WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Max Rose, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Veterans and servicemembers on Staten Island receive up to $1,000 less for housing than any other borough in New York City; Congressman's proposal allows Defense Secretary to increase housing allowances in areas like Staten Island where costs and benefits don't align * * * Following a push from Congressman Max Rose, an Army combat veteran, to change the policy that leads to servicemembers and veteran  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Rep. Anthony Brindisi, D-New York, issued the following news release: Congressman Anthony Brindisi (NY-22) announced a nearly $250,000 federal grant for Cortland County. The money will be used to improve the runway at Cortland County-Chase Field airport. "These dollars are a win for Cortland County," Brindisi said. "This support helps grow our economy and make air travel safer. I will always fight to improve our infrastructure." The grant, administered by the Federal   more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Anthony Brindisi, D-New York, issued the following news release: Congressman Anthony Brindisi (NY-22) successfully passed the Support Procurement of our Nation's Stainless Steel Act (SPOONSS) through the House of Representatives as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The SPOONSS Act requires the Department of Defense to purchase American-made flatware and dinnerware for servicemembers. This legislation re-instates the Berry Amendment's long-standi  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, issued the following news release: House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) sent a letter to Hope Hicks, former senior Trump Campaign official and former White House Communications Director, demanding that she come before the House Judiciary Committee to clarify her testimony, after a federal judge in New York unsealed evidence which revealed apparent inconsistencies with Hicks' testimony. Hicks appeared before the Committee on June  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release: Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) announced an agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller to reschedule his public testimony for Wednesday, July 24, at which time Special Counsel Mueller has agreed to appear for an extended period of time. This will   more

KINGSTON, New York, July 15 -- Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-New York, issued the following news release: Following the announcement of his 19th Congressional District Small Business Advisory Committee, including representatives from all eleven counties in the district reflecting voices from small business owners, county chambers of commerce, consumers, and advocates for the small business community, Rep. Antonio Delgado (NY-19) announced additional members of the committee. These members will meet w  more

WASHINGTON, July 9 -- Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-New York, issued the following news release: At today's Democratic all-caucus, bicameral press conference on the day oral arguments will be heard in the administration-backed Texas v. United States Supreme Court case to eliminate the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and health care for millions of New Yorkers, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer pointed to New Yorker, Emilie Saltzman, of Hopewell Junction, as an example of why the legislation must be protec  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Eliot Engel, D-New York, issued the following news release: Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today welcomed House passage of the National Defense Authorization Act which included measures authored by Chairman Engel addressing a wide range of foreign-policy concerns, from enhancing congressional oversight of war powers and arms sales to demanding accountability for violence against the Rohingya in Burma to working to r  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Eliot Engel, D-New York, issued the following news release: Congressman Eliot Engel, a top member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, this week questioned an official from the Federal Communications Commission on the T-Band spectrum at a hearing entitled "Our Wireless Future: Building a Comprehensive Approach to Spectrum Policy." Engel emphasized that auctioning the T-Band spectrum would endanger crucial public safety communications, especially in New York Ci  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Eliot L. Engel, D-New York, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: Representative Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX), the Committee's Ranking Member, today lauded the unanimous House passage of the United States-Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act (H.R. 2615), which addresses the root causes of migration from Central America by promoting  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Eliot L. Engel, D-New York, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Representative Gerald E. Connolly, a senior member of the Committee, today welcomed Committee passage of their legislation to punish and prevent illegal foreign election interference. Their SECURE Our Democracy Act would impose sanctions on anyone found to interfere illeg  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Bipartisan bill extends benefits to surviving spouses of deceased veterans with a service-related disability * * * Today, the House Committee on Small Business passed the first bill Rep. Delgado introduced as a Member of Congress, the bipartisan Service-Disabled Veterans Small Business Continuation Act, which would provide the surviving spouse of a service-disabled veteran with a federal contr  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Gillibrand and Daines, Who Have Been Leading Bipartisan Push in the Senate on Blue Water Navy Veterans Legislation Since Day One, Call on Secretary of the VA to Reverse Its Decision to Delay Benefits to Blue Water Navy Veterans * * * U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Steve Daines (R-MT) today urged Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie to reverse his recent decision to delay  more

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Department Of Labor Grants Will Fund Employment and Training Programs in New York * * * U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $9,559,695 in federal funding for five organizations throughout New York State that help provide pathways to employment for at-risk young adults. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - With 9/11 VCF Bill Reaching 73 Bipartisan Cosponsors in the Senate, Gillibrand and Gardner Call on Colleagues to Pass Legislation Now * * * Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) today called on Senator McConnell to put the Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act on t  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - National Flood Insurance Program Is Set To Expire at the End of September Unless Congress Acts - Legislation Would Reform Outdated National Flood Insurance Program to Make It More Sustainable, Affordable, and Efficient * * * Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ), along with eight Senate colleagues, announced bipartisan legislation to extend and reform the N  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Brian Higgins, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Program Would Increase Grants Available to Maintain Vessels like those at the Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park * * * Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) announced that the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2500, the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill authorizes $733 billion for the Department of Defense (DoD), and Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO), as w  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- The House Homeland Security subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, and subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security issued the following hearing information: Homeland Security implications of the opioid crisis at 311 Cannon House Office Building at 10 a.m. on July 25: Witnesses * Sondra McCauley, Assistant Inspector General for Audits, U.S. Department of Homeland Security * Bridget G. Brennan, Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York * Bryce Pa  more

