September 3, 2022
Dear Friends,
I’ve always strived to advance meaningful, lasting legislation that will strengthen our communities and support our Capital Region families. This week, I held several events that touched on some of the many successes that Democrats have delivered this Congress.
From infrastructure investments to slashing health care costs, these legislative achievements will ripple through our communities and benefit the American people now and far into the future:
- This week, I was honored to join local leaders and advocates to celebrate millions in federal funding delivered to our Capital Region through the American Rescue Plan, which I was proud to support and successfully fought for to be signed into law this Congress. The American Rescue Plan is already providing desperately needed relief to our communities in the face of the COVID pandemic, and it will strengthen our communities for years to come.
- I first visited Saratoga Country’s Sewer and Wastewater Facility to highlight $2 million going to an expansion of the sewer lines north into Wilton and Moreau, which will help support Saratoga County’s growing population with safe, affordable services.
- Later I held a press event in Albany to announce $600,000 to the West Hill community to renovate a dozen blighted properties and leverage funding to help create improved and more affordable housing in this historic neighborhood.
- On Thursday, I joined Mayor McCarthy in Schenectady to see firsthand how the City is using more than $10 million in federal funds to support transportation infrastructure and better connect residents to their jobs, schools, and wider community.
- I capped off my American Rescue Plan visits in Troy to see plans the City has for the historic Knickerbacker Pool, which served residents for decades until its closure in 2017. Now the City is investing $1.5 million to renovate the pool into a modern facility that can be enjoyed once more by the community.
- I also had the pleasure this week of visiting Colonie Senior Service Center to highlight some lifechanging investments that will help cut costs for families across our Capital Region and ensure they have access to affordable prescription drugs. Skyrocketing drug prices have forced countless families to make the choice between critical medication and paying their bills or putting food on the table. It is a choice no person should have to make, and, at long last, Congress took action with our Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law this summer. In our own region, well over 10,000 seniors and Medicare beneficiaries will have their insulin copayments capped at $35 per month. In fact, if this legislation was law in 2020:
- The total cost of prescriptions filled by Medicare beneficiaries in the district would have been $55 million lower.
- Medicare beneficiaries in the district would have saved a total of $17 million in reduced premiums and out-of-pocket costs.
The legislation Democrats have advanced will drive down costs, create good-paying jobs, grow opportunities, and strengthen our economy.
At the very beginning of his term, President Biden pledged to put in the work to deliver for the American people. While there is still more work to be done, this groundbreaking legislation has put us on the right path to building a better country.
Thank you for doing your part to help lift up our Capital Region and carry this nation forward. Your stories and your strength fill my voice in Washington. I will continue do all I can in Congress to help us achieve our full potential as a region and nation.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to ensure 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:
- In light of the pandemic, AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have partnered to create Public Health AmeriCorps a program to help meet the public health needs of local communities by providing additional capacity and support while also creating pathways to public health-related careers.
- The partnership is funded as part of a five-year, $400 million investment from the American Rescue Plan Act.
- Recently, AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, released a Public Health PSA highlighting the agency’s initiative to tackle COVID and other related public health issues facing our nation while building the next generation of public health leaders
- Members will serve communities by providing health education, supporting health-related research, bolstering behavioral health efforts, assisting with testing and vaccination support and more.
- In April 2022, Public Health AmeriCorps awarded more than $60 million to 82 programs across the nation which are actively recruiting more than 3,000 full and part-time national service positions.
- The program will expand over the next four years
- Organizations can apply for 2023 grants through Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023.
- Find open AmeriCorps member opportunities and learn more about serving with Public Health AmeriCorps.
