January 18, 2025

Dear Friends,

Throughout my time in public service, I have always believed in reaching across the aisle to find solutions that benefit hardworking families here in our Capital Region and beyond. When the 119^th Congress began, I hoped Republicans would share that attitude and deliver on their promises to lower costs and tackle the issues that matter most to the American people.

Unfortunately, the GOP has already discarded those promises. Instead of addressing the urgent needs of everyday Americans, they have spent the first two weeks of this Congress advancing harmful legislation that targets immigrants, trans children, and victims of domestic violence. And instead of easing the strain on Americans’ pocketbooks, Republicans are plotting to strip away essential health care benefits from millions of Americans — all in order to fund tax breaks for their billionaire benefactors.

This week, House Republicans introduced H.R. 30, legislation that would expand the use of deportation against those accused of domestic violence and related offenses, often without due process of law. With domestic violence on the rise, we should all be working toward serious solutions that keep survivors safe. But this legislation is not a serious solution. It is nothing more than a cheap attempt to score political points by pretending to address the issues at our southern border and by scapegoating all immigrants, including green card holders and DACA recipients, as criminals.

Worse still, this legislation would actually put domestic violence victims at greater risk — threatening deportation even for women who act in self-defense while being abused — which is why more than 200 organizations that advocate for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors oppose the bill. If Republicans were serious about supporting survivors of domestic violence, they would stop obstructing the Violence Against Women Act and start working with Democrats on real solutions. And if Republicans were really committed to fixing our nation’s broken immigration system, they would join us in advancing a comprehensive package of reforms and border security funding like the one they rejected last year. This legislation shows that the GOP is more interested in political stunts than in addressing either of these issues.

Republicans also brought up H.R. 28, yet another example of how the GOP has chosen cruelty and discrimination over addressing the real challenges the American people face. This legislation would bring the full force of the federal government to bear against trans children who just want to play sports with their friends — subjecting girls as young as four years old to invasive personal questions and even physical inspections from adult strangers. Under this bill, every kid would be at risk of being targeted with questions about their gender — whether from an opposing team or a teammate upset about their playing time. That’s not good for anyone. Instead of pushing a federal sports takeover that endangers the well-being of millions of girls, Republicans should focus on lowering health care costs and driving down prices for American families.

Unfortunately, Republicans are not focusing on this either. In fact, they are already working behind the scenes on their highest priority — advancing massive new tax breaks for billionaires and large corporations. To pay for these cuts, GOP lawmakers plan to slash $3 trillion from essential programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act. If Republicans get their way, tens of millions of Americans will lose their health care and tens of millions more seniors, parents, and working families will see their costs skyrocket — a betrayal that threatens the health and security of families across the nation. While Republicans have abandoned their commitment to lowering costs for working families, my Democratic colleagues and I will continue fighting to protect access to quality, affordable health care for every American.

In just the first two weeks of the 119^th Congress, Republicans have made it clear that their promises to lower costs and support our communities were empty ones. Instead of focusing on the needs of hardworking families, they have chosen to advance harmful policies that target vulnerable Americans and threaten essential services. Regardless of the political games Republicans play, I remain dedicated to making life more affordable for you and your loved ones, and to securing a future where all Americans can thrive with dignity and respect.

As always, thank you for reading.

Your friend,

DID YOU KNOW?

My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:

• Earlier this month, President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law — cementing the first successful effort in decades to expand Social Security Benefits.
• This legislation eliminates the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which previously reduced the Social Security benefits of millions of workers, spouses, and surviving spouses who receive a pension based on employment not covered by Social Security — including many teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other state and local public servants.
• Now, thanks to this new law, more than 2.5 million Social Security beneficiaries, including more than 35,000 in New York State, will see their benefits increase by hundreds of dollars per month.
  • Once the law is implemented, beneficiaries will also receive payment for any months of past-due benefit increases, retroactive through January 2024.
• You can click HERE to view a fact sheet on this legislation, or click HERE to view the Social Security Administration’s dedicated webpage for this law.