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April 1, 2022
To the Good People of New York’s 9th Congressional District,
I hope this edition of the Yvette Gazette finds you well, and I thank you for tuning in for the bi-weekly update on the work I champion in Congress. Always remember, I cannot do it alone. Your support is paramount in securing the investments and federal dollars we need to better our community. Together, with the on-going 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 Brooklyn office at 718-287-1142, or my D.C. office at 202-225-6231. 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
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Virtual Tax Tuesday With The IRS
The 2022 tax season is here. With the economic reopening of the city and the many tax filing faith institutions are experiencing, a strategic approach to help guide the district during this period will bring enormous value, support, and clarity to those needing help. The objective of this event is to provide a proactive approach to empowering our faith leaders on present services available through the IRS. In addition, this event will be targeting specific issues faced by the faith community. All content will be supported by the IRS and the IRS Tax Payer Advocates. When time permits, please complete our online survey here so that we can better serve your specific needs at this event. I look forward to your participation in this virtual event as we proactively approach the 2022 tax season prepared and ready for our next opportunities together.
Request FY2023 Community Project Funding
Following the successful inclusion of Community Project Funding in the FY22 Omnibus Appropriations legislation this year, Congress will once again accept requests for FY2023 for crucial direct funding of local projects led by governmental and not-for-profit entities. This allows Members to put our first-hand understanding of our local communities to work to best help our constituents. As your representative, I intend to fight for the priorities that are most important to our district and I want to hear directly from you about the projects that receive funding. To be considered for FY2023 Community Project Funding, please click here.
Home Help For Heroes Program New Congressional Map
Following the 2020 Census, our new Congressional map for New York's 9th District has arrived. While most of you will see no change, many of my current constituents will be represented by a different congressmember come the 118th Congress in early 2023. Please review the new map below, and feel free to reach out to my office with any questions or concerns.
Free At-Home Test Kits
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Lower Internet Bills with the Affordable Connectivity Program
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is an FCC benefit program that helps households afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare, and more by providing a discount of up to $30 per month towards internet service for eligible households in Brooklyn. A household is eligible if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:
- Participates in SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline;
- Participates in free and reduced-price school lunch or breakfast program;
- Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
- Participates in or meets the criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income program; or
- Income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines
To submit your application, please visit http://www.acpbenefit.org/. To learn more about the program, click here.
Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests Through USPS
Place an order with the USPS here for one set of 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests. Orders are limited to one per residential address, they include 4 individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests, and they will ship for free starting at the end of January.
Military Service and Social Security
If you are an active or retired service member and would like to know more about the social security benefits you are entitled to, please click here for invaluable information from the Social Security Administration.
Student Loan Deferment Extension
The Biden Administration recently announced that its deferment period on student loan repayments has been extended to May 1st, 2022, meaning all federal student loans will not need to be repaid until that date. To hear more from the president on this, please click here.
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Casework
Cases Open: My staff is always hard at work assisting our constituents. As of today, we have a total of 565 active cases, which we diligently work towards resolving. These cases can involve anything from trouble securing hard-earned social security checks to difficulties attaining a passport. If you have an issue you are struggling with that you believe we can help resolve, please do not hesitate to reach out to my Brooklyn office.
Cases Closed: In recent weeks, my staff closed 69 cases from constituents. That means 69 separate issues our neighbors in the 9th District brought to my attention, were resolved.
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Co-Sponsored Legislation; Over the past two weeks, I lent my support and commitment to the following bills:
H.R. 7252 - Federal Government Advertising Equity Accountability Act
The federal government, along with the many agencies that compose it, is the largest advertiser in the United States, yet it too often avoids contracts with minority and women-owned media companies. This legislation would require federal agencies to include in their annual budget justifications the amount they spent on advertising contracts with small, disadvantaged businesses and businesses owned by women and minorities in the previous fiscal year, as well as provide projections of their spending for the upcoming fiscal year. With this law, we can ensure fair access for those most deprived of it.
