Velázquez E-Update 

In this issue:
Standing Against Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill”

Fighting for the Release of Education Grants
Championing Puerto Rico’s Recovery
Conducting Oversight of 26 Federal Plaza Detention Center
Denouncing Republican Cuts to Public Media and Foreign Aid
Supporting Small Business
Legislative Activity

Supporting the Community

Standing Against Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill”

At the beginning of July, House Republicans passed their so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.” President Trump then signed the legislation, which Rep. Velázquez decried as “a bill that sells out working families across the country… mak[ing] Americans sicker, hungrier, and poorer.” The bill attacks vital services that many New Yorkers rely on.

Rep. Velázquez fought vigorously and voted against the bill which guts Medicaid and will cause an estimated 1.3 million New Yorkers to lose their healthcare. The bill will force hospitals to close, costing as many as 65,000 healthcare jobs in New York. It also attacks the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which provides vital access to nutrition for millions of children, seniors, and working families. 3 million New Yorkers rely on this program. Across the country, the bill could result in as many as 50,000 preventable deaths every year.

The “Big Beautiful Bill” is an affront to the American people. It provides tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy at the expense and betrayal of working families. Rep. Velázquez will continue to fight for these families at every opportunity.

Last month, she gathered local health care workers, hospital leadership, and Medicaid recipients at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Bushwick to speak out against the deep Medicaid cuts in the bill. The event focused on the devastating impact the nearly trillion dollars in cuts would have on working families in Brooklyn and Queens and safety net hospitals like Wyckoff that serve working-class and immigrant patients. The battle to deliver healthcare and dignity to these communities does not stop here.

Fighting for the Release of Education Grants

Rep. Velázquez led a letter with Senators Gillibrand and Schumer and members of the New York congressional delegation calling on the Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget to release $400 million in 21st Century Community Learning Centers funds that were withheld by the Trump administration. These education grants make up 10% of New York’s K-12 funding and are critical to a variety of programs from teacher training to services for English learners. Following pressure created by Rep. Velázquez and her colleagues, the Trump administration announced that the funds would be released, allowing for the continuation of these important educational programs.

Championing Puerto Rico’s Recovery

As part of her role on the House Committee on Natural Resources, Rep. Velázquez participated in a hearing on “Puerto Rico’s Fiscal Recovery Under PROMESA and the Road Ahead.” During the hearing, she pressed witnesses to expose the vulturous actions of GoldenTree equity firm in exploiting the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) for profit while power outages remain a major concern on the island. Rep. Velázquez stated that this hearing made it clear: “this is GoldenTree vs. the People of Puerto Rico, and I know which side we’re on.”

Conducting Oversight of 26 Federal Plaza Detention Center

Rep. Velázquez was again denied her right to perform oversight at the 26 Federal Plaza building. She has visited this building multiple times, believing that it was being used as an ICE detention facility. The congresswoman and her colleagues have been denied entry time and again. Less than a week later, leaked footage confirmed what has been known all along: 26 Federal Plaza is a secret detention site where immigrants are being held in overcrowded, inhumane conditions. Rep. Velázquez remains undeterred and she will continue her oversight duties as a member of Congress and has called on the Department of Homeland Security to investigate the facility.

Denouncing Cuts to Public Media and Foreign Aid

Before adjourning for the August district work period, Republicans passed President Trump’s recissions package. Rep. Velázquez strongly opposed the partisan measure. The package was yet another attack on working families and less fortunate people. This time on global health, public broadcasting, and aid for kids fleeing war. Each of these actions threatens communities and weakens the United States’ standing in the world.

Supporting Small Business

As Ranking Member of the House Committee on Small Business, Rep. Velázquez worked to move forward her “Rule of Two” legislation, the Protecting Small Business Competitions Act. This bill would support small businesses in earning contracts from the government by supporting them in the bidding process. In July, Rep. Velázquez announced the endorsement of her legislation by a broad coalition of hundreds of small businesses and stakeholder groups.

Rep. Velázquez was also proud to work in a bipartisan manner to pass a number of bills through the Small Business Committee. In July, the committee passed several pieces of legislation to combat fraud in federal programs, strengthen SBA oversight and IT modernization, and expand access to capital in rural and underserved communities.

Legislative Activity

Bills Introduced by Rep. Velázquez:

·H.R.4539: Texture Positive Act of 2025  

This bill would create a federal grant program for cosmetology schools to incentivize education and technical training in performing cosmetology services on textured hair. It aims to build partnerships between small and minority women-owned businesses and cosmetology schools to train professionals that can access and equitably serve the $2.5 billion textured hair industry.  

Bills co-sponsored by Rep. Velázquez: 

• H.R. 4318 – Head Start for Our Future Act - This bill would strengthen the early childhood education workforce by making these jobs eligible to college and university students participating in the Federal Work-Study program.

• H.R. 4406 – State-Based Universal Health Care Act of 2025 - This bill would create a waiver allowing individual states to develop plans that provide universal healthcare to their residents while continuing to access federal healthcare funds.

• H.R. 4443 – Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act - This bill would direct the creation of an occupational safety and health standard to protect workers from heat-related injuries and illnesses.

• H.R. 4444 – Student Loan Bankruptcy Improvement Act of 2025 - This bill would ease the student loan burdens facing millions of borrowers by reducing the standard for relief from this debt.

• H.R. 4797 – EATS Act of 2025 - This bill would expand Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility to all college students who meet the standard SNAP requirements.

Supporting the Community

Every week Rep. Velázquez’ casework team aids dozens of community members in interactions with federal agencies like USCIS and the VA.

·For example, this week the casework team submitted a Congressional Inquiry to help a constituent receive Advanced Parole from USCIS so that he could visit his mother in Lebanon to care for her as she undergoes cancer treatment. With the support of case workers, this constituent received his documents in time for travel.

If you would like help with a federal agency, fill out this form and the casework team will be in touch with you.