url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/operation-christmas-thanking-our-troops-afghanistan-kuwait-jordan,"Operation Christmas: Thanking Our Troops in Afghanistan, Kuwait, & Jordan",2017-12-30,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"It was an honor to have just spent my third consecutive Christmas in the Middle East with our nations troops and diplomats stationed overseas. In 2015, I joined our service members in Iraq and Kuwait, and in 2016, I visited them in Afghanistan and Qatar. This past Christmas, I traveled to Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Jordan.
It is not easy for our deployed men and women to spend the holiday season several thousands of miles away from home, having great family and friends missing them around the Christmas Tree or Hanukkah Menorah. For many of our deployed military and diplomatic personnel, this isnt their first holiday season away from their loved ones.
It is my highest honor to be able to personally thank all of them for their tremendous sacrifice on behalf of a very grateful nation. Serving them their Christmas Day meals, letting them know how much they are appreciated, and receiving their critical feedback from the ground, is the absolute least I can do to make sure they know how much countless Americans are thinking about them, praying for them, and filled with enormous gratitude for their incredible sacrifice.
Each and every time I visit our troops abroad, I return with some of the greatest memories of my life and critical knowledge to guide my decisions throughout the halls of Congress. It is the brave men and women I have had the honor to meet over the last three Christmases that further cement my commitment to ensuring our nations troops have everything they need to safety and effectively do their jobs and return home.
  Congressman Zeldin celebrates Christmas with NY-1 resident and Marine Corporal Maria Ripis of Farmingville who is stationed at Al Jaber Airbase in Kuwait.
In this years National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), I voted for a 2.4% pay raise for our troops, their biggest pay raise in 8 years. Additionally, this years NDAA included a much needed strengthening of cyber operations, funding Department of Defense (DOD) cyber operations at $8 billion, an increase of $1.7 billion from last year. Investing in cybersecurity tools ensures that our troops have the 21st century resources they need to combat ever-evolving terror threats at home and abroad.
Furthermore, this year, I voted for the Make America Secure Appropriations Act, which provides a total of $658.1 billion for the DOD, including critical resources to defeat ISIS and other terrorist groups. Our nations servicemen and women on the ground put their lives on the line each and every day for the freedoms and liberties that make this country the greatest in the world and they deserve nothing less than our full support.
However, our commitment to our troops continues after they leave the battlefield. When they return home, we must ensure they have our full support in transitioning back into civilian life. In September, I reaffirmed my commitment to ending veteran homelessness, by introducing legislation that helps decrease veteran homelessness through continued funding of the Supportive Services Veteran Families (SSVF) program. Ensuring our homeless veterans have shelter and a safe place to live should never be a partisan issue. Even one homeless veteran is too many.
Throughout my time in Congress, one of my top priorities has been ensuring our nations disabled veterans receive the health care they have earned. In 2017, my legislation to expand care for disabled veterans on Long Island and across the country passed both the House and Senate and hopefully will soon become law. My legislation ensures disabled veterans receive the best and most efficient outpatient services to provide them with the assistance and special attention they need in their day-to-day lives, while still allowing them to maintain their independence through access to Adult Day Health Care. These programs allow veterans to lead a much more fulfilling life and helps keep families together and strong while simultaneously reducing overall health care costs for the veteran.
These brave men and women answered the call to service and repeatedly put their lives at risk to support and defend our Constitution and ensure the safety and security of our country. I will never stop fighting for our nations veterans, our troops on-the-ground, and the families back home who eagerly await their safe return. They have earned nothing less.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-statement-iranian-anti-government-protests,Rep. Zeldin Statement on Iranian Anti-Government Protests,2017-12-30,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on the anti-government protests breaking out across Iran:
The Iranian people are fed up with Irans dictatorial regimes brutal domestic tactics, dangerous foreign policy, and non-existent economic progress. Instead of caring for its own people, the Iranian regime has dedicated itself to maintaining its title as the worlds largest state sponsor of terror, seeking to appease domestic hardliners that keep them in power. As everyday Iranians pour into the streets outraged over their governments misplaced priorities, the U.S. must support them in their inherent right and noble quest for a better future and free, peaceful nation. We have been down this road before. We must learn our lesson from 2009 and not repeat the same mistake. Millions of Iranians are desperate right now for American leadership to help them turn the tide in Tehran and all throughout Iran.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-returns-visiting-us-troops-middle-east-christmas,Rep. Zeldin Returns from Visiting U.S. Troops in Middle East for Christmas,2017-12-28,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"CongressmanZeldin celebrates Christmas with NY-1 resident and Marine Corporal Maria Ripis of Farmingville who is stationed at Al Jaber Airbase in Kuwait.
View additional high resolution photoshere.
PATCHOGUE, N.Y. - Today, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, returned from celebrating the holiday season with deployed U.S. service members inAfghanistan,Kuwait, andJordan. Representative Zeldin led the bipartisan Congressional Delegation (CODEL) that also included Congressman David Cicilline (D, RI-1), Congressman Mike Coffman (R, CO-6), and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R, PA-8), from December 23, 2017 to December 28, 2017. Having visited U.S. troops inIraq and Kuwait over Christmas in December 2015andAfghanistan and Qatar over Christmas in December 2016, this was Congressman Zeldins third consecutive year spending the holidays in the Middle East with deployed service members. Congressman Zeldin also participated in high level diplomatic meetings and was briefed by top military officials. 
It was my highest honor to be able to personally thank all of our deployed men and women abroad for their tremendous sacrifice on behalf of a very grateful nation. It is not easy for them to spend the holiday season several thousand miles away from home having great family and friends missing them around the Christmas Tree or Hanukkah Menorah,Congressman Zeldin said.For many of our deployed military and diplomatic personnel, this isnt their first holiday season away from their loved ones. Being able to serve them their Christmas Day meals, let them know how much they are appreciated, and receive their critical feedback from the ground, is the absolute least I can do to make sure they know how much countless Americans are thinking about them, praying for them, and filled with enormous gratitude for their incredible sacrifice.
Click the following links, to learn more about Congressman Zeldins Christmas CODEL stops inAfghanistan,Kuwait, andJordan.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-s-codel-travels-jordan-meet-diplomats-deployed-us-service,"Rep. Zeldins CODEL Travels to Jordan to Meet with Diplomats, Deployed U.S. Service Members and Syrian Refugees",2017-12-28,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Zeldin meets with Syrian refugees at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Amman, Jordan.
Congressman Zeldins CODEL receives a country team brief from U.S. diplomatic leadership during a working lunch at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan.

Congressman Zeldin visits with U.S. troops stationed at King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center in Zarqa, Jordan.

AMMAN, Jordan -Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, traveled from Kuwait to Jordan to continue celebrating the holiday season with deployed U.S. service members, participate in several high level diplomatic and military meetings, and meet with Syrian refugees. Representative Zeldin is leading the bipartisan Congressional Delegation (CODEL) that also includes Congressman David Cicilline (D, RI-1), Congressman Mike Coffman (R, CO-6), and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R, PA-8). Having visited U.S. troops inIraq and Kuwait over Christmas in December 2015andAfghanistan and Qatar over Christmas in December 2016, this is Congressman Zeldins third consecutive year spending the holidays in the Middle East with deployed U.S. service members. In addition to Jordan, Congressman Zeldins CODEL spentChristmas Eve and Christmas Day in Afghanistan, and thefollowing day in Kuwait.
It is my highest honor to be able to personally thank all of our deployed men and women abroad for their tremendous sacrifice on behalf of a very grateful nation. It is not easy for them to spend the holiday season several thousand miles away from home having great family and friends missing them, Congressman Zeldin said. For many of our deployed military and diplomatic personnel, this isnt their first holiday season away from their loved ones. Being able to visit our nations troops stationed abroad, let them know how much they are appreciated, and receive their critical feedback from the ground, is the absolute least I can do to make sure they know how much countless Americans are thinking about them, praying for them, and filled with enormous gratitude for their incredible sacrifice.

In Jordan, on December 27, 2017, Congressman Zeldins CODEL was briefed by U.S. diplomatic leadership at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan, and met with Syrian refugees at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Amman where they were also briefed by Acting UNHCR Representative Daniela Cicchella. Congressman Zeldin and the other Representatives then visited U.S. service members stationed at the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center in Zarqa, which included a large contingent of New Yorkers serving at the base. Finally, the CODEL visited deployed personnel at the Joint Training Center, also located in Zarqa.

