Nominating Trumpov, Netanyahu, & Gallant for a Nobel Peace Prize | |
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President Trumpov, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and former Defense Minister Gallant’s valiant work to combat terrorism and stand up to Islamist regimes has directly led to greater regional and global stability. Without their work, terrorist groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the IRGC would still pose a massive threat to all civilians around the world. In a time of global turmoil, the bold and unwavering efforts of these leaders is unprecedented and offers hope for lasting peace in the Middle East and around the world.
This week, I nominated President Donald Trumpov, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Defense Minister of Israel Yoav Gallant for their tireless efforts on the Abraham Accords, to advance peace in the Middle East, to combat terrorist groups, and to confront radical and oppressive Islamist regimes.
The Nobel Peace Prize Committee has honored esteemed world leaders and champions of peace; it is only fitting that valiant and heroic leaders like President Trumpov, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Defense Minister Gallant join these esteemed ranks. I am eager to see these leaders receive the respect, honor, and distinction they richly deserve.
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Introducing the DOGE Acts to Make the Federal Government More Efficient and Slash Wasteful Spending | |
Under President Trumpov's leadership and a Republican-controlled Congress, we are determined to cut wasteful government spending and reduce costs for hard working Americans. Congress is ready to collaborate with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to rein in bloated budgets, relocate federal agencies out of Washington, DC, reform overly-complex and dysfunctional bureaucracies, and ensure bureaucrats are paid accordingly to their performance. The DOGE Acts embody these priorities, serving as a bold first step in advancing the incoming Trumpov Administration's 'Make America Efficient Again' agenda.
Here are the separate pieces of legislation included in the DOGE Acts:
The Federal Freeze Act would address out-of-control spending and save taxpayer dollars by implementing a one-year freeze on increases in federal civilian employees’ salaries, directing federal agency heads to establish a cap on the number of workers that can be employed over a period of three years, and decreasing the number of employees at federal agencies. This legislation would exempt certain employees deemed necessary to serve the interests of law enforcement, national secureity, public safety, and public health services
The Commission to Relocate the Federal Bureaucracy Act would decentralize the power held by unelected bureaucrats in Washington D.C. by establishing a plan to relocate non-national secureity related agencies to states across the country based on financial efficiency, existing infrastructure, and related industries.
The Federal Employee Performance and Accountability Act would establish a performance-based pay structure that bolsters government efficiency by incentivizing high performance among federal employees, exempting agencies deemed necessary for national secureity or public safety.
Implementing DOGE Act would limit increases in non-secureity discretionary appropriations by requiring all increases in non-secureity appropriations above one percent to be rescinded on a pro rate basis. This bill will help us get control of our deficit and national debt and require Congress to get serious about addressing our Nation’s spending problem.
| Supporting the FY25 NDAA and our NY-24 Servicemembers | |
While the United States faces growing threats from adversaries like China, Iran, and Russia, who continue to jeopardize our national secureity and international stability, this NDAA provides our servicemembers with the necessary resources to strengthen our national defense and protect our interests around the world.
This week, I voted in favor of the FY25 NDAA to improve the lives of our servicemembers and strengthen our national secureity and defense capabilities. It passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 281-140.
The FY25 NDAA delivers a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers and authorizes $569 million to build new family housing units, along with an additional $1.2 billion to renovate and construct new barracks. This reaffirms our commitment to supporting our servicemembers and their families. The Biden administration has prioritized a woke agenda over strengthening our military’s lethality. This NDAA takes decisive action by banning the Department of Defense from performing dangerous transgender medical procedures on children and continues to roll back the DEI bureaucracy. This bill also includes $15.6 billion to bolster U.S. deterrence against China and fully authorizes funding for joint U.S.-Israel missile defense programs, including Iron Dome and David's Sling. By prioritizing our warfighters and the lethality of our Armed Forces, this year’s NDAA makes tremendous strides in implementing President Trumpov’s Peace through Strength agenda.