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- The House Judiciary Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 116-152) on legislation (H.R. 1327) to extend authorization for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 through fiscal year 2090. The report was advanced by Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, on July 12. Purpose and Summary H.R. 1327, the "Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act," would extend the authorization for the September 11th Victim Compensa  more

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- The House Judiciary Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 116-152) on legislation (H.R. 1327) to extend authorization for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 through fiscal year 2090. The report was advanced by Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, on July 12. Continues from Part 1 of 2 Hearings For the purposes of section 103(i) of H. Res. 6 of the 116th Congress, the following hearing was used to consider H.R. 1327: Hearing on "The Need to Reauthorize the Septe  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release: The House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Tuesday, July 16th at 2:00 p.m. to examine the impact of market power of online platforms on innovation and entrepreneurship. The Subcommittee will hear from two panels of witnesses, including representatives from Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple, as well as leading policy experts on competition  more

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- The House Judiciary subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet issued the following hearing information: Counterfeits and Cluttering: Emerging Threats to the Integrity of the Trademark System and the Impact on American Consumers and Businesses at 2141 Rayburn House Office Building at 9 a.m. on July 18: Witnesses Panel One: * Mary Boney Denison, Commissioner for Trademarks, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Panel Two: * Jeanne Fromer, Professor of La  more

WASHINGTON, July 13 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - Piper Kerman, Author Who Inspired the Show Orange is the New Black, to Testify * * * On July 16, 2019 at 10 a.m., the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security will hold a hearing on women and girls in the criminal justice system. This hearing will address the expanded percentages of women entering the criminal justice syst  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- The House Education and Labor subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services issued the following hearing information: Strengthening federal support to end youth homelessness at 2175 Rayburn House Office Building at 2 p.m. on July 16: Witnesses * Matthew Morton, Research Fellow, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, New York, NY * Melinda Giovengo, CEO, YouthCare, Seattle, WA * Robert Lowery Jr., Vice-President, Missing Children Division, National Center for Missi  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, issued the following news release: House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23) joined CNBC's Squawk Box Tuesday morning to discuss his recent op-ed in The New York Times in which he postulates that the power of Big Tech has outgrown the government's ability to singularly protect consumer data. Instead, the free market offers innovative and compelling responses to the concerns that Big Tech monopolies have created. Lea  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- The House Natural Resources subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources issued the following hearing information: Oil and Gas Development: Impacts of Business-as-Usual on the Climate and Public Health at 1324 Longworth House Office Building at 2 p.m. on July 16: Witness List * David J. Hayes, Executive Director, State Energy & Environmental Impact Center, Former Deputy Secretary of the Interior (1999-2001; 2009-2013), New York, NY * Jamie Williams, President, The Wilde  more

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, D-Maryland, chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - Committee Seeks Evidence Collected Against President And An Explanation of Attorney General's Role * * * Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, sent a letter to the U.S. Attorney's Office for Southern District of New York requesting information about whether an internal Justice Department p  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Delgado's First Bill to Pass the House Passes with Strong Bipartisan Support; Bipartisan Bill Aimed at Easing Regulations for Small Businesses * * * This evening, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2142, Representative Antonio Delgado's bipartisan legislation to make it easier for small businesses to comply with onerous federal regulations. H.R. 2142 creates a centralized website to serv  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-New York, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) voted to give our troops the largest pay raise in a decade and support critical defense priorities through the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill included two Delgado amendments that increase cooperation between the military and small farmers and increase funding for military research and development at local universitie  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Gregg Wenzel of Monroe, NY lost his life in Ethiopia while serving in the CIA * * * Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney's (NY-18) bill, the Gregg Wenzel Clandestine Heroes Parity Act, as part of the Intelligence Authorization Act of 2019. The bill will broaden death benefits to Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers who die while serving America o  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Max Rose, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Congressman's legislation passed the House of Representatives as an amendment to the intelligence reauthorization. * * * Congressman Max Rose secured a major boost for law enforcement in their efforts to combat untraceable, undetectable weapons such as ghost guns when the House passed legislation last night that included his amendment to provide local law enforcement with annual updates on the threat  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- Rep. Max Rose, D-New York, issued the following news release: Congressmen Max Rose (D-N.Y.), Anthony Brindisi (D-N.Y.), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) announced today that the House of Representatives passed their bipartisan Fentanyl Sanctions Act as part of the annual defense bill. The bipartisan bill, which was included as an amendment to the House and Senate National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), would apply pressure on the Chinese government to honor their commitm  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez, D-New York, chairman of the House Small Business Committee, issued the following news release: Today, the House Small Business Committee passed five bipartisan bills to enhance opportunities for America's veterans seeking a pathway to entrepreneurship after service. "Those who put their lives on the line for our country deserve nothing less than to return home with ample opportunities to pursue the American dream of starting a small business," sa  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez, D-New York, chairman of the House Small Business Committee, issued the following news release: House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY) has announced the Committee will meet to markup the following bills on Wednesday, July 17th at 11:30 A.M.: * H.R. 3537, "Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2019" * H.R. 3734, "Successful Entrepreneurship for Reservists and Veterans Act" * H.R. 1615, "Verification Alignment and S  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today blasted U.S. Attorney General William Barr's decision to overrule career civil rights prosecutors and not bring federal civil rights charges against Daniel Pantaleo, the New York City Policy Department (NYPD) officer who placed Eric Garner in a chokehold, resulting in his death. Barr's decision is part of a larger pattern of  more

