March 22, 2024

Dear JOHN,

This was another busy week in Washington where I had the opportunity to tour one of our nation’s most beautiful landmarks, advance my work to fight cancer, collaborate with faith leaders from across New York State, and vote to deliver meaningful federal support for our families. Read more below.

One of my duties as the Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration is to ensure our nation’s landmarks have the resources they need—and one of my favorites happens to be located right next door to the Capitol: the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress.

This week I received a tour of the building’s famous dome and learned about how we can support the library’s operation for decades to come—all while taking in some breathtaking views of the Capitol and the National Mall.

In June of last year, my colleague Representative Brian Fitzpatrick and I introduced the SCREENS for Cancer Act: bipartisan legislation to help ensure life-saving cancer screening services are more accessible to more people. On Wednesday, after months of dedicated work, our legislation was favorably reported out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, setting it up for a potential vote on the floor of the House of Representatives later this year.

This is an important step forward in our efforts to fight back against cancer and prevent more families from experiencing the pain of a cancer diagnosis. For me, it’s also a way to honor the memory of my daughter, Lauren, by ensuring all women have access to the cancer screening services they need—regardless of income. I look forward to working alongside my colleague, Rep. Fitzpatrick, to build on this momentum and bring our legislation to the House floor for a vote.

Read more: Congressmen Morelle, Fitzpatrick Push for Legislation to Strengthen Resources for Early Cancer Detection

I was grateful to be invited by my colleague Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to attend an important discussion with faith leaders from across the state, including many from Rochester.

It is when we come together in conversations like this, to listen and learn, that real progress can be achieved. It was a privilege to hear from these leaders and the congregations they represent about how we can work together to create meaningful solutions to the problems our families face.

I am committed to using my role in Congress to address these challenges by supporting individuals from the ground up—by strengthening affordable housing, education, and job opportunities; by ensuring everyone has access to quality healthcare and childcare; and by working to keep our neighborhoods safe through common-sense gun reform. Through our continued work together, we can—and we will—improve the lives of everyone who calls our community home.

This week, my House colleagues and I voted to pass legislation containing the final six appropriations bills Congress must enact every fiscal year. This action builds on legislation I voted to pass a few weeks ago to fully fund the federal government for Fiscal Year 2024. While we have completed our work on this legislation in the House, the bill must still be passed by the Senate and signed into law by the President to avoid a government shutdown.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I’m proud to have helped craft this legislation which takes steps to lower the cost of living, protect women’s rights, reinforce America’s global leadership, and help better protect our communities from violence. This legislation also prevents the enactment of harmful policies proposed by House Republicans, including measures to restrict women’s reproductive freedoms and make devastating cuts to K-12 and higher education programs across the country.

I’m glad my colleagues and I can now shift our attention to next year’s government funding package. You can count on me to continue working to deliver the best results for Rochester’s families, businesses, and educational institutions throughout this process.

Read more about this appropriations package: Congressman Joe Morelle Takes Action to Fund Federal Government, Deliver Additional Support for Rochester

The upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8th has captivated the attention of our community and our country—and as a science enthusiast, I find it particularly fascinating. In the days leading up to this once-in-a-lifetime event, I’m trying to learn everything I can about what to expect before, during, and after the eclipse.

Through this pursuit, I was connected to Dr. Grant Tremblay—a University of Rochester AND Rochester Institute of Technology graduate—who works as an astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I had the pleasure of hosting him in Washington for a conversation about solar eclipses, space and the cosmos, and the importance of sustained government investment in science and technology.

Watch my full conversation with Dr. Tremblay on my YouTube channel here.

Please know my office is always here to help. Visit morelle.house.gov to learn more about how we can assist you and your family.

Warmest personal regards,

Joe Morelle

New York’s 25th Congressional District