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https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-applauds-release-detained-stony-brook-professor,Rep. Zeldin Applauds Release of Detained Stony Brook Professor,2017-12-27,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement today after the ordered release of Patrice Nganang, a Stony Brook professor, who has been detained in Cameroon, by the Cameroonian government, since December 6, 2017:
Earlier this year, I joined my colleagues in authoring a letter to Ambassador Nikki Haley underscoring our concerns regarding the deteriorating situation in Cameroon and the Cameroonian governments actions to undermine the equality of all citizens, especially the Anglophone minority. On December 6th, this deteriorating situation hit home with the arrest of Stony Brook Professor Patrice Nganang. Since his arrest, my office has been in contact with Stony Brook University, the State Department, and his family, and, today, his long overdue release was finally ordered.
In the face of an increasingly oppressive government, Professor Nganang has worked tirelessly for a better future for his country and family.. As Professor Nganang fights for the freedom of all Cameroonians, we fought for his. I look forward to his safe return home to his loved ones and the Stony Brook University community.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-s-christmas-codel-travels-kuwait-visit-deployed-service,Rep. Zeldins Christmas CODEL Travels to Kuwait to Visit Deployed Service Members and Participate in Diplomatic and Military Meetings,2017-12-26,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"Download and view additional high resolution photos here. 
KUWAIT - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, departed Afghanistan for Kuwait to continue celebrating the holiday season with deployed U.S. service members and participate in several high level diplomatic and military meetings. Representative Zeldin is leading the bipartisan Congressional Delegation (CODEL) that also includes Congressman David Cicilline (D, RI-1), Congressman Mike Coffman (R, CO-6), and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R, PA-8). Having visited U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait over Christmas in December 2015 and Afghanistan and Qatar over Christmas in December 2016, this is Congressman Zeldins third consecutive year spending the holidays in the Middle East with deployed U.S. service members. In addition to Kuwait, Congressman Zeldins CODEL spent Christmas Day in Afghanistan and is traveling to additional countries within the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations. Click here for yesterdays press release. 
It is my highest honor to be able to personally thank all of our deployed men and women abroad for their tremendous sacrifice on behalf of a very grateful nation. It is not easy for them to spend the holiday season several thousand miles away from home having great family and friends missing them around the Christmas Tree or Hanukkah Menorah, Congressman Zeldin said. For many of our deployed military and diplomatic personnel, this isnt their first holiday season away from their loved ones. Being able to visit New Yorkers stationed abroad, let them know how much they are appreciated, and receive their critical feedback from the ground, is the absolute least I can do to make sure they know how much countless Americans are thinking about them, praying for them, and filled with enormous gratitude for their incredible sacrifice.
In Kuwait, on December 26, 2017, Congressman Zeldins CODEL and U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait Lawrence Silverman met at the National Assembly with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Kuwait Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah.
Congressman Zeldin also visited Camp Arifjan where he shared a holiday lunch with deployed New Yorkers, and met with the leadership of the Combined Joint Task Force of Operation Inherent Resolve and U.S. Army Central. Afterwards, he visited Al Jaber Air Base where he joined the Marines stationed there for dinner, including several NY-1 residents, following a briefing from the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-afghanistan-visiting-us-service-members-christmas,Rep. Zeldin in Afghanistan Visiting U.S. Service Members for Christmas,2017-12-25,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"View additional high resolution photoshere.
KABUL, Afghanistan - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is celebrating Christmas Day in Afghanistan with deployed U.S. service members. Representative Zeldin is leading the bipartisan Congressional Delegation (CODEL) that also includes Congressman David Cicilline (D, RI-1), Congressman Mike Coffman (R, CO-6), and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R, PA-8). Having visited U.S. troops in Iraq over Christmas in December 2015 and Afghanistan over Christmas in December 2016, this is Congressman Zeldins third consecutive year spending the holidays in the Middle East with deployed service members. In addition to Afghanistan, Congressman Zeldins CODEL is traveling to additional countries within the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations.
It is my highest honor to be able to personally thank all of our deployed men and women abroad for their tremendous sacrifice on behalf of a very grateful nation. It is not easy for them to spend the holiday season several thousand miles away from home having great family and friends missing them around the Christmas Tree or Hanukkah Menorah, Congressman Zeldin said. For many of our deployed military and diplomatic personnel, this isnt their first holiday season away from their loved ones. Being able to serve them their Christmas Day meals, let them know how much they are appreciated, and receive their critical feedback from the ground, is the absolute least I can do to make sure they know how much countless Americans are thinking about them, praying for them, and filled with enormous gratitude for their incredible sacrifice.
Upon arrival to Kabul, Afghanistan, on December 24, 2017, Congressman Zeldins CODEL met with diplomatic and military leadership for a classified briefing followed by a Christmas Eve dinner meeting at the residence of U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan and New York native, John Bass. 
On Christmas Day, Congressman Zeldin met with New York service members for breakfast in Kabul at the Resolute Support Dining Hall, met with Resolute Support Commander General John W. Nicholson, Jr., visited Forward Operating Base Fenty, and served lunch to deployed troops at Forward Operating Base Gamberi.
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https://chriscollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-and-higgins-thank-us-air-force-for-approving-flyover-for-world,Collins and Higgins Thank U.S. Air Force for Approving Flyover for World Juniors Game,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Chris Collins,C001092,chriscollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"WILLIAMSVILLE, NY  Congressmen Chris Collins (NY-27) and Brian Higgins (NY-26) thanked the United States Air Force for approving a request for a flyover on December 29, 2017 at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) game between the United States and Canada at New Era Field. This game is the only outdoor game planned as part of the World Junior Championship Tournament being hosted in Buffalo. This tournament is one of the most highly anticipated hockey events each year, which brings together hockey players from 10 nations around the world. Western New York is honored to once again host the World Junior Championship, putting a positive spotlight on our community, said Collins. It is an honor to have the United States Air Force participate in this important event. We look forward to showing players and fans from around the world warm hospitality in the City of Good Neighbors. Teams and fans from around the world, here for the games, will have the opportunity to explore Western New York, said Higgins. In addition to showcasing the pride we have in our community, this provides an opportunity to highlight, with pride to an international audience, the great men and women who serve this country. Not only is this the first time that a city has been selected twice to host the World Junior Championship game, but Buffalo is also hosting the first ever outdoor International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) championship game. The 12-day tournament will be an opportunity for tourists to visit new developments across the city, like Canalside. The Sabres and Visit Buffalo Niagara hosted the 2010-2011 series that saw more than 330,000 people attend the games and leave behind a $6 million economic impact. This year, the economic impact is expected to exceed $7 million. In a letter to the United States Air Force, Collins and Higgins said: While Western New York is certainly proud of its cold weather, hockey-loving heritage, it is extremely proud of our serving men and women stationed in the region and abroad. Again, we send our sincerest thanks to the Air Force for granting us the opportunity to show off our regional assets in a celebration that many across the world will share with Western New York. For a copy of the letter, click here.
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https://donovan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/donovan-helps-nypd-secure-reimbursement-protecting-president-trump,Donovan Helps NYPD Secure Reimbursement for Protecting President Trump,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Daniel Donovan,D000625,donovan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC  December 22, 2017.Following months of advocacy on behalf of New York City, which included speaking with Republican leadership and testifying before the House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Dan Donovan (NY-11) today announced that the New York Police Department was awarded a federal grant to cover overtime costs related to protecting President Trump and his family.
Donovan said, Its a national priority and federal responsibility to protect the leader of the free world. The brave men and women of the NYPD have done an exceptional job of securing the President and his family, and this funding is well deserved. Im pleased to see that my advocacy on behalf of the City and NYPD has led to increased compensation for the additional costs associated with the Presidents security while in New York.
Provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agencys (FEMA) Presidential Residence Protection Assistance (PRPA) Grant program, the funding reimburses state and local law enforcement agencies for law enforcement personnel costs incurred while protecting any non-governmental residence of the President. The grant program is funded through the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2017, legislation that Donovan helped pass earlier this year.
The NYPD received $36,427,908.51 through the PRPA Grant, which was the highest amount of funding allocated to any locality in the nation. In 2017, FEMA provided $41,000,000 in PRPA awards to reimburse state and local law enforcement agencies for operational overtime costs associated with protecting the Presidents non-governmental residences. 
As New York City's only Republican representative, Donovan has led to fight to obtain federal funds to cover NYC costs associated with protecting President Trump. Earlier this year, Donovan helped secure $68 million in a budget agreement to reimburse local jurisdictions for the costs of protecting President Trump and his family after Election Day.
More information on the grants can be found here. 
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https://faso.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=786,Rep. Faso Supports Stopgap Government Funding Package,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Faso,F000464,faso.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington D.C.  Representative John Faso (R-Kinderhook) today voted in favor of a stopgap funding package to prevent a government shutdown. The House passed the package by a vote of 231 -- 188. Faso noted that almost all Democrats in the House voted against funding the government. 
The short-term package voted on today is necessary, but disappointing in that critical issues that should have been completed by the end of the year are being delayed until January. It is important to note that the House has passed all 12 appropriations bills prior to the October 1 deadline, but the US Senate hasnt passed a single appropriations measure due to failure of Senate Democrats to permit debate on appropriations.Senate rules require 60 votes in order to take up legislation and due to such obstruction, none of the appropriations measures have even cleared committee in the Senate.
Of particular concern is failure of Democrats to adopt a defense appropriations bill which has a pay raise for the troops and increased funding for training and readiness. This latter issue is particularly important given the serious accidents occurring among Navy ships in Asia over the last few months. 
In addition,we need a long-term reauthorization of the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and community health center funding, yet Democrats in the Senate continue to block consideration of a bill the House passed over a month ago. 
Finally, Im disappointed that the DACA program was not addressed. However, I am encouraged that there is a building bipartisan consensus that DACA will be addressed in January. I am hoping that when Congress returns in January, legislation providing for DACA people and border security can be enacted. 
Notable provisions included in the continuing resolution:
 
    $4 billion appropriation to counter the threat from North Korea.
    $700 million to repair damaged U.S. Navy ships.
 
Notable provisions not included in the continuing resolution:
 
    Long-term extension of the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
    Long-term extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
    Long-term extension of the VA Choice Program.
 
Legislative fix to address the DACA program",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://katko.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/fighting-you-my-vote-cut-taxes-and-create-jobs-central-new-york,Fighting for You: My Vote to Cut Taxes and Create Jobs for Central New York,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Katko,K000386,katko.house.gov,,,legacy,"13 W. Oneida St., 2nd FloorPlease call 315-423-5657 for an appointment.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://katko.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-overwhelmingly-passes-bipartisan-katko-legislation-end-human,HOUSE OVERWHELMINGLY PASSES BIPARTISAN KATKO LEGISLATION TO END HUMAN TRAFFICKING,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Katko,K000386,katko.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. This week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass bicameral, bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. John Katko (NY-24), the No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act.
This measure disqualifies an individual from operating a commercial motor vehicle for life if he or she committed a human trafficking crime. A similar ban is currently in place for drug trafficking in which a felony conviction carries a lifetime ban.
Before the vote,Rep. Katko spoke on the floor of the House in support of the legislation. His remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below.
I am proud to rise in favor of S. 1532, the No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act. This bipartisan, bicameral bill strengthens our nations efforts to combat human trafficking. 
As a former organized crime prosecutor on both the northern border and on the southern border, Ive seen firsthand the horrors of human trafficking. Too often, human traffickers take advantage of our nations transportation network to transport their victims from one location to the next. The U.S. Department of Transportation and the transportation industry play a critical role in preventing and stopping these heinous exploitations. 
I want to commend the trucking industry for their commitment in training drivers to identify instances of human trafficking through organizations like Truckers Against Trafficking, or TAT. Truck drivers are often a critical asset in helping law enforcement identify victims who otherwise might go unseen. However, an isolated few individuals have taken advantage of their position to illegally traffic innocent people. We must stop this from occurring.
Earlier this year, alongside my good friend Congresswoman Esty, I introduced H.R. 3814, the House companion to the legislation before us. While the vast majority of our nations truck drivers are hardworking, honest men and women, our bill is necessary to ensure that the select few who commit these crimes are brought to justice. 
I am grateful for the Chairmans support in moving our bill through the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and bringing this important issue before the floor of the House. 
I would also like to thank outside organizations like the National District Attorneys Association for supporting this legislation. 
Again, I would like to thank Representative Esty and Senators Thune and Klobuchar for their bipartisan, bicameral leadership and yield back the balance of my time.
Congressman John Katkorepresents the 24th Congressional District of New York, which includes all of Onondaga, Cayuga, and Wayne Counties and the western portion of Oswego County. For more information visithttps://katko.house.govorwww.facebook.com/RepJohnKatko.
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https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-authors-24-member-letter-seeking-confirmation-least-8-iranian,Rep. Zeldin Authors 24 Member Letter Seeking Confirmation of At Least 8 Iranian Violations of Iran Nuclear Deal,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, led 23 Members of Congress in authoring a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo, seeking confirmation of at least 8 reported violations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly referred to as the Iran Nuclear Deal.
A signed PDF of the letter is availablehere.
Full text of the letter is as follows:
Dear Secretary Tillerson, Secretary Mattis and Director Pompeo:
President Trump appropriately announced on October 13, 2017, that he would not recertify the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as specified under the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (INARA, Public Law 114-17).
Since the JCPOA was first implemented on January 16, 2016, the Iranian regime has violated not only the ""spirit"" of the agreement, but also the ""letter"" of the agreement, on numerous fronts. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has acknowledged two of these JCPOA violations, in February 2016 and November 2016. In February 2016, the IAEA reported that Irans stock of heavy water had reached 130.9 metric tons, above the deals 130 metric ton cap. Again in November 2016, Iran had exceeded the heavy water allotment by 100 kilograms. After Irans second violation of the heavy water cap, the Joint Commission allowed Iran to store 11 metric tons of heavy water in Oman while it awaits a buyer, but never addressed the underlying intent regarding Irans stockpiling of the material itself. Additional violations of the letter of the JCPOA have also not been addressed.
These include:
 Assembling additional advanced centrifuges: Annex 1, Paragraph 61 of the JCPOA states, Iran will only engage in production of centrifuges to meet the enrichment R&D requirements. Yet Iran has acquired more than the necessary amount of IR-8 centrifuge rotor assemblies for R&D purposes with sixteen times more capacity than the IR-1 to enrich uranium.
	Exceeding IR-6 centrifuge allowance: As part of the JCPOA, an enrichment research and development plan was submitted to the IAEA that permitted roughly ten IR-6 centrifuges. Iran has assembled thirteen to fifteen IR-6 centrifuges, which should have been limited or destroyed under this plan.
	Conducting mechanical testing of advanced centrifuges. In violation of the JCPOA, Iran has exploited conditions governing the quality assurance of advanced centrifuges to conduct mechanical testing of advanced centrifuges.
	Attempting to acquire carbon fiber: After Implementation Day, the Iranian regime attempted to acquire carbon fiber, a key component of centrifuge production, but was subsequently denied. Irans Energy Organization (AEOI) had more than enough carbon fiber to replace rotors for its advanced centrifuge program. This attempt should have been considered a JCPOA violation under Annex 1, Paragraph 61.
	Refusing IAEA access to military sites: Under Annex 1, Paragraph 76 of the JCPOA, the IAEA can request access to military locations, such as Parchin, to verify compliance. However, the Iranian regime has made it crystal clear in no uncertain terms that access to military sites is absolutely forbidden.""
	Refusing IAEA access to Sharif University. Tehran rejected an IAEA request to visit Sharif University, where the regime may have pursued undeclared military nuclear activities. Ultimately, the IAEA opted to accept an Iranian explanation of its activities instead.
	Possessing chemically man-modified particles of natural uranium: In September 2015, Iranian officials granted limited access to IAEA inspectors at the Parchin facility. Although environmental samples revealed chemically man-modified particles of natural uranium, the IAEA did not pursue an explanation. Moreover, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano recently stated that the agency wants Iran to fully implement the JCPOA, which by implication covers Section T of Annex I of the JCPOA, which prohibits any activities that could contribute to the development of a nuclear explosive device. Determining if Iran is in compliance with Section T, or is in fact now violating some of its conditions, remains impossible to determine without Iran providing more information to the IAEA and allowing access to Irans military sites.
 We write to inquire as to whether your respective departments and agencies possess intelligence to confirm these violations. We request to be briefed on any such intelligence as well as any plans the administration may have to respond to the violations.

