House Republicans have proven that we are committed to finding a path forward that reduces spending, secures our borders, and restores fiscal responsibility in Washington. I have worked tirelessly to fight wasteful spending and bloated omnibus government funding bills and return to considering appropriations bills with amendments under regular order. Regular order means passing each of the 12 federal appropriations bills individually in an open and transparent process. For many years, Congress has forced through massive omnibus spending bills that have undermined the legislative process and have cost taxpayers billions on wasteful programs. 

House Republicans are changing how Washington works and restoring the People’s House to regular order in order to represent the American people fairly. I voted in favor of this Continuing Resolution because it continues to fund the government and our military on a short-term basis while granting the House Republicans more time to tackle the fiscal problems plaguing the American people truly. This legislation will avoid a government shutdown and ensure that the service members at Fort Drum, Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, Customs and Border Protection Agents, TSA agents, and all critical federal agencies serving across New York’s 24th District will continue to operate in the next two months. In addition, shutting down the government would have cost the American taxpayers more in the long run, raised our already historic national debt, and led to another Christmas omnibus monstrosity, resulting in even more reckless federal spending. 

By passing this CR, we are able to pass the remaining fiscally conservative appropriations bills to provide the relief that the American people need, reaffirm Congress's power of the purse, and refocus our government on its core mission: to serve the American people and defend the Constitution.

After the horrific attacks on Israel by Hamas on October 7th, we have seen numerous universities, including some in my home state of New York, allow hate-filled, anti-Semitic demonstrations and support of terrorist groups like Hamas to circulate across campus. Demonstrators outside of the Maxwell School at Syracuse University chanted, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," an anti-Semitic rallying cry long used by terrorist groups to call for the violent destruction of the state of Israel and the Jewish people. 

The same was witnessed at the University of Rochester, with the group known as Students for Justice in Palestine hosting increasingly vitriolic and menacing demonstrations. The university has done little or nothing to condemn these hate-filled actions, and students, especially Jewish students, are rightfully fearing for their safety. 

In the wake of the Hamas October 7th attack, a professor at Cornell, Russell Rickford, referred to the slaughter of Israeli civilians by Hamas as "energizing" and "exhilarating" while speaking at a pro-Palestine protest on Cornell's campus. After these disgraceful comments, I wrote a letter to the Cornell University president demanding Professor Rickford's immediate resignation, but to my knowledge, he was placed on leave from the university.

That's why the Ways and Means Committee held a hearing, making it clear that anti-Semitism will not be tolerated in civilized society, but even more so in academia, where professors are in a position of power that allows them to mold and influence young minds. Positions like these should demand a higher standard of behavior and one that is free from anti-Semitic rhetoric and the vocal support of terrorism. 

Anti-Semitism has no place in our country, and that includes our college campuses!

We MUST Address the Crisis at our Northern Border

Thanks to Secretary Mayorkas's dereliction of duty, in just one year alone, illegal immigration at our Northern border has increased by 347%. Not only is this surge in illegal immigration dangerous, but it is also expected to cost taxpayers $451 billion. These illegal immigrants are incentivized to come to our country because of the left’s open border and illegal sanctuary city policies, where they are using the services that taxpayers spend their hard-earned money to pay for.

Secretary Mayorkas must immediately be impeached for his failure to secure both our Borders!

READ MORE: My Border Security Plan

Governor Kathy Hochul Fails to Stop Crime

In the past month, hate crimes in New York City soared with a reported 214% spike in anti-Semitic attacks, making it imperative that our elected officials end their "defund the police" rhetoric, crack down on violent rioters, and prosecute criminals.

Instead, Governor Kathy Hochul wants to create a task force to monitor social media and suppress the First Amendment. If Kathy Hochul was serious about preventing crime, she should repeal bail reform and the HALT Act and fully fund the police, not censor free speech.

Transparency in Congress and a well-informed electorate are vital to preserving our self-governing Constitutional Republic. My constituents deserve to know how their members of Congress vote, which is why I have explained every vote I have cast in Congress since I was first elected. 

To read more about my votes and see the full list with explanations of all the legislation considered this week by the House, please click here.

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 1105, the Debbie Smith Act of 2023. H.R. 1105 is a crucial piece of legislation aimed at addressing the backlog of untested and unanalyzed DNA evidence, often referred to as the rape kit backlog. In 1989, Debbie Smith was sexually assaulted by a stranger who broke into her home. Although she underwent a sexual assault forensic exam, the DNA evidence went unanalyzed for over five years. The Debbie Smith Act aims to prevent such delays and ensure justice through DNA evidence. This bill passed the House by a vote of 405-0.

