My Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act Passed the House

Americans are increasingly being used as leverage around the world while being held hostage or wrongfully detained by terrorist groups. This includes NY-24's own Ryan Corbett, who is wrongfully detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan, and numerous Americans held by Hamas in Gaza. Tragically, some of these individuals could face additional hardship upon their return: tax penalties imposed by the federal government.

The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act addresses this injustice. It ensures that Americans who have endured unimaginable circumstances abroad are not burdened with back taxes from the IRS upon their return. Furthermore, this legislation strengthens our fight against terrorism by revoking the tax-exempt status of any organization found to be financially supporting or providing resources to designated terrorist groups.

I am glad that this critical legislation has passed the House. It represents a significant step in supporting American citizens who have endured the horrors of captivity while reinforcing our nation's unwavering stance against those who threaten our security and values.

Standing Up For Second Amendment Rights

Mexico’s lawsuit against American gun manufacturers is not just legally flawed—it’s an insult to our Constitution and our sovereignty. This week I joined some of my colleagues on the steps of the Supreme Court to discuss the amicus brief we submitted supporting American firearm manufacturers in their efforts to have their case heard by the Supreme Court in Mexico v. Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc.

Rather than scapegoating American gun companies, Mexico should focus on fighting corruption and dismantling the criminal cartels benefitting from violence and chaos. The tragic human, drug, and weapons trafficking orchestrated by cartels stems from Mexico’s failure to enforce law and order, not from lawful American businesses. This lawsuit represents a dangerous attempt to deflect responsibility and shift blame onto law-abiding American gun manufacturers.

As a Constitutional Conservative and an attorney, I am extremely alarmed by this lawsuit's violation of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act—a law designed to prevent exactly this kind of legal overreach. The PLCAA ensures that manufacturers cannot be held responsible for crimes committed by individuals using their products. Blaming gun manufacturers for cartel violence ignores the root cause of this issue, which is the disintegration of law and order in Mexico. 

This lawsuit is also an assault on our constitutional rights. Americans should not be subjected to Mexico’s restrictive firearm laws, which deny its citizens the right to bear arms. This case is an unprecedented attempt by a foreign government to infringe upon America’s Second Amendment rights and sabotage our domestic firearms industry.

Enhancing and Improving the Department of Veterans Affairs

The House passed the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act this week to fulfill our nation's promise to the men and women who have served our country by ensuring that they receive the high-quality care and services they earned without unnecessary bureaucratic interference. Supported by over 40 veterans’ organizations, this legislation provides essential reforms to the Department of Veterans Affairs, streamlining and strengthening the services and benefits relied upon by our veterans and their families. Additionally, this bill expands home and community-based services at every VA center, allowing our veterans the dignity of receiving care in their own homes. This bill, which I cosponsored, is a crucial step toward honoring our promise to those who have served, ensuring they receive the timely, efficient, and comprehensive support they have earned.

As your representative in Congress, my top priority is championing legislative initiatives that benefit you and your families. Each week, I review numerous bills and letters, engaging in thorough discussions with members of our community to determine which actions to support and address your needs. Below are a few bills I recently cosponsored.

S.3610 - Pregnancy Center Support Act of 2024 – This bill would provide a tax incentive for individuals that donate to pregnancy resource centers. Pregnancy resource centers provide valuable resources to pregnant women, such as pregnancy testing and sonograms. It is vital that pregnancy centers continue to be able to effectively support mothers and their babies which is why I cosponsored this important bill.

H.Res. 609 - the Expressing opposition to Central Business District Tolling Program of New York City – This resolution disapproves of the Central Business District Tolling Program of New York City, which would place an immense cost on hardworking American families. 

H.R. 10071 - the Evidenced-Informed Health Promotion Act - This bill will make evidence-based programs focused on health promotion and disease prevention more accessible for our seniors, especially those with limited access in rural areas, though new federal funding opportunities for Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). AAAs are local nonprofit agencies dedicated to addressing the health needs of seniors by providing aging and caregiving resources. This bill would expand options for these agencies to support new evidence-based programs better tailored to address the specific needs of their communities.

