Congresswoman Tenney's Weekly Newsletter Have questions? Contact Me Here Introduced Legislation to Safeguard our Elections As co-chair of the Election Integrity Caucus in Congress, I am committed to driving commonsense solutions to promote free and fair elections across America. To this end, I just joined Congressman Ted Budd (NC-13) in introducing the Promoting Free and Fair Elections Act. In March 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order (E.O.) 14019, titled “Promoting Access to Voting,” which empowers every federal agency, even those that have nothing to do with elections, to craft and execute plans related to voting and elections. It was clear from the start that this E.O. was crafted as a Get Out the Vote operation for Democrats. That's why in January 2022, I joined Reps. Budd and Mike Garcia (CA-25) to demand answers from then-Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young, about E.O. 14019. We also asked about possible involvement by far-left third party organizations. The Promoting Free and Fair Elections Act will stop E.O. 14019 from being implemented. It also requires the strategic plans from federal agencies to be reported to Congress. As part of the appropriations bills considered by Congress this week, I also joined Congressman Budd on six amendments to defund this disastrous Executive Order. Voting is one of our most sacred rights as American citizens, and it must be protected. President Biden has no business turning federal agencies like the Small Business Administration or State Department into partisan voting operations for Democrats. It’s clearly unconstitutional and would further undermine confidence in the integrity of our elections. Stopping your Tax Dollars From Going to Blacklisted Chinese Companies On Wednesday, I introduced the Turn Off Federal Funding of Threatening Entities that Thwart American Prosperity Act, or the Turn OFF THE TAP Act, to prohibit federal taxpayer dollars from lining the pockets of entities included on federal trade and sanctions lists, either directly or through third parties. A Senate companion was also introduced by Senator Marco Rubio (FL) and cosponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn (TN) and Rick Scott (FL). There is currently no central ban on federal funds going to foreign firms explicitly identified through U.S. government blacklists, including dangerous Chinese companies. The Turn OFF THE TAP Act addresses this national security vulnerability by prohibiting federal funds from going to firms listed on several federal blacklists, including the Department of Commerce’s Entity List and the Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List. As the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues its offensive against American national, economic, and industrial security, while also committing gross human rights abuses, American taxpayers should not be forced to line its pockets. Senator Rubio and I have collaborated previously on legislation to hold China accountable, which includes our work together on H.R. 6650, the No Chinese Communist SURPRISE Parties Act. This bicameral legislation would direct the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to require any company listed on the U.S. exchanges to identify whether a Chinese Community Party organization is present in the firm’s operations. Voted 'NO' on Even More Out-of-Control Spending This week, the House approved six appropriations bills for fiscal year 2023 (FY23). The bills included funding for Transportation and Housing and Urban Development; Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration; Energy and Water Development; Financial Services and General Government; Interior and Environment; and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. I voted "No" on all of these. Even with 40-year high inflation, House Democrats are still refusing to take this economic crisis seriously. Energy and living costs have reached record highs, and Speaker Pelosi and President Joe Biden’s policies are the driving cause. Even the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) attributed 3% of inflation to last year’s reckless and untargeted $1.9 trillion Democrat spending boondoggle. Instead of addressing these problems, this week House Democrats instead forced a vote on an appropriations package that does nothing to deliver immediate relief to Americans. It increases federal spending, strips out critical provisions prohibiting taxpayer-funded abortions, and incentivizes further illegal immigration. It’s out-of-touch and grossly irresponsible. Welcomed High Schoolers from Future Farmers of America to our Nation's Capitol! This week, I had the privilege of welcoming several high school students from upstate New York who are members of Future Farmers of America (FFA) to Washington, DC! It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to walk these wonderful students around the U.S. Capitol, speak to them about the legislative process, and even join them in reciting the FFA Creed. It's Time for Politicians in Albany to Get Tough on Crime For several years now, crime has been on the rise across America. In 2020, violent crime across the United States rose by more than 5% from the previous year, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program. The murder rate skyrocketed by nearly 30% and aggravated assaults increased by 11.7%. In 2021, there was a 59% increase in murders of police officers. Fueled by a rising tide of anti-police rhetoric and pro-criminal policies such as New York’s disastrous bail reform law, our communities have been torn apart. And this week, we saw this play out across upstate New York. First, Congressman Lee Zeldin (NY-01) was assaulted at a rally, where a man tried to stab him. This act of clear political violence was disgusting. Ironically, after Congressman Zeldin spoke about the need to fix New York's disastrous "bail reform" law, his attacker was released shortly after being arrested. Then, later Thursday night, two police officers in Rochester were tragically shot in the line of duty, one sadly losing their life. I send my deepest condolences and prayers to the officers' families as well as the entire Rochester community. Our great state is broken, and New Yorkers are desperate for strong leadership and change. The state legislature must repeal bail reform and create a dangerousness standard for judges to hold criminals. We must punish criminals, and restore law and order. The time to act is NOW. Click the video below to watch my full interview on this issue with Fox Business. My Statement on the Respect for Marriage Act I support the precedent established by the Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges and believe, like the majority in Dobbs recently upheld, that the issue of marriage is fundamentally different than that of abortion. Today, same-sex couples are guaranteed the right to