Thank you for your timely attention to this very important question.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://faso.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=785,"Reps. Faso, Slaughter Introduce Bill to Honor Maurice Hinchey",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Faso,F000464,faso.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Representatives John Faso (R-NY19) and Louise Slaughter (D-NY25) today introduced legislation to rename the post office at 111 Market St, Saugerties, New York after former U.S. Representative Maurice Hinchey. 
Maurice Hinchey was a fierce defender of the environment who was a steadfast advocate for the causes he believed in and the people he served, said Faso. I was proud to serve alongside him in the State Assembly. Naming his hometown post office after Maurice will be an enduring recognition of his lifetime of service to the people of Saugerties and Ulster County.
Maurice Hinchey was a remarkable public servant who had the courage to take on the tough issues, said Slaughter. We served four years together in the New York State Assembly and 20 years in Congress. I watched him do what he did best: defend the constituents and land he represented. Im proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to rename the post office in Maurices hometown in honor of his extraordinary legacy.
Congressman Maurice Hinchey served New Yorkers for thirty-seven years across terms in the New York State Assembly (1975-1992) and the U.S. House of Representatives (1993-2013).
He is best known for being an unflinching advocate for the environment through his support of the Clean Air Act, the protection of the Hudson River and his long-time support for US military veterans.
Representative Hinchey served in the United States Navy from 1956-1959.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://katko.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-katko-bipartisan-group-new-york-colleagues-reiterate-need-fund,"REP. KATKO, BIPARTISAN GROUP OF NEW YORK COLLEAGUES REITERATE NEED TO FUND CHILDRENS HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Katko,K000386,katko.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.  U.S. Rep. John Katko (NY-24) this week joined a bipartisan group of his New York colleagues to reiterate to leaders in the House the importance of funding the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
In September, Rep. Katko urged his colleagues in Congress to act in a bipartisan manner to reauthorize the program, which expired at the end of that month. While New York currently has sufficient funding to sustain CHIP through the beginning of next year, it is imperative that Congress act urgently to reauthorize this program.
In this weeks letter, Rep. Katko stated, The Childrens Health Insurance Program has been an enormously successful program responsible for dramatically reducing the volume of uninsured children across the nation. In New York State alone, over 300,000 children receive insurance through this vital program, however, the authorization for this has also expired. Congress must take immediate action in order to ensure continuous coverage for the roughly 9 million children benefiting from this program nation-wide. We request that a 5 year extension of CHIP be included in any year-end measure to ensure our nations children receive the best care possible.
Together with Medicaid, CHIP serves as the primary source of health insurance for nearly 9 million American children. Issued as a block grant, CHIP is a collaborative program between the federal government and the states.
In addition to urging the reauthorization of CHIP, Rep. Katko and his colleagues called for bipartisan action to fund Community Health Centers (CHC) and Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DHS) payment reductions, highlighting the importance of acting on each of these items in order to ensure that essential care and services are not interrupted for New Yorkers and Americans nationwide.
The full text of the letter can be found here.
Congressman John Katkorepresents the 24th Congressional District of New York, which includes all of Onondaga, Cayuga, and Wayne Counties and the western portion of Oswego County. For more information visithttps://katko.house.govorwww.facebook.com/RepJohnKatko.
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https://peteking.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/congressman-pete-king-votes-no-on-tax-legislation,Congressman Pete King Votes No on Tax Legislation,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Peter King,K000210,peteking.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Pete King Statement on Voting No on Tax Legislation
I voted against the tax legislation (H.R. 1) when it came to the House floor for a final vote on Tuesday. Unfortunately, the bill passed by a vote of 227-203.
As you know, I opposed this tax plan from the start and voted against it when it first came to a vote last month. My main objection was the elimination of the deduction for state income and local property taxes (SALT). I had other objections including elimination of the deductions for medical expenses and for student loan interest.
During recent negotiations we were able to make a number of improvements to the bill. The medical expense and student loan interest deductions were restored and a $10,000 deduction for SALT will be allowed. Additionally, the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) is eliminated for individuals making up to $500,000 and $1,000,000 for couples filing jointly.
While this was progress, it was not enough. The $10,000 SALT cap will not be sufficient for most Long Island constituents. Additionally, it will devalue our homes by 10-15%. Another provision will prevent the prepayment of bonds which will cost local governments on Long Island tens of millions of dollars and further impact property taxes.
The bottom line is that while most of the rest of the country will be getting a tax cut, it will be paid for by Long Island residents who will be getting a tax increase. This is wrong and reflects a long time bias against the Northeast. That is why I voted NO and why I will continue to fight and find ways to correct and change this legislation after it is signed into law.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://reed.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1356,Bipartisan Group of Problem Solvers Caucus Members Introduce Comprehensive Health Care Bill to Stabilize the Individual Marketplace,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Tom Reed,R000585,reed.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR-05), along Congressman Tom Reed (NY-23) and Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), led a bipartisan group of twenty-six Problem Solvers Caucus Members to introduce the Bipartisan Market Stabilization and Innovation Act (HR 4695), a bill to stabilize the individual marketplace and bring down health care costs for millions.
The Bipartisan Market Stabilization and Innovation Act will:
 
     fund Cost Sharing Reduction payments, which help low- and middle-income families afford copays and deductibles;
    establish a ten-year $115 billion stability fund for states to stabilize the marketplace;
     streamline the 1332 State Innovation Waiver process to allow states to innovate while protecting patients;
    repeal the medical device tax so patients are no longer footing the bill;
     and, alter the employer mandate to provide relief to small businesses. 
 
