January 9, 2026 

Dear JOHN, 

This week, our country was shaken by the death of Renee Nicole Good, an unacceptable and needless tragedy. This death lies squarely at the feet of the Trump administration. It is the result of reckless rhetoric, dangerous policy choices, and the aggressive deployment of inadequately trained officers. America is less safe when volatile ICE officers operate with impunity in our communities.  

Those involved in this horrific shooting, both officers and leadership, must be fully investigated and held accountable. As Vice Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will use every tool available to demand answers from Secretary Noem and press for a full accounting of the policies, training, and decisions that led to this death.  

The federal government’s job is to protect the American people. This administration has betrayed that mission, and this tragedy is the result. 

Below, you’ll find more updates on what I have been working on in Washington this week. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a decision this week to freeze certain federal childcare and family assistance funds in five states, including New York. The Trump administration is using our children as pawns in a political stunt, and the damage will ripple through entire families. 

When parents lose childcare, they can’t work. When they can’t work, they lose income, critical benefits, and housing stability. This reckless disruption pushes vulnerable families toward unsafe or unstable care and threatens lasting harm to a child’s development. 

These actions are unlawful and cynically targeted at blue states simply because this administration thinks it can get away with it. I am proud to be leading my colleagues from New York and the other affected states in fighting back, and I will not stop until families get the support they deserve, and our children are treated with the dignity and respect they are owed.

Read More: Congressman Morelle, Speaker Emerita Pelosi, Congresswoman Pettersen Demand an End to Childcare Funding Freeze

This week, I voted to pass legislation in the House of Representatives to make healthcare more accessible for millions of Americans. This marks the first step towards restoring critical healthcare tax credits for millions of Americans. 

House Democrats have been a united front calling on Speaker Johnson, Leader Thune, and President Trump to do the right thing and extend these critical tax credits. After letting the credits expire and inflicting pain on millions of Americans, I’m proud to say House Democrats have done the right thing and passed this critical extension out of the House of Representatives.

Now it’s time for Senate Republicans to join us and provide this critical benefit to the American people.

This week marked five years since the violent attack on our democracy that happened on January 6, 2021. President Trump lit the flame that day, but over the last five years, Congressional Republicans fanned the flames as they continue to choose cowardice and protect the guilty. 

Speaker Johnson refuses to hang the plaque honoring the Capitol Police who protected Congress and our democracy on January 6th. He isn’t doing it out principle, he’s afraid of President Trump. As top Democrat on the Committee on House Administration, I’ll keep working to support the Capitol police who defended our democracy that day and express our gratitude for their heroic dedication to our country. 

We cannot forget what happened on January 6th, and we cannot allow it to happen again.