Supporting the Secure America Act

This week, I supported the Secure America Act to provide critical funding for Border Patrol, ICE, Homeland Security Investigations, and the frontline law enforcement officers working every day to keep our communities safe. This legislation invests nearly $70 billion through 2029 to strengthen border security, combat fentanyl trafficking, support child trafficking investigations, and ensure immigration laws are enforced. President Trump has made tremendous progress restoring order at our southern border, and Congress must provide the resources necessary to keep that momentum going. After Democrats spent months delaying funding for these crucial operations, House Republicans acted to ensure Border Patrol and ICE have the tools they need to secure our borders, protect American families, and defend our national security.

Rooting Out Fraud, Protecting Taxpayers, and Strengthening Accountability

Also, I supported a series of House Republican measures to root out fraud, protect taxpayers, and strengthen accountability across the federal government. The House passed legislation to stop fraudsters from stealing federal student aid through fake identities, prevent improper payments before taxpayer dollars go out the door, establish permanent government-wide anti-fraud oversight tools, and condemn those who seek to defraud federal programs. Fraudsters have been exploiting government programs for far too long, taking resources away from the families, students, and seniors these programs are meant to serve. Every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar stolen from hardworking taxpayers. These commonsense reforms will help expose scams, stop waste before it happens, and ensure government serves the American people rather than those trying to game the system.

Securing $3 Million in Northern Border Regional Commission Funding for NY-24 Infrastructure Projects

Three communities across NY-24 will receive a total of $3 million through the Northern Border Regional Commission’s 2026 Catalyst Program to support critical infrastructure and economic development projects. These investments will help the Village of Oakfield modernize aging water, sewer, and roadway infrastructure, assist the Town of Varick in improving water quality along Cayuga Lake through a new sanitary sewer district, and support the Village of Clayton’s efforts to expand workforce housing through vital water and wastewater improvements. The Northern Border Regional Commission continues to be an invaluable partner for communities across Upstate and Western New York, helping address long-standing infrastructure needs, strengthen local economies, and create opportunities for future growth. I will continue fighting to bring federal resources to our region and ensure our communities have the tools they need to thrive.

As your representative in Congress, my top priority is championing legislative initiatives that benefit you and your families. Each week, I review numerous bills and letters, engaging in thorough discussions with members of our community to determine which actions to support and address your needs. Below are a few bills I recently cosponsored.

H.R. 5498, the Small Business Health Options Awareness Act of 2025: This bill would require the Small Business Administration (SBA) to conduct outreach and education on association health plans and other health coverage options for small businesses. Small businesses often face higher health insurance costs and may be unaware of high-quality, affordable plans available to them. This legislation helps increase awareness of health plan choices that can improve access to affordable coverage for small business owners and their employees.

H.R. 6924, the Porch Pirates Act of 2025: This bill would establish enhanced federal penalties for individuals who steal packages delivered by mail or by commercial carriers. Package theft has become an increasingly common crime that imposes financial costs and inconvenience on consumers, businesses, and delivery services. This legislation helps strengthen accountability for individuals who engage in criminal package theft while protecting consumers and their property.

H.R. 4087, the Define to Defeat Act of 2025: This bill would require federal agencies to adopt and apply the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism when enforcing federal civil rights laws. Antisemitic crimes have increased in recent years, highlighting the need for clear standards in enforcing federal law. This legislation helps provide consistency across federal agencies and strengthens efforts to combat antisemitism while protecting Jewish communities.

My Votes Explained

Transparency in Congress and a well-informed electorate are vital to preserving our self-governing Constitutional Republic. My constituents deserve to know how their members of Congress vote, which is why I have explained every vote I have cast in Congress since I was first elected. 

To read more about my votes and see the full list with explanations of all the legislation considered this week by the House, please click here.

Monday, June 8

I voted "Yes" on H.R. 8466, the TRUE Accountability Act. This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue guidance within 180 days of enactment directing covered federal agencies to create internal plans for the active prevention of fraud. Additionally, each agency must designate a senior official responsible for implementation and the use of real-time data tools to catch fraud as it occurs. This legislation moves the government towards actively taking real steps to prevent fraud, instead of just reacting to waste, fraud, and abuse after the fact. This bill passed the House by a vote of 384-0. 

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 8428, the Federal Fraud Prevention Workforce Training Act. This bill requires the Treasury Secretary and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to create a standardized training program to help federal employees identify and prevent fraud and improper payments. The training will cover new methods to spot fraud, including the use of data tools and Treasury Department systems to catch bad payments, as well as methods to report suspected waste or abuse, and maintain proper internal controls. This bill also requires this training to be made available to employees of State, local, and Tribal governments who are responsible for the administration of federally funded programs. This legislation will help ensure that the federal workforce is effectively trained and equipped to detect instances of fraud, helping prevent crimes before they occur. This bill passed the House by a vote of 393-0.

