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Dear John,
Yesterday, for the first time in over a decade, Congress sent a major LGBTQ+ civil rights bill to the President’s desk as we passed the Respect for Marriage Act.
As I said on the House floor yesterday, this legislation is a monumental win for equality, but the work does not stop here. The LGBTQ+ community remains the only minority group in America where in a majority of states, it is still legal to discriminate against us in several key areas of life. We must continue to work for full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, including by enacting additional protections at the state level, and finally passing the Equality Act to ensure explicit federal protections against anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination.
Updates from Rhode Island
Announcement: Providence VA Info Session for Vets
On Tuesday, December 13, the VA Providence Healthcare System is hosting an informational event on the PACT Act for Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors.
This event will include a 30-minute speaking program, featuring Lawrence Connell, Director of the VA Providence Healthcare System and E.J. McQuade, Director of the Providence Regional Benefits Office. Local VA staff will also be available to help veterans to apply for benefits, complete toxic exposure screenings, and enroll in VA health care.
- What: VA Providence Healthcare System Info Session on the PACT Act
- When: December 13, 2022, 5 pm to 7 pm
- Where: VA Providence Medical Center 860 Chalkstone Ave, Providence, 02908 – 5th Floor Classrooms
- Contact: John Loughlin, [email protected], 401-523-9700
$11.6 Million to Strengthen RI’s Public Health Workforce and Infrastructure
Rhode Island is receiving $11,615,456 in federal funding to strengthen the state’s public health workforce and improve critical public health infrastructure. The federal funding, administered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act.
The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the inequities and shortfalls of our nation’s public health systems and the support our public health departments and providers need to best care for Rhode Islanders. Now, we need to take the lessons learned over the last two-plus years and build a stronger, better prepared public health system that will not only be able to care for Rhode Islanders but also provide necessary and much-deserved support to our frontline health workers. I will continue to work with my colleagues to continue to deliver federal funds and additional support to keep us all safe and healthy.
$1.25 Million for Resiliency Upgrades Along Woonasquatucket River
The City of Providence and the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council have been awarded two federal grants totaling $1.25 million to strengthen resiliency and improve water and habitat quality along the Woonasquatucket River watershed. These federal resources come from the National Coastal Resilience Fund.
This $1.25 million in federal funding is a key investment in the future of the Woonasquatucket River watershed and the Providence Riverwalk. To ensure that generations of Rhode Islanders can continue to enjoy all that our coastal communities have to offer, we need to invest in and strengthen our natural infrastructure that is being threatened by the effects of climate change. I’m proud to have advocated alongside my colleagues to help deliver these funds and will continue to work to ensure that our Rhode Island communities have the resources they need to address rising waters and more severe weather patterns.
Updates from Washington, D.C.
The Vet Center Improvement Act
In 1979, Congress established Vet Centers across the country to provide combat veterans and their families with the full range of counseling, outreach, and referral services they need and deserve. These facilities help guide eligible veterans and their families through major lifestyle adjustments when veterans return from combat.
On Thursday, as part of the annual defense spending bill for Fiscal Year 2023, the House passed the Vet Center Improvement Act, legislation I’ve been working on with Senator Reed to improve services and performance standards at Vet Centers nationwide.
Vet Centers are a critical resource for our men and women in uniform. This bill will help ensure that these facilities have the staff and resources they need to provide the high-quality service to our veterans, especially at a time when more veterans are seeking mental health care, counseling, and other life-saving services. I’m thrilled that this legislation is being included in the defense bill, signaling its importance for our servicemembers and their families.
Bolstering the U.S.-Portuguese Relationship
Persistence pays off. For the third time this Congress, the House passed the Advancing Mutual Interests and Growing Our Success (AMIGOS) Act, legislation I introduced with Senator Whitehouse to build on our nation’s already strong economic relationship with Portugal.
Now, included in the must-pass defense spending bill for Fiscal Year 2023, this bill will soon be headed to the President’s desk.
Portuguese-Americans and Portuguese nationals helped make Rhode Island the state we are today. The members of our thriving Portuguese-American community make rich contributions to the fabric of our state in the arts, culture, business, and public service. Breaking down barriers that currently limit Portuguese investments in American businesses and projects will grow an already strong relationship between our two countries.
You can learn more about the AMIGOS Act here.
President Biden Signs Bipartisan Speak Out Act
President Biden this week signed the Speak Out Act into law, bipartisan legislation I introduced with Representatives Lois Frankel, Ken Buck, Jerry Nadler, Pramila Jayapal, Cheri Bustos, and Burgess Owens.
