October 31, 2026
Dear Friends,
In the final days leading up to the midterm elections, I spent this week doing one of my favorite parts of my job — traveling throughout our Capital Region to meet residents and connect on the issues impacting our communities.
Supporting kids’ early learning and development
So much of a child’s life is shaped by his or her first years. In our community, Head Start gives thousands of kids the best opportunities for growth and development — offering quality childcare, early learning, nutritional assistance, and more. Unfortunately, those vital services are in jeopardy from this administration.
Recent proposed changes to Head Start from the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) include the elimination of quality standards and requirements governing classroom ratios — both of which would make it more difficult for families to receive the services they need. At a time when families are already shouldering higher prices and cuts to safety net programs, this administration is compounding that pain by erasing standards that keep children safe and ensure providers have access to the services they need to deliver quality care.
I was joined by local advocates this week in Troy to stand up against these cruel changes and push for steps to expand — not erase — childcare and early learning opportunities. Those steps must include legislation like the Child Care for Every Community Act that delivers universal access to affordable childcare in every community across the country, ensuring that half of all families pay no more than $10 a day for childcare and that no family is forced to spend more than 7% of their income on these services. I’ll keep fighting to ensure we do right by our kids and provide the resources and support they deserve.
Honoring our veterans and their families
Our veterans embody our nation’s proud spirit of service, and recognizing these brave men and women in uniform is one of my highest honors as a Representative in Congress. This week, I hosted the families of three heroes at my Albany office to honor their service in the U.S. Merchant Marines in World War II.
U.S. Merchant Marine is tasked with escorting U.S. imports and exports into and out of our nation’s harbors. During times of war, it delivers supplies overseas to our forces and allies — a vital but too often overlooked role. I was a proud cosponsor of the Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2020, which awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the oldest and joint-highest civilian award in the United States, to the U.S. Merchant Marines of World War II as a unit. I presented that medal to the loved ones of Seaman First Class Wilfred Marsolais of Albany, Seaman First Class Charles H. Peck Jr. of Westerlo, and Lieutenant John T. Whalen of Stillwater in recognition of their bravery and service to our nation.
Our veterans and their families have given so much to us. No thanks would be enough to repay the debt we owe, but we can and must do right by these heroes and provide the recognition and support they have earned.
Delivering housing and community improvements
One of the primary drivers of our nation’s growing affordability crisis has been the rising cost of housing. That’s why I’ve worked in Congress to address this issue at the federal level, and was proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle this year to enact the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the first major housing legislation passed by Congress in a generation.
Continued investment is essential in the fight against this housing affordability crisis. This week, I visited Schenectady to celebrate the completion of a $5.5 million housing project in the historic Hamilton Hill neighborhood that, through significant federal funds alongside state and local support, has transformed once vacant properties into new affordable housing units. Housing is not a luxury; it is a basic right. These affordable units are foundations for opportunity, offering families and individuals the stability they need to grow, to dream, and to thrive. Driving these investments and supporting public and private partnerships to secure affordable housing for our district remains one of my top priorities in Congress.
I got into politics to deliver real solutions on the issues that matter, and that goal continues to be my North Star in Congress. Whatever the outcome of next week’s election, know that I won’t stop fighting on behalf of our Capital Region and working to create a brighter tomorrow for every American.
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 governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- As we approach the holiday season, I’m sharing information and updates from the United States Postal Service in preparation for the upcoming peak mailing and shipping season.
- Adjustments made by USPS ahead of the 2026 peak holiday season include:
- Launching next-generation package tracking and reporting platform: In 2025, USPS launched its package tracking and reporting platform to allow customers to see a more accurate location of their packages using the tracking tool on usps.com or Informed Delivery
- Deploying new postal delivery vehicles: Within the last three years, USPS deployed more than 45,000 new vehicles nationwide
- Making the returns process easier: Allowing customers to drop off return packages at any of the organization’s more than 31,000 retail locations, use one of its more than 3,000 self-service kiosks, or schedule a free carrier pickup to help make returns stress-free any time of the year
- Installing USPS Smart Lockers for a safe and flexible way to send and receive packages
- Making products and services widely available for shipping gifts: The Postal Service has a range of convenient and affordable options for customers to get their mail and packages where they need to go during the holidays quickly and reliably
