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Dear John,
This past Monday, as we were celebrating the Fourth of July, we once again witnessed a horrific mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first gun violence prevention legislation signed into law in nearly 28 years, was an important step but we clearly need to do more. We need to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. We need to ensure universal background checks without gaps like the Charleston loophole. We need to crackdown on the proliferation of ghost guns and we must stop any individual who has committed a hate crime – even a misdemeanor – from owning a gun.
These are commonsense, straightforward solutions to keep weapons of war out of communities and to stop people who aren’t allowed to have a gun from getting one.
You’re Invited: Senior Resource Fair
I want to remind you that my Annual Senior Resource Fair is back after a COVID hiatus and will be taking place Monday, July 11 from 5-7pm at North Providence High School.
This event is free and open to the public and is an opportunity to learn about important resources available to seniors, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities. You and your loved ones will be able to meet with more than 30 federal, state, and local organizations like the Social Security Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration, Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging, Taxpayer Advocate Service, and Rhode Island Housing.
To allow for proper social distancing, all attendees must RSVP in advance.
Spots are reserved on a first come, first served basis.
You can sign up online here, by calling my Pawtucket office at 401-729-5600, or emailing [email protected].
You’re Invited: Veterans Community Conversation
I'm thrilled to share that my Annual Veterans Community Conversation is returning this year with a BBQ dinner for veterans, active servicemembers, and their families on Monday, July 25 at 6pm.
During the event, you'll have an opportunity to speak with representatives from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the RI Office of Veterans Services. I hope to see you there.
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To allow for proper social distancing, all attendees must RSVP in advance.
Spots are reserved on a first come, first served basis. You can sign up online here, or by calling my Pawtucket office at 401-729-5600, or emailing [email protected].
Updates from Rhode Island
Bristol Fourth of July
The Bristol Fourth of July parade is one of my favorite Rhode Island traditions and I was thrilled to be able to present Angelo Antignano IV with a flag flown over the US Capitol in honor of him making the longest trip to return home to Rhode Island for the celebration.
Updates from Washington, D.C.
President’s Environmental Youth Awards
Congratulations to Olivia Almilli, Anabella Barber, Tatum Brennan, Dahlia Brilhante, Aurelius Brockman, Cameron Davis, Elizabeth Lantz, Ellie McFadden, Stella McInerny, Maggie Mullen, Raelin Nary, Brooke O'Brien, Hannah Pilotte, Olivia Purdy, Fiona Sarro, Noah Sidewand, and Owen Sidewand from Portsmouth Middle School on their Environmental Youth Award!
These students were recognized for their work on the Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm. You can read more about this project, and the other winners here.
Uniting for Ukraine: Welcoming Refugees
On April 21, as part of fulfilling President Biden’s commitment to welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the United for Ukraine program.
This program will enable Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a two-year period of parole. To qualify for the program, Ukrainians must have a supporter in the United States. These supporters are responsible for providing their Ukrainian sponsor with financial support throughout their time in the United States.
You can learn more about the program, and becoming a sponsor, here.
Free Over-the-Counter COVID-19 Tests for Medicare Beneficiaries
More than 59 million Americans with Medicare Part B, including those enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, are eligible to receive Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved, authorized, or cleared over-the-counter COVID-19 tests at no cost. You can learn more about the program here and find participating pharmacies here.
New Guidance from the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency
The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is advising all US organizations, of all sizes, to be prepared to respond to any disruptive cyber security and is reporting that "[e]volving intelligence indicates that the Russian Government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks."
CISA has launched the Shields Up program to help organizations prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the impacts of any attack.
Any abnormal cyber activity or incidents should be reported to [email protected] or 888-282-0827.
You can learn more about Shields Up and the support CISA can provide here.
Important Passport & Travel Reminder
As more Rhode Islanders and people around the world get vaccinated and boosted, we are seeing an increase in both domestic and international travel. With travel resuming, many folks are looking to renew passports and this uptick in requests has led to a backlog at the State Department. Turnaround time for expedited processing is now at 5-7 weeks and regular processing is taking 8-11 weeks from submission to receipt.
Before booking international travel, please remember to check the expiration date on your passport and plan accordingly. Passports last for 5 or 10 years depending on what age you were when you were issued your first passport. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.
You can learn more from the State Department here.
As always, I am here to serve you. If there is anything I can do, please call my office at 729-5600 or send me an email at [email protected].
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