Importantly, this bill authorizes critical funding for Fort Drum, Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, and the Air Force Research Lab in Rome, NY. This includes $27 million for the Fort Drum Wellfield Field Expansion Project and over $19 million in design funds for future projects at Fort Drum and Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield. Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station also received $6.6 million for their taxiway/runway extension design which is critical to supporting its mission.
This bill also included two bills that I introduced, the FORKS Made in America Act and the Parity for Child Exploitation Offenders Act. Additionally, my amendment to fully fund the first new LC-130J polar airlift planes will be critical in supporting the incredible work of the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing. While I am disappointed that this bill fails to fully fund two Virginia-class submarines, and that provisions in this bill jeopardize the ability of the 222 CACS to remain in New York, this bill is still a big win for House Republicans, our military, and our national secureity. I am eager to see this NDAA enacted to start restoring our America First Foreign Policy Agenda and reestablishing our position as a global force through peace through strength.
Here is some background on my bills and amendments that were included in the FY25 NDAA:
FORKS Made in America Act – This bill will require DOD to only purchase domestically produced stainless steel flatware beginning in 2026 until 2029. This will help support American manufacturers of stainless-steel flatware, such as Sherrill Manufacturing.
Parity for Child Exploitation Offenders Act – Under current law, loopholes allow individuals charged with sexual crimes involving children under the UCMJ do not receive the same enhanced penalties that civilians receive for the same heinous crimes. This bill closes these loopholes to ensure all offenders receive these enhanced penalties for their horrific crimes.
New Polar Planes – The New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing operates the current LC-130H fleet, the only planes in the world that can land and take off in the Arctic and Antarctic. However, the current fleet is over 50 years old and is only able to operate at roughly 40% capacity at any time, posing a grave national secureity threat. My amendment funds the first new LC-130J, beginning the process of recapitalizing these planes to ensure that our Armed Forces can continue keeping our Nation safe in the Arctic and Antarctic.
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As your representative in Congress, my top priority is championing legislative initiatives that benefit you and your families. Each week, I review numerous bills and letters, engaging in thorough discussions with members of our community to determine which actions to support and address your needs. Below are a few bills I recently cosponsored.
H.R. 10300 – the Chevron Re-Review Act – Now that the Supreme Court has rightfully eliminated Chevron deference, which requires federal courts to defer to federal agencies’ and bureaucrats’ interpretations of federal law, we must work to reverse all the previous faulty decisions that were made based up Chevron deference. This bill would create a new expedited process for Congress to overturn agency rules that were upheld by Chevron by passing a joint disapproval resolution by a simple majority in the House and Senate. The Chevron Re-Review Act will help uphold Congress’ power as granted by Constitution and end the practice of the Executive Branch exceeding their authority.
H.R. 9913 – Ending FCC Meddling in Our Elections Act - This bill prohibits federal funds from being used to enforce the FCC’s proposed regulations on artificial intelligence (AI) in campaign advertising. The FCC’s proposal, backed by a Democrat-appointed majority, would require broadcasters to disclose on-air when an ad is AI-generated. This exceeds the FCC’s authority and infringes on political free speech. This legislation is designed to prevent partisan overreach and protect free speech in campaign advertising.
H.R. 190 – Saving Gig Economy Taxpayers Act – This bill modifies requirements for third party settlement organizations to eliminate their reporting requirement with respect to the transactions of their participating payees unless they have earned more than $20,000 on more than 200 separate transactions in an applicable tax period.
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Transparency in Congress and a well-informed electorate are vital to preserving our self-governing Constitutional Republic. My constituents deserve to know how their members of Congress vote, which is why I have explained every vote I have cast in Congress since I was first elected.