H.R. 7185 - Federal Contracting for Peace and Security Act
Despite the unparalleled horror that has followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many companies have continued to turn to Russia for the sake of their profits. This legislation would ensure that the purchasing power of the United States government is used to send a message to these corporations: Any company that chooses to remain in business with Vladimir Putin cannot remain in business with the United States government. This bill establishes a federal policy not to do business with these companies that are actively undermining our nation’s security interests, as well as prohibits the federal government from purchasing goods or services from them.
H.R. 7174 - National Computer Forensics Institute Reauthorization Act
Harriet Tubman’s devotion for protecting human rights resonates with us to this date and should be commemorated nationwide. The Harriet Tubman Day Act, which would establish the first federal holiday named after a woman, seeks to pay tribute to Tubman’s righteous, everlasting commitment to freedom.
H.R. 7116 - 988 Implementation Act
Healthcare is a human right, and we need to ensure legislation is in place to protect that right. This bill would add stillbirth and stillbirth prevention to the Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, a grant that provides critical support to women, mothers, and infants. If passed, this bill would ensure that women have access to maternal health care throughout pregnancy, and reduce the current number of yearly stillborn cases.
H.R. 7077 - Empowering the U.S. Fire Administration Act
After a destructive fire takes place, it is essential to understand how it occurred so future fires may be prevented. This legislation establishes better coordination between local and federal levels to more capably investigate fires by authorizing USFA to send safety specialists, fire protection engineers, codes and standards experts, researchers, and fire training specialists to assist local firefighter investigators in their work.
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CLARKE PRAISES THE SIGNING OF THE EMMETT TILL ANTILYNCHING ACT INTO LAW
It was more than 66 years ago that white men viciously lynched 14-year-old Emmett Till for no reason other than being a young Black man. Today, after centuries of pain and many attempts, the legislation named in his honor has become law. With President Biden’s signature our nation has firmly and finally designated lynching as the vile hate crime that it is, and secured the justice and change we have so long pursued. On this day of triumph, my thoughts are with Emmett Till and his family, as well as the loved ones of every victim of these horrific crimes. And we can never forget the countless sheroes like Ida B. Wells and incomparable heroes like Congressman Bobby L. Rush, who dedicated their lives towards the pursuit of this moment. And I would be remiss if I did not mention unsung heroes like my dear friend and Brooklyn District Attorney, the late Kenneth P. Thompson, who fought tirelessly to reopen the investigation into Emmett Till’s murder. It is through shared sacrifices and perseverance that today is possible and, for that, I am forever in their debt. But let me be very clear, our success today cannot foment complacency tomorrow. This victory does not undo the centuries-deep wound of hatred that necessitated this legislation. Nor does it erase any memories of the fierce, decades-long opposition to it. What it does achieve, however, is one more step for America in our journey towards justice, fairness and equality. Our nation has sent a resounding message that its future will not reflect its contemptible past, and communities across America will be strengthened and federally protected with the assurances this law has put in place. We haven’t reached the mountain top Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. envisioned yet, but this momentous day advances our journey toward a more equitable and just world, especially for those of African descent.
CBWG RELEASES BLACK WOMEN BEST POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR HOW TO CENTER BLACK WOMEN
It is time to reorient our thinking and deliberately bring Black women from the margins of our society to the center, and create policies to pull them out of poverty and economic precarity and into prosperity. And in doing so, everyone will benefit. That is the mission of The Black Women Best Legislative Agenda and I am tremendously proud and deeply honored to join Congresswoman Watson Coleman and Kelly in delivering this long overdue initiative. The Black Women Best Legislative Agenda provides a measured and meaningful pathway to equity Black women deserve. Our aspiration is to establish a clear policy agenda that will address the inequities that have historically and disproportionately burdened and oppressed Black women and girls. These policy solutions will focus on creating opportunities and investments to propel Black women toward economic progress, which will undoubtedly add to our nation’s economic potential. Black women have persevered through unimaginable oppression, historical mistreatment and shameful exclusion and this is our time to finally and fairly benefit from the fruits of our ancestors’ forced labor. We are righting wrongs with The Black Women Best Legislative Agenda and I am deeply honored to be part of this noble work on behalf of America’s Black women and girls.
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