Congresswoman Tenney's Weekly Newsletter Have questions? Contact Me Here Reintroduced Legislation to Defund Joe Biden's IRS Army and Redirect Funding to the Border Crisis This week, I reintroduced the Diverting IRS Resources to the Exigent Crisis Today (DIRECT) Act. The legislation redirects $45.6 billion from the Biden administration’s overreaching plan to increase audits of low and middle-class families to the border, where it will be used to hire additional law enforcement agents and increase security. Since Joe Biden took office, there have been more than 4.6 million illegal crossings at our Southern Border – it is a historic and tragic record. Yet even amidst this crisis, the Biden administration has prioritized increasing audits on middle-class Americans, rather than hiring additional Border Patrol agents to safeguard our national security and restore operational control of the border. While the new Republican House majority voted earlier this year to defund Joe Biden’s massive IRS expansion, this bill goes a step further by redirecting these funds to the border, where they are urgently needed. In a very troubling development, the Northern Border's Swanton Sector, which encompasses the North Country, has seen an 856% surge in illegal border crossings. To fill the gaps at the Southern Border, rather than finish the wall or hire more agents, the Biden administration and DC Democrats simply shifted resources. In one big shell game, scores of U.S. Border Patrol agents were moved from the Northern Border down south. But this is now creating gaps in our own backyard that are being exploited. Next week in Washington, I will be joining members of the Northern Border Caucus as well as Border Patrol Agents to bring attention to the growing crisis at our Northern Border. ICYMI: Rep. Tenney introduces bill to redirect IRS funding to southern border as Title 42 nears its end The NYS Department of Labor’s Decision to Implement the Overtime Threshold Will Hurt Family Farms The Department of Labor has refused to listen to farmers at every step in this process. This week's disastrous decision to proceed with lowering the overtime pay threshold sadly comes as no surprise. It will have real consequences. Kathy Hochul, her Department of Labor, and Democrats in Albany have turned their backs on New York’s family farms once again. This gravely misguided decision deliberately ignored input from important stakeholders and will worsen the already difficult headwinds for New York’s agriculture sector. No farms, no food isn’t just a slogan; it will become the new reality if Albany Democrats continue to treat New York’s family farms with such disdain. I will continue my fight in Congress to assist our farm businesses and hold Albany Democrats accountable for this disastrous decision. I have led the charge in Congress to fight against this change to the farmworker overtime pay threshold, which will devastate family farms. One important step I have taken is to cosponsor the Protect Local Farms Act, which would stop the rule change from taking effect in New York. Cosponsored Legislation to Further Rein in IRS Financial Surveillance Powers The Biden administration recently proposed a bank surveillance program that threatens the security and privacy of the American people’s financial information. Americans opposed President Biden’s plan to hire 87,000 new IRS Agents, and they are against additional overreach by the IRS now. The Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act bans the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from implementing any new overreaching reporting requirements for banks and other financial institutions as part of the Biden administration's aggressive expansion of bank surveillance. I am honored to join this essential piece of legislation to rein in the bureaucracy and prevent federal agencies from accruing even more unchecked power over our lives and livelihoods. Joined Sunday Morning Futures to Discuss the State of our Economy Last weekend, I joined Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures to discuss the state of our economy and my recent letter slamming the Biden administration for withholding a critical report regarding Iran’s military capabilities. In my interview, I called for the Biden administration to come to the table to negotiate a solution to the debt ceiling that sustainably addresses runaway spending and soaring inflation, both of which are harming small businesses and working families. I also reiterated my support for making soon-to-be expiring provisions of the Trump Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) permanent to continue growing our economy and providing relief to middle-class taxpayers. In addition, I also addressed the Biden administration’s failure to submit a mandatory report on Iran’s military capabilities to Congress following the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act in 2021. It is essential to our national security that Congress receives all the information it needs to shape our national security policies and hold Iran accountable. This report is now more than 230 days late, with no explanation provided by the administration for the delay. Watch the full interview here or at the video link above. Honoring the Service of K9 Kelly as he Retires from the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office After eight years at the Ontario County Sheriff’s office, K9 Kelly is retiring! Please join us in offering our sincerest congratulations and thanks to K9 Kelly. You can read more about this story by clicking here. Honoring NY-24’s History of Freedom, Liberty and Individual Rights as we Celebrate Black History Month In honor of Black History Month, we wanted to highlight the amazing and inspirational history that NY-24 and New York State played in advancing the cause of liberty for all. I recently had the privilege of touring the historic home of Harriet Tubman in Auburn and honoring the life and work of a true hero who fought every day for a better America. She is an inspiration to me and so many Americans of different races, creeds, and religions. Harriet lived in Auburn from 1859 to 1913 while rescuing over 70 slaves on 13 trips to the enslaved South. Her relentless commitment to liberty and justice for all has earned her a spot as one of the most revered freedom fighters in all of American history. Frederick Douglass, another one of the most admired civil rights leaders in American history, lived most of his life in Rochester, where he published his historic "North Star" newspaper, assisted with the underground railroad and even hosted runaway slaves at his home. Douglass worked closely with suffragette Susan B. Anthony, fighting for abolition and women's rights. He often visited Seneca Falls to support Anthony's efforts and was laid to rest beside her in Rochester. Please join me in taking a moment to honor the lives and work of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and so many others from our region who fought to make our country a better place. NY-24 and the surrounding area have such an important history to recognize and celebrate. MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Upcoming Webinar on How to Deal with the IRS We will be hosting our next constituent webinar on how to deal with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Have you had issues dealing with the IRS? You're not alone! Join this seminar and we will provide insight into best practices for filing your taxes this year. This webinar will cover new rules to look out for, dates and deadlines to be aware of, and best practices when receiving assistance. To join, please email [email protected] or click here. Date: March 8, 2023 Time: 10:00AM RSVP Email: [email protected] Please note, if you are having issues with your previous tax returns or have immediate questions, please don’t hesitate to contact my office today for help. ICYMI: Our Most Recent Webinar on Constituent Services Thank you to all who attended our second installment of our monthly webinar series, which provided a comprehensive overview of the constituent casework services our office provides. If you missed this most recent webinar or any others, don't worry, we post them all to our website for your convenience. You can find recordings of all all our past webinars here. Need Help with a Federal Agency? Call us today. If you or someone you know ever needs assistance with a federal agency, please contact my Victor Office at 585-869-2060, my Oswego Office at 315-236-7088 or my Lockport office at 716-514-5130! Thank you for the opportunity to serve. 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 24th 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 #NY24 as we can each week. ‌ ‌ ‌ Rep. Tenney | 2349 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]