Velázquez E-Update
In this issue:
Rep. Velázquez’ Retirement from Congress
Passage of Government Funding Bill
Recognizing the Genocide of the Palestinian People in Gaza
Department of Defense Activity in Puerto Rico
Military Aggression Against Venezuela
Supporting Employee-Owned Businesses and Co-ops
Legislative Activity
Rep. Velázquez’s Retirement from Congress
After more than three decades of serving the people of New York City in Congress, Rep. Velázquez has announced that she will retire at the end of her term. In November, Rep. Velázquez reflected on her trailblazing career: she was the first Latina to chair a full committee in Congress, worked on the Small Business Committee to expand access to capital and open doors in the federal marketplace for women, minorities, and veterans, created the Women-Owned Small Business contracting program, worked with President Obama to confirm Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and much more. Rep. Velázquez’s full statement on the decision not to seek another term can be viewed here.
Passage of Government Funding Bill
On November 12, the House voted to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government without renewing expiring ACA tax credits. Rep. Velázquez opposed the continuing resolution because it failed to address the impending healthcare crisis caused by the expiration of the tax credits that help as many as 19 million Americans access healthcare. The failure to extend these credits “created a ticking time bomb that will send health care costs soaring on New Year’s Day,” Rep. Velázquez said in a statement, meaning that as many as 140,000 New Yorkers could see their healthcare costs soar or even become unaffordable. Democrats will continue fighting to extend these critical tax credits and protect access to affordable healthcare for every American.
Recognizing the Genocide of the Palestinian People in Gaza
Rep. Velázquez joined 20 other members of Congress in cosponsoring Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s resolution recognizing the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza. The resolution calls out the atrocities that have taken place in Gaza and would affirm that it is the policy of the United States to prevent and punish genocide and respect the United States obligations as a party to the Genocide Convention. It is critical that Congress take action to prevent tragedies like the one that has taken place and secure self-determination for the Palestinian people.
Department of Defense Activity in Puerto Rico
In recent weeks, it has been reported that U.S. military personnel have been authorized to destroy ammunition in Vieques – a Puerto Rican island – since January 13, 2025. This is highly concerning for the people of Puerto Rico as it represents a potential relapse of a prior military occupation that harmed and displaced thousands of Vieques residents beginning in 1941. On top of this concerning development, the U.S. Navy has been using Puerto Rican National Guard facilities as part of its military build-up in the Caribbean. In response to these developments, Rep. Velázquez wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, demanding transparency about the heightened military presence in the Caribbean, future plans for disposal of munitions and cleanup in Vieques, and planned use of facilities that belong to the Government of Puerto Rico.
Military Aggression Against Venezuela
The Pentagon is now believed to have conducted 21 strikes that have killed at least 82 people off the coast of Venezuela. In addition to these strikes, the Trump administration has undertaken a large-scale military buildup that includes as many as 15,000 troops and the world’s largest warship, the USS Gerald R. Ford. The administration announced “Operation Southern Spear,” a policy that will continue military escalation in the region. In response, Rep. Velázquez released a statement calling on her colleagues in Congress to reassert their constitutional authority and put a halt to the military escalation. It is critical that de-escalation is prioritized to avoid a reckless crisis that could take countless lives.
Supporting Employee-Owned Businesses and Co-ops
As ranking member of the Small Business Committee, Rep. Velázquez worked in a bipartisan manner to pass multiple pieces of legislation focused on helping small businesses access capital and navigate the implementation of artificial intelligence out of committee this month. Among the legislation passed by the Committee was the Improving SBA Engagement on Employee Ownership Act, which takes an important first step in improving the support offered by the Small Business Administration to employee-owned businesses. Supporting businesses with employee ownership models, like co-ops and employee stock ownership plans, has been a long-standing priority for Rep. Velázquez and will continue to be a focus of her work on the Committee.
Legislative Activity
Bills co-sponsored by Rep. Velázquez:
• H.R. 5973 – Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act of 2025 – This bill would place clear rules on immigration officials that limit use of force, require use of body worn cameras, require additional training, and require reports to Congress on the implementation of these measures.
• H.R. 6088 – Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025 – This bill would repeal the cuts to SNAP made by the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill”, restoring $187 billion in nutrition assistance to American families.
• H.R. 6145 – EXPERTS Act of 2025 – This bill would improve public trust in federal agencies by restoring the Chevron Deference – requiring courts to defer to the opinion of agency experts, increasing disclosure in rulemaking, accelerating rulemaking, and establishing an office of the public advocate to lift up public interest in the rulemaking process.
• H.R. 6151 – Global Respect Act – This bill would impose sanctions on foreign persons responsible for violations of human rights of LGBTQI individuals.
• H.R. 6215 – Small Business RELIEF Act – This bill would exempt small businesses from tariffs imposed by the Trump administration and require that those businesses be refunded for tariffs they have already paid.
For a full list of legislation co-sponsored by Rep. Velázquez, click here.
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