SYRACUSE, New York, July 19 -- Rep. John Katko, R-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Rep. Katko Announces Bipartisan Legislation Aimed at Improving Lead Paint Screening for Children * * * U.S. Rep. John Katko (NY-24) was today joined by U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Ben Carson for a roundtable discussion with officials from the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County, as well as local housing organizations for a roundtable discussion on lead remediation  more

NEW YORK, July 16 -- Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-New York, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), urged the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to do more public outreach to inform L Train riders of service disruptions and the upcoming planned closure of the L train for many weekends and late nights in the coming months in a letter sent yesterday to MTA CEO and Chairman Patrick J Foye. While the MTA's newsletter "The L Project" included information on th  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-New York, issued the following news release: Today, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) helped pass the Raise the Wage Act, a bill that will gradually increase the federal minimum wage to $15 over the next six years. This bill would increase pay for 33 million American workers. "This is about leveling the playing field for every family and worker across America. New York has already been a leader on this, but we're well overdue for a minimum wa  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-New York, issued the following news release: Last evening, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) voted to permanently repeal an inactive excise tax on high-cost health insurance plans, known as the "Cadillac Tax", that could limit access to affordable health care coverage. New Yorkers utilizing a high-cost health insurance plan from their employer that exceeds a set threshold - $11,200 for individuals and $30,100 per family - could see a 40 percen  more

NEW YORK, July 15 -- Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-New York, issued the following news release: Today, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) joined New York Senator Chuck Schumer, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), and 9/11 first responders and health and compensation advocates to celebrate the overwhelming House passage of H.R. 1327: Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act. The coalition of adv  more

WASHINGTON, July 11 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release: Today, Members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, led by Crime Subcommittee Chairwoman Karen Bass (D-CA) and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), sent a letter to the Department of Justice requesting a briefing on Jeffrey Epstein's 2007 non-prosecution agreement and any related information regarding misconduct by the now-Labor Secret  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Espaillat and Torres are respectively the first Dominican and Guatemalan Americans to serve in Congress * * * Today, U.S. Representatives Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) and Norma J. Torres (D-CA), Co-Chairs of the Congressional New Americans Caucus, released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump's tweets asking "Progressive Democrat Congresswomen" to go back where they came  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-New York, issued the following news release: This Friday, July 19, Rep. Antonio Delgado (NY-19) will join on a bipartisan delegation including Members of Congress from the Homeland Security Committee on a trip to the Rio Grande Valley to see the conditions of U.S. government facilities at the border first-hand. The delegation will visit Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities around McAllen, Texas, including a Border Patrol station, processi  more

