October 29th, 2021

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

I hope this edition of Yvette's Gazette finds you well! Before we get into the details of today's newsletter, I wanted to share the exciting news that this edition of my newsletter is the first in Yvette's Gazette's newest chapter! But what does that mean for you? First and foremost, it means the newsletter will be switching from releasing weekly to bi-weekly, meaning you can expect the next edition on November 5th, followed by November 19th, so on and so forth. This change allows us to not only dedicate the necessary resources towards delivering you a comprehensive, informative newsletter, but enables us to ensure it is filled with as much relevant information as needed. In the coming weeks, you'll see more and more changes as we dig deeper into the next chapter of the Yvette Gazette; I hope you're as eager to see them as I am to share them!

In the meantime, thank you for tuning in to hear from me on the work I have done in Congress. 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.

P.S. Happy Halloween! 

Regards,
Yvette D. Clarke
Member of Congress

Disaster Relief Extension

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has extended the deadline for businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters to apply for a physical disaster loan to Dec. 6, 2021. Anyone in the listed NY counties with physical property damage due to the remnants of Hurricane Ida on Sept. 1 – 3, 2021 should apply for an SBA low-interest disaster loan. Apply online using the Electronic Loan Application here. Businesses and individuals may also obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339) for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or sending an email to [email protected]. 

Vax&Relax In Brooklyn

Child Tax Credit Update

On Monday, Nov. 1, the IRS will launch a new feature allowing any family receiving monthly Child Tax Credit payments to update their income using the Child Tax Credit Update Portal (CTC UP), found exclusively on IRS.gov. The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit 2021 page designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and the advance payments, which you can find here.

Relief for Landlords

Governor Hochul recently announced that New York's landlords can now apply for unpaid rent relief through newly available $125 million in state funding. With priority being given to landlords owning small-to-medium-sized properties, this funding could cover up to 12 months of past-due rent. To learn more on this relief opportunity, please click here.

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.

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. 

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!

Welcome!

Hi all, and welcome to the "Constituent Corner"! This new component of the newsletter is an incredible opportunity to share with you all some of the work my staff back home in Brooklyn has done to support our community. Make sure to check in here to learn a bit more on how our team has helped constituents such as yourself navigate complex issues, as well as to hear touching stories from those most grateful for our work. 

Casework

Cases Open: My staff is always hard at work assisting our constituents. Today, we have a total of 866 active cases, which we work every day towards resolving. These cases can involve anything from trouble securing hard-earned social security checks to difficulties with your passport. If you have an issue you are struggling with that you believe we can assist with, please do not hesitate to reach out to my Brooklyn office.

Cases Closed: Within the past 15 days, my staff closed 458 cases from constituents, meaning 458 issues our neighbors in the 9th District brought to my team's attention were resolved. 

Co-Sponsored Legislation: The past two weeks, I lent my support and commitment to the following bills:

H.R. 5593
The Cybersecurity Opportunity Act would provide historic levels of funding for cybersecurity education programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions. This comprehensive legislation would direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to award at least 50 percent of existing cybersecurity grants to HBCUs. Let me be clear, a strong economy is a diverse economy, and we must ensure that women, minorities, and other underserved populations are included in our economic recovery. Our country needs to invest in HBCUs to confront the recent influx in cyberattacks that have paralyzed government agencies and critical infrastructure. A diverse cybersecurity workforce will make our country stronger and safer.

H.R. 5685
This bill, the Protecting Students’ Civil Rights Act, would address racial inequities within America’s higher education system by requiring institutions to designate at least one employee to coordinate compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Title VI requires schools to address discrimination in all forms, on the basis of race, color, or national origins. A college or university campus should be a safe learning environment for every student, and Congress must take proactive steps to ensure that students from underserved communities can be endowed with the tools and skills needed to thrive in their future endeavors.

H.R. 5700
The post 9/11 clean-up and search-and-rescue efforts at Ground Zero were communal efforts that thousands of people supported. Included in that group were roughly 2,000 immigrant workers and volunteers. The 9/11 Immigrant Worker Freedom Act would establish a path to citizenship for these workers. Though these immigrants suffer from the health impacts of asbestos exposure and other trauma and injuries, they are excluded from the health benefits enjoyed by first responders with American Citizenship. Many brave immigrants put their lives on the line for this country and should be awarded their deserved path to become an American citizen. I am proud to support this legislation to rectify this decades-old injustice.

H.R. 5723
Social Security is one of our country’s most sacred institutions and must be treated and protected as such. Social Security 2100 would address longstanding systemic inequalities in the program while protecting and expanding key benefits. Millions of Americans rely on social security as their primary sources of income when they retire. It has continually proven to be one of the most effective anti-poverty measures in our nation’s arsenal.

H.R. 5727
This bi-partisan legislation, the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, would restore public sector employees’ right to join a union or collectively bargain. Currently, roughly 25 states deny public sector workers. such as health care workers, school employees, and sanitation workers, the right to fight for better wages and safer working conditions. This comprehensive legislation would enshrine these rights in federal law by establishing a minimum standard of collective bargaining rights. In the face of an onslaught of anti-union and anti-worker laws, I am proud to support our dedicated workers in the public sector.

I applaud the Biden Administration’s decision to nominate Jessica Rosenworcel for Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission and Gigi Sohn as an FCC Commissioner. Both Ms. Rosenworcel and Ms. Sohn have strong track records of supporting progressive action, ensuring fair competition practices, and committing to rolling back Trump-era rules that harm consumers. The current 2-2 deadlock on the FCC has continuously blocked comprehensive reform, allowing an ineffective and inequitable status quo to persist. I am sure that this pair of strong nominees will fight to protect consumers, improve affordability of and expand access to high-speed internet, and address longstanding racial inequities in cyberspace.

CLARKE ISSUES STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF GENERAL COLIN L. POWELL

On behalf of the people of the 9th District of New York, the Clarke Family, and myself, I extend my deepest condolences to the Powell Family and his loved ones and friends. General Colin L. Powell was a trailblazer in the U.S. military establishment. He rose through the ranks to become a four-star General and the Joint Chief of Staff in the Bush Administration, and he would go on to be appointed the first Black U.S. Secretary of State. He was a hero to many. Like me, he was born and raised in New York to Jamaican immigrant parents and was a proud Jamaican American. Though my tenure in Congress began after General Powell's retirement. I was honored to have been sent alongside him by President Obama to represent the United States to Jamaica for the celebration of their 50th Independence Anniversary. While we both represent two different political parties and I've questioned his role with regard to the Iraq War, as also he ultimately did, he was a principled statesman who loved his country. We are all beneficiaries of his decades of service and his life and legacy are a testament to the greatness of this man.

CLARKE ISSUES STATEMENT ON DIVERSITY SHORTCOMINGS IN CONGRESS

Congress IS diversity. By nature and design, each office in Congress must reflect a constituency with distinctive views and interests in national priorities. Our challenge, still, is to make clear to all offices that diversity and inclusion in the workforce are fundamental principles. I stand in solidarity with these brave staffers.

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