Have questions? Contact Me Here

Celebrating October as Manufacturing Month

Every year, manufacturing month is celebrated in October to underscore the importance of America’s industrial sector and celebrate the workers who keep American manufacturing running. Upstate New York has a rich history as a manufacturing powerhouse, beginning as the cradle of the industrial revolution. In Congress, I have been a tenacious advocate for American manufacturers and for restoring America’s hollowed-out industrial sector. During my first term in Congress, I authored the SPOONSS Act to require the Department of Defense to purchase stainless steel flatware from American manufacturers. During my second term, I introduced the bipartisan American Innovation and Manufacturing Act to increase access to capital for smaller manufacturing businesses, especially in rural areas like ours. I also introduced the Make it in America to Sell it in America Act to address our dangerous reliance on foreign products in critical industries. This bill would help restore our battered supply chains and reinvigorate America’s manufacturing base. To learn more about my efforts to revitalize American industry, I encourage you to read my Community Opportunity Report, where I highlighted the issues faced by employers and individuals in upstate New York and outlined my plans for restoring America’s status as an industrial giant. You can also watch my full video celebrating manufacturing month here or at the link above.

Election Integrity Update: New York has Failed to Maintain Accurate and Updated Voter Rolls

READ MORE: Rep. Claudia Tenney Sounds Alarm On New York Voter Registrations Missing Critical Information Under the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), states are required to collect critical personally identifiable information (PII), such as the last four digits of a Social Security Number or a driver's license number, when accepting voter registration applications. PII is used to verify the identity of registrants. It is also key for good voter roll maintenance, as it is used to accurately update voter rolls when an individual moves to a different state, passes away, or even files duplicate voter registrations. Without PII, matching one John or Jane Doe to another is an incredibly difficult task that could lead to ineligible voters remaining on the rolls, voters registering in multiple states, or a voter receiving more than one opportunity to vote in a given election. A new report from the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) found that 3.1 million voter registrations in New York were missing any form of PII at all. This was a significant outlier when compared with other states. With the 2022 midterm elections quickly approaching, the Department of Justice (DOJ) must take swift and immediate action to ensure New York is fully compliant with HAVA’s voter registration requirements. That's why I led a letter this week urging the DOJ to enforce this election integrity law. I asked Assistant Attorney General Clarke, whose division oversees the DOJ's Voting Section, to provide me with information about how she plans to ensure this law is enforced in New York. You can read the full letter here.

Introduced Bipartisan Legislation to Support Small Businesses and Free-Market Competition

This week, I introduced the bipartisan Main Street Competes Act with Congresswoman Marie Newman (IL-03). This important legislation would expand the mission of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to promote competitive markets, consumer choice, and business ownership. Specifically, the Main Street Competes Act would grant the SBA authority to study and report on the extent to which antitrust enforcement protects small businesses’ ability to compete while also eliminating anticompetitive market barriers for small businesses. The bill would also expand the Office of Advocacy to assess how effectively antitrust enforcement promotes competition and deters harmful conduct against small businesses. This legislation will give small businesses a voice in federal antitrust enforcement to protect them and consumers from the growing threat of large monopolies. Small businesses provide essential goods and services and create well-paying local jobs. The Small Business Administration is supposed to be an advocate for small businesses within the federal government, yet too often it is shut out from important discussions in Washington about how antitrust laws are enforced. This bill will make sure small business advocates have a seat at the table. The full text of the bill is available here.

My Statement on a Federal Judge's Ruling Striking Down Unconstitutional Provisions of NY Gun Control Law

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Glenn Suddaby released a ruling that struck down several provisions of New York’s so-called Concealed Carry Improvement Act, including the requirement for applicants to turn over personal social media accounts and bans on concealed carry in nearly all public and private spaces. This is a significant victory for our Second Amendment rights and for the Constitution. The right to keep and bear arms has been under attack by far-left politicians in Albany, who are quick to ignore the rule of law in pursuit of their political goals. I led the charge in Congress against the unconstitutional Sullivan law, which was overturned by the Supreme Court in NYRPA v. Bruen, and I’ll continue to push back against overreach from gun-grabbing politicians. The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall NOT be infringed.

Fighting for Transparency Regarding Lockdown Learning Loss in New York State

This week, I joined a letter led by Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) calling on New York State Department of Education Commissioner Betty Rosa to release 2021-2022 Grades 3 through 8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics assessment data. Traditionally, the state has released this data in August prior to the start of the next school year. However, the data for the previous school year still are yet to be made public. With an election approaching, Governor Hochul withheld the data this year, in what appears to be a clear attempt to cover up the damage done by New York’s unscientific COVID mandates, which undoubtedly had a significant impact on learning. New York should make its data public now, just as it has in past years. Our children must always come first. You can read the full letter here.  The letter was also signed by Representatives Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Lee Zeldin (NY-01), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), and Joe Sempolinski (NY-23).

DON'T FORGET: Monthly Seminar Series for October

Last week, I announced that my office will host the next two editions of my Monthly Seminar Series in October. The first will be with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding the Assistance for Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The second will be with the Northern Border Regional Commission regarding upcoming funding opportunities. The AFG program provides much-needed assistance to firefighters and first responders, helping them fund training operations or obtain equipment and vehicles. The program is administered by FEMA. As of September 2022, FEMA has made 2,009 awards worth more than $718 million. Attendees will have the opportunity to speak directly with FEMA representatives about the program and ask questions about the application process. What: FEMA Webinar on AFG program When: October 13, 2022, at 2:00 PM Where: Webinar will be held via Zoom RSVP to [email protected] The second webinar with the Northern Border Regional Commission will cover upcoming funding opportunities available to Herkimer, Oneida, Madison, and Oswego counties. The program will discuss the types of projects eligible for funding, changes in the newest program, and important dates for applications. What: NBRC Webinar on Upcoming Funding Opportunities When: October 19, 2022, at 10:00 AM Where: Webinar will be held via Zoom RSVP to [email protected] Interested participants are encouraged to submit questions in advance to ensure the presentation can be tailored to specific areas of interest. Questions can be submitted by email with your RSVP, or by calling my Utica District Office at 315-732-0713. Register today!

October Mobile and Virtual Office Hours

Each week in October, my team will be hosting mobile or virtual office hours throughout the 22nd Congressional District. These sessions are a chance for you to connect with caseworkers for assistance dealing with a federal agency. This past week, my team was at the Madison County Office building to assist local residents. Next week, they will be at the Parish Municipal Office. If you are interested in attending an in-person mobile office hour session, you are highly encouraged to schedule your appointment in advance by contacting either my Binghamton District Office at 607-242-0200 or the Utica District Office at 315-732-0713. If you would like to schedule an appointment for virtual office hours, please call my Binghamton Office at the number above. Scheduling your appointment in advance will provide a more expedited casework experience and ensure every constituent is able to receive the help they need.

Concerns Regarding Proposed NYSEG Rate Hikes

I continue to hear from many constituents who are concerned by the proposed rate hikes for New York State Energy and Gas (NYSEG) customers. I share these concerns, especially considering the harmful impacts that already-rising inflation and energy prices are having on our communities. That's why I wanted to share that public hearings are ongoing if you would like to share your concerns. The next hearing will be held on October 18 at 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM hearings on each day. If you would like to share a comment, then you must pre-register by 4:30 PM the day before by calling 1-800-342-3330.

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.

‌ ‌ ‌