Fighting for the Bronx

Highlights from This Week

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As the federal government shutdown continues, its ripple effects are growing across the country. Federal workers are missing paychecks, small businesses are losing access to critical loans, and vital programs, from food assistance to housing aid, are facing disruptions. Washington’s dysfunction is taking a real toll on hardworking Americans, and I’m fighting to end the shutdown, safeguard essential services, and ensure Bronx families aren’t left paying the price for political gamesmanship.

Here at home, the recent boiler explosion at Mitchel Houses was a stark reminder of how decades of underinvestment in public housing have endangered lives. I’m calling on NYCHA to electrify the development and replace aging gas systems with clean, safe, all-electric infrastructure. No family should have to live in fear of the next avoidable tragedy, and I’ll keep pushing for the federal resources needed to make every NYCHA home safe, modern, and dignified.

Shutdown Food Resources

With the ongoing federal government shutdown, critical programs like SNAP have run out of funding, leaving many families struggling to put food on the table. Our office is committed to helping residents access local food resources and support during this difficult time.

Food Help NYC

Find Food - Food Bank For NYC

District Events

I met with Bronx Business Improvement Districts, the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to discuss the needs of small businesses, how to strengthen local partnerships, and the impact of federal policies on our borough’s economy.

I visited Sharing Excess’s Bronx operation at the Hunts Point Produce Market to learn about their work rescuing surplus food and distributing it to communities in need. The visit highlighted their national strategy, the impact of recent SNAP and federal budget cuts on local food demand, and their expanding role in strengthening New York City’s food security network.

I visited the Oyate Group to learn more about their incredible work supporting youth, small businesses, and families across the Bronx.

I was honored to join Greater Universal Baptist Church for their First Children’s Anniversary and Homecoming celebration, recognizing their commitment to faith, family, and community in the Bronx.

I had the pleasure of celebrating Sonia Drakes-Bancroft’s retirement, honoring her more than four decades of dedication to early childhood education and her leadership as Executive Director of the North Bronx National Council of Negro Women Child Development Center.

D.C. Updates

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and I led members of New York and Connecticut’s congressional delegation in urging Amtrak to stay on track and complete the Penn Station Access project by 2027. This $2.9 billion investment will transform transit in the Bronx, cutting commute times by up to 50 minutes and connecting 500,000 residents to new opportunities. Amtrak must work with the MTA to accelerate progress so Bronx riders can finally see the benefits they’ve long been promised.

I cosponsored the Head Start Shutdown Protection Act, which would ensure that state and local governments can continue funding Head Start and Early Head Start programs during a federal shutdown. This legislation would protect vital early-childhood education services from disruption and keep support flowing to families and children who rely on them.

I cosponsored the Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Act. This bill would create a federally-run pilot providing monthly, no-strings-attached payments to participants, while studying the effects on economic security, health, housing, and employment.

I cosponsored the American Energy Independence and Affordability Act, which would restore key energy tax provisions to lower costs for families, strengthen domestic clean-energy production, and reduce our reliance on foreign sources. This bill would help make energy more affordable while supporting good-paying jobs and a more sustainable future.

Constituent of the Week: Reverend Dr. Alpher Sylvester