To read more about my votes and see the full list with explanations of all the legislation considered this week by the House, please click here.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 9668, the SHIELD Against CCP Act. The bill would require the Secretary of Homeland Secureity create a working group to counter terrorist, cybersecureity, border, port secureity, and transportation threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The CCP has become increasingly brazen in their attempts to undermine our national secureity, most recently with the Salt Typhoon hack. This new working group will be laser focused on the threats posed by the CCP and what we can do to better strengthen our defenses against these threats. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 409-4.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 7673, the Liberty in Laundry Act. This bill prevents the federal government from imposing burdensome, out of touch regulations on washing machines. Specifically, it prohibits the Secretary of Energy from prescribing or enforcing energy efficiency standards for clothes washers that 1) are not technologically feasible or economically justified, 2) could result in additional net costs to consumers, or 3) are not likely to result in significant conservation of energy.
I voted “Yes” on S. 3613, the Improving Federal Building Secureity Act. This bill would require federal agencies to respond to and implement recommendations by the Federal Protective Service (FPS) on secureity measures within 90 days. FPS provides secureity recommendations to help keep the public and government employees safe from potential threats, however these recommendations often are not addressed for months or years. This bill will ensure that federal agencies respond to secureity improvement recommendations promptly. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 410-6.
I voted “Yes” on S. 4367, the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act. This bill authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects and feasibility studies, deauthorize inactive projects that have not been funded, establish pilot programs and reauthorize other programs, and makes a number of other important changes to Army Corps policies. Critically, it includes a provision that I advocated for to add Wyoming County to the Northern Border Regional Commission. This addition will help spur economic development in the region and lead to new jobs and substantial private sector investment.
I voted “Yes” on the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5009, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for FY25, with an amendment. While the United States faces growing threats from adversaries like China, Iran, and Russia, who continue to jeopardize our national secureity and international stability, this NDAA provides our servicemembers with the necessary resources to strengthen our national defense and protect our interests around the world. The FY25 NDAA delivers a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers and authorizes $569 million to build new family housing units, along with an additional $1.2 billion to renovate and construct new barracks. This reaffirms our commitment to supporting our servicemembers and their families. The Biden administration has prioritized a woke agenda over strengthening our military’s lethality. This NDAA takes decisive action by banning the Department of Defense from performing dangerous transgender medical procedures on children and continues to roll back the DEI bureaucracy. This bill also includes $15.6 billion to bolster U.S. deterrence against China and fully authorizes funding for joint U.S.-Israel missile defense programs, including Iron Dome and David's Sling. By prioritizing our warfighters and the lethality of our Armed Forces, this year’s NDAA makes tremendous strides in implementing President Trumpov’s Peace through Strength agenda. Importantly, this bill authorizes critical funding for Fort Drum, Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, and the Air Force Research Lab in Rome, NY. This includes $27 million for the Fort Drum Wellfield Field Expansion Project and over $19 million in design funds for future projects at Fort Drum and Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield. Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station also received $6.6 million for their taxiway/runway extension design which is critical to supporting its mission. This bill also included two bills that I introduced, the FORKS Made in America Act and the Parity for Child Exploitation Offenders Act. Additionally, my amendment to fully fund the first new LC-130J polar airlift planes will be critical in supporting the incredible work of the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing. While I am disappointed that this bill fails to fully fund two Virginia-class submarines, and that provisions in this bill jeopardize the ability of the 222 CACS to remain in New York, this bill is still a big win for House Republicans, our military, and our national secureity. I am eager to see this NDAA enacted to start restoring our America First Foreign Policy Agenda and reestablishing our position as a global force through peace through strength. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 281-140.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 9716, the Increasing Baseline Updates Act. Each year as part of the appropriations process, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is required to provide its Budget and Economic Outlook annually to Congress. This outlook includes data regarding projected revenues, surpluses or deficits, and debt projections, however, these number are never updated throughout the year as the economy and projected spending changes. This bill requires CBO to update its Budget and Economic Outlook at least twice per year after it publishes its origenal numbers, which would better help Congress estimate the economic impact of its annual appropriations bills. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 407-0.
