funding of vital services and programs, which are crucial for our nation's economic stability and security.

However, we still have a lot of work to do here in Washington.

House Republicans persist in their efforts to advance funding packages with severe cuts to essential programs and services our families depend on. Their extreme agenda acts as an unnecessary and irresponsible obstacle to maintaining an open and functioning government.

Despite these challenges, I will continue to urge House Republicans to collaborate with Democrats in forging a bipartisan path forward to fully fund our government. And I remain committed to exerting all my efforts to resolve this dysfunction in Washington and refocus the House on serving the people's interests.

I hope—and pray—my colleagues join me.

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