Weekly Newsletter from the Office of Congressman Andrew Garbarino If you were forwarded this email, click here to subscribe An update from the office of Congressman Andrew Garbarino ANDREW IN THE NEWS Congestion pricing plans: Not your ‘piggy bank’ The MTA released a series of [plans] for the Manhattan congestion pricing that showed seven different tolling scenarios that could see drivers pay up to $23 during peak hours, in the situations that offer additional credits, caps and exemptions to certain vehicles...Malliotakis, Gottheimer, Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-Long Island) and gubernatorial candidate, Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Long Island), sent a letter Thursday to Stephanie Polack, the acting administrator for the Federal Highway Administration, asking for more robust oversight of the MTA’s environmental assessment process. “Our constituents deserve far better under the protections afforded them by the [National Environmental Policy Act] and it is [the Federal Highway Administration’s] responsibility to restrain zealous local policymakers and ensure that they receive it,” the group wrote. Full article here. WHAT'S NEW IN NY-02 Long Island Deer Hunt Application Period Open Andrew has announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has opened the application period for the 2022-23 white-tailed deer hunt in the Wertheim and Seatuck National Wildlife Refuges. Application deadline is September 10th, with lottery notifications going out on September 19th. Sign up at longisland.recaccess.com REMINDER: Check Your Passport As you make travel plans for this fall and winter, ensure your vacation isn't derailed by an expired passport! Andrew urges every Long Islander to check their passport status before booking travel and to leave plenty of time for your renewal application. Watch his PSA here. CASEWORK HIGHLIGHT: Retrieving Overdue Pension An East Islip resident, and retired Air traffic controller with 34 years of service, contacted our office because, aftering retiring in November 2021, he had still not received his entire pension or even been assigned a retirement specialist. The delay forced him to dip into his savings. Our office reached out to resolve the issue and he will begin recieving retroactive payments at the start of the month. Andrew knows how frustrating dealing with bureaucracy can be. That is why he has an entire team dedicated to helping constituents get what they need for the federal government. If you need help dealing with a federal agency, contact our office and our team will get to work on your case. KEEPING UP WITH CONGRESS Andrew Introduces Bill To Hold IRS Accountable And Clear Backlogs The recently passed so-called Inflation Reduction Act allows for a massive and unnecessary IRS expansion. That's why Andrew helped introduce legislation aimed at helping taxpayers and holding the management of the IRS accountable in clearing a massive backlog of returns. The Require Employees to Uniformly Return Now (RETURN) Act calls for IRS employees who are working remotely to come back to offices to expedite millions of unprocessed refunds and get money back into the hands of taxpayers. Andrew Calls For Preservation of Plum Island Andrew recently joined Rep. Lee Zeldin in sending a letter to Department of the Interior Secretary Haaland requesting she use all tools available to protect Plum Island, a federally owned property located off the coast of Long Island, and to ensure the permanent protection and management of Plum Island. Situated at the gateway of the Long Island Sound, Plum Island is over 800 acres of largely untouched natural habitat vegetated with several regionally rare plant species that support hundreds of migratory bird species including some endangered or rare. Plum Island is also home to several nationally significant cultural resources that merit protections, including Plum Island Lighthouse and the remains of Fort Terry, a remnant from the Spanish - American War as well as Word War I and II. Thanks for reading! Do you know someone who might like to receive these updates? Forward this email to your friends and families and tell them to click below to subscribe! Click Here To Subscribe   Rep. Andrew R. Garbarino Congressman representing New York's 2nd Congressional District Washington, D.C. 1516 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-7896 Fax: (202) 226-2279 Massapequa Park 1003 Park Boulevard Massapequa Park, NY 11762 Phone: (516) 541-4225 Fax: (516) 541-6602 Rep. Garbarino | 1516 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]