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 my bill, H.R. 9495, the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act. The bill does two things: (1) It allows the IRS to waive penalties for late taxes on Americans held hostage abroad. While the IRS can waive penalties on the back end when the taxpayer returns home, this would allow them to do it on the front end to ensure that returning hostages and their families, who have endured unimaginable hardship, don’t have the burden of having to deal with it upon their return. (2) It directs the IRS to revoke the tax-exempt status of a nonprofit found to be providing financial support to a terrorist organization. Right now, an entity must be deemed a terrorist organization itself to lose tax-exempt status. This bill says that if a nonprofit provides material support to a designated terrorist group, they will also lose that status. HR 9495 passed unanimously out of Ways and Means in September (by a vote of 38-0), including with the support of Ranking Member Neal. The portion of this bill, to terminate the tax-exempt status of non-profit organizations supporting terrorist groups (H.R. 6408 led by Rep. Kustoff), passed unanimously out of Ways in November of last year as a standalone (by a vote of 41-0) and the House passed it overwhelmingly by a vote 382-11 this past April. Legislation preventing the IRS from imposing fines and tax penalties on Americans held hostage upon their return was approved by unanimous consent in the Senate. Unfortunately, many of my Democratic colleagues chose to put their hatred of President Trump and the needs of terrorist adversaries ahead of helping American hostages and their families and stopping the flow of cash to terrorists that are actively working to harm the United States. This is a critical time for Congress to act and make it clear that we stand by our fellow citizens who have endured unthinkable circumstances abroad – like Ryan Corbett of Dansville, New York who remains in the illegal custody of the Taliban. He is husband to Anna and father of his three children, Ketsia, Miriam, Caleb. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 219-184.

I voted “Yes” on H.Res. 915, Urging the Government of Ukraine to review and modify its decision to suspend adoption by foreign nationals with a view to resuming such adoptions, particularly in cases where the mutual concerns of the Governments of Ukraine and of the United States can be substantially addressed. After Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine suspended the adoption of minors, both domestically and abroad, as it dealt with the displacement of Ukrainian children and the invasion. Since then, Ukraine has restored its domestic adoption process, but has not restored the ability of United States citizens to adopt Ukrainian children if they wish. This resolution encourages Ukraine to restore their international adoption process. This resolution passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 372-6.

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 3012, the North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act. Since 2004, the North Korean Human Rights Act has authorized the President to promote human rights, democracy, freedom, and market economic principles within North Korea. This includes authorizing the President to support non-state sponsored media, such as Voice of America, and providing methods of circumventing government censorship. This bill reauthorizes these important programs through 2028 to continue this important work. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 335-37.

 I voted “Yes” on H.R. 8368, the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts Authorization Act. This bill would codify the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts position and designate them to be the individual in charge of programs focused on resettling our Afghan allies in the United States and facilitating the departure of U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents from Afghanistan. Importantly, this position would expire after three years ensuring the bureaucracy is not permanently and needlessly grown. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 334-63. 

I voted “Yes” on H.Res. 1449, Condemning the global rise of antisemitism and calling upon countries and international bodies to counter antisemitism. This resolution condemns the global rise of anti-Semitism and calls upon international bodies and countries to adopt the Global Guidelines against Anti-Semitism. We must always unequivocally denounce anti-Semitism and work together to condemn bigotry targeting the Jewish people. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 388-21.

Tuesday, November 19,2024

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 1449, the CLEAN Act. This bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to conduct yearly lease sales for geothermal energy, hold replacement sales for any sales that are missed in a given calendar year, and expeditiously process applications for geothermal drilling permits. This will increase domestic energy production and bolster new alternative energy options, allowing the United States to gain energy independence. This bill passed the House by a vote of 244-171.

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 8371, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. This bill will ensure that the men and women who have served our nation receive the high-quality care and services they have earned without unnecessary bureaucracy. Supported by over 40 veterans’ organizations, this legislation provides essential reforms to the Department of Veterans Affairs, streamlining and strengthening the services and benefits relied upon by our veterans and their families. Additionally, this bill expands home and community-based services at every VA center, allowing our veterans the dignity of receiving care in their own homes. I cosponsored this important bill as it is a crucial step toward honoring our promise to those who have served, ensuring they receive the timely, efficient, and comprehensive support they have earned. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 389-9.