HUDSON, New York, July 18 -- Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-New York, issued the following news release: Today, Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) and NY Assemblymember Didi Barrett announced the opening of a district office in Hudson, New York to serve Columbia County and nearby communities. The office will serve as a resource for 19th Congressional District residents to call, email, or come by in person to share their views as well as get assistance with federal services, from farmers applying f  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, issued the following statement regarding President Trump's social media attacks on Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan: "The president's tweet telling my four female colleagues to 'go back' to the 'places from which they come' is disgusting--and reminiscent of a time in our country's history when discrimination ruled. "Hearing the hateful rhetoric c  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: * * * - Racist and xenophobic comments about members of Congress cannot be tolerated * * * Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today introduced H. Res. 490, a resolution of censure against President Trump for his racist and xenophobic comments about freshman Democratic Members Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna S. Pressley of Massachusetts. Th  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Rep. Chris Collins, R-New York, issued the following news release: Congressman Chris Collins introduced The Red Light Act, his new legislation that withholds federal highway funds from any state that grants driver licenses or identification cards to illegal aliens present in the United States. Congressman Collins' legislation comes on the heels of Governor Andrew Cuomo recent signing of the Green Light Bill into law last month. This new state law grants driver license pri  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Delgado: Working people pay enough taxes, period. We must grow the economy from the ground up, which means putting more money into the pockets of everyday Americans * * * Today, Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) released testimony submitted to the House Committee on Ways & Means in opposition to a provision of the Republican tax reform package that capped the State and Local Tax (SALT) de  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Gradually increasing the minimum wage to $15 by 2025 will raise wages for nearly 80,000 workers in NY-19 * * * Today, Rep. Antonio Delgado (NY-19) voted to pass the Raise the Wage Act, legislation to gradually increase the federal minimum wage to $15 over six years. According to independent economic analysis, the bill would increase pay for up to 33 million American workers, including over 80,  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Eliot Engel, D-New York, issued the following news release: Congressman Eliot L. Engel, a top member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health, commended the passage of the Reauthorizing and Extending America's Community Health Act of 2019, H.R. 2328, through the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee. This bipartisan legislation includes provisions authored by the Congressman, including the preservation of $12 billion in Medicaid Dispropor  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Eliot L. Engel, D-New York, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following floor remarks: Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today delivered the following remarks on the House floor in support of S.J. Res 36, S.J.Res 37, and S.J.Res. 38, three resolutions that would prevent the transfer of weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates following the Trump Administration's phony emergency dec  more

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- Rep. Eliot Engel, D-New York, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on July 17, on the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2020 (H.R. 2500): I rise to support the amendment offered by Mr. Khanna, which I was proud to cosponsor. If the President wants to go to war, he needs to come to Congress first. The Constitution gives Congress--not the President--the power to declare war. This is about checks and balances. It does not  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Eliot Engel, D-New York, issued the following statement after the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act (H.R. 3375): "Robocalls on our cell phones have become a scourge on our daily lives. They are more than a pervasive and persistent annoyance; they're also dangerous. "They expose the most vulnerable among us to schemes, scams, and deceptions that can cause irreparable damage, and I'm committed to giving federal agencies the auth  more

