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Highlighting Russian War Crimes and Pushing for Deterrence and Accountability

This week, the House Foreign Affairs Committee convened a hearing to highlight potential war crimes being committed by Russia in its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The hearing featured testimony from several distinguished experts. I asked the witnesses about early evidence of war crimes committed by the Russian military, including the use of thermobaric weapons and cluster munitions against civilians. I also pressed them for suggestions on how to sanction Russia more effectively to create deterrence against the potential use of chemical weapons. Finally, I highlighted the Kremlin’s years-long disinformation campaign that it has used to justify its invasion of Ukraine and asked for recommendations to ensure Putin’s regime officials are held accountable for their crimes. I value concerns many have expressed regarding the potential for escalation in the Ukraine conflict. As the mother of a Marine officer, I do not take this issue lightly and I understand such concerns. The last thing Americans want is for the United States to be embroiled in another armed conflict abroad, and this is certainly a sentiment I understand and share. It is also the case that when the United States retreats from global challenges, we run the very real risk of inviting even greater aggression. To this end, it remains important to send a message to rogue regimes around the world - China, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, to name a few - that this behavior, including the slaughter of innocent men, women, and children, will not be tolerated. It remains in our national security and economic interests to reaffirm respect for the rule of law as well as to protect the sovereignty of nations and safeguard the sanctity of borders, especially our own. This is why I believe strongly that we should use diplomatic and economic tools at our disposal to hold Russia accountable for its egregious actions. You can watch the full video of my remarks during the hearing by clicking here.

President Biden: Say No to a Dangerous New Iran Nuclear Deal!

We are facing so many challenges around the world that demand strength and firm resolve. That's why on Thursday, I joined Chairman Jim Banks and my colleagues on the Republican Study Committee (RSC) in introducing a resolution condemning the Biden Administration’s attempt to re-enter the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) otherwise known as the “Iran Deal.” Iran is the world’s foremost state sponsor of terror, and negotiations to re-enter the JCPOA have been mediated by Russia, a rogue authoritarian regime whose recent unprovoked war on Ukraine has sparked worldwide condemnation. Instead of negotiating with the world’s leading state sponsor of terror through the Russians, the United States must return to its policy of peace-through-strength, first championed by President Reagan. As it stands today, the Biden Administration’s renegotiated JCPOA will make the United States weaker and the world less safe. Further, rumored provisions to prevent the United States from reimposing sanctions on Iranian financial institutions could give Russia the workaround it needs to avoid sanctions levied in response to its invasion. ICYMI: In April 2021, I joined the RSC and former Secretary of State Pompeo in announcing the Maximum Pressure Act, to codify the Trump administration’s successful maximum pressure campaign on Iran. The Maximum Pressure Act is the toughest sanctions bill on Iran ever proposed by Congress and has since garnered 124 co-sponsors. READ MORE: Over 50 House Republicans back Banks' resolution opposing Iran nuclear deal amid Russia-Ukraine war

Highlighting the Risks of China's Growing Global Influence

On Friday, I joined America Reports to discuss the threat posed by China's growing global influence, especially amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine. I also discussed the bipartisan China Watcher Act that I introduced to establish a "China Watcher Program" at the U.S. Department of State. This program would commit resources and personnel to monitoring and combatting China's malign influence across military, economic, and political sectors in foreign nations. China has aggressively ramped up its malign activities across the globe and today poses one of the most significant national security and economic threats to the United States. China has gone unchecked for too long, and it’s time for the United States to take decisive action.

Small Business Update: I've Been Named Ranking Member for the Small Business Subcommittee

This week, I had the honor of being named to serve as Ranking Member for the House Small Business Committee's Subcommittee on Underserved, Agricultural, and Rural Business Development. Since joining this important subcommittee last year, it has been a privilege to advocate for our nation’s family farms and small businesses. As Ranking Member, I look forward to working together with Republican and Democrats alike to drive meaningful results for the largely rural and agricultural communities I represent across the 22nd District. I will continue to fight to support our family farms and restore prosperity and opportunity to so many rural and underserved communities that have been left behind for far too long.