This legislation makes unenforceable predispute nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) that prohibit survivors from disclosing sexual abuse on the job.
Forced NDAs punish the survivor and protect the perpetrator who is set free to abuse others again and again. With the signing of the Speak Out Act, we will now hold abusers accountable and change the culture of the workplace. Employers who were used to acting without consequence will be forced to stop toxic workplaces, sexual harassment, and assault before it happens. This should lead to safer and more productive workplaces and civic society for employers, employees, and consumers.
Fighting for Support for RI Farmed Impacted by Drought
As we work to finalize the spending bill for Fiscal Year 2023, I joined with my colleagues in the Connecticut and Rhode Island Congressional Delegations to urge our colleagues to include additional funding to assist New England livestock feed producers and other farmers impacted by severe drought conditions. We need to replenish funds for critical USDA disaster relief programs and expand relief to cover farmers’ losses in 2022, in addition to 2021 and 2020.
You can read our full letter here.
Restoring Faith in Our Nation’s Highest Court
Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Supreme Court ethics regulations and the politicization of the Court. The Supreme Court – the highest Court in our nation – no longer has the confidence of most Americans. This institution, an historic symbol of integrity and fairness that is meant to be free from politicization, now seems as politicized as Congress itself – and it’s no wonder why. We have entrusted them to police themselves, and clearly, they have failed.
Fortunately, we know how to fix this. We can, and must, restore faith in our highest Court and we can start by passing the Supreme Court Ethics and Transparency Act, an important court reform package that would do just that.
Working to Prevent Gun Deaths by Suicide
This week, the House Judiciary Committee took up H.R. 8361, the Preventing Suicide Through Voluntary Firearm Purchase Delay Act. This legislation from my friend Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal would help to prevent deaths by allowing people to voluntarily place themselves onto a “do not sell” list, preventing them from being able to purchase a firearm. This bipartisan legislation is modeled on past successful laws in Washington, Utah, and Virginia.
We need to acknowledge, and act on, the link between firearms and suicides. This bill does that and takes a step towards helping people: allowing someone who knows that they are struggling with their mental health to voluntarily enroll themselves onto a “do not sell” list, preventing them from purchasing a gun until they remove themselves from the list.
Hearing on the War in Yemen
On Tuesday, as Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism, I convened a hearing to examine the Biden Administration’s policy priorities in Yemen, how the United States is working to confront the humanitarian crises on the ground, and what else needs to be done in pursuit of a lasting peace agreement.
The situation in Yemen is complicated, it is divisive, and it is heart-wrenching. It is imperative that we approach this conflict clear-eyed, but also understand the dire human suffering that has and will continue to occur should the war persist. You cannot have a stable society or country when the majority of its population lacks access to basic needs like food, water, and health care. It is in the interest of national, and global, security to not only secure an end to the conflict in Yemen but to also address the humanitarian crises facing the Yemeni people.
You can view the entire hearing here and my opening statement here.
The Social Enterprise Ecosystem and Economic Development (SEEED) Commission Act
Throughout the country, social entrepreneurship has gained increasing recognition. It is a movement and an economic phenomenon that is helping to power our economy and improve our communities. Local communities often face difficult and sometimes overwhelming challenges that traditional systems and programs of government cannot address. Social entrepreneurs are stepping in to fill this gap, providing innovative solutions that deserve the recognition and support from our government and policymakers.
This week, I introduced the Social Enterprise Ecosystem and Economic Development (SEEED) Commission Act to help legislators identify how to support the social enterprise ecosystem in our country.
You can read more about the legislation here.
Welcoming Brittney Griner Home
Yesterday, we received the news that Brittney Griner was released from her unjust imprisonment in Russia. Now, she is finally back to where she belongs: home. I want to thank President Biden and the Administration for their committed leadership in negotiating the release of Griner. I hope we will soon see the safe return of Paul Whelan and all Americans who have been unjustly detained abroad. We must not allow foreign governments to use the American people as pawns in their political games.
Health Insurance Open Enrollment
Are you uninsured or hoping to pay less or change your health insurance plan?
Rhode Islanders can shop for your 2023 plan NOW, through January 1, 2023 at healthsourceri.com.
Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, 13 million Americans will save an average of $800 individually or $2,400 per family per year on their health insurance premiums.
Key Dates:
- Sign up by December 23, 2022 for coverage beginning on January 1, 2023
- Sign up by December 31, 2022 for coverage that will be active starting in January 2023
- The last day for Open Enrollment is January 31, 2023 for coverage that will become active in February 2023
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, according to the State Department, for expedited processing is now at 3-5 weeks and regular processing is taking 6-9 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].
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