WASHINGTON, July 20 -- Rep. Eliot Engel, D-New York, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on July 18, recognizing National Fragile X Awareness Day: I rise today in recognition of National Fragile X Awareness Day, happening on Monday, July 22. As the Co-Chair of the Fragile X Caucus with Congressman Chris Smith, I would like to take a moment to raise awareness about this condition, which affects an estimated 100,000 Americans. Fragile X is a genetic-disor  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Eliot Engel, D-New York, issued the following news release: Congressman Eliot L. Engel, a top member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today voted in favor of raising the federal minimum wage to $15 dollars an hour. The Raise the Wage Act would increase wages for 33 million American workers, according to the Economic Policy Institute, by incrementally raising the federal minimum wage to $15 dollars an hour by 2025. Analysis by the Congressional Budget Offi  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Eliot L. Engel, D-New York, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and 49 other House members, today raised serious concerns about Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's establishment of a Commission on Unalienable Rights, an appointed body seeking to "guide U.S. diplomatic and foreign policy decisions and actions with respect to human rights in i  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- Rep. Abby Finkenauer, D-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * - 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Passes House * * * Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) voted to pass H.R. 1327, the Never Forget the Heroes Act. Finkenauer was a cosponsor of the legislation, which takes long-overdue action to provide the financial security and support that the 9/11 first responders, survivors, and families deserve. "First responders in the New York area and from across th  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Brian Higgins, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Raise The Wage Act Ends 10-Year Stretch With No Increase in Minimum Wage * * * Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) announced House passage of H.R. 582, the Raise the Wage Act, by a vote of 231-199. It's been more than a decade since the federal minimum wage was increased to $7.25 in 2009, the longest stretch between increases since the minimum wage was established in 1938. Due to inflation, in tha  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Brian Higgins, D-New York, issued the following statement on the Trump administration's treatment of the immigrant children and families: "Western New Yorkers today rightly protested the Trump Administration's appalling treatment of innocent children and families desperately fleeing conflict and danger. "Last week I opposed border legislation because it lacked appropriate safeguarding for the children and families who are victims of this administration's repugnant   more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, member of the House Judiciary, Homeland Security and Budget Committees, issued the following statement on the resignation of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta: "I welcome news of Alex Acosta's resignation. I first called for his resignation on February 22, 2019, when his role in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal became widely known. To be certain, Acosta's role in procuring an incredibly lenient sentence for a renowned sexual predator was troubl  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Rep. Jim Langevin, D-Rhode Island, issued the following statement after voting in favor of a resolution condemning President Trump for the comments he made targeting Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan: "The President's racist tweets disgrace the office he holds. Representatives Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley and Tlaib are patriotic Americans and dedicated public servants. "Ye  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Nita M. Lowey, D-New York, chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - Leaders of Appropriations, Energy and Commerce Committees warn that moving ahead with dramatic changes to NRC safety protocols without meaningful public input would weaken vital safety oversight and put public at risk; Lawmakers demand public comment period prior to vote on proposed changes * * * The House Appropriations and Energy and Commerce C  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-New York, vice chair of the Joint Economic Committee and original cosponsor of the Raise the Wage Act (H.R. 582), issued the following statement on the importance of raising the federal minimum wage: "Today, I was proud to vote to pass the Raise the Wage Act to raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2025. Millions of working families who earn the minimum wage and who have seen their wages frozen for the past decade need this raise, and they need it now.   more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Ben McAdams, D-Utah, issued the following news release: Congressman Ben McAdams said that although he supports increasing the federal minimum wage, he doesn't support the one-size-fits-all approach that is "Raise the Wage" H.R. 582), which was voted on in the House today. "The federal minimum wage should be increased, but a solution that works in New York City or Los Angeles doesn't work for Utah. We do need the guardrail of a higher minimum wage that helps Utah em  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minnesota, issued the following statement after a series of remarks by President Trump about four members of Congress - Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan: "This weekend and today, the president has once again been a provocateur with his racist, bigoted, and misogynistic language. "The American people have heard him speak like this time and time again  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Grace Meng, D-New York, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on July 15, introducing the Equal Deferment Opportunity Act: I rise today to announce the introduction of the Equal Deferment Opportunity Act and to impress upon my colleagues the importance of all servicewomen having equal protections after childbirth. Current law permits a 12-month deferment from deployment after an active duty servicemember gives birth--thereby ens  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Rep. Grace Meng, D-New York, issued the following statement after the House passed a resolution (H.Res. 489) condemning President Trump's comments directed at members of Congress: Meng voted for the resolution and was a cosponsor of the measure. "President Trump's comments are racist and his vile rants on Twitter are beyond the pale, and show his callous disregard for the office he holds. "He has not apologized, shown any remorse, and doubled down on his disgusting rema  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following floor statement in support of a resolution (H.Res. 489) condemning President Trump's racist comments directed at members of Congress: "Mr. Speaker, the comments described in this Resolution were not just offensive to our colleagues, they were inconsistent with the principles and values upon which this nation was founded upon. "In urging 4 female Members of Congress of color t  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following opening remarks at the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security hearing entitled "Women and Girls in the Criminal Justice System": "I thank the Crime Subcommittee Chair, our colleague from California, Karen Bass, for holding this important hearing on the special issues related to women and girls in the criminal justice system. "In recent years, there has been a  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, chairman of the House Judiciary subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship, issued the following remarks at a subcommittee hearing on the overcrowding and prolonged detention at Customs and Border Protection facilities: "The title of today's hearing, 'Overcrowding and Prolonged Detention at CBP Facilities,' barely begins to convey the inhumane conditions children and families in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody are experiencing  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement at a hearing entitled "Lessons from the Mueller Report, Part III: Constitutional Processes for Addressing Presidential Misconduct": "The title of today's hearing is Lessons from the Mueller Report, Part III: 'Constitutional Processes for Addressing Presidential Misconduct.' As many of you may already know, the subtitle is a quote taken directly from Volume II of the   more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement at the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law hearing entitled "Online Platforms and Market Power, Part II: Effects on Entrepreneurship and Innovation": "The open Internet has delivered enormous benefits to Americans, including a surge of economic opportunity, massive investment, and new pathways for education online. But there is growing eviden  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following opening statement at the markup of the Humanitarian Standards for Individual in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act (H.R. 3239): "H.R. 3239, the "Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act," responds to the chaos and cruelty of the Trump Administration's immigration policy--a policy that has contributed to the needless deaths of 1  more