Families have been rocked by uncertainty when it comes to health care all year long, said Rep. Schrader. At the surface, it can seem as though this year was full of political and partisan nonsense. But Im proud to be part of a group of individuals from across the political spectrum who have been working together to tackle this extraordinarily vital issue. Legislating on health carean area thats incredibly personal and complextakes time and effort. As with any major piece of legislation, everyone agrees that there are needed fixes to the ACA. At this point, its clear that partisan politicking doesnt lead to solutions for anyone. Ive been working all year with my colleagues across the aisle, hearing from health care providers, insurers, patients and professionals, to develop this bill. The compromise we brokered will bring down costs and provide much needed stability. Now we must work to enact it as soon as possible.
It is a great day when a bipartisan group of legislators can come together on an issue as important as health care, said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Tom Reed. I am proud to stand with my Republican and Democrat colleagues to help improve health care coverage for my constituents in New York and for Americans across the country. These legislative fixes will provide immediate relief and help stabilize the individual market and prove that bipartisan problem solving is the best the way to move this country forward in 2018.
For too long, health care has been viewed as a fiercely partisan issue, but the Problem Solvers Caucus has shown working together to fight the gridlock is possible, said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Josh Gottheimer. Democrats and Republicans can agree that we need a bipartisan plan to stabilize the health insurance marketplace and lower premiums for everyone. This bill will help small businesses and families in New Jersey and across the country by making permanent cost sharing reductions to reduce out of pocket costs while protecting coverage for seniors and hard-working families. I thank my colleagues for their hard work and good faith efforts that got us to this point, and I look forward to working across the aisle to help Jersey families save on health care costs.
Additional Co-Sponsors include: Ami Bera (CA-07), Jim Costa (CA-16), Ryan Costello (PA-06), Carlos Curbelo (FL-26), Charles W. Dent (PA-15), Elizabeth Esty (CT-05), John Faso (NY-19), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08), John Katko (NY-24), Leonard Lance (NJ-07), Daniel Lipinski (IL-03), Stephanie Murphy (FL-07), Rick Nolan (MN-08), Tom OHalleran (AZ-01), Jimmy Panetta (CA-20), Scott Peters (CA-52), Bradley Schneider (IL-10), Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-09), Darren Soto (FL-09), Thomas Suozzi (NY-03), Glenn W. Thompson (PA-05), Dave Trott (MI-11), Peter Welch (VT-At Large).",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/stefanik-co-sponsors-sexual-harassment-bills,Stefanik co-sponsors sexual harassment bills,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,318 Cannon House Office Building,1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/stefanik-congress-members-should-reimburse-treasury-sexual-harassment,Stefanik: Congress members should reimburse Treasury for sexual harassment settlements,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,318 Cannon House Office Building,1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/olson-stefanik-introduce-bill-protect-victims-harassment-taxpayers,"OLSON, STEFANIK INTRODUCE BILL TO PROTECT VICTIMS OF HARASSMENT & TAXPAYERS",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC  Representatives Pete Olson (R-TX) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY) have introduced legislation to ensure victims of harassment on Capitol Hill continue to receive just compensation for their suffering, but at the hands of their accusers, not at taxpayer expense. Olson and Stefanik introduced H.R. 4690, the Responsible Settlements for Victims and Taxpayers Act, which will require Members found guilty of harassment to reimbursement the Treasury for settlements paid out to victims. Furthermore, if a Member leaves office and fails to reimburse the Treasury, their federal retirement account, also known as a Thrift Savings Account, can be taken to pay back the American people.
Rep. Pete Olson said, Recent reports of harassment coming out of Capitol Hill are disgusting and wrong on every level. The notion that any claims of harassment have been settled at taxpayer expense is simply indefensible. As we look to right this wrong, I have concerns with any colleagues seeking the easy way out by resigning and thinking this action gets them off the hook. Thats why not only does this bill require members to reimburse the Treasury for payments to victims, but also provides a mechanism for reimbursement should anyone leave office. The wonderful staffers who come to Capitol Hill to serve the American people deserve a safe work environment. If that safety is breached, they deserve compensation from the person who harms them, not the American taxpayers. I thank my colleague Elise Stefanik for joining me in this effort and hope we can get this bill to the House floor for consideration as soon as possible.
""Taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for lawmakers' inappropriate behavior,"" said Congresswoman Stefanik. ""This commonsense legislation addresses the recent and shocking reports of abuse by some on Capitol Hill, and it protects hard earned taxpayer dollars. I was pleased to join my colleagues recently to pass mandatory sexual harassment training for the House of Representatives, and this bill is one more important step to protecting our workspaces from abuse. I thank Congressman Olson for leading this effort.""
Highlights of the Bill:
H.R. 4690 amends the Congressional Accountability Act to require Members of Congress to reimburse the U.S. Treasury for settlements paid in connection with violations of sexual harassment committed personally by Members of Congress. The bill also allows use of Thrift Savings Plan agency contributions to a Member as a source of reimbursement if a Member or Senator has not met the requirements of repayment within 180 days of the settlement agreement. Text of the bill can be found here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/stefanik-votes-government-funding-bill-disaster-relief-package,"Stefanik Votes for Government Funding Bill, Disaster Relief Package",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) voted in support of the Continuing Resolution to fund the government through January 19th and H.R. 4667  the Emergency Disaster Aid Package.
This funding measure allows the government to continue its operations through the holidays as we finalize a longer term spending plan, said Congresswoman Stefanik. Im pleased this included important extensions for the Childrens Health Insurance Program and for Community Health Center funding that Ive fought to protect. We also passed legislation to provide needed disaster relief for the devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, as well as the California wildfires. As the full funding bill is negotiated and written, I will continue fighting for North Country priorities.
Congresswoman Stefanik and her colleagues in the House passed an appropriations package for the full year this past September. Additionally, Congresswoman Stefanik was instrumental in the House passing a long-term CHIP reauthorization in November that included a two year extension of funding for Community Health Centers.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-condemns-united-nations-anti-us-anti-israel-resolution,"Rep. Zeldin Condemns United Nations Anti-U.S., Anti-Israel Resolution",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Co-Chairman of the House Republican Israel Caucus, condemned the passage of United Nations (UN) General Assembly Resolution A/RES-10/L.22, which demands the United States rescind its decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital. Immediately following the General Assemblys vote, Congressman Zeldin joined Congressman Doug Lamborn (R, CO-5) and other House colleagues to introduce a resolution rejecting this UN vote and reaffirming their strong support of the Presidents decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital and move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. 
On Tuesday, the United National Security Council (UNSC) voted on a resolution to withdraw President Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. As a permanent member of the UNSC, the United States vetoed this resolution. UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES-10/L.22 was then brought before the full assembly today where it passed by a vote of 128 to 9 with 35 countries abstaining. Congressman Zeldin released the following the statement with regards to these UN actions:
The United Nations General Assembly has taken a very disappointing and audacious vote against the United States, by far the largest contributor to the UN and international global aid, for exercising its sovereign right to place its embassy wherever it deems fit. Moving the United States embassy to Jerusalem, which is in fact Israels capital, has been enshrined in U.S. law since Congress passed the bipartisan Jerusalem Embassy Act over two decades ago. However, while other Presidents have caved to pressure from Pro-Palestinian international actors, President Trump resolutely followed through on this long-overdue decision. Now more than ever, I applaud the strong leadership of Ambassador Haley as she tirelessly fights for our nation and its allies in a body of blindy anti-Jewish international bureaucrats. This is not only an attack on our greatest ally Israel, but an assault on the sovereignty of the US itself.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-leads-bipartisan-delegation-new-york-house-members-urging,Rep. Zeldin Leads Bipartisan Delegation of New York House Members Urging Full Funding of Essential Health Programs,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) led a bipartisan delegation of eight New York Members of Congress in authoring a letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi urging full funding of the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Community Health Centers (CHC), and a delay in the implementation of Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) cuts.
These essential programs provide millions of children, veterans, and individuals with the health care services they need, Congressman Zeldin said. In New York alone, failure to support these programs could mean the loss of health insurance for 300,000 New York children, $800 million dollars less for safety net hospitals, and the possible elimination of care for the nearly 2 million New Yorkers who depend on Community Health Centers. On behalf of the millions of New Yorkers who rely on these vital programs, my New York colleagues and I urge full funding. 
This November, the House passed the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act (H.R. 3922), which included a 5-year reauthorization of CHIP, 2-year reauthorization of Community Health Center funding, and the elimination of the Affordable Care Act mandated DSH reductions. The Senate has not passed that legislation yet. This letter urges funding for these programs to be included as the House considers another short-term spending measure to fund the government through the end of the year, which is expected to be voted on later this week.
Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) was joined by Representatives Sean Patrick Maloney (D, NY-18), Peter King (R, NY-2), Thomas Suozzi (D, NY-3), John Katko (R, NY-24), Elise Stefanik (R, NY-21), Dan Donovan (R, NY-11), and Kathleen Rice (D, NY-4) in sending this letter.
A PDF of the signed letter is available here. 
Full text of the letter is as follows:
Dear Speaker Ryan and Leader Pelosi:
As Congress continues to negotiate end-of-the-year legislative items, we wish to call your attention to three issues in particular, Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding, Community Health Center (CHC) funding and Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payment reductions. Each of these issues must be addressed in a bipartisan fashion before the end of this year in order to ensure essential care and services go uninterrupted. Without meaningful action on all three of these matters, countless New Yorkers and Americans across the nation will be negatively and unfairly impacted.
Community Health Centers:
Community Health Centers serve over 27 million individuals across the country, including over 300,000 of our nations veterans. In our home state of New York, over 60 CHC facilities provide services for roughly 2 million New York State residents. The Community Health Center Fund authorized by Congress represents 70% of CHC funding, which expired earlier this year. Without knowing whether funding will be renewed, these facilities face significant financial hardships and could cause programs to scale back the services they provide, and in some instances, staff reductions and facility closures are also being considered. In order to ensure timely funding, we respectfully request that funding for Federally Qualified Community Health Centers for a period of at least two years be passed into law before the end of the year. 
Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) funding:
In New York, safety net hospitals across the state rely upon Medicaid DSH funding. If the current Medicaid DSH cuts are not delayed, New York State safety net hospitals stand to see, on average, a 20%, or roughly $800 million cut in funding for 2018 and 2019. Without action on this issue, some of the nations most vulnerable populations will be unnecessarily impacted, and hospitals will be required, once again, to do more with less. To remediate this issue, we request a delay of at least two years be considered to ensure services to patients go uninterrupted.
Childrens Health Insurance Program:
The Childrens Health Insurance Program has been an enormously successful program responsible for dramatically reducing the volume of uninsured children across the nation. In New York State alone, over 300,000 children receive insurance through this vital program, however, the authorization for this has also expired. Congress must take immediate action in order to ensure continuous coverage for the roughly 9 million children benefiting from this program nationwide. We request that a 5 year extension of CHIP be included in any year-end measure to ensure our nations children receive the best care possible.
While there are several important matters pending before Congress at present, these three issues are of particular importance to the state of New York. We urge you to address these matters as promptly as possible to ensure essential healthcare services are delivered.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-urges-va-develop-and-increase-access-testing-and-treatment,Rep. Zeldin Urges VA to Develop and Increase Access to Testing and Treatment for Liver Fluke Infected Veterans,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) authored a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary David Shulkin, urging the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop standardized testing and treatment options and establish broader accessibility of care through increased study of the Liver Fluke parasite.
I am deeply concerned about the Liver Fluke parasite that has infected so many of our nations veterans, especially our brave service members who were deployed to Southeastern and Eastern Asia, Congressman Zeldin wrote. Preliminary reports appear to have indicated these veterans are carrying the dormant parasite Platyhelminthes, commonly known as liver fluke, which in several instances has led to the contraction of very serious, life threatening health conditions such as bile duct cancer and liver disease. I strongly urge the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs to make this a top priority, developing a plan and securing funding to test all veterans whose service exposed them to liver fluke, and to do so as soon as possible. 
For signed PDF letter click here.
Full text is as follows:
Dear Secretary Shulkin,
I am deeply concerned about the Liver Fluke parasite that has infected so many of our nations veterans, especially our brave service members who were deployed to Southeastern and Eastern Asia. Preliminary reports appear to have indicated these veterans are carrying the dormant parasite Platyhelminthes, commonly known as liver fluke, which in several instances has led to the contraction of very serious, life threatening health conditions such as bile duct cancer and liver disease.
The Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), which serves the veterans of my district and the entirety of Long Island, recently conducted a first-of-its-kind study of liver fluke in the United States using a 50 veteran sample size. While the sample size for the study was admittedly smaller than most studies, initial results highlight a substantial need for greater study of this issue, the development of standardized treatment options, and broader accessibility of care for veterans at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities across the country. Many veterans in my district and across the country are in need of appropriate testing and subsequent treatment.
I strongly urge the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs to make this a top priority, developing a plan and securing funding to test all veterans whose service exposed them to liver fluke, and to do so as soon as possible. If any member of your team has any questions or feedback on this issue, please have them contact my Senior Legislative Aide, Matthew Scott, at 202-225-3826. Thank you for your continued service on behalf of Americas heroes.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://reed.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1354,Reed Delivers Transformational Tax Cuts,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Tom Reed,R000585,reed.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC- After clearing the House and Senate, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is on its way to the Presidents desk. Congressman Tom Reed (NY-23), a member of the tax writing Ways and Means Committee, was instrumental in shaping legislation that ensures historic tax cuts for hardworking Americans and the launch of a new era of economic opportunity, growth and job creation. 
I have been working on crafting this legislation for seven years, which will lower taxes not only for hardworking New Yorkers, but all Americans, Reed stated. This is a once in a generation opportunity to transform our tax code and spark our economy. Today we have opened the gates to a new wave of optimism and economic prosperity -- and Im proud to be a part of it. 
Facing one of the highest tax burdens in the country, New Yorkers stand to benefit from the overhaul of a tax code that hasnt been reformed in thirty-one years.
This bill will provide much needed relief - particularly for working families. By keeping more of their own money, people will be able to invest more in their families, instead of handing it over to the government. Thats the way it should be, Reed added. 
The bill cuts tax rates on middle and working class Americans, doubles the standard deduction, doubles the child tax credit to $2000 per child- $1400 of which is refundable, and preserves the child and dependent care credit. Additionally, this legislation maintains the state and local tax deduction for income, sales, and property tax. 
This bill will also enhance our economic engine. For decades, weve prevented our businesses from being able to grow and compete. Tax reform will help jumpstart job creation and with a job comes pride in an honest days work. This is transformative for families in our region, Reed said.
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For policy highlights, click here. 
For our video on small business tax relief, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://chriscollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-votes-for-historic-tax-reform-legislation,Collins Votes for Historic Tax Reform Legislation,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Chris Collins,C001092,chriscollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC  Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) today voted to dramatically reform the nations tax code. H.R. 1, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, will provide tax relief to families across Western New York and spark business investment, hiring, and wage growth. Based upon census data, the average family in the 27th Congressional District will pay $1,875 less in taxes allowing them to keep more than $150 each month.
While the liberal left has relied on fake news and deceptive studies in a failed attempt to derail tax reform, Im proud to have joined House Republicans in fighting for working families in New York and across the country, said Collins. This tax reform bill means lower taxes, more jobs, and higher wages for the hard-working families in Western New York.
Currently the United States has the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world driving jobs and profits overseas instead of keeping them in America. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will lower the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, which will be the largest reduction of this rate in our nations history. Additionally, the legislation lowers the tax rate on small businesses and provides incentives for these businesses to grow and hire more workers.
For individuals and families, the legislation lowers tax rates so people can keep more of their paychecks. The plan doubles the standard deduction, which means many families will no longer itemize their taxes. For those that choose to itemize, they will be able to write off the cost of state and local taxes up to $10,000, mortgage interest, charitable contributions, and expensive medical bills. 
Republicans in Congress have doubled the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000. The legislation preserves dependent care credits for children and adults that need additional support. By repealing the individual mandate tax penalty, families gain the flexibility to buy the health insurance plan that is right for them.
Collins added: This is a historic moment for workers, families, and job creators in Western New York. House Republicans have passed a once-in-a-generation tax reform bill that will ease the tax burden on Americans from all walks of life. This legislation will revitalize the American economy, allowing us to compete with other industrialized nations and win.
The Senate is expected to pass the Conference Report to H.R. 1, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, tonight and it will be sent to President Trumps desk. For more information, click here.
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https://donovan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-congressman-dan-donovan-final-tax-bill,Statement from Congressman Dan Donovan on Final Tax Bill,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Daniel Donovan,D000625,donovan.house.gov,,,legacy,"I wanted nothing more than to vote for a tax plan that would put more money in the pockets of overburdened taxpayers and spur job creation. However, the bill that came out of the conference committee still means a tax increase for many Staten Island and Brooklyn residents. My priority always has and will continue to be the people of Staten Island and Brooklyn who sent me to Congress to represent them. Their interests come before Washington, always.
For months, Ive been fighting tooth and nail, together with Republican Reps. Peter King, Lee Zeldin, John Faso, and Elise Stefanik to protect the state and local tax deduction. Capping this deduction  which has been a part of the U.S. tax code since 1913  will increase taxes and harm the already-unaffordable housing market in my district. Former President Ronald Reagan didn't eliminate SALT when he had the chance in 1986 due to conservative principles, and we shouldnt remove it now. Additionally, analyses show that New Yorks share of the countrys tax burden will grow by 9 percent  the largest increase of any state in the nation. Even this small capped deduction of $10,000 will be eliminated in 8 years, and once its gone it probably will be eliminated forever.
Weve taken our case to Congressional leadership, the public, and directly to the President. Sometimes that fight has been heated, but thats our job: to look out for the families in our districts who are already living paycheck to paycheck. Our efforts resulted in some positive developments, like the protection of student loan interest and medical expense deductions, but it still falls short of accomplishing the goals that I strongly believed we could and should have achieved.
With the state and local tax deduction nearly eliminated, this tax bill doesn't equal relief for far too many New Yorkers. It is still paid for by the middle-class families of Staten Island and Brooklyn. New York is a high-tax state, and this legislation should serve as a wakeup call to politicians who have been taxing and spending with little regard for the taxpayer. But that still doesn't make it right to penalize people even more. My responsibility and allegiance is to the people who sent me here, and I will not support a tax hike on the people I represent.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://katko.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/december-15-2017-week-review,"December 15, 2017 | Week in Review",2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Katko,K000386,katko.house.gov,,,legacy,"13 W. Oneida St., 2nd FloorPlease call 315-423-5657 for an appointment.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://katko.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-historic-tax-reform-legislation-rep-katko-s-support,HOUSE PASSES HISTORIC TAX REFORM LEGISLATION WITH REP. KATKOS SUPPORT,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Katko,K000386,katko.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.  Following passage in the U.S. House of Representatives today of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, U.S. Rep. John Katko (NY-24) released the following statement:
Today, with my support, the House passed the first major reform to our nations tax code in three decades. Throughout this process, Ive fought for the best interests of Central New York and Im proud to have delivered several significant wins. This bill safeguards the Historic Preservation Tax Credit, the income exclusion for graduate tuition waivers, and tax-exempt status for private activity bonds. It doubles the standard deduction, lowers individual rates, expands the Child Tax Credit, and importantly, preserves the local property and income tax deduction. 
Despite the heated rhetoric surrounding passage of this legislation, the fact is that the status quo is simply not working for Central New York. Passage of this bill gives us a rare opportunity to level the playing field and put American workers first. I have always fought in the best interest of my constituents. I soundly believe this bill will deliver tax relief for Central New York families and allow local businesses to invest in our workforce. With the passage of this bill today, Im excited to see our local economy grow and thrive.
As the Tax Cut and Jobs Act moved through the legislative process, Rep. Katko advocated wholeheartedly for Central New Yorks interests. As a result, the final version of the bill retains the income exclusion for graduate tuition waivers, the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credit, and tax-exempt status for private activity bonds (PABs). Rep. Katko also played an instrumental and tangible role in restoring a $10,000 deduction for local property and income taxes. This morning, CNY leaders applauded these efforts.
Congressman John Katkorepresents the 24th Congressional District of New York, which includes all of Onondaga, Cayuga, and Wayne Counties and the western portion of Oswego County. For more information visithttps://katko.house.govorwww.facebook.com/RepJohnKatko.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://katko.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-katko-local-leaders-praise-wins-cny-final-tax-reform-bill,"REP. KATKO, LOCAL LEADERS PRAISE WINS FOR CNY IN FINAL TAX REFORM BILL",2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Katko,K000386,katko.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.  U.S. Rep. John Katko (NY-24) today highlighted significant wins for Central New York in the final tax reform legislation scheduled for a vote in the House and Senate today.
Rep. Katko, who supported the Tax Cut and Jobs Act in the House, continued to advocate for Central New Yorks interests as the House and Senate worked together to conference on the bill. Following his advocacy, the final version of the bill retains the income exclusion for graduate tuition waivers, the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credit, and tax-exempt status for private activity bonds (PABs).
The final tax legislation that the House will consider today contains significant wins for our community. It safeguards the Historic Preservation Tax Credit, the income exclusion for graduate tuition waivers, and tax-exempt status for private activity bonds, said Rep. Katko. I was proud to fight for our communitys best interests and truly believe that with passage of this bill, we can help grow our local economy to its fullest potential.
First, the final legislation does not include a tax on graduate tuition waivers. With numerous colleges and universities across NY-24, Central New York is a hub for higher education and research. Throughout this process, Rep. Katko urged leaders to consider the harm a tax on these waivers would place on students and our regions economic future.
I am grateful to Congressman Katko for his support of higher education, which is such a vital component of our regional economy, said Le Moyne College President Linda Le Mura. Many members of the Le Moyne community, as well as our students, contacted him about certain aspects of the bill and he listened to what those concerns were. His support will help institutions of higher education maintain their competitive edge.
Second, the bill retains the Historic Preservation Tax Credit, which has assisted in preserving some of our regions most historic buildings and has been critical to the revitalization of Downtown Syracuse. This credit has allowed for the rehabilitation of many income-producing properties, increased employment opportunities, and provided low-income housing in some of the most impoverished sectors of our community.
Finally, the bill retains tax-exempt status for private activity bonds, which will be instrumental as Congress begins to look towards reforming our nations infrastructure. Moreover, tax-exempt bonds are important financing tools for affordable housing, hospitals, and schools in Central New York and communities nationwide.
Ben Lockwood, Vice President of Business Development for Housing Visions stated, As a non-profit affordable housing developer with a mission of neighborhood revitalization, Housing Visions is pleased to see the retention of private activity housing bonds as well as the Historic and New Market Tax Credits. These items are valuable tools that assist to provide safe, decent, affordable housing and also work to revitalize historic structures and neighborhoods throughout Congressman Katkos district and others. We thank Congressman Katko for listening to our concerns and advocating for these provisions in the final tax bill.
The original House proposal would have eliminated private activity housing bonds, which help fund 17,000 affordable and supportive homes for low-income and homeless New Yorkers each year. Thankfully, Congressman Katko and others successfully fought to restore this valued program that provides incentive for private investment in affordable housing. The elimination of housing bonds would have destroyed affordable and supportive housing development here and around the country. We thank Congressman Katko for protecting this vital program. The Congressman has been a true champion for the homeless, said Laura Mascuch, Executive Director of Supportive Housing Network of New York.
""Auburn Hospital is grateful for the efforts of Rep. Katko to ensure Private Activity Bonds remain tax-exempt. These are critical financing tools for investment in our hospital and its infrastructure, said Scott Berlucchi, President & CEO of Auburn Hospital.
In addition to advocating for the above issues, Rep. Katko played an instrumental and tangible role in restoring a $10,000 deduction for local property and income taxes.
Congressman John Katkorepresents the 24th Congressional District of New York, which includes all of Onondaga, Cayuga, and Wayne Counties and the western portion of Oswego County. For more information visithttps://katko.house.govorwww.facebook.com/RepJohnKatko.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/stefanik-applauds-economic-development-administration-investment-award,Stefanik Applauds Economic Development Administration Investment Award,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC  Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) applauded the U.S. Economic Development Administration s (EDA) announcement that the Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board will receive a $70,000 EDA Planning Investment award. This award will support the development and implementation of a comprehensive economic development strategy for the areas under the jurisdiction of the Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board.
""This important funding will help foster public and private partnerships to support economic development in our region, said Congresswoman Stefanik. This funding will go a long way toward developing our local workforce, promoting conservation, and improving our infrastructure. I thank the EDA for making this funding a priority.
Additional information on this award from the EDA:
				City/County, State:
			
