July 16, 2022
Dear Friends,
As I finish another productive week in Washington, I’d like to share a few updates with you about significant legislation I’ve helped pass to protect bodily autonomy, preserve our environment, and end the national epidemic of gun violence.
Fighting for reproductive rights
Last month, when the radical right-wing Supreme Court stripped the right to abortion from millions of Americans in a raw exercise of political power, House Democrats vowed action to enshrine this fundamental right in law. Just yesterday, I joined my colleagues to once again pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, a bill to codify the protections of Roe v. Wade into federal law and ensure that all Americans—regardless of where they live—can make their own decisions about their bodies, their lives, and their futures. With Congressional Republicans now calling for a national abortion ban that would criminalize abortion care in every state, it has never been more important to protect this fundamental right from those who want to rip it away.
That same day, I voted to pass the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act, another crucial piece of legislation that promises those living in states where abortion is now illegal will be able to cross state lines to receive care. As Republicans at the state and federal level push extremist legislation to criminalize those who receive legal abortion care in states where the right to an abortion remains in effect, Congress must act to stop these barbaric laws that impede not only on reproductive rights, but also on the right of citizens to travel freely within the United States. As this rogue Supreme Court continues to issue partisan, widely unpopular decrees that strip away fundamental rights, I am committed to doing everything in my power to fight back.
Moving toward a cleaner future
I’m also proud that two climate-focused provisions I authored were passed this week as part of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). For the first time, the full House passed my New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act, a bill to implement a coordinated restoration efforts to protect America’s most crowded watershed by bolstering resistance against dangerous storm surges, protecting fish and wildlife habitats, improving water quality, and increasing public access to the estuary. Our waterways offer cherished places for us to gather and connect with one another, while also providing significant environmental and economic benefits for our region. I’m proud that this legislation will ensure that these waterways can serve as a resource for our communities for generations to come.
We also advanced the Restoring Offshore Wind Opportunities Act that overturns an arbitrary Trump-era ban on new offshore wind leases that imperiled a critical new wave of clean energy deployment at a time when we need these investments most. By accelerating development of offshore wind technologies, we can boost local economies here in the Capital Region and beyond, all while creating high quality American jobs and reducing our carbon emissions. With the shortsighted and dangerous decision by Senator Manchin to halt negotiations on climate provisions in Democrat’s reconciliation package, driving forward with bold climate action could not be more urgent. I for one will never stop the fight for a cleaner world for all.
Combating the rising tide of gun violence
This week, I joined President Biden at the White House to celebrate the enactment of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first significant piece of gun control legislation passed by Congress in three decades. While this bill contains numerous commonsense provisions that will save lives, President Biden and I agree that much more action is needed to protect our communities. That’s why I joined my colleagues this week to pass the Active Shooter Alert Act of 2022, a bill to create a program similar to the AMBER Alert system for law enforcement to alert the public of active shooter threats in their communities. This legislation, supported by several key law enforcement organizations including the Fraternal Order of Police, is a commonsense, straightforward solution that will help save lives by letting civilians know to stay away and stay safe. As gun violence continues to tear apart families and communities across our nation, I will continue my work to pass far-reaching legislation to address this crisis and keep our communities safe.
It remains an honor to represent the people of our Capital Region in Congress and to carry your voice to Washington to fight for a fairer, greener, and safer America. While we continue to make significant progress, I know that there is more work to do on these issues and many more. In the coming weeks in Washington, I will continue my efforts to fight back against the radical Supreme Court, protect our environment, and address the gun violence crisis in our nation.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- This weekend marks the launch of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a critical new resource for those struggling with mental health and other crisis situations.
- This new 3-digit dialing code, designated by Congress in 2020, offers an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen and expand the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, a service that already helps thousands of Americans overcome crisis situations every day.
- Through the lifeline, those experiencing crises will be able to obtain immediate life-saving counseling from professional operators, as well as critical expanded connections to community-based providers who can deliver a full range of crisis care services.
- With suicide rates in our nation on the rise, particularly among younger Americans, this resource will be a significant step toward reversing this awful trend.
- The 988 dialing code is available nationwide starting TODAY, July 16th for calls (in multiple languages), text, or chat (in English only).
- To view a fact sheet on the new program from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), click HERE.
