Dear John,

The Biden Administration’s Student Loan Relief application is now available online and open through December 31, 2023.

The application is available in English here, in Spanish here. FAQs are available in English here and Spanish here.

To ensure receipt of relief before the COVID-19 loan repayment pause ends at the end of the year, the Department of Education is advising all borrowers to apply for this relief before November 15, 2022.

The Department of Education estimates that completed applications will be processed within 4-6 weeks. Approximately 8 million borrowers who are eligible for the program will receive this relief automatically since the Department already has the necessary and relevant income data. If you are unsure if the Department of Education has this information, you can fill out the application to be sure.

If you need help with the application process, my office is here to help. You can call us at 401-729-5600 or email me at [email protected]. 

Please also be aware of scams.

The student loan forgiveness program is free.

As the FTC has stated, “[a]nyone claiming to be able to sign people up for the program, get them in early, or guarantee eligibility is a scammer. Never pay someone who promises early or special access, or guaranteed eligibility for the program. Those are scams and should be reported at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.”

More information is available here.

Updates from Rhode Island

$1.2 Million for Central Falls Police Department

The Central Falls Police Department is receiving $1.2 million through a Department of Justice grant to add six more police officers to patrols and fill existing vacancies.

I was proud to advocate for Central Falls Police Department’s application for funding through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, especially with the department’s focus on promoting diversity within its ranks and building trust and respect within the Central Falls community. This $1.2 million will help the department boosts its prevention efforts and focus on community policing, bringing more safety and stability to the community.

$6 Million in Federal Funds to Strengthen Manufacturing

The Polaris Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) has been awarded $6,021,500 in federal funding under the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program.  MEP centers form a nationwide network of proven resources that help U.S. manufacturers compete globally, support greater supply chain integration, and provide access to information, training, and technologies that improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability. 

Rhode Island manufacturers are critical to our economy.  This federal funding will help them find innovative ways to reduce costs, increase sales, and create jobs. Strengthening Rhode Island’s manufacturing ecosystem and positioning it to compete and succeed means helping companies develop and adapt advanced manufacturing technologies and workforce training. Polaris MEP provides on-site training and one-on-one custom services designed to help manufacturing companies in Rhode Island grow their businesses and operate more efficiently. It offers “lean manufacturing” programs, including production optimization, cost reduction, intelligent facility layout, and quality management services like ISO certification, as well as growth-oriented services designed to help manufacturers access new markets, and develop new products and processes.

Updates from Washington, D.C.

Cracking Down on Ghost Guns

On Wednesday, I joined with Congressman Mike Thompson, Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force; and Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) in leading 135 of our colleagues in calling for strong enforcement actions against ghost guns to stop their proliferation and protect our communities.

Ghost guns – by function of their untraceable, easy to obtain nature – have only worsened the gun violence epidemic in our country. These weapons have made it even more difficult for law enforcement to identify and prosecute violent criminals. It’s simple: every gun purchase – whether you buy it from a shop or print and assemble it yourself – must be subject to the same safety regulations, including background checks, that we already have in place. I’m grateful that the Biden Administration has taken steps to address this problem and am committed to working with them and my colleagues to get ghost guns out of our communities.

You can read our letter to President Joe Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Director Steve Dettelbach here.

Lights on Afterschool

This week, I introduced a House Resolution supporting Lights On Afterschool, a national celebration of afterschool programs held on October 20, 2022.
 
Afterschool and other out of school learning opportunities allow our students learn beyond the classroom, develop key skills, and discover their passions. Kids need experiential learning opportunities and deserve fun programming that contributes to their health and well-being — art, dance, movement, farming, and nature.

I was thrilled to celebrate Lights on Afterschool this year with the Rhode Island Afterschool Network and Untied Way of Rhode Island. These organizations deserve and need our support.

Service Academy Nominations

One of my greatest honors as a Member of Congress is nominating candidates to U.S. Service Academies each year. Interested students should visit my website to learn more and you can also find additional information here: U.S. Service Academy Frequently Asked Questions.

Upon graduation, service academy graduates are commissioned as officers in the active or reserve branches of the military or merchant marines for a minimum of five years.

Students who are prepared to proceed with the nomination process can download the application form here.

All applications are due by 5pm ET on October 31, 2022. If you have any questions throughout the process, please contact Christopher Bizzacco at 401-729-5600 or by email at [email protected].

Help with Winter Heating and Utility Costs

As winter approaches, it’s predicted that we are going to see a higher-than-usual increase in home heating costs. To help keep these and other utility costs down, I want to share with you some resources and programs that are available through our federal, local, and state government.

• The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps eligible low-income households pay their heating bills through federal grants to the household. There are two components to this program: Heating Assistance and Crisis Assistance.
• The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) helps income-eligible households reduce heating bills by providing whole house energy efficiency services to households that qualify for LIHEAP. Some services available include installing insulation and providing health and safety measures including: installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, reducing drafts, and providing proper ventilation.
• The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), funded by the American Rescue Plan Act  and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, is available for eligible low-income households through September 30, 2023, or until funds are exhausted. LIHWAP helps eligible low-income households afford and maintain access to drinking water and wastewater services through federal grants. One-time payments are made directly to the household’s utility company.
• The Heating System Repair and Replacement Program (HSRRP) provides a one-time service to eligible homeowners to increase the efficiency of their heating system, or replace it if necessary. Households that qualify for LIHEAP may be eligible.

As always, if you need help navigating or accesses these resources, or have questions about other resources that may be available to you, my staff and I are here to help. You can call us at (401) 729-5600 or email me at [email protected]. 

Missing Your Tax Refund?

If you are owed a tax refund, filed on paper more than six months ago, and the Where’s My Refund? tool does not have any information about the status of the return, the IRS is now advising that you resubmit your tax return for 2021, electronically if possible. They have advised that this submission must include an original signature and all the documents submitted with your original return. More information is available here and of course, my office is always available to help. You can call us at (401) 729-5600 or email me at [email protected].

Uniting for Ukraine: Welcoming Refugees

On April 21, as part of fulfilling President Biden’s commitment to welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the United for Ukraine program.

This program will enable Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a two-year period of parole. To qualify for the program, Ukrainians must have a supporter in the United States. These supporters are responsible for providing their Ukrainian sponsors with financial support throughout their time in the United States.

You can learn more about the program, and becoming a sponsor, here. 

Important Passport & Travel Reminder

As more Rhode Islanders and people around the world get vaccinated and boosted, we are seeing an increase in both domestic and international travel. With travel resuming, many folks are looking to renew passports and this uptick in requests has led to a backlog at the State Department. Turnaround time for expedited processing is now at 4-6 weeks and regular processing is taking 7-10 weeks from submission to receipt.

Before booking international travel, please remember to check the expiration date on your passport and plan accordingly. Passports last for 5 or 10 years, depending on your age when the passport was issued. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.

You can learn more from the State Department here.

As always, I am here to serve you. If there is anything I can do, please call my office at 729-5600 or send me an email at [email protected].

Warm regards, 

David N. Cicilline
Member of Congress