August 13, 2021

To the Good People of New York’s 9th Congressional District,

I hope this edition of the Yvette Gazette finds you well. Always remember, I cannot do it alone. Through the support of passionate individuals such as yourself, we bring tangible, meaningful change to our district. 

To reach out to my office, send us an email at clarke.house.gov/contact/email/. If you’d like to call, you can reach my D.C. office at 202-225-6231 or my Brooklyn office at 718-287-1142. Remember to encourage your neighbors to sign up for this newsletter at clarke.house.gov/contact/newsletter/. 

If you’d like daily updates on my work in Congress, visit my website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages. I wish you well, and I look forward to my next opportunity to get in touch with you.

Regards,
Yvette D. Clarke
Member of Congress

Excelsior Pass Plus App

New York's recently launched Excelsior Pass Plus app contains a secure, digital record of your COVID-19 vaccination history. With information such as vaccine type, site, and date of vaccination, the app provides New Yorkers with the an easy to use means of accessing their records whenever needed. Learn more about the Excelsior Pass Plus and Excelsior Pass here.

TPS Extensions

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas recently announced the extensions of the registration periods from 180 days to 18 months for initial (new) applicants under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for Haiti, Venezuela, Syria, and Burma.

• The 18-month designation of Haiti for TPS is effective on August 3, 2021 and will remain in effect for 18 months, through February 3, 2023. The registration period for eligible individuals to submit TPS applications begins August 3, 2021, and will remain in effect through February 3.
• The 18-month registration period for initial applications under the TPS designation for Venezuela now runs through Sept. 9, 2022.
• The 18-month registration period for initial applications under the re-designation of Syria for TPS now runs through Sept. 30, 2022.
• The 18-month registration period for initial applications under the TPS designation for Burma (Myanmar) now runs through Nov. 25, 2022.

New York's Emergency Rental Assistance Program
New York State's Emergency Rental Assistance Program is now open to applicants. For low and moderate-income households facing instability with their housing, this program will provide invaluable aid in the form of rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance. For more information, and to apply, click here. 

Emergency Broadband Benefit Issues
It has come to my attention that many of you are having difficulty applying the EBB credit to your current plans. While I am working to address it, I want you to be informed that as of right now this credit is temporary and will be utilized for as long as there remains funding. It is important that you understand that by changing your plan for the purposes of receiving this credit, you are at risk of being stuck with the new plan and you may not be able to receive the older plan you were on previously. It is important that you fully discuss your options with your Internet service provider before you make any changes. Additionally, as it currently stands, the legislation allows providers to apply the credit to any plan they had at the time of its passage. It is important to me that you know I am working diligently with my colleagues in congress to make this credit permanent and applicable to all plans going forward. My office is currently exploring all options to make this credit more inclusive and applicable to all plans. Please make sure to follow the newest editions of my newsletter and my social media pages for the latest on this issue.

Getting Vaccinated

To overcome the COVID-19 virus once and for all, it will take as many of us as possible to do our part and get vaccinated. If you haven’t received your COVID-19 vaccine but are interested in doing so, and New Yorkers ages 12 years and older can receive their vaccine at select sites across our city found here. If you’d like to make an appointment to get vaccinated, please click here to find a location that best suits you. For New Yorkers who are ages 75 and older, an in-home vaccination appointment can be made here, or by calling 1-877-VAX-4-NYC. We are so close to the finish line; let’s cross it together!

Co-Sponsored Legislation: This week, I lent my support to the following bills:

• H.R. 4965
  The 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act would address a funding shortfall in the World Trade Center Health Program to provide medical treatment and monitoring to roughly 100,000 responders and survivors from the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville, PA crash site. Additionally, the Act authorizes a research cohort to study the impact of toxic exposures and psychological trauma on the more than 35,000 people who were children at the time of the attack. I am proud to support this legislation on the federal level to make it clear to New York that the phrase ”Never Forget” is a reality and not an empty promise.

By making an $85 billion investment in zero-emission charging infrastructure that will last decades, we can employ tens of thousands of Americans, all while supporting the massive adoption of clean transportation options. Funding electric vehicle infrastructure, including charging for electric vehicles and equipment of all types and sizes, will be useful to individuals, businesses, and governments, alike, across the nation. In addition to supporting the deployment of charging stations, this scale of investment will help add utility electrical capacity to enable robust charging, increasing the supply of renewable energy, and build grid resilience in the face of climate change. Such an investment also reflects the Biden-Harris Administration's Build Back Better proposal, including their goal for the deployment of 500,000 new electric vehicle charging stations. As we make this transition to a zero-emission vehicle future, equity must be front and center in how we build out a nationwide charging network. Our current transportation sector is inequitable and unjust, and we cannot allow ourselves to repeat the mistakes of our past. Unless we are intentional in our actions, the communities that have the most to gain from an electrified transportation sector will also be among the last and least to partake in its benefits...By working together, the House and Senate can deliver an outcomes-focused infrastructure plan that contains meaningful investments in electric vehicle charging infrastructure to support a stronger, pollution free, and equitable tomorrow.

Clarke Commends Passage of State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act, Calls For Further Action To Support Human Infrastructure 

I applaud the Senate’s passage of my legislation, the State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act, as part of the bipartisan infrastructure package. This investment in enhancing the cybersecurity of our state and local governments is essential to defending our country from ransomware and other cyber attacks,” said Clarke. “Despite today’s remarkable step, let me be clear. My focus remains on the reconciliation process, where my colleagues and I are committed to fully addressing the human infrastructure needs of modern American communities. I look forward to working to ensure both the cybersecurity funding designated by this infrastructure package is enacted and the necessary support Americans are depending on is secured in the reconciliation process.

• Bloomberg: New York Congresswoman Yvette Clarke discusses the resignation of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
• Baltimore Fishbowl: With help from Baltimore leaders, US Rep. Yvette Clarke is introducing the Anti-Digital Redlining Act of 2021
  

Human behavior has altered the climate of this planet for centuries. Now we have the knowledge and technology to mitigate the damage, but we’re running out of time. Congress must take immediate, meaningful climate action to counter the effects of climate change, which are felt in our communities more and more every day. To read the IPCC's full report, click here.

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