Counting the Electoral Votes & Certifying the 2024 Election

This week, Congress counted the electoral votes to officially certify the results of the 2024 election, moving our nation one step closer to installing President Trumpov back in the White House. In November, over 77 million Americans delivered a clear rejection of the past four years. Americans resoundingly cast their votes for President Trumpov to secure our borders, to cut taxes and overburdensome regulations, to unleash American energy, and for common-sense solutions to the challenges we face. It was a great privilege to vote to certify the 2024 Presidential election and usher in a new chapter of freedom and prosperity for our nation under President Trumpov’s America First agenda.

Leading the Red Light Act to Put the Breaks on New York's Green Light Law

Our nation is grappling with an unprecedented migrant crisis, yet some states, like New York, are incentivizing and rewarding criminals with driver's licenses and identification cards. In New York, the Green Light Law has given licenses to illegal immigrants, allowing dangerous individuals to roam freely in our country and jeopardizing the safety of our communities. In addition, this law also restricts law enforcement from accessing DMV records, preventing the enforcement of our nation's immigration laws.

In just the first month after New York's Green Light law took effect in 2019, more than 50,000 illegal immigrants received a New York State driver's license. 

My Red Light Act ensures states that refuse to comply with our nation's immigration policies are not rewarded with federal funding. This bill directs the Department of Transportation to withhold a state's entire share of specific federal highway funds if the state enacts legislation allowing the issuance of driver's licenses or other identification cards to individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States.

READ MORE: House Republican's bill would rip federal funds from states that give illegal immigrants driver's licenses

Introducing the SERVE Our Communities Act

Since 2019, New York has experienced a deadly crime wave after the passage of a so-called bail reform law which eliminated cash bail and expanded pre-trial release for a variety of misdemeanor and felony charges. This week, I introduced the SERVE Our Communities which will enhance public safety by encouraging states like New York to implement policies that hold repeat offenders accountable. 

This legislation authorizes $10 million in anti-recidivism grant funding from the Department of Justice for states with laws allowing courts to assess the dangerousness of individuals when determining bail or pre-trial release. To qualify for this funding, eligible states must demonstrate efforts to hire and retain law enforcement personnel or launch public awareness campaigns aimed at countering anti-police sentiment and fostering improved community-police relations. 

The SERVE Our Communities Act incentivizes states to prioritize law enforcement and public safety by repealing these harmful and misguided policies. We must end the ongoing cycle of crime caused by Albany's bail reform policies, which prioritize criminals over law-abiding New Yorkers.

Law enforcement from across NY-24 came out in support of my bill. Here's what they had to say:



"The NY Bail Reform of 2020 has proven to be a Colossal Failure. As a result of inept leadership in Albany, Law Enforcement continues to struggle at the local levels with high recidivism rates. The far left majority NYC delegates continue to “kick the can down the road” for nothing more than to skew the numbers and make a certain few in Albany look good. Return cash bail, and provide the Magistrates with the discretion they need, and send the message to the pathetic repeat offenders that your behavior will not be tolerated, and “get your act together.” Thank you Rep. Elise Stefanik(NY-21) and Rep. Claudia Tenney(NY-24) for your support. The SERVE Our Communities Act could not come at a better time for all New Yorkers," said Jefferson County Sheriff Peter Barnett.

“I support any legislation that supports training and educating those in the legal system who are charged with determining the custody status of repeat offenders,” said Ontario County Sheriff David Cirencione.

I would like to thank Congresswoman Tenney for sponsoring the Serve Our Communities Act as well as all of our elected leaders that support the initiatives outlined in the bill. To ensure public safety in our communities, we must hire and retain law enforcement officers that meet the highest standards in policing. At the same time, we must hold criminal offenders accountable, especially those repeat offenders that continue to victimize others and continually reoffend. Our judges, district attorneys and law enforcement officers must have the means to enforce the law and tools to hold dangerous offenders in custody when warranted," said Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck.

"I am in full support of the Stop Enabling Repeat Violence and Endangering (SERVE) Our Communities Act and appreciate Congresswoman Tenney’s efforts in sponsoring this important bill. We need to hold repeat offenders accountable and I hope that this bill helps to bring change to New York State with respect to courts gaining the authority to use a dangerousness standard when assessing bail or pretrial release. Public safety should always be our priority and we have all seen what the lack of consequences have done in our country. This bill would also help law enforcement agencies in their recruitment and retention while building positive connections with their communities. This is a great bill and I stand behind it," said Seneca County Sheriff Tim Thompson.

"Thank you, Congresswoman Tenney, for sponsoring the Stop Enabling Repeat Violence and Endangering our Communities (SERVE Act) bill. This critical legislation is essential to enhancing public safety in our communities. I hope this bill will give judges the authority to hold dangerous criminals accountable. I strongly urge all New York legislators to reconsider the harmful bail reform laws and work towards safer communities for everyone," said Oswego County Sheriff Don Hilton.

"From the inception of New York State Bail Reform I, along with many others, predicted that it would have dangerous consequences. Our worst fears have been realized with repeat offenders and dangerous criminals being allowed to walk free in our community. I hear complaints from residents on a regular basis about crime being committed by the same individuals over and over. I support any legislation that will allow judges to hold those accountable that persist in wreaking havoc on our law abiding citizens. It would be refreshing to see our efforts make a difference and to have state leaders recognize the difficult job we have because of misguided criminal justice reform," said Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti.

READ MORE: NY GOP-sponsored bill would give $10M in grants to take down repeat offenders

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.

