April 16, 2022
Dear Friends,
This week, I had the pleasure of meeting with a brilliant group of engineers from my alma mater, Clarkson University. At our meeting, I heard from students working toward their master’s degrees in Construction Engineering and Management about their exciting work, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to discuss my work in Washington to invest in our nation’s infrastructure.
As one of the few engineers in Congress, I am always refreshed by conversations with problem-solvers like these Clarkson students. As I work in Washington to build for our future through transformative programs like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I’m heartened to know that the next generation of engineers is already hard at work developing pioneering ideas that will help will carry us forward through the 21st century. I’d like to share with you some of the updates I discussed with these young innovators, all made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Bolstering public transit
This week, I was delighted to announce that more than $20 million from the Federal Transit Administration will be headed to transit agencies here in the Capital Region, thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding, part of a record $20 billion investment in American transit that includes more than $2 billion for New York State, will empower our local transit agencies to modernize and expand their services. Agencies can use this investment to purchase new vehicles, address repair backlogs, and transition to new climate-friendly technologies, all while supporting American manufacturing through “buy American” requirements. I’m proud to have pushed hard for this funding.
Public transit connects thousands of Capital Region residents to their jobs, their schools, and their communities every day, all while reducing pollution, traffic congestion, and fossil fuel emissions. By making significant investments in climate-friendly transit options, we are working in Washington to build a better, more sustainable future.
Expanding access to broadband
The expansion of fast, reliable internet across our nation, particularly in rural and underserved communities, is another key goal of our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The pandemic and the resulting rise of remote work and schooling have shown us that internet access is a necessity, not a luxury. That’s why I’ve long pushed for improvements to our national broadband infrastructure, including through my ACCESS BROADBAND Act that is already delivering for communities nationwide. The American Rescue Plan I supported last year delivered more than $8.9 million in funding for schools and libraries in our district to help students connect to the internet at home. And now, through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are doing even more to connect our communities with a historic $65 billion investment to provide affordable, dependable internet access to the more than 30 million Americans living in areas without sufficient broadband infrastructure. By ensuring that every American has access to reliable internet, we are working to prepare our nation for the challenges of the 21st century.
Improving school infrastructure
I was also proud to highlight the Biden Administration’s new $500 million grant program for energy upgrades in our K-12 public schools, which will help deliver cleaner and healthier environments for our students to learn and our teachers to teach. Today, many of our nation’s public schools are in dire need of energy improvements. In their 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave our schools a D+.
Antiquated, crumbling school facilities can have substantial negative impacts on students’ academic performance, all while causing significant health issues including increased risk of transmission of respiratory infections like COVID-19. This new funding will allow schools to invest in initiatives to lower their energy costs, including more efficient air conditioning and heating, improved ventilation and air quality, and new electric school buses. Investments like these will not only improve student health and academic performance for generations to come, but also help set us on the path to the new clean energy economy our nation needs to compete on the global stage.
Just as engineers have been responsible for many of the critical advancements that have moved our society forward, our students will be at the heart of our nation’s response to the problems we face today. From our crumbling infrastructure to the worsening climate crisis, there is no shortage of challenges for our young engineers to tackle. I’m working hard every day here in the Capital Region and in Washington to ensure that our students, our communities, and our innovators have the tools they need to build a better future. And after this week’s meeting, I am confident that our next generation is up to that task.
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:
- This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that more than 59 million Americans with Medicare Part B, including those enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, now have access to FDA-approved over-the-counter COVID-19 tests covered at no cost.
- People with Medicare can get up to eight tests per calendar month from participating pharmacies and health care providers for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
- A list of eligible pharmacies and other providers that have committed publicly to participate in this initiative can be found HERE.
- To read Frequently Asked Questions on this critical initiative, click HERE.
- People with Medicare can get additional information by calling 1-800-MEDICARE or by visiting this webpage.
- More details – particularly on identifying scams related to COVID-19 – can be found HERE.