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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. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. H.R. 7521 would ensure the national security of the United States by safeguarding Americans’ data from applications, such as TikTok, that are controlled by hostile foreign actors. Congress has heard consistently from the intelligence community about the serious threats posed by TikTok to our national security. With over 170 million users, TikTok is the Chinese Communist Party's propaganda megaphone, using the app to exploit users' data for its own surveillance and monetary gains. In response, H.R. 7521 would require all social media applications with greater than one million users controlled by China, Iran, Russia, or North Korea to either divest ownership or face a prohibition from operating in the United States. This decisive move by the House will protect Americans’ data and take away a major tool from the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing initiatives regarding propaganda and censorship. As a result, the Chinese Communist Party has worked aggressively to spread misinformation about this bill. H.R. 7521 only applies to social media platforms owned by China, Iran, Russia, or North Korea, so the risk of weaponization against U.S. social media companies, such as X, Truth Social, or Rumble, is nonexistent. I was grateful to cosponsor this important bill to protect Americans’ data from the Chinese Communist Party and other hostile foreign actors. H.R. 7521 passed the House by an overwhelming majority of 352-65 with one present vote.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 6276, the Utilizing Space Efficiently and Improving Technologies Act of 2023. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, countless federal agencies have refused to bring their employees back to the office, leaving the federal offices they occupy empty or underutilized. This is an enormous disservice to American taxpayers who have to suffer under inadequate government services and pay to maintain unused buildings. In response, H.R. 6276 requires the heads of federal agencies to report to Congress on the utilization rate of each of their federal buildings. In addition, it instructs the General Services Administration and Office of Management and Budget to reduce or consolidate space in buildings that have a utilization rate below 60 percent. It is time for federal employees to return to the office and for our bureaucracy to use taxpayer funds more responsibly. H.R. 6276 passed the House by a vote of 217-203.
I voted “Yes” on H.Res. 1065, Denouncing the Biden administration’s immigration policies. After inheriting a secure border, the Biden administration has completely failed to maintain it, with over 10 million unvetted migrants crossing our border. This is nothing less than a complete and utter crisis that is directly harming our national security as President Biden’s policies often have the effect of supporting drug cartels and human traffickers. In response, the House passed H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act of 2023, which was the strongest border security package to ever pass. H.Res. 1065 highlights the Biden administration’s dereliction of duty and raises seven key actions that the President could take to end the crisis. These actions are: ending catch-and-release; reinstating the Migrant Protection Protocols; entering into asylum cooperative agreements; ending abuses of parole authority; detaining inadmissible aliens; using expedited removal authority; and reining in taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal aliens. Despite President Biden’s continued attempts to deflect blame for this crisis, the President must take responsibility for his failures and resign or face impeachment. I strongly supported H.Res. 1065 when it passed the House by a vote of 226-193.
I voted “Yes” on H.R.1752, the E-BRIDGE Act. Across our country, countless Americans lack access to fast and reliable broadband. To ensure proper deployment of broadband, many local communities must partner with the private sector who provides the required expertise. However, such partnerships can render potential projects ineligible for federal grants. To address this issue, H.R. 1752 would allow the Economic Development Administration within the Department of Commerce to fund such arrangements. This is a commonsense step to help expand broadband access for more Americans, especially those in Upstate New York. H.R. 1752 passed the House by a vote of 375-20.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 886, the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act. H.R. 886 would reauthorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program (MDP), which was founded to coordinate the removal of debris in our nation’s waterways and oceans. H.R. 886 would extend MDP through 2028 and increase its annual appropriation from $10 million to $15 million per year. In addition, it would restructure the program into a nonprofit corporation under the supervision of the Secretary of Commerce, allowing the program to accept certain donations, acquire certain property, invest funds, and carry out contracts to address marine debris. People across New York flock to Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes for their natural beauty, not to see litter and pollution. It is vital we have a coordinated response to address such issues. H.R. 886 passed the House by a vote of 326-73.
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