			
				Lake George/Warren County, New York
			
			
				
			
		
				U.S. Congressional District
			
			
				21
			
			
				
			
		
				EDA Investment Amount:
			
			
				$70,000
			
			
				
			
		
				Total Project Cost:
			
			
				$140,000
			
			
				
			
		
				Anticipated Impact/Outcome:
			
			
				Establishes an economic development planning framework, process, and strategy that supports private capital investment and job creation in the region.
			
			
				
			
		
				
			
			
				
			
			
				
			
		
				
				Description: This EDA planning investment supports the development and implementation of a comprehensive economic development strategy (CEDS) for the region served by the Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board, which comprises the counties of Clinton, Essex, Hamilton, Warren, and Washington. The CEDS process is designed to bring together the public and private sectors in the creation of an economic development roadmap to diversify and strengthen the regional economy.
			
		
				
			
		
				Should you have any questions, please contact EDA at (202) 482-2900.
			
		  
	###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://tenney.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=163,Congresswoman Claudia Tenney: Tax Reform will Unleash the Economy and Bring Jobs Back to America,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Claudia Tenney,T000478,tenney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) released the following statement after the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:
Tax reform is the key to unleashing the American Dream for all. Our current tax code is broken and riddled with loopholes that penalize success and hurt hardworking taxpayers. This changes today. The passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will provide critical relief to individuals and families while ensuring that job creators in 22nd District can compete on a level playing field. Our tax code will now reflect the values of fairness and hard work. Without these tax cuts, our economy will continue to be stagnant and American competitiveness will continue to suffer. 
Doubling the standard deduction will encourage more Americans to claim this popular deduction and eliminate the worry and stress of itemizing taxes each year. The bill also lowers rates and preserves important deductions that New Yorkers rely on. This bill will benefit low- to middle-income individuals and families with a tax structure that is easier to understand and more generous.
Under this bill, the typical American family making $73,000 will see a tax cut of $2,059. A family with two children earning $52,967, the median household income in the 22nd District, would save $1,458, while a single filer with one child and an income of $30,000 would save $834. This means New Yorkers will receive an immediate raise in their January paychecks. 
I fought an uphill battle to include provisions facing elimination that are vital to seniors, single parents, struggling families and overly burdened job creators throughout the debate on tax reform. Last week, I urged House and Senate leadership to retain the deductibility of up to $10,000 of property taxes, the federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC), and provisions allowing for the deductibility of medical expenses. Despite the fact that these provisions faced the very real threat of elimination and were not included in the original bill, my efforts were ultimately successful in securing the Historic Tax Credit, expanding the SALT deduction, and continuing the deductibility of medical expenses, to assist our most vulnerable seniors in defraying high medial costs. 
In the 22nd District, where 99 percent of itemizers deduct less than $10,000 in property taxes, this provision will cover the overwhelming majority of property owners who own homes that are less than $450,000 in value.
The SALT deduction is so important because it shields New Yorkers from the oppressive burden Albany places on our taxpayers. Governor Cuomo and Albany politicians have zero respect for the taxpayers. The Governor and liberals in the Assembly continue to increase our already bloated budget, causing taxes to skyrocket year after year for hardworking New Yorkers. This bill will provide relief on the federal level while finally taking a step to encourage fiscal responsibility from Albany.
In my home state of New York, politicians in Albany have imposed one unfunded mandate after another on our local governments and local school districts. In turn, they have to pass this burden from the state down in the form of increased property taxes or cuts in services. This is wrong and its Albanys fault. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the property taxes that my constituents pay. A 2013 study from the Brookings Tax Policy Center ranked more than 3,000 counties by their ratio of property tax to home value. All eight of the counties I represent in upstate New York, although far from wealthy, are in the top 36 nationwide. Cortland County comes in at No. 6 and Oswego County at No. 15. 
For struggling families and small businesses, the status quo is not working. Passing this bill is the first step to providing desperately needed relief. 
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Conference Report: 
 