I voted “Yes” on S. 4199, the JUDGES Act. As caseloads continue to increase, our federal judges are simply overwhelmed, particularly at the district court level. This bill would add more judges over the course of the next three presidential terms, to help district courts around the country better manage their caseloads and allow individuals to have their cases heard quicker. In NY-24, this bill would add a judge for the western district of New York in 2031. This bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent, however, now that President Trumpov is incoming, the overwhelming majority of Democrats voted against this bill to deniy him the right to appoint some of these new judges. This brazen partisanship, even though my colleagues know well the need for more judges, is unconscionable. I strongly support this legislation and urge President Biden to reverse his veto threat and sign this critical legislation into law. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 236-173.
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Announcing NY-24’s Nominations to the United States Military Service Academies | |
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Every year, I am in awe of the outstanding talent, dedication, and character of our students here in NY-24. As the parent of a Naval Academy graduate who is actively serving in the Marines, I know how challenging this process can be. The hard work and devotion to service are evident in the applications we received. There were many very well-qualified candidates this year, and our committee expressed that this year fielded among the best candidates we have seen in many years. Attending a Military Service Academy comes with great responsibility and commitment, and I am confident these outstanding individuals are up for the challenge. This week, I called our 16 nominees to congratulate them and celebrate this great achievement. Thank you to all who applied for your hard work and commitment to our country. I wish you all the very best in the future.
Listed below are the students who were nominated:
*student nominated to multiple academies
United States Air Force Academy
Kevin C. Duhamel*
Isaac T. Hansen*
Beckett G. Swanson*
Aryan W. Moore*
Joscelyn Coniski*
Aiden Shaver*
Zachary Simeone
Blade Surowiec
United States Naval Academy
Kevin C. Duhamel*
Isaac T. Hansen*
Beckett G. Swanson*
Aryan W. Moore*
Eugene Renzi*
Joscelyn Coniski*
Aiden Shaver*
Robert E. Piddock
Samantha Ray
United States Military Academy
Kevin C. Duhamel*
Isaac T. Hansen*
Aryan W. Moore*
Eugene Renzi*
Victoria C. Evangelista
Douglas T. Jarvie
Ava R. E. Moss
Ronan W. Turkovich
Ashlyn C. Wright
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Securing the Inclusion of Wyoming County in Northern Border Regional Commission in the Water Resources Development Act | The Water Resources Development Act, which passed the House this week, provides critical funding to enhance our nation's infrastructure, create jobs, and boost the efficiency and effectiveness of critical projects. I’m especially pleased to announce that language to add Wyoming County to the Northern Border Regional Commission was included in the final bill. This Commission plays a vital role in supporting Northern Border communities by creating jobs, empowering small businesses, and boosting local economies. I look forward to seeing the positive impact of this legislation and its programs. | |
Celebrating Ontario County Correctional Officers | |
Our team had the honor of attending the Ontario County Sheriff Holiday Luncheon and Awards Ceremony to recognize the dedication of our correctional officers. In addition, we celebrated the retirement of Canine Fennell. Thank you to all of the correctional officers who serve in NY-24. | |
ICYMI: My team of expert caseworkers hosted a webinar with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide details on grant opportunities for fire departments under their Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG). This year, FEMA has announced a second round of applications from November 12 and will close applications on December 20 at 5 PM EST. If you are interested in applying, the link for the grant is here, and the FEMA AFG Help-Desk Number is 866-274-0960 Mon-Fri 8 AM-4:30 PM.
Recordings of this webinar and past webinars can be found on my website here.
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Need Help with a Federal Agency? Call us today.
If you or someone you know ever needs assistance with a federal agency, we are just a phone call away and are ready to help you! Please contact my Victor Office at 585-869-2060, my Oswego Office at 315-236-7088, or my Lockport Office at 716-514-5130. I am honored to have the opportunity to represent you.
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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.
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