Friends,

The summer is winding down and I've spent the past few weeks of the August recess traveling across the district and meeting with Upstate New Yorkers to hear about the issues that matter most to them, which you can scroll down to read more about.

My wife, Lacey and I, had an opportunity to travel to Israel together, and I hope you’ll take a few moments to read about why I took the trip, as well as some thoughts I have on recent comments and actions by President Trump.

As some of you may know, Lacey, is African American and Jewish, and we are raising our young boys in the Jewish faith grounding them in an understanding of respect for all religions and with a deep appreciation for Jewish history and traditions. Our trip allowed us to better understand the history of the region, grow our own personal connection to the Jewish faith and hear directly from Israelis and Palestinians who experience the complex dynamics on the ground every day.

Just a couple of days after we returned from Israel, two of my fellow members of Congress, at the urging of President Trump, were barred from entry into Israel over their political views. It was a powerplay that is both antithetical to our democratic principles and deeply offensive to our long-standing alliance with Israel. Playing partisan politics with a relationship that has historically enjoyed strong bipartisan support is not in the interest of Israel or the United States.

Furthermore, questioning, as the President recently did, Jewish people's "loyalty", because of who they vote for should shame and alarm all of us, no matter our religion or politics. This divisive, antisemitic language has no place in the Oval Office, or anywhere else.

My religious heritage is Christian. My wife and children are Jewish. My family represents America’s diversity of cultures and faiths. So I’ll never let politicians attack you or your family because of your religious or political beliefs. I’ll always stand in solidarity with you.

With the August recess nearing an end, I also want to share with you a few things that I’ve been up to around the district -- so I hope you’ll read the rest of this dispatch below. Our work is only beginning, and I’ll always fight for New York’s 19th District in Congress.

-- Antonio

Over the past few weeks, I've continued to travel the district to listen to people just like you and I'll be taking what I learned back to Congress to continue working across the aisle to address the issues folks here at home care about.

At my 19th Town Hall, I heard from constituents about their thoughts on the recent minimum wage legislation passed in the House. I worked with other New York lawmakers to raise the cap on federal funding to protect and preserve the Erie Canal. And I visited Sidney Central School in the Southern tier to learn about their 'Farm to School' initiative. Learn more about what I've been up to during the August recess below:

So far, we've held 22 town halls (and counting!) around the district where I have been given the chance to hear from constituents from both sides of the aisle. I've listened to their concerns, thoughts on what has happened in Congress so far, and learned from their experiences in the district. I'm looking forward to continuing to listen to your thoughts and concerns. Thank you for staying engaged.