    Lowers rates on virtually all income brackets.
    Retains the State and Local Tax Deduction. Filers can now use the $10,000 cap for property tax and either income or sales tax.
    Preserves the Medical Expense Deduction and lowers the threshold to 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income.
    Preserves the Historic Tax Credit.
    Doubles the Standard Deduction.
    Doubles the Child Tax Credit."" 
 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-holds-mobile-office-hours-riverhead,Rep. Zeldin Holds Mobile Office Hours in Riverhead,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"RIVERHEAD, NY - On Monday, December 18, 2017, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) held Mobile Office Hours at the Riverhead Volunteer Fire Department. During Mobile Office Hours, the Congressman met with constituents in one on one and constructive small group settings to have substantive, productive conversations regarding their concerns and the issues most affecting our communities, including tax reform, immigration, and veterans issues.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-santa-claus-and-fraternal-order-police-celebrate-holidays,"Rep. Zeldin, Santa Claus, and Fraternal Order of Police Celebrate Holidays at Stony Brook Childrens Hospital",2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"STONY BROOK, N.Y. - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), Santa Claus, and the Fraternal Order of Police visited the Stony Brook Childrens Hospital on December 15, 2017, to visit patients and distribute teddy bears to those spending the holiday season in the hospital.
These children are the embodiment of the holiday spirit, enduring hope and light in even the darkest of moments. It was such a moving experience to be able to join them, their families, and caregivers, to celebrate the holiday season. Thank you to their parents, nurses, and doctors for all of the amazing work they do for our most vulnerable children.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-votes-no-final-tax-reform-bill,Rep. Zeldin Votes NO on Final Tax Reform Bill,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) issued the following statement after voting against the Conference Report to Accompany the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1):
""Getting this bill done and getting this bill done right should not have been a binary choice. My goal in this tax reform mission has always been to ensure the hard working men and women of Long Island keep more of their paycheck, reduce their cost of living, and are able to save more for retirement. Unfortunately, this bill is not the tax relief many Long Islanders had hoped for.
There are many good aspects of this bill, including a necessary reduction in the corporate tax rate, but it should not be done on the backs of ANY hard working, middle income taxpayers. That was totally avoidable and I still don't understand why spending cuts couldnt have been used as a more responsible pay for.
On balance, this bill remains a geographic redistribution of wealth, taking extra money from a place like New York to pay for deeper tax cuts elsewhere. New York is a net contributor that now will be contributing even more. This bill chooses winners and losers in a way that could have and should have been avoided.
While adding back in the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction to a $10,000 cap was progress, it was not enough progress. While I support fully maintaining the SALT deduction, a better policy if a change was to be made would have been a phase down of SALT over a period of time to a level that fully protects middle income itemizers. With that being said, all New Yorkers must confront the reality that our deduction is so high because our state and local taxes are so high. ALL levels of government must work on tax relief moving forward.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://donovan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-congressman-dan-donovan-president-trump-s-america-first,Statement from Congressman Dan Donovan on President Trumps America First Strategy,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Daniel Donovan,D000625,donovan.house.gov,,,legacy,"President Trumps doctrine of principled realism presents a refreshing and sober-minded strategy to advance American interests and defend the homeland. The geopolitical arena is competitive and cutthroat  we cannot expect other sovereign nations to just sing Kumbaya and support our goals. Power is what moves nations, and its about time our country started projecting ours. When we draw a line in the sand, the world should know that it matters.
I especially support the Presidents focus on confronting international terror threats. Were winning on the battlefield, but we have to constantly stay vigilant at home. That means tighter vetting and continuous improvements to securing our critical infrastructure, including the cyber realm.""
-- Congressman Dan Donovan serves on the House Committee on Homeland Security and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. He represents Staten Island and South Brooklyn in the U.S. House of Representatives.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://faso.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=784,Congressman Faso Statement on Tax Reform Vote,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Faso,F000464,faso.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Congressman John Faso (R-Kinderhook) released a statement indicating his intention to vote 'no' on the conference committee tax reform plan: 
""From the beginning, I wanted to support a tax reform plan that would increase economic growth, increase worker paychecks, incentivize small business investment and ensure New York families are better off. Unfortunately, this plan does not meet all of those criteria, and I will vote against the bill when it comes up for a vote.
I remain concerned that as a result of the states high income and property taxes, the partial elimination ofthe SALT deduction effective January 1, 2018 impacts New York families more severely than those in other states. These families have already made financial decisions based on this deduction, and to have it removed without any chance to prepare, is unfair.
It's important to recognize that this bill does make positive changes in our tax code that will help American businesses of all sizes and their workers compete in the global economy. In addition, there will be many families and small businesses in the 19th district that will receive a tax cut under this legislation. However, the overall impact of changes to the SALT deduction will accelerate the trend of hardworking individuals and businesses already leaving our state  further eroding New Yorks tax base. 
I am pleased that changes I advocated for were made to the medical expense deduction, higher education affordability benefits, and private activity bonds in this final version in comparison to the House bill. Each of these provisions were primary concerns of mine because of their impact on families, students, and local economic development.
While there has been positive progress, I still cannot vote for the conference committee package due to my overwhelming concern with the state and local income tax deduction.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://katko.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-tenney-stefanik-katko-collins-and-faso-urge-inclusion-language,"Reps. Tenney, Stefanik, Katko, Collins and Faso Urge Inclusion of Language to Protect Rural Hospitals in Continuing Resolution",2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Katko,K000386,katko.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.Today, U.S. Representatives Claudia Tenney (NY-22), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), John Katko (NY-24), Chris Collins (NY-27) and John Faso (NY-19) called on House Leadership to include language in the continuing resolution critical to protecting rural hospitals in Upstate New York. The proposed legislative text would fix an error the Medicare contractor for New York and New England made when determining a Medicare payment adjustment called the Volume Decrease Adjustment (VDA). This error has forced 16 small, rural hospitals to repay over $15 million with a punitive interest rate of over 9 percent.
Rural hospitals across Upstate New York depend on VDA to ensure continued fiscal stability and operation.Small hospitals like Cortland Regional Medical Center, Rome Memorial Hospital and UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital provide exceptional healthcare to those who need it the most in our rural communities. Congress must fix this error to protect our rural providers. Ill continue to work alongside my colleagues in Upstate New York to secure the inclusion of this important language, said Congresswoman Tenney.
This clawback threatens the financial stability of New Yorks Sole Community Hospitals and Medicare Dependent Hospitals, said Congresswoman Stefanik. These are important providers in rural communities like ours that provide care for seniors, the sick and the most vulnerable. Its important to rural hospitals in our region that this issue is addressed in any government funding measure.
Rural hospitals in Auburn and Oswego provide critical care to individuals and families in our community. The financial impacts of volume decrease adjustments would be devastating to these hospitals. It is crucial that Congress prevent these potential cuts and I will continue to fight alongside my New York colleagues to have this addressed in upcoming legislation, said Congressman Katko.
We must do all we can to help hospitals in rural areas of New York keep their doors open. In an emergency, my constituents need assurance that they have a place to go for treatment. My colleagues from New York and I are pushing for this important amendment to the continuing resolution that would relieve Sole Community Hospitals and Medicare Dependent Hospitals across the state and in my district. Given the challenging nature rural hospitals face regarding patient volume, it is critical to waive repayment to ensure financial security so they can continue to serve our communities, said Congressman Collins.
""Rural hospitals are a vital source of healthcare for Upstate New Yorkers,"" said Congressman Faso. ""Our proposed fix would ensure fairness and prevent hospitals from being forced to pay penalties for a mistake they did not make.""
The VDA is provided to Medicare Dependent Hospitals (MDH) and Sole Community Hospitals (SCH) that experience significant decreases in patient volume from one year to the next due to circumstances beyond their control. The adjustment is intended to cover some of the costs needed to maintain the core staff and services necessary for continued operation of the hospital during challenging times. Rural community hospitals are financially vulnerable and the VDA is critical to ensure continued operations.
The 16 rural hospitals impacted by the VDA are:
 Adirondack Medical Center
	Auburn Community Hospital
	Aurelia Osborn Fox Memorial Hospital
	Carthage Area Hospital
	Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center
	Cortland Regional Medical Center
	Gouveneur Hospital
	Jones Memorial Hospital
	Lewis County General Hospital
	Massena Memorial Hospital
	Nathan Littauer Hospital
	Oswego Hospital
	Rome Memorial Hospital
	The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
	UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital
	Wyoming County Community Health System
 Read the full text of the letter here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-raise-family-caregivers-act,House Passes RAISE Family Caregivers Act,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC  Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) helped the House pass H.R. 3759  the RAISE Family Caregivers Act. This bipartisan legislation she cosponsored would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a strategy for supporting the vital work of our countrys family caregivers. This legislation is supported by the AARP.
In our district and in communities across our nation, family caregivers devote their lives to giving their loved ones the best possible healthcare, said Congresswoman Stefanik. Family Caregivers raise the standards of living for seniors and those who are suffering, and we owe them our gratitude. Im proud to support this important, bipartisan legislation that will help better support our nations family caregivers.
Click here for bill text.
Congresswoman Stefanik is also the author of the Support Our Military Caregivers Act.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-stefanik-tenney-katko-collins-and-faso-urge-inclusion-language,"Reps. Stefanik, Tenney, Katko, Collins and Faso Urge Inclusion of Language to Protect Rural Hospitals in Continuing Resolution",2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.Today, U.S. Representatives Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Claudia Tenney (NY-22), John Katko (NY-24), Chris Collins (NY-27) and John Faso (NY-19) called on House Leadership to include language in the continuing resolution critical to protecting rural hospitals in Upstate New York. The proposed legislative text would fix an error the Medicare contractor for New York and New England made when determining a Medicare payment adjustment called the Volume Decrease Adjustment (VDA). This error has forced 16 small, rural hospitals to repay over $15 million with a punitive interest rate of over 9 percent.
This clawback threatens the financial stability of New Yorks Sole Community Hospitals and Medicare Dependent Hospitals, said Congresswoman Stefanik. These are important providers in rural communities like ours that provide care for seniors, the sick and the most vulnerable. Its important to rural hospitals in our region that this issue is addressed in any government funding measure.
Rural hospitals across Upstate New York depend on VDA to ensure continued fiscal stability and operation.Small hospitals like Cortland Regional Medical Center, Rome Memorial Hospital and UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital provide exceptional healthcare to those who need it the most in our rural communities. Congress must fix this error to protect our rural providers. Ill continue to work alongside my colleagues in Upstate New York to secure the inclusion of this important language, said Congresswoman Tenney.
Rural hospitals in Auburn and Oswego provide critical care to individuals and families in our community. The financial impacts of volume decrease adjustments would be devastating to these hospitals. It is crucial that Congress prevent these potential cuts and I will continue to fight alongside my New York colleagues to have this addressed in upcoming legislation, said Congressman Katko.
We must do all we can to help hospitals in rural areas of New York keep their doors open. In an emergency, my constituents need assurance that they have a place to go for treatment. My colleagues from New York and I are pushing for this important amendment to the continuing resolution that would relieve Sole Community Hospitals and Medicare Dependent Hospitals across the state and in my district. Given the challenging nature rural hospitals face regarding patient volume, it is critical to waive repayment to ensure financial security so they can continue to serve our communities, said Congressman Collins.
""Rural hospitals are a vital source of healthcare for Upstate New Yorkers,"" said Congressman Faso. ""Our proposed fix would ensure fairness and prevent hospitals from being forced to pay penalties for a mistake they did not make.""
The VDA is provided to Medicare Dependent Hospitals (MDH) and Sole Community Hospitals (SCH) that experience significant decreases in patient volume from one year to the next due to circumstances beyond their control. The adjustment is intended to cover some of the costs needed to maintain the core staff and services necessary for continued operation of the hospital during challenging times. Rural community hospitals are financially vulnerable and the VDA is critical to ensure continued operations.
The 16 rural hospitals impacted by the VDA are:
 Adirondack Medical Center
	Auburn Community Hospital
	Aurelia Osborn Fox Memorial Hospital
	Carthage Area Hospital
	Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center
	Cortland Regional Medical Center
	Gouveneur Hospital
	Jones Memorial Hospital
	Lewis County General Hospital
	Massena Memorial Hospital
	Nathan Littauer Hospital
	Oswego Hospital
	Rome Memorial Hospital
	The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
	UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital
	Wyoming County Community Health System
 Read the full text of the letter here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/stefanik-oppose-final-tax-bill,Stefanik to Oppose Final Tax Bill,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) issued the following statement announcing her opposition to the final tax bill that will be considered in the House tomorrow:
""I support comprehensive tax reform that provides relief for families and businesses in our district. I voted against the tax bill when it first came before the House because it did not provide enough relief for New Yorkers.
""While progress has been made during the conference committee, the final bill does not adequately protect the State and Local Tax deduction that so many in our district and across New York rely on. Due to Albany's failed leadership and inability to rein in spending, New York is one of the highest taxed states in the country, and families here rely on this important deduction to make ends meet. Failure to maintain SALT could lead to more families leaving our region.
""I will be voting no on the final legislation and will continue to work hard to ensure that hard working families and small businesses have their priorities represented in Congress. I thank the many constituents across the district who have contacted my offices to share their opinions on this important legislation.""
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://tenney.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=161,"Reps. Tenney, Stefanik, Katko, Collins and Faso Urge Inclusion of Language to Protect Rural Hospitals in Continuing Resolution",2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Claudia Tenney,T000478,tenney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.Today, U.S. Representatives Claudia Tenney (NY-22), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), John Katko (NY-24), Chris Collins (NY-27) and John Faso (NY-19) called on House Leadership to include language in the continuing resolution critical to protecting rural hospitals in Upstate New York. The proposed legislative text would fix an error the Medicare contractor for New York and New England made when determining a Medicare payment adjustment called the Volume Decrease Adjustment (VDA). This error has forced 16 small, rural hospitals to repay over $15 million with a punitive interest rate of over 9 percent. 
Rural hospitals across Upstate New York depend on VDA to ensure continued fiscal stability and operation. Small hospitals like Cortland Regional Medical Center, Rome Memorial Hospital and UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital provide exceptional healthcare to those who need it the most in our rural communities. Congress must fix this error to protect our rural providers. Ill continue to work alongside my colleagues in Upstate New York to secure the inclusion of this important language, said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. 
This clawback threatens the financial stability of New Yorks Sole Community Hospitals and Medicare Dependent Hospitals, said Congresswoman Stefanik. These are important providers in rural communities like ours that provide care for seniors, the sick and the most vulnerable. Its important to rural hospitals in our region that this issue is addressed in any government funding measure.
Rural hospitals in Auburn and Oswego provide critical care to individuals and families in our community. The financial impacts of volume decrease adjustments would be devastating to these hospitals. It is crucial that Congress prevent these potential cuts and I will continue to fight alongside my New York colleagues to have this addressed in upcoming legislation, said Congressman Katko.
We must do all we can to help hospitals in rural areas of New York keep their doors open. In an emergency, my constituents need assurance that they have a place to go for treatment. My colleagues from New York and I are pushing for this important amendment to the continuing resolution that would relieve Sole Community Hospitals and Medicare Dependent Hospitals across the state and in my district. Given the challenging nature rural hospitals face regarding patient volume, it is critical to waive repayment to ensure financial security so they can continue to serve our communities, said Congressman Collins.
""Rural hospitals are a vital source of healthcare for Upstate New Yorkers,"" said Congressman Faso. ""Our proposed fix would ensure fairness and prevent hospitals from being forced to pay penalties for a mistake they did not make.""
The VDA is provided to Medicare Dependent Hospitals (MDH) and Sole Community Hospitals (SCH) that experience significant decreases in patient volume from one year to the next due to circumstances beyond their control. The adjustment is intended to cover some of the costs needed to maintain the core staff and services necessary for continued operation of the hospital during challenging times. Rural community hospitals are financially vulnerable and the VDA is critical to ensure continued operations.
The 16 rural hospitals impacted by the VDA are:
 
    Adirondack Medical Center
    Auburn Community Hospital
    Aurelia Osborn Fox Memorial Hospital
    Carthage Area Hospital
    Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center
    Cortland Regional Medical Center
    Gouveneur Hospital
    Jones Memorial Hospital
    Lewis County General Hospital
    Massena Memorial Hospital 
    Nathan Littauer Hospital
    Oswego Hospital
    Rome Memorial Hospital
    The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
    UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital
    Wyoming County Community Health System
 
Read the full text of the letter here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://tenney.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=162,Congresswoman Claudia Tenney Statement on President Trump’s National Security Strategy,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Claudia Tenney,T000478,tenney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) released the following statement in response to President Trumps National Security Strategy:
The primary role of our federal government is to ensure national security and the defense of the American homeland. The policies of the previous administrations have not achieved measurable results to keep America safe, and it is far past time for a bold path forward. Today, President Trump laid out a strong National Security Strategy that will place American interests first. 
To deter threats to our homeland and our American way of life, I have been a longtime champion of rebuilding our military, which is capable of providing a strong national defense and promoting peace through strength. Together, Congress and the Administration will ensure that those in the Armed Services have the resources necessary to effectively carryout their missions.
America cannot afford to stand idly by as vast swaths of the Middle East remain safe havens for terrorist organizations that seek to attack our homeland while further destabilizing the already violate region. A strong 21st Century National Security Strategy will ensure that we defeat terrorist organizations like ISIS who wish to destroy Western values and the American way of life. 
To promote American prosperity and innovation, we will implement a National Security Strategy that puts American workers and economic interests first.For too long, unfair trade deals have disadvantaged American companies and workers, while allowing our strategic competitors to gain the upper hand. These bad trade deals that Ive fought tirelessly against have allowed countries like China to cheat, manipulate currency and steal American intellectual property. This is unfair and unsustainable. 
Additionally, the safety of our citizens depends on strong border control and enforcement of our immigration rules. We want to welcome people to our country but ensure that when we do, we do so safely and legally. Many have taken advantage of the long time refusal to adequately secure our border and have engaged in nefarious practices, including human trafficking and the illegal drug trade. We will protect the American people by securing the border and enforcing the law to protect our citizens and legal residents.
I commend the Presidents efforts to ensure that American interests are protected both at home and abroad, and I look forward to working alongside the Administration to implement this new bold strategy.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-zeldin-love-ratcliffe-call-inquiry-house-intelligence-committee,"Reps. Zeldin, Love, Ratcliffe Call for Inquiry into House Intelligence Committee Russia Investigation Leaks",2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), Congresswoman Mia Love (R, UT-4) and Congressman John Ratcliffe (R, TX-4) authored a letter submitted this morning to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi detailing their serious concerns with the improper public communication of information by Members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) investigation into the alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Representatives Zeldin, Love, and Ratcliffe called for an inquiry into this matter and wrote that any Members or staff responsible for violating rules by improperly releasing communications to the media must be removed from this investigation.
We write to you to address serious concerns regarding the integrity of investigations currently being undertaken by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). Improper release of information to the media by committee members or staff is a serious violation of committee and House rules, Members wrote. Significant evidence that serious leaks have occurred in relation to the HPSCI investigation into alleged Russian meddling of the 2016 election must be immediately addressed. Members or staff who may have violated rules by leaking sensitive information to the press or other outside entities must be promptly removed from this investigation and proper inquiries undertaken without delay. 
A signed PDF of the letter is available here.
Full text of the letter is as follows:
Dear Speaker Ryan and Leader Pelosi,
We write to you to address serious concerns regarding the integrity of investigations currently being undertaken by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). Improper release of information to the media by committee members or staff is a serious violation of committee and House rules. Significant evidence that serious leaks have occurred in relation to the HPSCI investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election must be immediately addressed. Members or staff who may have violated rules by leaking sensitive information to the press or other outside entities must be promptly removed from this investigation and proper inquiries undertaken without delay.
Our serious concerns center around but are not limited to the leaks of privileged information by HPSCI members and/or staff to the press regarding an interview of Donald Trump, Jr. that took place on December 6, 2017. Under committee and House rules, the details of this non-public interview were not to be released publicly unless the committee voted to do so. Even with such a vote, the rules still allow for a witness and his or her counsel to review the transcript before public release. On December 7, as the committees eight hour interview of Donald Trump, Jr. was still underway, information from this closed session of the committee was clearly being leaked to the press. This is evidenced in multiple tweets and online articles that contained privileged information that only members or staff present for the interview would have been privy to. The leaking of privileged information continued after the interview had concluded. These serious violations need to be investigated and any members responsible for such violations must no longer serve as part of this investigation. Any staff who have violated committee or House rules must also face appropriate disciplinary action.
The integrity of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is of critical importance to the whole House and to the nation we are all tasked with serving. Your immediate attention to this matter is needed to ensure that the credibility of this body is not at risk as it undertakes investigations and handles sensitive issues of importance to the United States. We thank you in advance for your prompt reply.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/undercover-congressman-rep-zeldin-goes-behind-counter-cumberland-farms,Undercover Congressman: Rep. Zeldin Goes Behind the Counter at Cumberland Farms in Manorville,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"MANORVILLE, N.Y. - On Monday, December 18, 2017, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) surprised several NY-1 constituents at Cumberland Farms in Manorville as part of Undercover Congressman, during which Rep. Zeldin works local jobs to highlight the diverse occupations through the NY-1 community. During his visit to Cumberland Farms, Congressman Zeldin went behind the counter to serve NY-1 residents and met with Cumberland Farms employees and management to discuss the stores operations.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://faso.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=783,Faso Continues Push for Aggressive Efforts to Combat Opioid Crisis,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Faso,F000464,faso.house.gov,,,legacy,"Faso Continues Push for Aggressive Efforts to Combat Opioid Crisis 
   
