March 12, 2022
Dear Friends,
Today, our nation faces great challenges both at home and abroad. From Russia’s vicious and unprovoked attack on Ukraine to the rising costs imposed on hardworking families, there is no shortage of pressing issues to address. That’s why on Wednesday, I was proud to cast my vote for bipartisan government funding legislation that tackles these challenges head-on.
This omnibus bill includes significant funding for key domestic priorities, from strengthening our infrastructure to providing billions to support Americans struggling with mental illness and working to overcome the disease of addiction. Transformative federal investments like these will create good-paying jobs and help lower costs for families. This legislation also secures major bipartisan victories, including the long-awaited reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and the creation of new cybersecurity safeguards to better protect our infrastructure and our businesses against vicious cyber-attacks by Russia and other bad actors.
I’m particularly proud that this government funding legislation includes significant investments in priorities I’ve fought long and hard for, like increasing broadband access for our rural communities, boosting investments in clean energy, and supporting American manufacturing.
I’d like to highlight just a few of the historic victories secured by this transformative package. Among many others, these wins include:
- Clean Energy: $3.12 billion for the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, as well as $3.8 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help hardworking families cut energy costs.
- Broadband: $450 million for the ReConnect rural broadband program, and millions in funding to improve broadband mapping efforts and support the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, which was established by my ACCESS BROADBAND Act.
- Job Development: $374 million for the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to support infrastructure and public works projects and millions of additional funding to support local manufacturers and create good-paying jobs.
- Heritage Areas: Support for our National Heritage Areas through 2023, including the Capital Region’s own Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and Commission and the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.
- Support for Ukraine: $13.6 billion in emergency funding for Ukraine’s security and humanitarian needs as Russia continues to wage its brutal and unprovoked war.
I’m also proud that this legislation includes funding for all ten of the Capital Region Community Projects I’ve spent the past year fighting for. When we make strong investments in our communities, we pave the way for significant economic growth and job creation all while bolstering resiliency and expanding vital public services. I’m confident that these projects, which will deliver a combined $14,447,500 in critical funds, will bring benefits to our region for generations to come, and I thank the dedicated local leaders and advocates who worked alongside me every step of the way to get these projects across the finish line. This year’s impressive slate of Community Projects include:
- $5,000,000 to fund two community development projects for the City of Amsterdam.
- $3,000,000 to install floating solar panels on the Cohoes reservoir, which will serve as a model for communities across the nation striving to implement smart, clean energy systems that drive down consumer costs.
- $1,687,500 to expand broadband internet access to hundreds underserved households for the Town of Westerlo.
- Several more incredible projects! You can read more about these and the rest of this year’s slate of Community Projects HERE.
The historic investments advanced in our bipartisan government funding package reflect America’s deepest values. Working alongside President Biden, Democrats in Congress are fighting hard to strengthen the middle class, support our most vulnerable communities, create good jobs, expand clean energy research, and so much more. I’m proud to have supported this legislation, and I look forward to seeing these key provisions and programs enacted as soon as possible so we can provide this much-needed support to our communities.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
Throughout this pandemic, my office and I have worked 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:
- The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is hiring two Case Advocates for the Albany office of its Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS).
- Case Advocates work to provide assistance to taxpayers with technical and procedural tax issues, covering the full range of cases and issues encountered by TAS while concentrating especially on those cases with the most complicating or specialized factors.
- Case Advocates confer directly with taxpayers experiencing delays or issues with their tax returns, educate taxpayers on their rights and responsibilities, and perform specialized research to solve problems in complex cases.
- To view the full job description and to apply, click HERE.