August 30^th, 2025

Dear Friends,

I got into public service to make a difference for our communities. A key pillar of that work is helping those who are too often left behind without the resources and care they need and deserve – particularly those in our addiction and recovery community. Throughout my time in office, I’ve been proud to enact meaningful legislation that meets the needs of those living with the disease of addiction and removes the barriers that too often block their access to lifesaving treatment.

This week, to mark International Overdose Awareness Day, I traveled across the district to meet with individuals in recovery, their loved ones, and the advocates and health care providers working hard to support them. I wanted to speak directly to these individuals about the challenges they face and learn what more I can do to ensure they have the resources they need to find and follow the path to recovery.

• On Wednesday, I attended the Prevention Council’s 10th annual candlelight vigil for overdose awareness in Saratoga Springs. Over the years, this vigil has served to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with drug-related deaths. The event also offers Narcan training to equip members of the community with the tools and knowledge to potentially save a life.
  
  
• The next day, I joined a town hall conversation held by Friends of Recovery – New York at SUNY Schenectady County Community College to hear stories and answer questions directly from residents and local service providers about how recent federal policy changes are impacting public health and community services.

Our loved ones should never have to suffer without access to effective addiction treatment, prevention, and recovery services. Unfortunately, actions taken by President Trump and his administration are betraying the goal of universal access to behavioral health treatment and support.

Over these past several months, we’ve seen devastating cuts aimed at removing the workers, agencies, advocates, and programs that support and care for those struggling with addiction. That includes mass layoffs of workers at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), clawing back funding to address fentanyl and prevent overdose deaths, and decimating our health care system with Republicans’ so called “One Big Beautiful Bill.” This disastrous law marks the largest cut to Americans’ health care in history, totaling more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.

While ripping away care from an estimated 17 million Americans, this GOP budget will also crush our nation’s capacity to respond to the overdose crisis and deliver care to individuals who need it. Medicaid forms an essential part of our nation’s behavioral health care system, serving as the largest payer for behavioral health and substance use treatment nationwide. With these Medicaid cuts, states will be forced to take on more of the burden and shift resources away from other services including prevention, treatment, and recovery.

Further, these health care cuts will force hundreds of hospitals across our nation to close their doors, denying life-saving care to folks across our region and beyond. The stakes are simply too high to allow these cuts to continue. That’s why I’ve been speaking out and fighting back against them with every breath. Just this week, I joined Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and health care professionals at St. Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam to highlight the pain that will be felt if we lose our hospitals - not just for those in our recovery community, but for all of us - and to push for legislation that restores funding for Medicaid, Medicare and the ACA.

While I am all too aware of the challenges of meeting this moment and ensuring quality, affordable, accessible care for those who need it, I remain committed to doing the essential work to support our loved ones. I am continuously heartened by the knowledge that I am not fighting alone. Every day, family members, loved ones, advocates, and health care professionals are doing the work of supporting and uplifting those living with addiction. Guided by their passion and dedication, I’ll keep fighting to help pave a path to recovery for all.

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, announcements, and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:

• As you may know, the former IRS Commissioner announced in July that the agency plans to end the Direct File program, despite evidence showing that Direct File saved the average user $160 in return fees and hours of effort in preparing their return.
  • Earlier this year, I joined my colleagues in Congress in a letter demanding that the Administration preserve and expand Direct File for future tax filing seasons.
• Recently, the IRS invited the public to participate in an anonymous feedback survey on tax preparation and filing options, including Direct File, which will run through September 5, 2025. The survey is being conducted as part of the Department of Treasury and the IRS’s efforts to fulfill a reporting requirement to Congress under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act.
• Respondents to this survey will have the opportunity to make their voices heard about the future of Direct File.
• If you are interested in participating, visit the Free Online Tax Preparation Feedback Survey or the IRS.gov landing page (located at the bottom of the page, under “News & Announcements”). Participation is anonymous.