Tuesday, June 9

I voted “Yes” on S. 2, the Secure America Act. This bill provides $69.55 billion for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and other related programs through Fiscal Year (FY) 2029. This funding includes over $31 billion for ICE operations through FY29, covering enforcement personnel, detention and removal operations, transportation, technology modernization, and coordination with state and local law enforcement. Additionally, the bill provides over $9 billion for Border Patrol agents and over $7 billion for HSI, to fund equipment upgrades, training, anti-fentanyl enforcement programs, child trafficking interdiction efforts, and border surveillance capabilities. For 76 days, Congressional Democrats have blocked efforts to fund CBP and ICE through the regular appropriations process, making demands that would weaken enforcement and undermine border security. While providing regular funding for government agencies through reconciliation is never ideal, Democrats’ refusal to continue funding these critical agencies left us no choice. President Trump has made incredible progress restoring order at the border, and Congress must ensure that progress continues. The Secure America Act gives our frontline law enforcement officers the resources they need to keep our borders secure, stop the flow of fentanyl into our communities, and enforce our nation's immigration laws. This bill passed the House by a vote of 214-212. 

I voted “No” on H.R. 5408, the Faster Labor Contracts Act. This bill mandates that after 90 days of negotiations, a union and a private business can be forced to go to mediation, after which a mandatory panel of arbitrators can impose contract terms on both workers and employers, even if the workers do not vote to approve these terms. This would actively incentivize unions to drag out negotiations to force arbitration and disincentivize mutual cooperation between unions and private businesses. Additionally, arbitrators have little way of knowing what a business can reasonably afford or accommodate, and arbitrators have no real stake in preventing businesses from closing their doors due to burdensome mandates. This would impose a one-size-fits-all model on businesses instead of working on a case-by-case basis. This bill did not go through regular order, avoiding the usual process of scrutiny and amendments before coming to the House floor. As such, I opposed this bill when it passed the House by a vote of 230-193.

Wednesday, June 10

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 7892, the No Aid for Ghost Students Act. This bill helps crack down on federal student aid fraud, ensuring that taxpayer dollars go to real students in need, not fraudsters. Ghost student schemes have become increasingly common, where criminals use stolen and counterfeit identities to apply for student aid, and then steal state or federal aid by capturing the refund portion of the aid after charges are covered. Since 2019, over $350 million in ghost student aid fraud has been uncovered. This bill would mandate that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) verify the identity of every applicant through identity fraud detection systems to flag any suspicious activity, and it prohibits any FAFSA aid from being disbursed before the identity is verified. House Republicans are committed to ending the waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars, and this bill is another small commonsense step in the right direction. This bill passed the House by a vote of 249-172. 

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 8464, the Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act. This bill requires federal agencies to take corrective action before disbursing payments if the request is found to have an elevated risk of fraud. For too long, the federal government’s mantra of paying first and asking questions later has led to mass waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars. This commonsense bill will instead ensure that federal agencies scrutinize every payment before disbursing any funds, to ensure all payments are above board. Once a payment is made to a fraudster, it can be incredibly difficult to recover those funds, making early prevention and detection critical. I strongly support this commonsense bill and find it astounding that only 6 of my Democratic colleagues could cross the aisle and support this bill. Democrats have made it clear time and time again that they are the party of waste, fraud, and abuse, while Republicans continue fighting to protect taxpayer dollars. This bill passed the House by a vote of 218-200. 

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 8312, the Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act. This bill creates two new institutions inside the Treasury Department to strengthen the federal government's ability to prevent fraud and improper payments. First, it establishes a new Commissioner within the Bureau of Fiscal Service to run the Do-Not-Pay system and operate a data-sharing program that helps federal, state, and local agencies screen payments against fraud databases. Second, it creates a new Inspector General for Fraud, Accountability, and Recovery (IGFAR). The Department of Treasury must do more to combat the epidemic of waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars. These changes will help ensure that there is full accountability and more focus on safeguarding taxpayer dollars. This legislation passed the House by a vote of 240-181. 

Thursday, June 11

​​I voted “Yes” on H.R. 9238, To amend the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to extend the authorities of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, and for other purposes. This bill would have extended Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) until July 2, 2026. As I have explained previously, FISA Section 702 allows U.S. intelligence agencies to surveil foreign non-U.S. persons who are connected to our adversaries, terrorism, weapons proliferation, and narcotics. Importantly, FISA Section 702 cannot be used to target Americans, nor can it be used against individuals in the United States. As a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), I have engaged in rigorous oversight of the use of FISA Section 702, and I am pleased that many of the historical abuses of this program have been curbed. FISA Section 702 is a critical national security authority that we simply cannot afford to let lapse. A significant portion of the President’s daily brief is collected via FISA Section 702, by some estimates up to 70%, and letting this critical authority lapse would be the greatest gift China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and terrorists around the world could ever receive. As a constitutional lawyer, I remain dedicated to protecting our civil liberties and privacy while defending our national security. Please know that I will continue my rigorous oversight of this program as a member of HPSCI to ensure that the law is followed. This bill sadly failed to pass the House of Representatives by a vote of 198-218.