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 593, To rename the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Hinesville, Georgia, as the “John Gibson, Dan James, William Sapp, and Frankie Smiley VA Clinic. Hailing from Georgia, all four of these men were killed in action while serving their country during the Vietnam War. They made the ultimate sacrifice, leaving behind wives, siblings, and parents. H.R. 593 honors their memory and their service. This bill passed the House by a vote of 409-0 with 1 member voting present.

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 6363, the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024. H.R. 6363 extends funding for the Agriculture, Energy and Water, MilCon-VA, and Transportation-HUD appropriations bills until January 19, 2024, and funding for the other eight bills until February 2, 2024. Additionally, H.R. 6363 extends authorization for Farm Bill programs through September 30, 2024. Most importantly, this legislation will allow Republicans to fight for more conservative spending priorities in the future, while preventing an irresponsible end-of-year Megabus package. The temporary measure also ensures short term funding for Fort Drum, Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, Customs and Border Protection agents, TSA agents, and all other critical federal agencies serving constituents across New York’s 24th District. Having considered 11 of 12 individual appropriations bills on the House floor, House Republicans have proven that we remain committed to maintaining regular order and reining in the wasteful spending of the Biden Administration. Passing H.R. 6363 gives us additional time to navigate the discretionary side of the appropriations process (which comprises about 25 percent of overall government spending) to provide the relief that the American people need, reaffirm Congress's power of the purse, and refocus our government to its core mission: serving the American people and defending Constitutional principles. There is much more work to do on tackling the mandatory side of government appropriations (which comprises a substantial majority of federal spending) and ensuring that our legislative goals are prioritized. This bill passed the House by a vote of 336-95.

 Advocating for the Delphi Salaried Retirees

The Delphi Salaried Retirees have been fighting tirelessly for nearly 15 years to correct the grave injustice imposed on them by the Obama Administration.

That's why I recently submitted the Susan Muffley Act of 2023 as a bipartisan amendment to H.R. 5894, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of FY-24. It is beyond time to correct this egregious wrong and pass the Susan Muffley Act to restore the Delphi’s pension plan with full back pay. I will continue to fight tirelessly until the Delphi Salaried Retirees have their full pensions restored.

Worth Fighting For — Rural Healthcare

One of my top priorities in Congress is to expand access to affordable, quality healthcare in rural communities. There are many ways to do this, including fostering greater competition in the marketplace, resulting in more choices for patients, better quality care for everyone, and lower prices that families can afford.

Health insurance premiums, prescription drug prices, out-of-pocket costs for Americans, and overall healthcare spending have skyrocketed since 2009, making it harder than ever for New York families and seniors to access quality care at an affordable price – this has to change. For too long, Congress has failed to make good on its promise to tackle healthcare reform effectively.

I remain committed to delivering more resources and support to rural hospitals in our district, which we rely on for care and services, while increasing competition and improving access and quality of care.

Recently, I have supported:

• The Lower Cost More Cures Act secures funding for hospitals that provide essential healthcare services to lower-income and rural communities. This legislation also funds community health centers that provide more affordable quality healthcare to countless New Yorkers and strengthens price transparency for health care services so patients know the cost of their care. 

• The Protecting Rural Senior's Access to Care Act prevents CMS from enacting an unworkable staffing rule, which will cause the closure of rural nursing homes across the country.

• The Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2023 provides access to life-saving treatment, recovery support services and long-term recovery services for individuals seeking help overcoming their substance use disorder.

ICYMI: Our November Webinar on FEMA's Firefighter Grant Program

Thank you to FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Specialist Alvin Mathew for presenting at our office's November webinar about the best practices and guidelines for Fire Departments to prepare for the upcoming AFG open season.

In January 2024, FEMA will release its Notice Of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which will have specific guidelines for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant application. This has information from past Assistance to Firefighters Grant funding guides and information on finding more information from FEMA. 

You can find the recording of this webinar and all of our past webinars here. For more information about service academy nominations, please contact our Oswego Office at 315-236-7088.

What Are You Thankful For?

As Thanksgiving approaches, it is a meaningful time to pause and reflect on what we are thankful for in our lives. This Thanksgiving, I would love to hear about what members of our community are thankful for! Please share what you are thankful for this year with us at the link below.

Let me know what you are thankful for HERE.

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! I am honored to have 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.