A Message from Gabe:

Greetings Rhode Islanders,

As you may know, May 1 marks the beginning of Jewish American Heritage Month — a time to honor the countless Jewish individuals who give back to our community every day. However, as we celebrate the meaningful contributions of Jewish Americans, I want to recognize the prevalence and rise of antisemitism.

As a member of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, I have consistently spoken out against the pernicious hate and violence percolating across our nation. Last November, I joined a bipartisan group calling for greater funding to fight antisemitism. I also co-led a bipartisan letter urging Congress to fund President Biden’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism in this year’s budget process. These funds are needed given recent reports by the Anti-Defamation League that incidents nationwide had reached the highest levels ever recorded.

In addition, I am a co-sponsor of the Countering Antisemitism Act, a bipartisan bill to establish a National Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism while directing the U.S. Department of Education to combat antisemitism on colleges and universities. This whole-of-government approach is informed by my career working alongside state and local officials to fund antisemitism initiatives — whether it’s security, education, enforcement, or investigations — as opposed to defunding them.

We know that antisemitism does not rear its ugly head in a vacuum. It has long been on the rise in recent years and incidents have only spiked since October 7 — leading to dangerous clashes that have no place in America. Recently, President Biden said it best; there is “no place in America for antisemitism or threats of violence against Jewish students. There is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind, whether it’s antisemitism, Islamophobia, or discrimination against Arab Americans or Palestinian Americans.” It is important that we protect free speech and the right to peacefully protest, while underscoring that violence and hateful, intimidating speech is unacceptable.

I believe it is important for individuals to foster greater understanding of each other through meaningful exchanges. I have been honored to participate in many thoughtful discussions across our state — including at Brown RISD Hillel in March — where I have advocated for the need to rebuild a sense of safety and community between groups of differing beliefs. This month especially, I hope you will join me in working to eradicate all forms of prejudice and hate in our country. I remain grateful for your support in this collective effort to build a future where hate and discrimination have no place.

Sincerely,

Gabe Amo

Member of Congress

Do You Support Funding Programs to Combat Antisemitism?

Connecting Rhode Island & Washington

Since President Biden issued a federal disaster declaration for Rhode Island, we have seen significant progress to help communities recover from flood damage. FEMA disaster recovery specialists have been on the ground and over $5.8 million has been approved so far to assist 1,305 applicants in Kent, Newport, Providence, and Washington counties. Individuals and business owners in the designated areas seeking assistance can begin applying for support by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App.

Last week, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that airlines will soon have to provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when they are owed. Airlines will have to compensate passengers when their flights are canceled or significantly changed, when checked bags are delayed, or when ancillary services are undelivered. Airlines and ticket agents will also need to inform customers in advance about fees for checked bags, carry-ons, reservation changes, and cancellations. This prevents surprise charges when purchasing flights. For additional information on these changes, please visit the Department of Transportation website.

Connecting with Rhode Islanders

Dolores in Providence is home to one of the best chefs in the Northeast. Glad to see that the James Beard Foundation agreed by naming Chef Maria a finalist! I had the honor of presenting Chef Maria with a Congressional Commendation. I will always work to support and recognize small businesses in Congress and at home.

Congratulations to Rhode Island Department of Health’s Nadine Tavares on being recognized for her efforts to improve the health outcomes of Rhode Islanders! Her work inspires my own in Congress!

As the U.S. prepares to surge desparately-needed aid to Ukraine, I sat down with Ukrainian Member of Parliament Oleksiy Goncharenko today to discuss congressional efforts to defend democracy against the tides of authoritarianism.

I visited the Nonviolence Institute where I learned about their critically important work to reduce conflict and violence in our communities, support those who have suffered from loss, and keep our neighbors safe. I will do my part in Congress to support our shared mission to spread nonviolence.

Fantastic meeting today to discuss my work in Congress with our Rhode Island Teacher of the Year: Aimée Couto from Emma G. Whiteknact Elementary School in East Providence. Teachers have the most important job in our country — educating and inspiring the next generation to reach their highest potential (especially those little Townies!)

It was a treat to join former Congressman Jim Langevin at the Ocean State Independent Living Conference. Congressman Langevin lifted up his decades as a Congressional champion of Rhode Islanders with disabilities — and discussed how to continue his legacy in Congress so that all can live complete and fulfilling lives.

Rhode Island Delegation Applauds USAID Announcement of $200 Million to Address Global Malnutrition

Funding can support Rhode Island based non-profit, Edesia Nutrition, a manufacturer of Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Foods

Last week, the Rhode Island delegation applauded the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) announcement that it will commit $200 million in federal funds to maximize the procurement of domestic Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), one of the most effective nutrition treatments for malnutrition. This federal funding is expected to ramp up U.S production of emergency nutritional treatment for starving children under 5 in places like Gaza, Ethiopia, Sudan, Burkina Faso, and Haiti, where assistance is vitally needed.

“Today’s announcement by USAID Administrator Power will surge desperately needed federal funds to vulnerable populations facing famine and malnutrition in global conflicts,” said Congressman Amo, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “Especially given her recent statements warning of catastrophic levels of hunger and malnutrition in Gaza, I am proud that these funds will help save lives. It was a pleasure to work with my colleagues in our Rhode Island delegation as well as Senator Warnock to urge support for lifesaving malnutrition prevention programs that can be used to support operations at Edesia Nutrition. Support from federal programs like this will help Rhode Island continue to produce vital humanitarian assistance, sending a clear message that our state — and the United States — is committed to the fight against food insecurity around the world.”

This announcement directly follows advocacy by the Rhode Island congressional delegation as well as Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in a letter sent on April 29, 2024 to USAID Administrator Samantha Power. Edesia Nutrition, a Rhode Island-based non-profit organization that is one of only two producers of RUTFs nationwide, along with MANA Nutrition Factory in Fitzgerald, Georgia. Both organizations receive support from USAID.

Link to full press release HERE.

If you need help with personal casework: Contact the district office in Pawtucket: 1070 Main Street, Suite 300 Pawtucket, RI 02860 Phone: (401) 729-5600 Fax: (401) 729-5608

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