As 2018 progresses, I wanted to give you an update on the some of the things I have been working on in D.C., and tell you a little about what my priorities are heading into the new year.
I believe the past year has illustrated that the priorities of this Administration and the Majority in Congress don’t line up with those of the American people – from rewriting the tax code to favor corporations and the super-rich, to rolling back commonsense gun safety laws, promoting fossil fuels at the expense of cleaner technologies, and forcing Americans to pay more for health care and get less.
As the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I’m similarly concerned by this Administration’s foreign policy. American security demands American leadership globally. I’ve sounded the alarm on the hollowing out of our State Department and draconian budget cuts, which I believe undermine our security and diminish our standing on the world stage.
I have vocally opposed what I see as this Administration’s short-sighted policy decisions, and have instead used my vote and my voice as a Member of Congress to push for policies that, I believe, would truly improve the lives of families in NY-16 and across the country. I introduced legislation to ban the sale of dangerous armor piercing handguns, which put the lives of law enforcement and citizens at risk every day. I cosponsored a bill to renew funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides health insurance for more than 600,000 New York kids and was allowed to expire in September by the House Majority. And I’ve supported legislation to protect and preserve environmental treasures like the Hudson River and the Long Island Sound.
2018 will bring new challenges, and I will continue fighting for New York families.
Following the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) vote to repeal net neutrality protections—a decision I felt was outrageous and terribly misguided—it is incumbent upon Congress to come up with a legislative solution to this problem. My Democratic colleagues and I intend to do just that, as a free and open internet is critical to our democracy’s success.
We must also do more to reestablish America’s position as a leader in the fight against climate change. I believe the President was wrong to declare that the United States will withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. We must continue to support international efforts to reduce carbon emissions while working here at home to defend the Clean Power Plan, implement the existing corporate average fuel economy standards, and encourage the continued development of clean energy technologies like wind and solar.
Congress must also act to protect the hundreds of thousands of young DREAMers who had their legal status revoked when the President Trump ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. I have been outspoken about the need to protect our young DREAMers, and will continue to push for a clean DREAM Act to come out of Congress.
As difficult as these new challenges may be, I remain hopeful.Though I felt 2017 had its fair share of troubles, I was heartened by the unprecedented level of civic engagement I witnessed by the American people across the country. Your energy and support has not gone unnoticed in the halls of Congress, and I will continue to do all that I can to ensure your voices are heard.
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