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Hi friend, Since launching “The Patriot Weekly” in February, my focus has been on bringing you timely content about what is happening locally and in Washington, along with ways to get involved yourself. Thank you to everyone who has continued to engage with this newsletter and for encouraging others in your life to sign up. This is a way for us to stay connected and engaged with each other and the community during uncertain times, and I appreciate your support. How to stay involved As always, please sign up below and share this email with friends and family who are interested in getting involved!I need your help expanding our reach and getting more people signed on to our update emails like the Patriot Weekly. The more of us talking and working together, the stronger we are. Please forward this email to your network who may not be receiving them or who want to be more engaged politically at this moment. What's going on Hudson Valley  What I’m doing: With Republicans in the majority nearly my entire time in Congress, I’ve had to be creative to get things done for Hudson Valley families. One of the biggest obstacles to building more housing is the water infrastructure needed to sustain more units. That’s why I pushed relentlessly for millions of dollars in grants and loans to bolster water infrastructure, specifically in Middletown, which allowed them to build 100 new apartments in the city. We officially announced this project this week, and I’m excited to keep pushing for similar developments across the region! What you can do: I’m attacking the housing shortage from every angle. That includes grants like the ones I discussed above, but we also need substantive legislation at the national level. That’s why I introduced four bills to specifically address the housing crisis and alleviate the burden of increased housing prices on working families: the Working Families Housing Tax Credit Act, the PRO Housing Act, the Deliver Housing Now Act, and the Mortgage Rate Reduction Act. If we want to make real progress, we need a LOT of voices coming out in support of them. If you live outside the Hudson Valley, call your representative and encourage them to sign on as a co-sponsor to one or all of the above bills. New York  Last week, I told you about how cuts to food programs sponsored by the Department of Agriculture will impact families right here in New York. In the Hudson Valley alone, our food bank is preparing for 2 MILLION fewer meals than last year. This is shameful, especially in the middle of an affordability crisis that has families in our community already stretched too thin. Now, this is a black and white issue. Shipments have already been cancelled. So would you believe it if I told you that Secretary of Agriculture Rollins went on Fox News and specifically called cuts to New York Food Banks “fake news,” and criticized me by name? Watch it for yourself here. What I’m doing: I don’t care if MAGA comes after me. But I’ll be damned if they’re gonna lie to OUR COMMUNITY while taking meals from hungry kids and veterans.This week, I formally invited Secretary Rollins to come to New York next Monday for a visit to our regional food bank. It’s easy to lie on Fox News. I want her to look us in the eyes and tell us the truth about why they're forcing through these cruel cuts. What you can do: I truly believe that if we are loud enough, we can get these cuts reversed. But it is an uphill battle to make the truth shine through, especially when people like Secretary Rollins care more about loyalty to Trump than loyalty to the facts. That’s why I’ll be at the Regional Food Bank of the Hudson Valley Monday with impacted farmers, church groups, regional food pantries, and educational leaders whose students rely on the food bank. I’m going to be elevating the voices of our community as much as possible in the days that follow –and I need all of you to join me in making THEM the story. Public pressure is our best weapon. Washington  When I talk with folks in the Hudson Valley, the number one thing I hear is frustration. Frustration that even though they’re working hard and doing everything that’s asked of them, they can’t afford to provide for their family – housing, health care, gas, groceries, utilities. It’s inherently un-American that only a select few are able to live out the American dream. The reason for this is clear – in every one of those industries, we’ve let monopolies drive up costs and drive down quality, all while making record breaking profits. Going on offense   Keep the faith, keep up the fight, and thank you for reading! In Solidarity, Pat |
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