    
       
      
  
    
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Washington DC  Congressman John Faso (R-Kinderhook) sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney urging OMB to submit a comprehensive funding proposal to combat the opioid crisis. 
Additionally, Rep. Faso joined six of his colleagues in sending a letter to the leadership of four House of Representatives Committees calling for the committees to implement the legislative recommendations contained within the Presidents Commission of Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis final report. 
Opioid abuse is a genuine epidemic and a national crisis. Bipartisan cooperation has resulted in steps in the right direction as we continue to learn what families and our communities need to effectively address this scourge, said Faso. At home, Ive spoken to far too many people who have had friends, family, or co-workers succumb to opioid addiction. I will continue to fight for progress through additional funding, treatment initiatives, and community involvement.
Congressman Faso is a cosponsor of two critical pieces of legislation to fight the devastation caused by the opioid crisis. H.R. 664, the STOP OD Act, expands funding for treatment and education through CDC and HHS grants. Learn morehere.
H.R. 1057, STOP ACT, helps thwart dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil from being shipped across US borders. The bill requires foreign postal operators to supply advance electronic data to the U.S. Postal Service, which will enable federal law enforcement agencies to track high-risk shipments. Learn morehere.
A signed copy of the letter sent to OMB Director Mulvaney can be found here.
A signed copy of the letter sent to committee leadership can be found here.  

    
  
  
  
