President Biden Must Release the Transcript |
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This week, Reuters reported excerpts from the July 23 phone call between President Biden and former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani. The extremely troubling report indicated that President Biden pressed the former Afghan president to downplay the Taliban threat and potentially mislead the American people. After bearing witness to the horrifying botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, the American people deserve to know the truth about what transpired on this call. We must know if this Administration deliberately orchestrated a campaign to mislead the public. I led 26 of my colleagues in demanding the release of the full and uncensored transcript.
The revelations about this call further underscore the need for immediate and intensive congressional scrutiny of this operation from start to finish. As additional facts surrounding the President’s mishandling of the Afghanistan withdrawal and intentional duplicity continue coming to light, Biden’s inability to lead is clearer than ever. I reiterate my call for Speaker Pelosi to begin impeachment proceedings against President Biden immediately. There must be accountability for our President. Click here to read the full letter.
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The CDC Must Follow the Science |
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Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, children across the country have missed out on the key social interactions required to support their healthy development and mental well-being. Study after study is now showing that children suffered significantly from being out of the classroom and isolated from their peers. It is imperative that the CDC immediately release their data on the risk of coronavirus in a school setting and provide greater clarity on the educational impacts of masks and other restrictions for K-12 students.
The lack of publicly available evidence supporting this universal K-12 mask mandate demonstrates a clear need for greater transparency. It is important we know the reasoning and metrics that drove this decision.
The American people deserve to see that these important decisions are motivated by science and not political pressure from activists or other organizations. The future of our children cannot fall victim to the knee-jerk reactions of an institution that appears at times to be driven by politics just as much as science and fact. Read our full letter by clicking the link here.
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Defending Freedom of Speech Online |
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When dictatorships and authoritarian regimes face pressure from their people to reform, the first thing governments do in response is shut off access to the internet. We've seen this from Cuba to Iran. The United States cannot continue to stand by and allow the voices of those living under tyranny to be silenced.
I’m honored to join Congresswoman Maria Salazar and Congressman Michael Waltz to introduce H.R. 5123, the American Freedom and Internet Access Act. This bill launches Operation Starfall, which will expand our capacity to deliver reliable and secure connectivity and circumvention tools to those who need them most, including Americans living abroad. Click here to learn more H.R. 5123, the American Freedom and Internet Access Act.
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Supporting our Brave Firefighters
Over 40% of fire stations in the United States are more than 40 years old, and many of them serve small rural communities that struggle to fund necessary repairs and maintenance. This is a critical resource for our communities and our firefighters shouldn’t be forced to work in crumbling firehouses.
That’s why I’m honored to support H.R. 3728, the Fire Station Construction Grants Act in Congress. This bill establishes a new federal funding stream to support our firehouses and ensures that rural communities like ours have firefighters who are properly equipped to respond during a crisis.
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Why Did Big Tech Censor a Gold Star Mother? |
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Shana Chappell is grieving the unthinkable loss of her son, Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui, who lost his life in the recent attack in Afghanistan. As she publicly mourned his loss on Facebook and Instagram, the Big Tech giants chose to censor her by shutting down her account. Although Ms. Chappell’s account was restored after public outcry, the original act of censorship follows a disturbing trend from Instagram and its parent company Facebook, where free speech and political discourse are censored on the platforms.
I sent a letter to Facebook and Instagram asking why they chose to censor this grieving mother. This kind of censorship of online speech cannot be tolerated. As a member of the House Republican Big Tech Task Force, I am continuing my fight to hold Big Tech accountable for its behavior. Read my letter here.
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Congressional Gold Medals for Fallen Heroes |
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Last week, 13 brave men and women made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our Nation and protect American citizens. Each of them deserves to be eternally honored for their heroism. I joined this week with more than 231 of my House colleagues in introducing a resolution to posthumously award our fallen heroes with the Congressional Gold Medal. May we always remember their service, sacrifice, and courage. Read more about the bill here.
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Hosted Congressman John Katko for a Tour of Rome Lab and NY22 Defense Assets |
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Rome Lab is a world class hub of high-tech research and development. The Lab’s work directly benefits our national security, which is why I hosted the Republican leader of the House Homeland Security Committee, Congressman John Katko, this week in Rome.
We saw Rome’s cutting-edge work up close. Every dollar we invest in Rome’s research capabilities improves our defenses and makes our nation more secure. It also continues to drive growth and innovation right here in Central New York. This is why I will continue to advocate for Rome Lab and the entire high-tech ecosystem across New York’s 22nd Congressional District.
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DFAS Continues to Grow in Rome |
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DFAS Rome is the engine that keeps our government and military running, and they do so with total professionalism.
I was honored to meet with Sean McCracken, Director of DFAS Rome, Matt Brown, Deputy Program Manager of DFAS Rome, and Ed Abounader, DFAS/AFGE National Council President and President of DFAS/AFGE Rome, to tour the facility and make the exciting announcement that 100 new jobs have been added since April. DFAS now employees over 1,000 and still has more openings. If you’re interested in applying, please visit USAJOBS.GOV today.
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Second Amendment Town Hall in Vernon
Thank you to all who came out this week for a Second Amendment Town Hall in Vernon. I appreciated the chance to update you on my work in Washington to protect our Second Amendment rights and to take your questions on a range of important issues. Our fundamental right to keep and bear arms is protected by the Constitution and it must be safeguarded.
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Lockheed Martin Tour in Owego
Lockheed Martin in Owego plays a vital role in our region’s economic success and our nation’s security. I was honored to tour their facility this week and receive an update on their operations. As we speak, the team in Owego is working on some of the most advanced research, design, and manufacturing in the world. Thank you to their word class workforce for all the incredible work they do to keep us safe.
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FEMA Awards Grant to Mohawk Valley Health System
I was pleased to announce a $1,005,332 FEMA grant for the Mohawk Valley Health System. The Mohawk Valley Health System serves Oneida, Herkimer, and Madison counties, providing care through its two hospitals, seven dialysis locations, one long-term care facility, and one home care agency. Throughout the pandemic, it conducted extensive COVID-19 testing for their patients with suspected COVID-19 infections, nursing home residents, and employees. These actions required them to perform over 21,072 COVID-19 tests throughout the first six months of the pandemic and form contracts with several laboratories. This grant will reimburse the network for any of these costs not already reimbursed by third party insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid.
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Veterans Picnic in Barneveld
I was honored to attend the Trenton Town Park Veterans Day Picnic in Barneveld this past weekend. Our region is home to so many brave veterans who served our country with distinction. I was grateful for the opportunity to meet with them, thank them for their service, and learn more about their personal stories or service and heroism.
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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 22nd 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 #NY22 as we can each week.
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