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 5658, the Vote by Mail Tracking Act. This bill requires all mail-in ballots to contain a USPS barcode that allows the envelope to be tracked and to include the official election mail logo. As patriots across this country rightfully raise election integrity concerns, we must do more to strengthen the security of our elections. As the Chair and Founder of the Election Integrity Caucus, I am committed to rooting out election fraud and restoring faith in our democratic process. This bill will ensure that individuals can track their mail-in ballot, ensuring that it is received and counted by the board of elections. While this bill is a good first step, Congress must do more to secure our elections and restore voters’ faith. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 396-6.

NY-24 is Now a Purple Heart Congressional District!

NY-24 has a long and distinguished history of supporting our service members and Veterans, from the battlefields of the Revolutionary War to those serving today at Fort Drum. It is our duty to honor these courageous individuals.

We especially remember the members of our Armed Forces who have been wounded in combat and awarded the Purple Heart, a symbol of the highest form of service and sacrifice to this country. The Purple Heart Memorial in Niagara County and the Purple Heart Municipalities along the New York State Purple Heart Trail help ensure their bravery is recognized and preserved.

This week, I officially proclaimed New York’s 24th Congressional District as a Purple Heart Congressional District on the House Floor. This designation will place NY-24 on the New York State Purple Heart Trail, preserving the legacy of Purple Heart Recipients for generations. It is a tribute to the exceptional men and women who have sacrificed for our nation and a reminder to never forget the true cost of freedom.

The Niagara Sheriff Training Facility Ribbon Cutting

Our team attended the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to celebrate their new training facility. 

This was made possible by Niagara County Community College, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, and the Niagara County Legislature. The academy helps recruit and train future law enforcement officers for multiple municipalities in Western New York, strengthening public safety and community partnerships across the county.

Congratulations, Niagara County!

READ MORE: Niagara County formally opens new state-of-the-art Law Enforcement Academy

Standing Up Against Hochul's Congestion Price Scheme

Nearly five months before the 2024 election, as Democrats floundered in the polls, Governor Kathy Hochul suspended the congestion pricing tax—instead of canceling it outright—exposing her ulterior motive to protect vulnerable Democratic candidates. Now, with the election behind her, Hochul is doubling down, pushing forward a misguided plan to bail out the bloated and mismanaged MTA by imposing an outrageous congestion pricing tax.

This scheme is a direct cash grab from the hardworking New Yorkers simply trying to commute to work, attend school, or visit loved ones in the city they call home. By charging drivers $9 to enter lower Manhattan, Hochul and the MTA Board are accelerating the exodus of New Yorkers seeking affordability and stability elsewhere. New York has lost more residents than any other state since 2020, with over 800,000 people leaving.

The congestion pricing toll is another example of the Hochul administration prioritizing revenue over residents, making life in New York unaffordable. In Congress, we are fighting to protect New Yorkers from this cash grab. That’s why I co-sponsored Congressman D’Esposito’s H. Res. 609, a resolution calling for Governor Hochul to abandon this reckless and exploitative plan.

It’s time for leadership that prioritizes the people, not political games or bureaucratic bailouts.

What Are You Thankful For This Year?

As Thanksgiving approaches, it is a meaningful time to pause and reflect on what we are thankful for in our lives. This Thanksgiving, I would love to hear about what members of our community are thankful for! Please share what you are thankful for this year with us at the link below.

Share What You Are Thankful For Here

Need Help with a Federal Agency? Call us today.

If you or someone you know ever needs assistance with a federal agency, we are just a phone call away and are ready to help you! Please contact my Victor Office at 585-869-2060, my Oswego Office at 315-236-7088, or my Lockport Office at 716-514-5130. I am honored to have the opportunity to represent you.

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If you have updates regarding events in the community or other news to share from across New York's 24th District, please visit the "Contact Me" page on my website to share it with me. My team will try to include as many of your updates from around #NY24 as we can each week.