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, issued the following statement after the House passed the Raise the Wage Act (H.R. 582) by a 231-199 vote: The Raise the Wage Act, which Congressman Nadler proudly cosponsored, will gradually increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025. "Yesterday, I was pleased to vote in support of the Raise the Wage Act, which will gradually increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025. The bill will restore the value of work  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, issued the following news release: Today, the House Judiciary Committee voted 18-13 to report H.R. 3239, the Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act, to the full House for a vote. The legislation, authored by Representative Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA), requires all individuals in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody to receive an initial medical screening and sets certain minimum standards of h  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Tom Reed, R-New York, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on July 15, commemorate the 100th anniversary of the town of North Harmony: I rise today to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the Town of North Harmony. The original town of Harmony was the largest town in Chautauqua County, comprised of approximately eighty-six square miles. In order to ensure the efficient administration of the town's affairs, the County s  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Rep. Tom Reed, R-New York, issued the following news release: Today, Rep. Tom Reed announced the introduction of bipartisan legislation called Danny's Law to address bullying in schools with Representatives Max Rose (D-N.Y.), Peter King (R-N.Y.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Haley Stevens (D-Mich.). "It is important to ensure our kids grow up free from the secret burdens of bullying. Keeping them safe from harassment, bullying and other forms of intimidation is a top pri  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Rep. Tom Reed, R-New York, issued the following news release: Today, Rep. Tom Reed, Republican Leader of the Social Security Subcommittee, laid out his principles for bipartisan Social Security reform under the acronym "LEAP" in preparation for an expected upcoming Ways and Means hearing on Social Security solvency. "As the youngest of 12, raised by a single mom on a Social Security check and a military death benefit after my father passed away when I was two, I understa  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Tom Reed, R-New York, issued the following news release: Members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus will be visiting the southern border of the United States in the Rio Grande Valley on Friday, July 19, 2019. Among the facilities the Caucus members will be inspecting are points of entry, a border patrol station, and a centralized processing center. Caucus members will also be inspecting the physical U.S.-Mexican border and will participate in briefings and disc  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is a cosponsor of Sami's Law, named after Samantha Josephson - a 21-year old University of South Carolina Student who was tragically murdered after getting into a stranger's car she mistakenly thought was her Uber ride. In response to their daughter's death, the Josephsons are now seeking to educate ride-share passengers on safety best practices, using the acronym S-A-M-I ("S  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, issued the following statement on the House passage of the Intelligence Authorization Act: "I voted in support of today's bipartisan Intelligence Authorization Act. "I'm proud to have language from the Counterintelligence Accountability Act included in this bill, legislation that I introduced earlier this year to require the FBI to provide quarterly counterintelligence briefings to the congressional intelligence committees. "The FBI shou  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, issued the following statement on House Democrats' resolution against President Trump: "I voted no on today's partisan anti-Trump resolution. "As I stated clearly, while I do not support the policies, rhetoric, or tactics of the far left socialist 'squad,' I believe the President's tweets were unacceptable. "However, today the American people witnessed unprecedented partisanship of House Democrats as Speaker Pelosi's inappropriate words   more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Elise Stefanik met with International Joint Commission Chairwoman Jane Corwin and Commissioner Lance Yohe in D.C. today regarding Plan 2014 and the continued water level issues facing Jefferson and St. Lawrence County. She has consistently been in contact with the Commissioners regarding the implementation of Plan 2014. "Today's meeting with our IJC Commissioners was incredibly productive,  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record July 16, recognizing the life and service of ex-Kansas Sen. Robert 'Bob' Dole: I rise today with the 10th Mountain Division, the Thousand Island Park Foundation, and the rest of New York's 21st District to recognize the life and service of Senator Robert "Bob" Dole. In 1942, during the height of World War II, Senator Dole was stationed with the 10th Mountain Divi  more