I voted “Yes” on H.Res.1335, Condemning actors seeking to defraud the United States Government, and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that government-wide fraud and improper payment prevention reforms will meaningfully improve the financial prosperity of the United States, and that Federal program eligibility should be verified before payment. This resolution strongly condemns the waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars. It finds that the federal government has made roughly $3 trillion in improper payments since 2003 and loses between $233 billion and $521 billion to fraud every year. I applaud the Trump administration's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the Justice Department's National Fraud Enforcement Division in suspending $1.4 billion in fraudulent home health payments, uncovering $6.3 billion in suspected contract fraud, and securing guilty pleas from providers who submitted hundreds of millions in false Medicaid claims. It is sad, but not surprising, that so many of my Democrat colleagues opposed this commonsense resolution. The Democrats continue to stand with fraudsters and criminals who steal taxpayer dollars intended for the most vulnerable in our communities, while Republicans stand with the taxpayers in protecting their hard-earned dollars. This commonsense resolution should have passed through the House unanimously, and it is yet another example of how radical the Democrat party has become. This legislation passed the House by a vote of 235-177, with 2 members voting present.

Old Fort Niagara 300th Anniversary Celebration

Our team attended the 300th Anniversary Commemoration of Old Fort Niagara, one of the most significant historic military sites in our nation. For three centuries, Old Fort Niagara has stood as a symbol of the rich history and enduring spirit of Western New York, playing a vital role in the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and other pivotal moments in North American history. Our team presented a Congressional Record statement recognizing this remarkable milestone and honoring the generations of historians, preservationists, volunteers, and community leaders who have worked to preserve and share the fort's story. It was great for our team to join local, state, national, and international leaders in celebrating this historic achievement and recognizing Old Fort Niagara's lasting contribution to our region and our nation.

CLEAN@Silver Lake - State of the Lake Meeting

Recently, our team attended the CLEAN@Silver Lake State of the Lake meeting and provided an update on our efforts to secure federal support for the Silver Lake Dredging Project. We helped secure $1 million in federal funding for this important initiative, which will advance efforts to improve water quality, support recreation and tourism, and preserve Silver Lake for future generations. The meeting brought together local officials, experts, and other community leaders to discuss dredging progress, watershed management, permitting requirements, invasive species control, and long-term stewardship of the lake. I remain committed to working with federal, state, and local partners to move this project forward and ensure Silver Lake continues to be a valuable resource for Wyoming County and the surrounding region.

Gun Owner's Update Forum

This week, our office joined the Gun Owners’ Update Forum in Lockport, hosted by Escarpment Arms and the Niagara County Gun Owners’ Rights Advisory Panel. The event brought together firearm owners, sportsmen, Second Amendment advocates, law enforcement representatives, and community members to discuss recent developments affecting lawful gun owners in New York. Our team provided a brief on federal firearms policy, congressional efforts to protect Second Amendment rights, and ongoing challenges facing gun owners across our state. The discussion also focused on New York’s evolving firearms laws, licensing requirements, training mandates, carry restrictions, background check systems, and ongoing litigation. It is crucial to continue defending the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans and ensuring that responsible gun owners are not punished for exercising their Second Amendment freedoms.

Niagara County Flag Day Ceremony

Our team was honored to attend the Niagara County Flag Day Celebration hosted by Niagara County Clerk Joe Jastrzemski, a meaningful event recognizing the enduring importance of our nation's flag and the values it represents. The ceremony featured outstanding participation from students at DeSales Catholic School, who led portions of the program through the Pledge of Allegiance, a reading of the Declaration of Independence, musical performances, and a flag planting ceremony. Our office presented a Capitol-flown American flag to DeSales Catholic School in recognition of its commitment to civic education, patriotism, and service to the community. Thank you to everyone who helped make this celebration a success and for continuing to teach the next generation the importance of our nation's history, freedoms, and civic responsibility.

Need Help with a Federal Agency? Call us today.

If you or someone you know ever needs assistance with a federal agency, we are just a phone call away and are ready to help you! Please contact my Canandaigua Office at 585-869-2060, my Oswego Office at 315-236-7088, or my Lockport Office at 716-514-5130. I am honored to have the opportunity to represent you.

Have News or Updates to Share? Email Me!

If you have updates regarding events in the community or other news to share from across New York's 24th District, please visit the "Contact Me" page on my website to share it with me. My team will try to include as many of your updates from around #NY24 as we can each week.