My Votes Explained

Transparency in government is key, and I'm pleased to keep you updated on how I voted on legislation in the House of Representatives. For a more detailed explanation of my votes on each of the bills below, click here.  I voted “Yes” on H.R. 3113, the Modernizing Access to Our Public Land Act. Currently, more than 9.52 million acres of land in the Western United States lack permanent and legal access points for public use, and information on these lands is still kept on outdated, hard to access paper files. This legislation will direct federal land management agencies to finally digitize and standardize these maps. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 414-9. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 5001, the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Recovery Act. This bill authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to the continue the implementation of endangered fish recovery programs for the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins through 2024 in order to protect and recover endangered fishes while water development proceeds in compliance with State and Federal laws. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 397 – 27. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 3167, the Save the Liberty Theatre Act of 2021. The Liberty Theatre in Eunice, Louisiana has been a staple of the Cajun community for over 100 years, hosting silent films, live bands, and other entertainment. Currently, the National Park Service (NPS) owns a portion of the venue constructed to provide a handicap entrance. This shared ownership structure has recently hindered the city’s efforts to restore the theatre. The legislation will transfer this ownership share to the city of Eunice and allow for the renewal of this local landmark. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 422-4. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 3167, to designate the El Paso Community Healing Garden National Memorial. On August 3rd, 2019, El Paso was the tragic target of a horrific act of domestic eco-terrorism that took 23 lives and injured 22. Following the attack, the County of El Paso approved the construction of the El Paso Community Healing Garden to provide El Pasoans a space to heal and remember the victims. The memorial will not be a unit of the national park system and designation does not require or authorize any Federal funds to be expended for the memorial. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 403-25. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 6434, the Japanese American WWII History Network Act, which will preserve our history and its lessons for future generations. This legislation extends the authorization for the existing Japanese American Confinement Sites (JACS) grant program, which will soon run up against its original authorization cap. The bill also establishes a new competitive grant program to award grants to Japanese American organizations to create and disseminate educational materials about the history of Japanese American confinement during World War II. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 406-16. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 7108, the Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act. This bill would end the current special trade status, known as “Most Favored Nation Status,” which America provides to Russia and Belarus until the President can certify to Congress that both countries have ended their violent and unprovoked war against Ukraine. Given Russia’s violent and unprovoked war against Ukraine, and Belarus’ unjustifiable assistance, the United States must use the economic and diplomatic tools at our disposal to stand for those suffering. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 424 – 8.  I voted “No” on H.R. 963, the FAIR Act. This misleadingly titled bill would amend Title 9 of the U.S. code to outlaw pre-dispute arbitration agreements for employment, consumer, antitrust, civil rights dispute, and other contractual language limiting participation in joint, class, or collective action litigation in these areas. However, the bill includes a special carveout for labor unions, allowing them to use pre-dispute arbitration agreements even after they are prohibited for everyone else. This bill also would widen the definition of civil rights dispute to cover any federal, state, or local law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. This could open employers to ruinous liability in unfriendly states and localities for operating their businesses in a manner consistent with their consciences or sincerely held religious beliefs. Overall, this legislation is a giveaway to trial lawyers and risks burying businesses in expensive litigation and legal costs without meaningfully protecting workers. This bill passed by a vote of 221 – 209. I voted “No” on H.R. 2116, the CROWN Act of 2022. Discrimination against anyone is wrong, which is why the Civil Rights Act of 1966 rightfully bans discrimination based on race, color, or national origin for employment, public accommodations, and housing. While supporters of this bill argue there is a need to explicitly ban discrimination on hair texture or hair style, this bill simply duplicates civil rights protections already included in federal law while opening commonsense good-faith workplace standards to burdensome and potentially frivolous litigation. The courts have repeatedly found that grooming and appearance policies applied in a discriminatory manner clearly violate existing federal laws. In turn, this language change may ban job-critical standards such as ensuring a firefighter’s hair does not infringe on the proper functioning of their respirator. Overall, this legislation is far too sweeping and top down. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 235 - 189.

Your Views on the State of Our Union

Recently, President Biden outlined what he considered to be the state of our union. This week, I asked residents of New York's 22nd District what they thought about the true state of our union. In a survey of more than 1,300 residents across upstate New York, I found that many of you are frustrated by policies that have driven costs through the roof and are feeling the pain. I am grateful for your feedback and understand how challenging these times are. If you ever need assistance or have questions, please call my office at 202-225-3665. And if you have not already shared your feedback, you can do so below.

Have you been impacted by the rising costs of everyday goods? Yes Select No Select Unsure Select

Congressional Art Competition Launches for 2022!