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez, D-New York, issued the following statement calling for the resignation of Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello: "I have thought long and hard on the crisis of governance in Puerto Rico, both as a Puerto Rican woman and as a U.S. Member of Congress. I have a profound respect both for the institutions of democracy and for the sovereignty of the Island's people. "I have long held - and continue to believe - that the Governor should be held accountable   more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez, D-New York, issued the following statement on the death of union leader Hector Figueroa: "I was truly heartbroken to hear of Hector's passing. Hector was a giant in the labor movement, a tireless voice for the people of Puerto Rico and a passionate advocate for working people everywhere. To me, he was a dear friend, an inspiration and a personified reminder of why we fight. I counted on Hector for wise advice and counsel from my earliest days in N  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez, D-New York, chairman of the House Small Business Committee, issued the following news release: Today, the House passed several bipartisan reforms to amend the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act. The bills passed today will further expand capital access for small businesses recovering from a natural disaster, help small firms guard their data against hackers, and provide clarity around size standards for small firms competing   more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-New York, and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and Co-Chair of the House Republican Israel Caucus, issued the following statement after the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed (H. Res. 246) to oppose the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement: "The House Foreign Affairs Committee just passed an important resolution to oppose the BDS movement, which is a blatantly anti-Israel and anti-Semitic  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-New York, issued the following news release: Suffolk County boasts the highest population of veterans of any county in the State of New York, and, when these veterans return home, they have earned nothing less than our full support when transitioning back into civilian life. Our nation's servicemembers put their lives on the line to protect the freedoms and liberties that make this country the greatest in the world, and the American dream that has made   more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, and Tom Reed, R-New York, co-chairs of the Problem Solvers Caucus, issued the following joint statement on the passage of bills to improve immigration and repeal military spouse widow tax: H.R. 1044 - Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, led by Rep. Zoe Lofgren, will reduce visa backlogs for high-skilled immigrants and improve our legal immigration process. H.R.553 - Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act, led by Reps. Joe Wilson   more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. John Katko, R-New York, issued the following news release: With just six legislative days remaining until lawmakers leave Washington for the August district work period, U.S. Reps. John Katko (NY-24) and Stephanie Murphy (FL-07), along with nearly 30 House colleagues from both sides of the aisle, today sent a letter to Congressional leadership highlighting the urgent need to prioritize bipartisan negotiations to address the looming debt ceiling and reach an agreement  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-New York, issued the following news release: Reps. Kathleen Rice (NY-04) and Max Rose (NY-11) will visit the Rio Grande Valley this Friday as part of a bipartisan Homeland Security Committee delegation to examine the migrant conditions at the southern border. The group will visit CBP facilities around McAllen, Texas, including a Border Patrol station, processing center, holding facility, and a port of entry. The delegation will also visit a Departmen  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Max Rose, D-New York, issued the following news release: Reps. Max Rose (NY-11) and Kathleen Rice (NY-04) will visit the Rio Grande Valley this Friday as part of a bipartisan Homeland Security Committee delegation to examine the migrant conditions at the southern border. The group will visit CBP facilities around McAllen, Texas, including a Border Patrol station, processing center, holding facility, and a port of entry. The delegation will also visit a Department of   more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and Congressman Andy Levin (D-MI-09) have introduced bipartisan legislation to better tailor support for the 40 million family caregivers who provide in-home care to loved ones. This care allows families to avoid expensive hospitalization and assisted living facilities, and preserves the freedom and personal wellbeing of sick and older Americans. The Supporting Family Caregiv  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Reps. Norma Torres, D-California, and Adriano Espaillat, D- New York, co-chairs of the Congressional New Americans Caucus, issued the following statement in response to President Trump's tweets asking progressive Democrat congresswomen to go back where they came from: "The President's tweets are as small as his world view. There are many Members of Congress who were born in foreign countries. We represent a wide range of viewpoints, but we all love America and are gratefu  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Max Rose, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Following House passage of China sanctions legislation, Homeland Committee passes legislation establishing a new task force to stop the inflow of fentanyl and other opioids across the border * * * Following House passage of Congressman Max Rose's Fentanyl Sanctions Act to hold Chinese manufacturers accountable for illicit production of the deadly opioid last week, the House Committee on Homeland Secu  more

STATEN ISLAND, New York, July 15 -- Rep. Max Rose, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Congressman and local electeds urge Governor to pilot innovative solutions to increase access to public transit * * * Congressman Max Rose, who has made improving transportation a top priority, is leading an effort with local elected officials in urging the Governor to implement a microtransit pilot program on Staten Island to address transit deserts and increase access to public transpo  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- Rep. Max Rose, D-New York, issued the following news release: Congressman Max Rose, an Army combat veteran who has been leading a bipartisan effort to build support for permanently renewing and fully funding the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, issued the following statement following House passage today of the Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act: "This hasn't been   more

STATEN ISLAND, New York, July 13 -- Rep. Max Rose, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Congressman, Maureen Fitzpatrick, urge Congress to pass Danny's Law to help combat bullying in schools * * * Congressman Max Rose was joined today by Maureen Fitzpatrick, a Staten Island advocate who lost her son as a result of bullying, at a press conference announcing the introduction of Danny's Law, bipartisan legislation to address bullying in schools. Rose introduced the bipartisan   more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Senator Says Funds Will Help Bring Upstate NY Economies Into The 21st Century - In 2017, Schumer Successfully Rebuffed A Fed Plan To Move $170M From New York State To Fund Broadband In Other States; Senator Today Announces $39.2 Million Of This Pot Being Sent Upstate * * * U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced, following his push, $39.2 million in federal funding to help expand a  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Senator Will Deploy Special Legislative Power To Overturn IRS Rule & Once Again Make LI'ers Eligible For Full Salt Deduction - State Had Passed Law To Allow School Districts & Local Governments To Create Charitable Fund In Lieu Of Tax Payments, Which Would Have Allowed Homeowners To Retain Full SALT Deduction, But IRS Swooped In And Used Regs To Squash That Fed Workaround Entirely * * * As  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Funding Will Be Used To Help Homeless Veterans Get Jobs Through A Workforce Reintegration Program * * * U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $500,000 in federal funding for Veterans Outreach Center, Inc. in Rochester. These federal funds are administered through the U.S. Department of Labor's Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Prog  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Funding Will Be Used To Help Homeless Veterans Get Jobs Through A Workforce Reintegration Program * * * U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $500,000 in federal funding for Veterans Outreach Center, Inc. in Rochester. These federal funds are administered through the U.S. Department of Labor's Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Prog  more

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Funding Will Be Used To Support Early Childhood Education And Care Services For Low-Income Children In Washington County * * * U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $2,154,234 in federal funding for L.E.A.P. in Washington County. The funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Head Start Program and wi  more

