September 7, 2024
Dear Friends,
Before heading back to Washington after a busy District Work Period, I was lucky to spend this week meeting with some of the countless hardworking men and women who keep our Capital Region moving forward every day. As I traveled throughout our district attending Labor Day gatherings and speaking directly with workers, I saw firsthand the incredible advancements our workers are making, and the importance of continuing to deliver high-quality, good-paying jobs here in the Capital Region and across our nation.
As a Member of the Congressional Labor Caucus, I am proud to stand with workers across America and in our district in the fight for higher pay, better benefits, and safer working conditions. In Congress, I am working to pass the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which would level the playing field for workers by ensuring every worker has a free and fair choice to join a union.
Delivering for our middle-class workers has been a foundational goal of the Biden-Harris Administration, and our bold efforts on that front are already paying dividends. Since President Biden and Vice President Harris took office, the economy has added well over 15 million jobs. This growth is the result of Democrats’ years-long — and still ongoing — Investing in America Agenda, which began with the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that lifted our economy off the ground while it was reeling from the COVID pandemic, helped businesses reopen, and put millions back to work. More than three years later, the benefits of that sound investment continue to flow across our region, from delivering needed resources to the Hoffman Park Community Center in Albany’s South End to providing first responders in Saratoga County with resources to bolster public safety services.
And ARPA was only the beginning. With the significant investments included in the Inflation Reduction Act, our nation is creating millions of good-paying union jobs that will help reduce emissions across every sector of the economy. This landmark bill includes some of the strongest labor protections ever attached to clean energy legislation, including measures to require businesses to pay prevailing wages and use registered apprenticeship programs. Our Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is also bringing additional dollars to our communities and our workers. Whether by upgrading our roads and bridges, strengthening our electric grid, or expanding access to affordable broadband internet, this legislation centers support for American workers and propels our nation to a 21st century economy.
A bright future of opportunity and growth is well within reach thanks to the historic investments in workers, manufacturing, education, and innovation we’ve made through the CHIPS and Science Act. This law invests a whopping $13 billion in STEM education at the National Science Foundation, teeing up our nation’s ability to build a strong and diverse STEM workforce ready to address our greatest scientific and societal challenges.
With our highly educated workforce, cutting-edge research facilities, and colleges and universities like SUNY Polytechnic Institute, RPI, and Hudson Valley Community College, and established industry leaders like GlobalFoundries and IBM, the Capital Region is poised to train the next generation of American manufacturing workers while also keeping those jobs in our region and promoting long-term economic growth. Just this week, I visited HVCC North to celebrate the opening of their STEM Education Center a state-of-the-art facility that will serve as a vital resource to advance STEM education — further ensuring our numerous local industries have access to a workforce that’s ready to lead us into the future.
As another Labor Day comes and goes, we must never forget that the progress we’ve made would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of the American labor movement. But, despite these powerful and promising achievements, I know there is still far more work ahead to support our workers and ensure they can thrive.
Let us continue the vital effort of ensuring that no worker is left behind in our growing economy. Bolstered by the legislation we’ve passed this Congress to create good-paying jobs, and by the incredible talent and ingenuity of our workforce, I’m confident that our region and our nation will move towards a better tomorrow for American workers.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- Last week, I held a public workshop in Albany to provide information and details on how individuals can access financial benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
- Thanks to this historic law, numerous incentives are available to eligible individuals to help save on their energy bills through New York’s Empower+ Program.
- Low- and moderate-income eligible households can receive benefits that include no-cost home energy assessments, heat pump installation, electrical wiring upgrades, and more!
- I was joined by the Capital Region Clean Energy Hub and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to speak more to attendees on the benefits available to them.
- You can watch the full presentation HERE.
- Additional information for homeowners can be found HERE.
- Additional information for renters can be found HERE.