On Monday, I announced the start of the 2022 Congressional Art Competition! The Congressional Art Competition is open to all students in 11th and 12th grades who reside in the 22nd Congressional District. Since 1982, the Congressional Art Competition has been held every spring to showcase talented art students from across the nation. Each member of Congress receives submissions from students throughout their district. Submissions will be judged by a panel of experts made up of residents from across the 22nd Congressional District. The winning piece of art will be prominently displayed in the United States Capitol for one year. In 2021, 14 school districts across the 22nd District participated in the competition, with over 50 pieces of art submitted from talented students. Last year’s winner, Gavin Schiavi of New Hartford, was recognized in an award ceremony in Utica in July 2021, along with the second, third, and fourth place winners. For more information, please visit my website at the link here.

Recognizing National TRIO Day and Utica University

I recently recognized National TRIO Day and the TRIO program for underserved students at Utica University in a speech on the Floor of the House of Representatives. TRIO is a federally-funded program that helps identify students from disadvantaged backgrounds and provides them with skills, training, and support needed to excel both academically and personally. Utica University operates a Student Support Services program on its campus, funded by TRIO grants. A full video of my remarks is available here.

DON'T FORGET: Register Today for a Webinar for Constituents Nearing Retirement

As a reminder, next week my office will host a webinar with guests from the Social Security Administration (SSA) open to all constituents. The webinar will provide an overview of best practices when preparing for retirement. Those who are nearing retirement or know a loved one who is, are strongly encouraged to join this session. You will be able to talk with experts from the SSA to learn more about the retirement process and ensure you are taking all the right steps as you prepare for this next chapter. Please RSVP by emailing [email protected]. You are encouraged to share any questions you may have with my office in advance by calling 315-732-0713 to give our office an opportunity to tailor the presentation to your specific areas of interest. Participants who register in advance will receive a link to the Zoom meeting on the morning of the event. Please note that this event will only be available live, and a video of the session will not be available in our archives. >>>REGISTER HERE<<<

Honoring the late Betty Griffo, mother of New York State Senator Joe Griffo

I recently recognized Mrs. Betty Griffo, the late mother of New York State Senator Joseph Griffo, in a speech on the Floor of the House of Representatives. Mrs. Betty Griffo passed away at the age of 94 on January 17, 2022. Mrs. Griffo was a loving mother and dedicated member of the community who worked as a seamstress and was a long-time member of Saint John the Baptist Church. Betty instilled her wisdom, tenacity, and compassion in Joe, who now employs those qualities in his continued service to our community. The full video of my remarks is available here.

Demanding Accountability for Disgraced Former Governor Cuomo

This week, New York's Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released a report showing that the Cuomo Administration misled the public by undercounting COVID-19-related deaths in nursing homes over the course of the pandemic. Comptroller DiNapoli’s report on COVID-19-related deaths in nursing homes under disgraced former Governor Cuomo’s Administration is deeply troubling and further proves that Andrew Cuomo’s policies endangered seniors, and that he lied to cover them up. Once again, this underscores the reality that Andrew Cuomo disregarded the basic health and safety of New York’s most vulnerable citizens in service of his narrow political aims.  As the facts continue to come out, the need for accountability is growing by the day. Who in the Cuomo Administration has been held accountable for these negligent and deadly policies as well as the subsequent coverup? The sad reality is that nobody has to date. Those who lost loved ones deserve justice. I will continue fighting until those responsible are held accountable. ICYMI: Last year, I introduced the Essential Caregivers Act, a bill designed to ensure that those living in nursing homes and long-term care facilities are never again barred from seeing their loved ones in the midst of any future public health emergency. The bill is cosponsored by 30 lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, and is supported by numerous outside advocacy organizations. I also was the first to call for a federal investigation into this serious matter in April 2020. I reiterated this call again in May 2020 after a troubling report by the AP revealed nursing home deaths were being underreported in New York.

Celebrating the Life of late Broome County Resident, Vincent Augostini

This week, I delivered a speech on the Floor of the House of Representatives celebrating the life of late Broome County resident, Vincent Augostini, who passed away on January 27, 2022, at the age of 42, due to complications from neurofibromatosis. “Vince” as his friends and family called him, was born in Johnson City on September 7, 1979, and spent his whole life in the Southern Tier of New York. Vince was a quintessential upstate New Yorker—a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, New York Football Giants, and chicken spiedies, a Binghamton specialty. Vincent Augostini also frequently donated to the Make-A-Wish foundation of Central New York after having been granted a wish earlier in his life. He is survived by his mother Dolores, who dedicated her life to caring for him, as well as his siblings Lorraine, Christopher, Patricia Ann, Andrea, Tom, and Louis. A full video of Tenney’s remarks is available here.

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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