marry, and I agree with the established jurisprudence that this right should be protected. Despite this fact, House Democrats tried to score cheap political points this week. They chose to forego regular order and the established rules of the House to advance the false narrative that the right of same-sex couples to marry is now under threat and that immediate legislative action by Congress is needed to safeguard it. This is simply not true. Democrats deliberately rushed this bill through Congress without any committee hearings, markups, or input from relevant stakeholders to avoid having a real debate. Had we followed the rules and debated this bill openly in committee, Republicans would have made clear that same-sex marriage is already protected in America and not under threat, making this bill completely unnecessary. We would have made clear to the American people that the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence has determined and upheld the right to same-sex marriage. As the majority in Dobbs v. Jackson recently stated, ‘…nothing in this opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion,’ including the right to same-sex marriage. And, finally, we would have made it very clear that the fear mongering by House Democrats is nothing more than a shamefully partisan stunt designed to distract the American people from the serious crises our nation faces today under their leadership, like rising crime, soaring inflation, and a wide-open Southern Border. My Votes Explained I'm committed to restoring transparency to government, which is why I explain every vote I take on the House floor. While we may not always agree, you will always know where I stand on the issues and how I vote in Congress. To read more about my votes this week, please click here. I voted “No” on H.R. 8373, the so-called Right to Contraception Act. Once again, this bill did not proceed through regular House order. It received no consideration whatsoever in the committee of jurisdiction - no hearing, no markup, no debate. Even worse, it is another attempt by Democrats to fear-monger and distract from the fact that despite being in charge, their radical agenda has divided America, driven up inflation, and deteriorated our country’s security and economic outlook. Not a single state in the country bans contraceptives. The fact is that in the United States, the right to contraceptives exists and is protected by virtue of existing Supreme Court jurisprudence. Further, it is not in jeopardy or under threat. Moreover, in the Dobbs decision, which overruled Roe v. Wade by holding there is no constitutional right to abortion, the Court distinguished its reasoning in that case from being applied to other constitutional matters, including the right to contraception. While I fully support a woman’s ability to access safe and legal contraceptives, this bill is designed to mislead Americans and score cheap political points. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 228-195, with 2 members voting present. I voted “No” on H.R. 8294, the Partisan Appropriations Package, which included funding for Transportation and Housing and Urban Development; Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration; Energy and Water Development; Financial Services and General Government; Interior and Environment; and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. Even with 40-year high inflation, House Democrats are still refusing to take this economic crisis seriously. Energy and living costs have reached record highs, and Speaker Pelosi and President Joe Biden’s policies are the driving cause. Instead of addressing these real problems, House Democrats instead forced a vote on an appropriations package that does nothing to deliver immediate relief to Americans. These partisan bills dramatically increase topline spending by 14%, include controversial new Democrat initiatives, strip out critical provisions prohibiting taxpayer-funded abortions, and incentivize further illegal immigration. It’s out-of-touch and grossly irresponsible. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 220-207. I voted "No" on H.R. 8404, the Respect for Marriage Act. I support the precedent established by the Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges and believe, like the majority in Dobbs recently upheld, that the issue of marriage is fundamentally different than that of abortion. Today, same-sex couples are guaranteed the right to marry, and I agree with the established jurisprudence that this right should be protected. Despite this fact, House Democrats today tried to score cheap political points. They chose to forego regular order and the established rules of the House to advance the false narrative that the right of same-sex couples to marry is now under threat and that immediate legislative action by Congress is needed to safeguard it. This is simply not true. Democrats deliberately rushed this bill through Congress without any committee hearings, markups, or input from relevant stakeholders to avoid having a real debate. Had we followed the rules and debated this bill openly in committee, Republicans would have made clear that same-sex marriage is already protected in America and not under threat, making this bill completely unnecessary. We would have made clear to the American people that the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence has determined and upheld the right to same-sex marriage. As the majority in Dobbs v. Jackson recently stated, ‘…nothing in this opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion,’ including the right to same-sex marriage. And, finally, we would have made it very clear that the fear mongering by House Democrats is nothing more than a shamefully partisan stunt designed to distract the American people from the serious crises our nation faces today under their leadership, like rising crime, soaring inflation, and a wide-open Southern Border. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 267-157. I voted “Yes” on S. 144, the Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center Access Improvement Act. This bill would authorize the Indian Health Service (HIS) to construct a paved road to the Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center in California. The facility provides needed treatment for American Indian and Alaskan Native children aged 12 to 17 suffering from substance abuse and is currently only accessible by a dilapidated dirt road. This reasonable and narrow legislation will ensure these children in need receive the care they need. This bill passed the House by a vote of 379-41. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 4404, the Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Act. This bill would direct the Department of Interior to study restored portions of the Kissimmee River to potentially add to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, which consists of rivers designated by the federal government for preservation. Within three years, the Department would submit its findings to the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. After the destruction of wildlife habitats in the 1940s, the Army Corps of Engineers restoration project already has contributed to the return of many wildlife species. This legislation will help ensure the conservation of the restored portions of the Kissimmee River for future generations. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 377-45. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 7025, the Advancing Human Rights-Centered International Conservation Act of 2022. This bill would prohibit targeted international environmental conservation grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from going to organizations that have committed human rights violations. This bill will help ensure that U.S. funding does not support organizations that commit or coverup egregious human rights abuses against local populations. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 379-43. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 7693, the National Park Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2022. This bill would reauthorize the National Park Foundation through fiscal year 2030. This legislation will reduce deferred maintenance at our national parks, advance public-private partnerships, and address pressing issues like park overcrowding by incentivizing innovative private-sector solutions. The National Park Foundation is an important nonprofit organization which works to create public-private partnerships and raise private funds to support the National Park Service. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 397-22. I voted “Yes” on H.Res. 1130, Expressing support for the sovereign decision of Finland and Sweden to apply to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as well as calling on all members of NATO to ratify the protocols of accession swiftly. Russia’s violent and unprovoked war against Ukraine has led Finland and Sweden to end their decades-long policy of non-alignment and act on their desire to join NATO. Finland and Sweden’s membership would help strengthen and modernize NATO, and as members, they would be required to spend at least two percent of their GDP on defense spending. It is in America’s national security interests for Europe to be as strong and defensively capable as possible to assure the stability of the region and to lessen the financial burden on the United States. I believe firmly that Europe should be in the driver’s seat when it comes to sustaining and safeguarding its own security, which means countries in the region should take the necessary actions to increase their defense spending and not simply rely on others. Finland and Sweden are both security-minded players that are making a commitment to do just that. They possess robust military capabilities and experience working with the US and NATO. Their entry into the Alliance will significantly strengthen regional security in the face of Vladimir Putin’s senseless aggression. This resolution passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 394-18. Thank You to Those Who Joined the Air National Guard Recruitment Webinar On Thursday, my office hosted a webinar on Air National Guard recruitment with guests from the Air National Guard and Eastern Air Defense Sector. The webinar highlighted the Air Guard’s work and mission, as well as the benefits of enlisting. More information about the Air National Guard can be found on its website here and about the Eastern Air Defense Sector here. Individuals interested in learning more about the Air Guard or about recruitment can contact Staff Sergeant Erik Anderson by phone at 315-399-9982 or by email at [email protected]. A recording of the full webinar is available here or at the link above. For a list of webinars from my monthly seminar series, visit tenney.house.gov/issues/monthly-seminar. Don't Forget: We're Here to Help You Don’t forget about our upcoming mobile office hour sessions! Last week, my team hosted mobile office hours at Sherrill City Hall in Oneida County. Thank you very much to those who attended to seek assistance with a federal agency! This week, my team of expert caseworkers will be in Herkimer County at the Herkimer Town Offices. If you need help with a federal agency, then I encourage you to call to schedule your appointment! Not sure if we can help with your issue? Call my Utica District Office at 315-732-0713 or my Binghamton District Office at 607-242-0200 for more information! It's Still Not Too Late: Schedule Your Summer Tour of our Nation's Capitol Today As our nation returns to normal and reopens, it is my pleasure to share that tours of the White House and Capitol Building have made their long-awaited return! While tours have resumed at several locations, sites such as the U.S. Capitol are doing so incrementally. As such, we are still limited in how many constituent tours we can host each week. At present, tours of the Capitol Building have been restricted to one appointment per office per week. Please note, the White House requires 21 days minimum notice to accommodate any tour requests. Availability for both of these tours is extremely limited. I urge you to reach out to my office as soon as possible regarding all future tour requests. You can do so by accessing my tour request portal here. While my office may be unable to secure a Congressional tour for all the sites you have selected given the high demand and currently limited availability, there are a number of locations that remain available for public tours. I urge you to visit house.gov for more information regarding these opportunities. Such locations include the Supreme Court and the National Archives, which you can view here and here. You may also wish to register to receive your very own reader registration card through the Library of Congress, which you can do here. I would also suggest you contact your U.S. Senators, as they too have been successful in accommodating tour requests. You can submit a tour request to Senator Schumer's office here, as well as to Senator Gillibrand here. I believe strongly that our Nation's Capitol Building should be opened, which is why I have joined my colleagues in numerous public letters to Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging her to reopen the Capitol for tours. Although tours have started to return, there are still far too many restrictions in place. The American people deserve full access. Rest assured that my office will do all it can to accommodate as many requests as possible. We appreciate your understanding in this matter and wish all visitors a safe and pleasant trip to Washington. 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. ‌ ‌ ‌ Rep. 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