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Funding Will Be Used to Support Early Childhood Education and Care Services for Low-Income Children in Washington County * * * U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $2,154,234 in federal funding for L.E.A.P. in Washington County. The funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Head Start Program and wi  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Federal Funding Will Be Used To Boost Company's Research And Production Of Innovative OLED Light Technology * * * U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative Joseph Morelle (D-25) today announced $1,049,186 for OLEDWorks in Rochester, a global leader in the advancement and manufacturing of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) lights  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Federal Funding Will Be Used To Boost Company's Research And Production Of Innovative OLED Light Technology * * * U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative Joseph Morelle (D-25) today announced $1,049,186 for OLEDWorks in Rochester, a global leader in the advancement and manufacturing of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) lights  more

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following statement regarding the upcoming trip of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, to the Texas-Mexico border: "Democrats had a chance to visit the border with us in a bipartisan way last week but refused. "We have an ongoing humanitarian and security crisis and now is not the time to play politics - it's a time to come together. "I urge my Democratic friends to support the only bipartisan solution that has been   more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, issued the following statement on President Trump's tweets about four congresswomen - Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan: "President Trump's tweets attacking four congresswomen have but one goal: to divide our country. They promote hate and fear and they're absolutely unacceptable. "Every time the president engages in such personal attack  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following statement after the Justice Department announced it would not bring federal charges against the New York Police Department officer in connection with the chokehold death of Eric Garner: "It's an outrage that five years after Eric Garner was placed in a banned chokehold in clear violation of NYPD policy, and said 'I can't breathe' eleven times on video, his family still won't get justice. "Now that the federal jus  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following statement after it was announced that the bill to make the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund permanent will be brought to a vote in the Senate. "Eighteen years after 9/11, Congress is finally poised to permanently stand by our first responders for the rest of their lives, and we need to finish the job now. After getting 402 votes in the House, and with 75 cosponsors in the Senate, there are no excuses. Senator Lee's am  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-New York, issued the following statement, which was published in the Congressional Record on July 15, on the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund: On another matter, last Friday, in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, I am happy to say that the House reauthorized the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund and made it virtually permanent. I want to thank all of my colleagues in the House. Above all, I want to commend the first responders for their advocacy and s  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, issued the following statement after the New York Times refused to publish his letter to the editor defending U.S. Border Patrol Agents: "The New York Times is comfortable publishing an op-ed shaming the men and women of Customs & Border Protection, but has so far refused to publish my response. "Our brave border patrol agents and ICE officials wake up every day and work to defend and protect our nation - and all the extreme far left politici  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pennsylvania, issued the following statement on President Trump's comments on four congresswomen - Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan: "President Trump was wrong to suggest that four left-wing congresswomen should go back to where they came from. "Three of the four were born in America and the citizenship of all four is as valid as mine. I couldn't disagr  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- The Senate Finance Committee issued the following hearing information: To consider pending nominations at 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building at 10:15 a.m. on July 24: Member Statements * Chuck Grassley (R - IA) * Ron Wyden (D - OR) Witnesses * Brent James McIntosh of Michigan, to be an Under Secretary of the Treasury, United States Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC * Brian Callanan of New Jersey, to be General Counsel for the Department of the Treasury, Unit  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- The Senate Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution issued the following testimony by Digital Content Next CEO Jason Kint at a hearing entitled "Google and Censorship through Search Engines": "Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I am the CEO of Digital Content Next, the only association exclusively focused on paving the future for high-quality digital publishers. Our members include hundreds of the most trusted brands on the web, big and small, old  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- The Senate Judiciary subcommittee on the constitution issued the following hearing information: Google and censorship through search engines at 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building at 2:30 p.m. on July 16: Witnesses Panel I * Karan Bhatia, Vice President for Government Affairs & Public Policy, Google, Inc., Washington, DC Panel II * Dennis Prager, Co-Founder, Prager University, Los Angeles, CA * Jason Kint, Chief Executive Officer, Digital Content Next, New York, NY *  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- Rep. Paul D. Tonko, D-New York, issued the following news release: Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) joined with his colleagues in the House today to pass H.R. 1327, the "Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alverez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act" by a vote of 402-12. This legislation extends the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) until 2092, similar to the timeline of the World Trade Center Health Program,  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Paul D. Tonko, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * - Energy & Commerce unanimously approves measure to strengthen low-income residential energy efficiency program * * * Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) announced today that his weatherization bill, cosponsored by Reps. Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), was approved by a vote of the full Energy and Commerce Committee. H.R. 2041, The Weatherization Enhancement and Local Energy Efficiency Invest  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez, D-New York, issued the following news release: Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY) has authored legislation to ban Paraquat, a toxic herbicide currently used in the United States. A wealth of scientific evidence has linked the chemical to Parkinson's disease, thyroid conditions, respiratory problems and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one small sip of Paraquat can be fatal to humans and there is no antidote  more