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During GiGi’s Playhouse’s third annual Black-tie Gala, held on March 16, congressman Andrew Garbarino (R) announced that he had secured a $1 million federal grant for the organization. 'The support we continue to receive is truly amazing!' said president of GiGi’s Playhouse Long Island, Mike Cirigliano. 'Congressman Garbarino has been advocating for us for over a year… We can’t be more thankful for his efforts to get this done.' The grant money, according to Cirigliano, will help ensure that GiGi’s has the building and facilities it needs to serve their constituents. The funds were secured as a Community Project Funding (CPF) request and appropriated through H.R. 4366, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which was signed into law on March 9. The funding, according to Garbarino, would be used to purchase a building to launch GiGi University’s career readiness program and the Hugs & Mugs supported employment program. The project, he said, is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will have a significant positive impact on the County of Suffolk and its residents. 'I applaud the mission of GiGi’s Playhouse to see a world where individuals with Down syndrome are accepted,' said Garbarino. 'The Down syndrome community has so much to offer our society, and I am proud to have secured this funding to help GiGi’s Playhouse Long Island provide career and employment opportunities and help them seize their potential.'

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On Friday, Andrew hosted a Q&A for Seniors on how to recognize, ward off and educate others about scams, and how best to avoid them. We had an incredible turnout. Attendees heard from Andrew, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Office of the Aging, and the US Postal Service, had their questions answered, and received resources on how to protect themselves.

This week, the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association held a ribbon cutting as they opened their new office in Medford. They recognize the importance of collaboration with local educators and other educational-adjacent organizations such as members of N-SSBA to work closely with schools, administrators, PTAs, and others throughout New York State. Andrew provided a Congressional Certificate of Recognition in honor of their work on behalf of our children's education.

A constituent from Brentwood contacted Andrew's office for help securing a passport renewal for her daughter in advance of their trip taking place later that week. While her passport was valid at the time, it was set to expire within a few weeks and many countries require that a passport be valid for 6 months after your return date. Andrew's casework team was able to reach out to the New York City Passport Office and secure an appointment for her that same day.

Andrew knows how frustrating dealing with bureaucracy can be. That is why he has an entire team dedicated to helping constituents get what they need from the government. If you need help dealing with a federal agency, contact our office and our team will get to work on your case. 

Ensuring our officers have the resources they need to protect and serve our communities is one of Andrew's top priorities, especially as they deal with the migrant crisis facing our state. That's why he cosponsored the Ensuring States Support Law Enforcement Act. Current New York state law does not allow the DMV to share critical records with Customs and Border Patrol agents, making it nearly impossible to track down dangerous criminals. Specifically, this bill requires the DMV to provide information to DHS in order to receive funds through the Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. This will enable federal immigration authorities to access the information contained within DMV databases when performing traffic stops and immigration checks. Currently, New York is the only state that does not allow this information sharing. 

Our open borders have allowed cartels and other criminals to exploit our overrun system and make their way into this country. That's why Andrew has cosponsored the Cartel and Radical Terrorist Enforcement Log (CARTEL) Act, which requires Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to report if individuals on the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB) were released into the interior of the United States along with individuals affiliated with cartel organizations. Additionally, this bill requires a report to Congress detailing which terrorist and cartel organizations are attempting to exploit the northern, southern, and maritime borders to move their members into the United States.