Velázquez E-Update
In this issue:
Government Shutdown
SNAP Benefits
Fighting for Healthcare Access
$20 Billion Bailout for Argentina
Letter to the SBA Administrator
Military Buildup in Puerto Rico
Gateway to Greenpoint
Legislative Activity
Supporting the Community
Government Shutdown
As the shutdown continues, Rep. Velázquez and Democrats continue working to protect health care and lower costs for millions of Americans. To highlight the impacts of the shutdown on New Yorkers, Rep. Velázquez convened a press conference on the steps of City Hall with Leader Hakeem Jeffries, members of the New York congressional delegation, and community leaders. At the press conference, Rep. Velázquez advocated for programs threatened by the shutdown like WIC, SNAP, and HeadStart and for the 5,731 residents of NY-07 who are federal employees that are furloughed or working without pay. Rep. Velázquez underlined that she “cannot and will not accept a budget that strips healthcare from working families.”
Rep. Velázquez’ office remains open to serve constituents during the shutdown. To access services or contact the office, visit the website here.
SNAP Benefits
On October 10th, the Trump Administration’s U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued guidance telling states to withhold SNAP benefits due for the month of November. This would mean that three million New Yorkers would go without their nutrition benefits. Rep. Velázquez’ joined every member of the Democratic New York congressional delegation in signing a letter to the Trump Administration calling on them to use SNAP contingency funds to payout benefits. The letter calls on the USDA to follow its own past rulings that contingency funds can be used to pay SNAP benefits. It is imperative that these benefits continue to avoid a hunger crisis in New York and across the country.
Fighting for Healthcare Access
Rep. Velázquez hosted a Health Care Roundtable at the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center. The event provided the opportunity to discuss the consequences of the upcoming expiration of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, changes to New York’s Essential Plan, and cuts to Medicaid. Constituents shared powerful stories about lifesaving treatments they received thanks to expanded healthcare coverage, reminding everyone of the importance of these programs. The doctors, health policy experts, and patients in attendance discussed the need to extend the ACA tax credits and began charting a path to preserving access to healthcare for our communities.
Rep. Velázquez also spoke at a press conference hosted by Unidos US and Protect our Care where she and her colleagues discussed the 15 million Americans who could lose care, and 22 million Americans who will face ballooning costs resulting from the “Big Beautiful Bill” and expiring ACA tax credits. In her remarks, Rep. Velázquez pledged to continue standing up for these programs, stating that “health care is not a privilege for the wealthy, it is a right for every single American.”
$20 Billion Bailout for Argentina
Amidst the shutdown, the Trump Administration announced a plan to extend $20 billion in support – funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars – to Argentina’s government. Meanwhile, healthcare, nutrition, and other essential programs are threatened at home due to insufficient funds. Rep. Velázquez authored a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to better understand the structure the payment, the potential consequences of this policy decision, and whether this decision was made to support U.S. economic interests. Rep. Velázquez discussed the payment in an opinion piece that featured on MSNBC, arguing that American’s pocket books are reeling and should be the first priority during this challenging time.
Letter to the SBA Administrator
Reports have indicated that the Small Business Administration (SBA) has used taxpayer dollars to promote partisan activities that may violate the Hatch Act during the shutdown. In her role as Ranking Member of the Small Business Committee, Rep. Velázquez authored a letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler to investigate further. In the letter, Rep. Velázquez called on the SBA to stop directing staff to attribute partisan blame for the shutdown and to remove a banner from the SBA’s public website that contains language of a political nature. Rep. Velázquez also posed a series of questions to the Administrator asking how and why these communications with political content that used taxpayer were released. Ultimately, taxpayer dollars appropriated by Congress to the SBA are intended to support small businesses and should not be used for partisan political messaging.
Military Buildup in Puerto Rico
In recent weeks, the Trump Administration has deployed significant military assets to the Caribbean. This buildup calls into question what role Puerto Rico may play in an ongoing conflict. Rep. Velázquez wrote an opinion piece in Newsweek pointing to history as a stark warning against the militarization of the island. For decades, the Navy operated on Vieques island, evicting thousands and leaving those who remain with serious health consequences. The U.S. government has failed to provide any compensation to those individuals. Puerto Rico should not be caught up in other’s war plans, Rep. Velázquez argued, and should instead prioritize its people and sovereignty.
Gateway to Greenpoint
Rep. Velázquez joined the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and local leaders to break ground on the Gateway to Greenpoint. This $1.9 million dollar project blends stormwater management with new public space in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Rep. Velázquez helped secure a $500,000 federal grant through the EPA’s State and Tribal Assistance Community Project Funding to make the project possible. This new space will reduce street flooding, protect Newtown Creek from pollutants, and create a new community space.
Legislative Activity
Bills Introduced by Rep. Velázquez:
• H.R. 5867 – Plant Powered School Meals Pilot Act
This bill would create a pilot program to provide plant-based food and milk options in school lunches. By providing these options, the program would help schools offer healthier, climate-friendly, and culturally appropriate plant-based meals to students. Making plant powered school meals available is an important step to ensuring that children get meals that nourish their bodies and protect the planet.
Bills co-sponsored by Rep. Velázquez:
• H.R. 5673 – Stop the Trump Electricity Price Hikes Act – This bill would restore financial assistance awards for energy projects that were cancelled by the Department of Energy in May 2025.
• H.R. 5740 – WIC Benefits Protection Act – This bill would require mandatory funding for the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (known and "WIC") so that the program remains funded during government shutdowns.
• H.R. 5762 – New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act of 2025 – This bill would require the Secretary of the Interior to create a New York-New Jersey watershed restoration program that would carry out environmental protection activities and to create a grant program to support local government and groups in carrying out restoration activities.
• H.R. 5774 – Every Child Deserves a Head Start Act of 2025 – This bill would protect the Head Start program from proposals to eliminate it and restore the program and its offices to full functionality.
• H.R. 5778 – Improving SBA Engagement on Employee Ownership Act – This bill would support businesses with employee ownership models, like employee stock ownership plans and cooperatives, by providing a framework for the Small Business Administration to increase its outreach and assistance to these businesses.
For a full list of legislation co-sponsored by Rep. Velázquez, click here.
Every week Rep. Velázquez’ casework team aids dozens of community members in interactions with federal agencies like USCIS and the VA. These are some of the cases the team worked on this month:
· The casework team helped secure the release of a pregnant woman who had been held in ICE custody for almost three months. The woman’s habeas petition for release was denied even though her health was rapidly deteriorating due to a lack of adequate medical care. The casework team coordinated directly with ICE and the constituent’s attorney to secure her release.
· The casework team helped a constituent recover $724 of rent money that was lost after a USPS money order was fraudulently cashed. After multiple attempts to reach USPS, the constituent was unable to receive a refund. The casework team escalated the case with USPS and the Office of the Inspector General until the constituent was issued a full refund.
· The casework team helped to advance an immigration visa petition for the parent of a constituent at the U.S. Embassy in Georgia that had been delayed for two years. Despite approval of the petition, the constituent’s parent was not contacted to schedule an interview, leaving the family separated. The casework team contacted the Consular Affairs team at the U.S. Embassy, confirming that the visa application was active and that the constituent’s parent would soon be contacted for an interview.
If you would like help with a federal agency, fill out this form and the casework team will be in touch with you.
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