{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://maloney.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/wrapping-up-the-legislative-year", "Wrapping Up the Legislative Year", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "NY", "Carolyn Maloney", "M000087", "maloney.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,\nThis week was a busy one, starting with an incredibly moving ceremony in New York during which our 9/11 heroes  first responders, survivors, and families  were honored for their tireless work in ensuring the permanent reauthorization and funding of the World Trade Center Health Program and 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund.\nAs the House wrapped our business for 2019 this week, we impeached President Trump, passed a spending bill with important wins for NY and gun safety, and voted to reinstate the State and Local Tax (SALT) tax deduction for hardworking families. The Senate passed my bill to reauthorize the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program, and I introduced a bill to bring family and medical leave that is guaranteed under the FMLA into the 21st century.\nMore on all this below.\n\nHonoring Our 9/11 Heroes\nOn Monday, I had the privilege of joining with the Mayor and elected officials to recognize the incredible men and women who embody what it means when we say we will Never Forget September 11th. Over the last 18 years, I have worked with these inspiring first responders, survivors, and families to make permanent the World Trade Center Health Program and the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. It has been the honor of my life to work with them and to have been recognized alongside them by the City with the Bronze Medallion.\n\nImpeaching President Trump\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWatchChairwoman Maloney's floor statement during the impeachment debate.\n\t\t\t\n\t\tPresident Trump abused the power of his office for his own personal and political gain at the expense of our national security. His wholesale obstruction of Congress is unprecedented, indisputable  and impeachable. He left us no other choice but to impeach him.\nPresident Trump is the first President in history to openly and completely defy all aspects of the Constitutional impeachment process.\nIn an attempt to cover up his abuse of power, he ordered the entire Executive Branch not to participate in the inquiry and directed it to defy lawful subpoenas from Congress.\nAs Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, I find this obstruction particularly offensive.Our founding fathers established a system of checks and balances. They spread out power between the branches of government. They decided that no one would be a king. That no one is above the law  including the President.\nAnd they gave the responsibility of impeachment solely to the People's House. When President Trump defies our subpoenas and obstructs our impeachment inquiry, he seeks to place himself above the Constitution and above the law. We cannot let that stand.\nIt was our solemn duty under the Constitution to impeach President Trump for his blatant abuse of power and his obstruction of Congress and I hope that my colleagues in the Senate will look at the facts  which are overwhelming and undisputed  and vote accordingly.\n\nImportant Wins in the Domestic Spending Bill\nIncluded in the domestic spending bill that the House and Senate passed this week, was the reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program and $25 million for gun violence research.\nThe magnitude and importance of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act cannot be overstated  which is why it garners bipartisan and bicameral support. Cities like New York City need TRIA to keep our economies thriving. After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the market for terrorism insurance completely shut down. Without terrorism insurance, construction stopped and thousands of jobs were lost. But, with TRIA, the government provides a backstop for terrorism insurance to make it both available and affordable at no cost whatsoever to taxpayers. This program is working and reauthorizing it now, well ahead of its expiration in 2020, is the right thing to do.\nFor years, I have been working with Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts to fund federal gun violence research. And this week, for the first time since an appropriations rider called the Dickey Amendment was put on the books in 1996, Congress approved federal funding for the study of gun violence. Gun violence is a public health epidemic, and it should be studied just like any other health crisis  by our government's top researchers. While my bill with Sen. Markey would have authorized $50 million for this research, the $25 million we got is an important first step. Studying gun violence is key in helping us to address an epidemic that takes 100 lives a day. We need to do everything we can to address preventable gun violence.\n\nBringing Back the SALT Deduction\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWatchCongresswoman Maloney's floor statement on H.R. 5377 here.\n\t\t\t\n\t\tTheTax Cuts and Jobs Act, also known as the GOP Tax Scam, that the Republicans passed last Congressis hurting people - plain and simple. It is punishing cities and states like New York because we take care of our own.\nI was proud to vote with my colleagues to pass the bipartisan H.R. 5377, the Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act, yesterday to restore the State And Local Tax (SALT) deduction for middle class families.\n\nReducing the DNA Testing Backlog\nThis week, the Senate unanimously passed my bill, H.R. 777, to reauthorize the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Program which provides much-needed resources to law enforcement agencies to process untested DNA evidence  including rape kits. I first wrote and passed the Debbie Smith Act in 2004 after hearing testimony from the bill's namesake, Debbie Smith, that it took 6 years for her rape kit to be tested. That was unacceptable. This successful program keeps rapists and other criminals off the streets. And equally important, the program is instrumental in delivering some measure of justice to survivors of violence. I urge the President to sign this reauthorization bill immediately.\n\nBringing FMLA into the 21stCentury\nIt is unacceptable that some American workers are still forced to choose between caring for their loved ones or losing their jobs. Even under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 40% of the work force is still ineligible for FMLA leave  it's time to bring leave into the 21st century.\nThat is why on Tuesday, I reintroduced the FMLA Modernization Act with U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin. This bill reflects that families  and caregiving  come in all shapes and sizes. Our bill would update the FMLA's definition of family to include a domestic partner, parent-in-law, aunt, uncle, sibling, adult child, grandparent, grandchild, son- or daughter-in-law, and other significant relationships; and guarantee that parents and other family caregivers have the ability to take time off to attend a medical appointment or school function, such as a parent-teacher conference, without the risk of losing their job.\nThese changes are long overdue.\n\nAs always, your concerns still and always will remain my top priority. Please do not hesitate to email me through my website.\n\nIf you have any friends who you think should be receiving my newsletters, tell them they can sign up here.\n\nSincerely,\nCarolyn B. Maloney\nMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://maloney.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/wrapping-up-the-legislative-year"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9602319914847612, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}