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Hi friend, We continue to face unprecedented challenges. The consequences of President Trump and Elon Musk’s hostile takeover of the federal government are becoming clearer and clearer, in the Hudson Valley and across the country. But even as we face greater challenges, thousands of Americans are rising up to meet the moment. I am re-energized every time I hear from constituents and honest people who are just trying to get by, and are standing up for their rights and their families. This week I want to highlight the terrifying real world impacts of cuts to federal funding, and what we can do to fight back. I promise to fight every day for the Hudson Valley and for the Americans being hurt by the current administration. How to stay involved Last week, we had our second monthly Zoom strategy call. The slides we discussed are available here. We’ll hold another call in April – stay tuned, we’ll send the date and link to sign up in a future email. And please sign up below and share this email with friends and family who are interested in getting involved! What's going on Hudson Valley In the Hudson Valley, dozens of formerly homeless people – including veterans – are facing the potential loss of their housing due to federal funding cuts by the Trump administration. Here’s what Liz of Poughkeepsie had to say about the Trump cuts: “When I got the letter, my first thought was that my life is over. This is my first home in 12 years – and I will lose it if we can’t get this money. My two-year-old son, who has autism, and I will be on the street. I’m disabled myself, but my biggest fear is what will happen to my son. He just won’t be able to manage moving. My only hope is that enough people hear my story and get this decision changed.” What I’m doing: I’m urgently assessing every possible legislative option and have been in close contact with our local housing organizations to coordinate a response at the federal level. I’ll continue to stay in touch and do whatever I can to help – this fight is only just beginning. What you can do: It shouldn’t matter who you voted for or where you’re from. We should all be able to see this is simply un-American. We need to elevate the local reporting on this story as much as possible (linked here), as well as drawing the through line to the impacts nationwide (including in Massachusetts, Texas, and North Carolina). New YorkThe trickle down impacts of Trump’s budget only continue to grow. Albany city schools Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter is raising the alarm that the potential cuts in school meal funding could mean kids across New York State go hungry. What I’m doing: I already voted against the budget, but it unfortunately passed with only Republican votes. As we get more details on the specifics, I’m working to coordinate as many folks as possible on the real-life impacts the cuts will have on our communities. The goal is to be direct and clear, like we were here. What you can do: A coalition of 50 anti-hunger and education organizers are fighting back against cuts to nutrition programs and pushing this letter to House and Senate leadership. This is an issue where I really think the public information is low right now. Congressman Scott is doing a good job getting the word out, but if you can get the text of the letter circulating locally, especially in Facebook groups, I think we can make some real progress shifting opinion on this. Washington Trump has never understood serving anything besides himself. This is just the latest and most tragic example – the real world impacts of this on our nation’s heroes cannot be understated. What I’m doing: First off, I don’t ever want to hear “thank you for your service” from that draft-dodging coward again. And second, as always, I am trying to draw the connection back to our local impacts, working hand-in-hand with partners on the ground to identify who’s been impacted, get them the help they need, and raise the alarm in all forms of media so folks can see what’s happening to their neighbors. What you can do: I’m a cosponor of the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, crucial legislation that would reinstate any veteran who was removed or dismissed from a civil service position without cause since President Trump took office and require that each executive branch agency report to Congress, on a quarterly basis, the veterans who have been removed from federal positions and the justification for such removal. Call your representative and tell them to sign-on ASAP – if I am your representative, find 5 friends in Republican-held districts, and have them call instead! Going on offense In addition to actions referenced in the above sections, I am pushing back as hard as I can in Congress, on TV, and on social media about the direct immediate harm Elon Musk and DOGE are causing to my constituents. I’m also regularly meeting with a group of my fellow Democratic House and Senate Colleagues to create a comprehensive strategy to 1. Stem the tide of attacks we are facing from Trump and Elon Musk, and 2. Improve the Democratic Party brand so that we can win elections again across the country. We need to reconnect with voters we have alienated over the past years and decades. I promise to keep up the fight for my constituents and our country.
In Solidarity,
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