December 6, 2025
Dear Friends,
Throughout my time in Congress, I’ve made it my mission to bring home federal resources that strengthen our Capital Region communities and support families struggling to make ends meet. With millions of Americans facing rising costs on everything from health care to home energy bills, these kinds of investments are more essential than ever. That’s why, even as Donald Trump and his Republican allies dismiss the growing affordability crisis as a “scam” and a “con job,” I spent this week working tirelessly to deliver the support our communities need.
Lowering energy costs
This week, my efforts to help families save on their home energy bills took a vital step forward when my Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act advanced out of the House Energy & Commerce Committee by a unanimous vote of 50-0. This commonsense, bipartisan bill would expand and strengthen the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program, which has already helped more than 7 million low-income households make their homes safer, healthier, and more energy efficient. On average, families taking advantage of the WAP program save $372 each year on home energy costs. My legislation will reauthorize this program through 2030 and increase the amount of assistance each eligible household can receive — helping more families retrofit their homes to save money and reduce their energy burdens.
Supporting our first responders
I’ve long made it a top priority to ensure that our Capital Region’s brave emergency responders have the resources, equipment, and training they need to continue serving our communities safely and effectively. That’s why, this week, I was thrilled to announce the awarding of nearly $5.5 million in federal grants for 11 local fire departments and EMS squads. These significant investments from the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program and the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program will help the recipients hire more personnel, improve training, recruitment, and retention, and purchase vital new safety equipment. I was proud to submit letters in support of two of these departments’ requests for federal funding, and I’ll always continue my efforts to support these brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day to keep our families safe.
Uplifting our communities
This summer, I was honored to take part in a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off construction at the Albany South Recreation Center— a new gathering space and resource center for the people of Albany’s historically underserved South End neighborhood. In 2023, I was proud to secure a $400,000 grant to help jumpstart this effort as part of the Community Project Funding (CPF) process. Now, thanks to a $2 million infusion of federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), this exciting project is well underway — and I was thrilled yesterday to tour the construction site and view the progress being made on the new facility. This project is a shining example of how our local municipalities are utilizing federal investments to meet the unique needs of their residents, and I look forward to seeing how it will benefit local families for years to come.
Over the course of this year, Republicans have shown nothing but contempt for the struggles of working people across our nation. Instead of using their power to lower costs and help families meet their needs, Donald Trump and the GOP have done the exact opposite — sending prices skyrocketing with disastrous tariffs and deep cuts to health care assistance programs. But while Republicans ignore the real pain being felt by millions of Americans, my Democratic colleagues and I are more committed than ever to ensuring that our families and our communities have the resources and support they need to thrive. The American people deserve nothing less.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates, announcements, and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- This Monday, December 8th at 2:30 PM, I’m helping to host an Industrial Onsite Energy Webinar to help New York businesses maximize energy efficiency and reduce operating costs.
- During the one-hour event, I’ll be joining with the U.S. Department of Energy’s New York-New Jersey Onsite Energy Technical Assistance Partnership (TAP) and other public and private sector partners to highlight key state and federal programs that help businesses find sustainable energy solutions.
- Many industrial and other large energy users can access these free technical and financial assistance programs, but many are still unaware of the wide range of resources available to them.
- If you manage a manufacturing plant, wastewater facility, or another energy-intensive site, this webinar will help you uncover innovative cost-saving solutions and connect with the right resources for you.
- You can sign up to attend the webinar HERE.