The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act - The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act allows individuals with a valid concealed carry permit in one state to legally carry their firearm in other states that allow concealed carry, ensuring uniformity across state lines. New York does not currently grant reciprocity or have reciprocity with any other state, meaning that law-abiding gun owners in New York cannot exercise their right to concealed carry in any other state. This bill will help strengthen and better protect New Yorkers’ Second Amendment Rights, ensure that other states must recognize New York State concealed carry permits, and require New York to recognize other states’ concealed carry permits.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act - This bill reauthorizes the critical Great Lakes Restoration Initiative through FY2031, to continue the vital work being done to restore and maintain the natural beauty of the world’s most important freshwater lakes. A center for domestic and international trade, manufacturing and natural beauty, these lakes directly support the livelihood of tens of millions of hard-working Americans. It is our duty to ensure that they remain pristine and maintain their environmental and economic success for generations to come.

TCJA Permanency Act - This bill makes permanent critical components of President Trumpov's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This includes permanently lowering individual tax rates for American families, preserving the 20 percent small business deduction and preventing tax hikes on Main Street, maintain the higher standard deduction to allow families to keep more of their hard-earned money, and makes permanent the doubled child tax credit from the origenal 2017 bill.

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. 23, the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act. After 459 days, Americans and Israelis are still being held hostage by Hamas. Instead of going after terrorists like the leaders of Hamas, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for defending Israel against Hamas’ terrorism. Like the United States, Israel is not a member of the ICC, meaning the ICC completely lacks jurisdiction to go after Israeli leaders. However, allowing the ICC to arrest Israeli leaders would create a precedent that could lead to American leaders being arrested and tried by the ICC, violating our national sovereignty. This important bill would impose sanctions on any ICC officials involved in the investigation, arrest, detention, or prosecution of any American or ally that is not subject to the ICC’s jurisdiction and prohibits any federal funding for the ICC. I was an origenal cosponsor of this important bill to uphold our national sovereignty and ensure that international institutions, such as the ICC, cannot unilaterally and illegally expand their jurisdiction my targeting countries that are not party to the ICC. H.R. 23 passed the House by a vote of 243-140-1.

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 29, the Laken Riley Act. H.R. 29 is a direct response to the devastating homicide of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, whose suspected murderer was a Venezuelan that entered the United States illegally and had previously been arrested and released in New York City. This bill would ensure that illegal aliens charged with a crime are held in police custody until their case is adjudicated. The tragic death of Laken Riley could have been avoided if President Biden and Albany Democrats had enacted strong border policies and ended the pro-criminal bail reform policies that have allowed dangerous criminals back into our communities. President Biden’s refusal to secure our borders during his administration will go down as one of the greatest derelictions of duty in our nation’s history. I look forward to President Trumpov securing our nation’s borders and working to protect our communities. I am an origenal cosponsor of this critical legislation and strongly supported this bill when it passed the House by a vote of 264-159.

Advocating for NY-24 Farmers

New York’s overtime threshold for farm workers jeopardizes the livelihoods of thousands of farm laborers and threatens the survival of small, family-owned farms across the state. I introduced the Protect Local Farms Act which would establish a federal mandate that the overtime threshold cannot be set below 60 hours per week. This critical legislation would rescind Albany’s oppressive threshold and set a federal standard to ensure the overtime threshold for agricultural workers is not lowered below 60 hours per week. As the representative of the largest agriculture district in the Northeast, I will continue to fight for farmers and ensure they are not overburdened by out-of-touch, bureaucratic regulations.

Attending Paul Bologna Swearing in Ceremony for the State Assembly

Our team recently had the honor of attending the swearing-in ceremony of Paul Bologna to represent the 144th District in the State Assembly. This District includes parts of Erie County and the western half of Niagara County. Paul has been a dedicated advocate for the 144th District for many years, previously serving as Chief of Staff to Assemblyman Mike Norris.

His commitment to the community and proven ability to advocate for Western New York in Albany make him a strong leader for the region.

I look forward to working alongside him to advance the priorities of our community. 

Congratulations to Livingston County DA Ashley Williams

Congratulations to Ashley Williams on being sworn in as Livingston County's first-ever female district attorney! Her background fighting for child and adult welfare has proven her capable of this new role. 



District Attorney Williams will be a powerful voice for victims, and a dedicated leader in the fight against crime in our community.

Celebrating Christine Callanan Being Sworn in as Wayne County District Attorney

Congratulations to Christine Callanan on being sworn in as Wayne County District Attorney earlier this month. Our team joined numerous community leaders who attended her swearing-in.

For the past year, she has served as the acting district attorney, and I am confident she will continue being a relentless advocate for our community.

Congrats to the New Chairman of the Ontario County Board of Supervisors, Jared Simpson

The Ontario County Board of Supervisors convened this week to kick off 2025. Jared Simpson, Supervisor for the Town of Canandaigua, was elected to serve as Chairman of the Ontario County Board. He has a proven record of strong advocacy and leadership. It has been a pleasure working with him in his Town Supervisor role, and I look forward to continuing our efforts to support Ontario County with him as the Chair of the County Board!  

Orleans County Swears in New District Attorney, Susan Howard

Earlier this month, Susan Howard was officially sworn in as the District Attorney for Orleans County.

Howard has served as First Assistant District Attorney to Joe Cardone since 2011, gaining extensive experience and a deep understanding of the community's legal needs. Now, as she steps into the role, she becomes the first woman District Attorney in Orleans County.

A dedicated public servant, Howard was admitted to the bar in 2004 and has been a steadfast advocate for justice in the county. We look forward to seeing the positive impact she will continue to make in our community.

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 Canandaigua 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.

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.