    
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https://katko.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-katko-connolly-introduce-earned-act,"Reps. Katko, Connolly Introduce EARNED Act",2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Katko,K000386,katko.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.  Today, Representatives John Katko (R-NY) and Gerry Connolly (D-VA) introduced the Education Assistance to Realign New Eligibilities for Dependents (EARNED) Act, bipartisan legislation that would add an additional category of servicemembers eligible to transfer entitlement to post-9/11 educational assistance.
Currently, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 allows certain servicemembers to transfer all or some of their unused education benefits to their spouse or dependent children. The EARNED Act would expand that eligibility to any active duty or retired member of the Armed Forces who has at least 20 years of active-duty service, including at least 90 days of such service after September 10, 2001.
Our veterans have made countless sacrifices to protect, defend, and serve this great nation. They answered a call of duty that only the bravest men and women are willing to answer, and we need to do everything we can to help them and their families, said Congressman Katko. This legislation adds an additional transferability option under the Post 9/11 GI Bill that would allow servicemembers to transfer all or some of their unused benefits to spouses or dependent children.
There is no greater responsibility in Congress than to make sure that we take care of those who put on the uniform, both during and after active duty service, said Congressman Connolly. The EARNED Act builds on the successful 9/11 GI bill, by ensuring these brave servicemembers have the option to pass along their education benefits to their loved ones. It is a clear win-win. We have another tool for retaining talent and ensuring a strong military, and it allows us to uphold our promise to veterans who have served so honorably.
The ability to transfer education benefits has traditionally been used as a retention tool. Servicemembers with six years of service can transfer their education benefits if they commit to four years of additional service. Additionally, servicemembers with ten years of service, who are precluded from committing to four additional years, can transfer if they agree to serve the maximum amount of time allowed by policy or statute. The EARNED Act would recognize that individuals who have served twenty years have made a sufficient contribution and deserve the ability to transfer their education benefits to dependents. This legislation would still incentivize additional service, but would also allow veterans who have served twenty years to provide education opportunities to their children.
Text of the legislation is available here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-no-final-tax-reform-bill,Rep. Zeldin a NO on Final Tax Reform Bill,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) issued the following statement after the release of the final Conference Report of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1), which is expected to be voted on as early as next week:
I am a NO on the final tax reform bill. Getting this bill done and getting this bill done right should not have been a binary choice. My goal in this tax reform mission has always been to ensure that the hard working men and women of Long Island keep more of their paycheck, reduce their cost of living, and are able to save more for retirement. Unfortunately, this bill is not the tax relief they were promised.
I like many aspects of this final agreement, including the expansion of the Medical Expense Deduction, preservation of critical education and student deductions, and strong corporate tax reform that will stimulate job creation and make America more competitive in the global economy. Reducing the corporate tax rate to 21%, for example, is great, but it should not be done on the backs of ANY hard working, middle income taxpayers. I still don't understand why spending cuts couldnt have been used as a more responsible pay for.
On balance, this bill remains a geographic redistribution of wealth, taking extra money from a place like New York to pay for deeper tax cuts elsewhere. New York is a net contributor that now will be contributing even more. This bill chooses winners and losers in a way that could have and should have been avoided.
While adding back in the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction to a $10,000 cap was progress, it was not enough progress. While I support fully maintaining the SALT deduction, a better policy if a change was to be made would have been a phase down of SALT over a period of time to a level that fully protects middle income itemizers. With that being said, we must realize that our deduction is so high because our state and local taxes are so high, which means that ALL levels of government must work on tax relief moving forward.
I wish I could get to a YES on this bill, but when it comes to my district and my state, this proposal leaves too many of them out in the cold. There was a massive missed opportunity here to fix this bill for millions of Americans who also desperately needed tax relief and ended up getting screwed by the handicap of rigid ideological blinders and a countdown clock that really wasn't yet at zero.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://donovan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/donovan-introduces-creeper-act-ban-child-sex-dolls,Donovan Introduces CREEPER Act to Ban Child Sex Dolls,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Daniel Donovan,D000625,donovan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC—December 14, 2017….Congressman Dan Donovan (NY-11), along with a bipartisan coalition of 12 original cosponsors, today introduced the Curbing Realistic Exploitative Electronic Pedophilic Robots (CREEPER) Act to ban importation and distribution of child sex dolls. Similar bans already exist in Australia and the United Kingdom. Pedophiles buy and sell the lifelike silicone dolls, which resemble children as young as three years old, through online websites and marketplaces. 
Congressman Donovan said, “It’s a uniquely vile person who preys on children to fulfill horrific pedophilic urges. During my 20 years as a prosecutor, I put away animals who played out their disgusting fantasies on innocent children. What I saw and heard was enough to make anybody sick. Now, as a legislator in Congress, I’m introducing a bill to ban the newest outlet for pedophiles: child sex dolls. They don’t belong in our communities.”
Child sex dolls are anatomically accurate renderings of young children, and include “accessories” such as false eyelashes, wigs, warming devices, and cleaning tools. They may also be customized to feature lifelike facial expressions, including sadness and fear. The dolls, which are imported from China, Hong Kong, and Japan, are purposely labeled as mannequins or models to avoid detection in the mail. Recent seizures of these dolls in the United States, UK and other global market places have highlighted the need for legislation to address this disturbing activity. There are currently no laws in the U.S. to prevent the proliferation of child sex dolls.  
Law enforcement agents have said that the purchases of child sex dolls can indicate a history of offenses against children. In fact, of the 128 dolls seized in the UK, 85% percent of the men who imported them were also found in possession of child pornography. Additionally, psychologists and researchers believe that these dolls reinforce, normalize, and encourage pedophilic behavior, potentially putting more children at risk to harm.
Donovan’s proposal has already received support from child and ethics advocacy organizations, including Safe Horizon, Stop Abuse Campaign, Stop Child Predators, Foundation for Responsible Robotics, and Campaign Against Sex Robots. A Change.org petition supporting the CREEPER Act has received more than 149,000 supportive signatures.
Original cosponsors include Representatives Peter King (NY-1), Trey Gowdy (SC-4), Rob Bishop (UT-1) Bill Johnson (OH-6), Tom Marino (PA-10), John Rutherford (FL-4), Nanette Barragan (CA-44), Claudia Tenney (NY-22), Don Bacon (NE-2), Chris Stewart (UT-2), Ann Kuster (NH-2), and Kathleen Rice (NY-4).
An op-ed highlighting the threat that child sex dolls pose and the CREEPER Act was also published in The Hill this week. 
Stakeholder Quotes: 
Michael Polenberg, VP of Government Affairs of Safe Horizon said, “Child sexual abuse is a heinous crime, one that no child should ever have to suffer. How, then, to reconcile civil society’s abhorrence of child abuse with the production and import of life-sized, life-like dolls of children to be used for sexual purposes? This is deeply concerning on many levels. As the nation’s leading victim assistance organization, Safe Horizon commends Rep. Donovan for shining a light on this issue and for introducing legislation to prohibit the import of these products into the United States.”
Stacie Rumenap, President of Stop Child Predators said, “The seizures of child sex dolls illustrates that sex offenders and pedophiles will stop at nothing to reach children. There is no doubt these dolls will be used to lure and groom children, and will ultimately lead to more sexual abuse and exploitation of real children. We gladly stand by Rep. Donovan and commend him for his efforts to prevent the sexual exploitation of children and stop the sale and distribution of these dolls before they become common-place.”
Melanie Blow, COO of the Stop Abuse Campaign said, “Child sexual abuse is an epidemic in our society, affecting one fifth of our nation's children. An epidemic with massive human and financial costs. Anything that normalizes adult sexual attraction towards children will only worsen this epidemic. Child sex dolls and robots that do this are perfectly legal, and that's a problem. We applaud Representative Donovan for introducing a bill to ban these destructive dolls and protect children.""
Noel Sharkey, Co-director of the Foundation for Responsible Robotics said, “There is currently a dramatic rise in the development of talking sex robots powered by Artificial Intelligence. The possibility of making anatomically detailed moving robot replicas of specific children for sexual gratification is now here and is surely a step too far. Such devices will, at the very least, have a pernicious impact on our society and create a threat to the sexual safety of our children. I strongly support Rep. Donovan’s efforts to prohibit child-like sex robots that will only encourage sexual predation. The alternative is unimaginable.”
Kathleen Richardson, De Montfort University Professor of Ethics and Culture of Robots and AI said, “I have listened to the stories of childhood sexual abuse survivors first hand, and we must do everything to prevent future incidences. Giving child sex dolls and robots to pedophiles will do nothing but encourage harmful acts towards innocent children. A child’s safety should never be put below a predators desire or commercial companies profits. Congressman Donovan’s bill must be supported to protect our children.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://katko.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congress-finalizes-tax-bill-rep-katko-advocates-historic-tax-credit,"AS CONGRESS FINALIZES TAX BILL, REP. KATKO ADVOCATES FOR HISTORIC TAX CREDIT, GRADUATE STUDENT TUITION & PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS",2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Katko,K000386,katko.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. –  As leaders in the House and Senate finalize the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, U.S. Rep. John Katko (NY-24) has urged leaders to consider several issues critical to New York’s 24th Congressional District and its economy.
In meetings and letters, Rep. Katko urged Speaker Ryan, Majority Leader McConnell, and Chairmen Hatch and Brady to oppose the repeal of the income exclusion for graduate tuition waivers, and to retain the Federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC) and the tax-exempt status for private activity bonds (PABs). “As members of the House and Senate work together to finalize tax reform legislation, there are several provisions that I’ve advocated for on behalf of Central New York,” said Rep. Katko. “First, as home to numerous colleges and universities, Central New York is a hub for higher education and research.  Our colleges and universities contribute greatly to our local economy, and a tax on graduate waivers could potentially inhibit the economic growth that tax reform promises for our region.” Rep. Katko continued, “Next, in communities across New York’s 24th Congressional District, we’ve seen the vast economic benefit achieved in preserving some of our region’s oldest and most historic buildings.  There is no greater example of this than the revitalization of Downtown Syracuse.  Without the Historic Tax Credit, much of our local resurgence would not have been possible. This credit has allowed the rehabilitation of many income-producing properties, increased employment opportunities, and provided low-income housing in some of the most impoverished sectors of our community.  It is critical that we continue to encourage and allow these vital investments.” “Finally, as we begin to look towards a much-needed investment in our infrastructure in Congress, the importance of maintaining tax-exempt status for private activity bonds (PABs) cannot be overlooked.  As a leader of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus infrastructure workgroup, I recognize that an elimination of the tax exempt status for PABs would inhibit our efforts to make major investments in infrastructure.  Moreover, PABs are important financing tools in a wide range of projects in Central New York -- from hospitals and schools to airports and local water facilities,” concluded Rep. Katko.
In addition to advocating for the above issues, Rep. Katko has played an instrumental and tangible role in restoring a $10,000 deduction for local property taxes.
Congressman John Katko represents the 24th Congressional District of New York, which includes all of Onondaga, Cayuga, and Wayne Counties and the western portion of Oswego County.  For more information visit https://katko.house.gov or www.facebook.com/RepJohnKatko.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/stefanik-statement-fcc-vote,Stefanik Statement on FCC Vote,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) issued the following statement after the FCC’s net neutrality vote:
“An open internet is critical to promoting prosperity and innovation with the power to enhance our lives, communities, and markets. The internet is an essential resource and Americans should have access to the information they want, not the information specific entities choose to make available.
“Today’s vote means that it is now Congress’ responsibility to pass legislation that codifies in law the principles of net neutrality to preserve an open internet and ensure that companies can invest in a robust broadband infrastructure. Families in our district have very few choices in internet service providers, which is why it is critical for Congress to now pass legislation to protect the North Country’s access to online information.
“Congress should begin holding hearings with internet service providers and web companies and begin the process of drafting this legislation. I will be engaging with my colleagues on the path forward and will continue to work to preserve an open, accessible internet.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://donovan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/donovan-introduces-bill-targeting-vehicular-terror-attacks,Donovan Introduces Bill Targeting Vehicular Terror Attacks,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Daniel Donovan,D000625,donovan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC—December 13, 2017….Congressman Dan Donovan (NY-11), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, introduced the Shielding Public Spaces from Vehicular Terrorism Act to better protect the homeland and keep Americans safe. The legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate to research and develop new tools and effective safeguards to combat emerging terrorist threats, including vehicular attacks.
Congressman Donovan said, “Just this week, we were reminded of the heightened terror environment our nation faces when an ISIS inspired operative detonated a bomb in a New York City subway. Not only are these types of lone wolf attacks becoming all too common, but terrorists are increasingly turning everyday tools, such as vehicles, into weapons. Violent extremists will continue to try and undermine our way of life, and it’s necessary that we bolster our anti-terror capabilities. This legislation will help us do just that.”
The bill also ensures that first responders can use vital Homeland Security Grant Program and Urban Area Security Initiative funding to address security vulnerabilities of public spaces, such as bus stops, bike paths, and other mass gathering locations.
The legislation was developed in response to the deadly October vehicle terror attack in Manhattan. That incident, as well as other attacks across the globe, show that terrorists are increasingly using vehicles as weapons. Recent testimony from DHS Deputy Secretary Elaine Duke also highlighted the need to strengthen defenses against attacks using simple methods, including “guns, knives, vehicles, and other common items.”
Donovan has made enhancing national security defenses a priority during his time in Congress. He recently joined Rep. Espaillat (NY-13) to introduce the Stopping Threats on Pedestrians (STOP) Act, bipartisan legislation that provides funding to cities to install safety bollards in high pedestrian areas to prevent attacks. Additionally, the House passed three homeland security bills sponsored by Donovan, which bulk up the country’s protections against nuclear, transit, and cybersecurity threats.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://faso.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=774,Rep. Faso Supports Maintaining College Affordability Tax Benefits,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Faso,F000464,faso.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Congressman John Faso (R-Kinderhook) signed two letters sent to the tax reform conferees in support of maintaining tax benefits designed to make college more affordable. 
“Pursuing higher education has long been considered a path toward achieving the American dream,” said Faso. “We should promote and support access for those who want to continue their studies, whether at a traditional four-year college, in graduate school, or through a technical education. By maintaining these tax benefits, we can continue to provide students help in pursuing their dreams and becoming prepared to succeed in the workforce.”
You can find signed copies of both letters here & here.
The text of both letters is copy and pasted below:
Dear Chairman Brady and Chairman Hatch,
We commend your efforts to create a tax system that will benefit middle-income families throughout our districts by allowing them to keep more of what they earn. Your focus on lowering rates and doubling the standard deduction will change their lives for the better.
As Members of Congress, we can make an even bigger impact by taking this opportunity to address access to higher education and confront the impending student debt crisis. We urge you to include in the final tax plan two important education provisions which were maintained in the Senate proposal.
First, we request that you maintain Section 117(d) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), which enables taxpayers to exclude qualified tuition reductions from income. If repealed, this would raise the barrier of entry to college for many individuals. Colleges and universities throughout our districts provide employees – as well as their spouses and dependents – and graduate students with tuition reductions. If this section is not maintained, an unnecessary burden will be placed on taxpayers whose only ability to attend college or university is through receipt of qualified tuition reductions. We appreciated Chairman Brady’s commitment to address this issue during a colloquy on the House floor, and look forward to working with you to preserve this important provision.
Second, we urge you to maintain Section 127 of the IRC, which incentivizes employees to accept tax-free qualified educational assistance from employers as a means to further the employees’ education and obtain skills to thrive in the workforce.  Furthermore, this benefit should be expanded to include employees who have already accumulated student loan debt, as proposed in H.R. 795, the Employer Participation in Student Loan Assistance Act. Seven in ten college seniors graduate with student loan debt – which now represents the second highest form of consumer debt. This debt harms our economy because it prevents many young adults from buying a house, purchasing a car, or saving for retirement.
Thank you again for your work on comprehensive tax reform and for your consideration of these important educational benefits. We look forward to working with you and our colleagues to establish a tax system that provides our constituents with the greatest opportunity to succeed.
Sincerely,
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Dear Chairman Brady and Chairman Hatch:
Thank you for your leadership in advancing comprehensive tax reform through both chambers of Congress. As the conference committee begins to negotiate the differences between the two bills, we respectfully request the conference report maintain the education tax provisions outlined in this letter. Thank you in advance for your consideration of our views.
Qualified Tuition Reductions 
26 U.S.C. §117(d) enables colleges and universities to discount tuition for their employees and families for undergraduate education with the discount excluded from taxable income. This provisions benefits a range of employees including administrative, maintenance and janitorial staff. The vast majority of individuals who benefit from these reductions are middle-to-low income. In fact, 50 percent earned less than $50,000 and 78 percent earned less than $75,000. For some middle-income families, the tax exempt tuition reduction is the determining factor in their children’s ability to pursue higher education at all. Given all the benefits to the economy of having a college degree, we should not disincentivize any individual from pursuing higher education by increasing their tax burden.
26 U.S.C. §117(d)(5) enables colleges and universities to reduce tuition for graduate students who are serving as teaching and research assistants as part of their academic training without the reduction in tuition counting as taxable income for students. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 145,000 graduate students received tuition reductions and 57 percent of those are enrolled in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Graduate students are vital to our nation’s scientific research enterprise. Ultimately, these students become the scientists and engineers that employers need to propel our economy forward. With countries such as China investing heavily in advanced technologies and developing an innovative workforce, we must continue encourage the pursuit of graduate degrees and without unworkable increases to students’ tax obligations.
Student Loan Interest Deduction
26 U.S.C. § 221 allows individuals to deduct from their taxable income an amount equal to the interest paid during the taxable year on a qualified education loan.  Individuals who earn a bachelor’s degree on average have higher incomes than high school graduates, are considerably less reliant on government services, less likely to be imprisoned and pay more in taxes than they use in government services over their lifetime. Knowing these benefits, the tax code should seek to incentivize individuals to pursue higher education. The student loan interest deduction helps make higher education more affordable and based on the most recent yearly data available, 12 million taxpayers benefited from the deduction. Eliminating this deduction adds to the debt burden and could increase the cost to borrowers by roughly $24 billion, ultimately making it more difficult to attend and finance their education.
Lifetime Learning Credit
26 U.S.C. §25A(c) allows an individual a credit against the tax imposed in an amount equal to 20 percent of the qualified tuition and related expenses paid during a taxable year, not to exceed $10,000.  The Lifetime Learning Credit is currently one of the three education tax credits available to taxpayers. Non-traditional students are the fastest growing segment of students in higher education. While an expanded American Opportunity Tax Credit is likely to benefit some students, it is unlikely to benefit graduate students, part-time students and lifelong learners who are seeking retraining. With advances in technology rapidly changing the economy and the workplace, we should maintain policies that encourage individuals to get the education they need to be competitive in the job markets of tomorrow.
Again, thank you for your consideration of our views and your leadership in advancing comprehensive tax reform. We look forward to your response and continuing to work with you.
Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/stefanik-and-colleagues-markup-prosper-act,Stefanik and Colleagues Markup Prosper Act,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) and her colleagues on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce marked up and passed H.R. 4508, the Promoting Real Opportunity, Success, and Prosperity through Education Reform (PROSPER) Act – bold legislation to reauthorize and reform our federal higher education programs.
“As the first member of my immediate family to graduate from college, I am committed to ensuring that our students have the chance to achieve their higher education dreams,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “The status quo in higher education is failing our students and the PROSPER Act includes many needed reforms that will help students complete their college degrees. I am particularly pleased that this legislation includes my initiative to maintain access to Pell Grants year round. This has been a priority item of mine since arriving in Congress and it will ensure students have needed flexibility to access affordable education. Furthermore, students taking advantage of flexible Pell to achieve 30 credits per year will be eligible for an additional $300 Pell bonus. 
“This legislation keeps consumer best interests in mind and eliminates origination fees on all federal student loans, ensuring students are receiving more of the money they borrow. 
“This legislation also reforms work study programs to better serve Pell students, nearly doubles federal investment in work study, and removes arbitrary caps that limited where a student could work. I am pleased this legislation also addresses the opioid epidemic facing students by requiring the Secretary of Education to identify best practices for campuses.
“With my support, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) was preserved with a bipartisan amendment. The 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division partnered with the USIP in Mahmoudiya, Iraq, resulting in a landmark 2007 Tribal accord resulting in a peace that lasts today.   
“I thank Chairwoman Foxx and my colleagues on the Committee for their work to bring our higher education system into the 21st Century and refocus federal attention to student outcomes.”
Click here for video of Rep. Stefanik speaking support of the United States Institute of Peace.
More information on the Prosper Act: Bill Summary Bill Text
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/stefanik-joins-bipartisan-effort-save-state-and-local-tax-deduction,Stefanik Joins Bipartisan Effort to Save State and Local Tax Deduction,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) and a bipartisan group of her colleagues have sent a letter to the Bicameral Tax Reform Conference Committee outlining a plan to achieve comprehensive tax reform that would protect the state and local tax deduction that is critical to taxpayers in high tax states like New York.
“I remain committed to providing real tax relief for hardworking families in the North Country and am pleased to join my colleague on this effort,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “This plan would retain the critical State and Local Tax Deduction as well as other key priorities, such as medical expense and student loan deductions. I urge the conferees to seriously consider this proposal and will continue to work to ensure that any final tax package achieves real relief for families and businesses in the North Country.”
Congresswoman Stefanik voted against the House passed tax plan. Below is the text of the letter sent to the conferees. Click here to read the tax proposal that was also delivered.
Dear Conferees:
There is a bipartisan path forward to provide critical tax cuts to our constituents and businesses of all sizes. It worked decades ago for President Reagan and Speaker O'Neill, when a plan for a simpler tax system was signed into law with support from both parties. We, the undersigned Members of Congress, write to express our support for the enclosed Gottheimer-Lance Tax Cut Plan, which preserves the state and local tax (SALT) deduction in its entirety, along with several other important provisions like lowering the corporate and pass-through rates and retaining the medical expense and student loan interest deduction, while substantially reducing the impact of tax reform on the deficit.
States that will be hit hardest by the proposed House and Senate plans send disproportionately more revenue to the Federal Treasury than they receive in return.  We cannot accept a tax plan that raises taxes on our constituents and businesses.  Many of our colleagues have called for tax reform not to pick winners and losers among businesses and industries.  We agree and believe that sentiment should be extended not to pick winner and loser states.  As written, both bills clearly favor and hurt certain states. 
The Gottheimer-Lance Tax Cut Plan addresses these concerns by retaining the current SALT and mortgage interest deductions in their entirety, while protecting tax cuts for businesses of all sizes and key development mechanisms like private activity bonds.
Enclosed is a copy of the bipartisan tax cut plan we support. We appreciate your review and consideration of our proposal.
                                                                        Sincerely,
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://tenney.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=159,Congresswoman Claudia Tenney: Final Tax Reform Bill Must Include Provisions Vital To New Yorkers,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Claudia Tenney,T000478,tenney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) called on House and Senate Leadership to retain the deductibility of up to $10,000 worth of property taxes, the federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC), and provisions allowing for the deductibility of medical expenses in the final version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
In a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, Rep. Tenney cited the importance of the provisions and the devastation the loss of these provisions could cause to individuals and job creators across the 22nd District. 
“In a state like New York, where taxpayers are beholden to the unaccountable and fiscally irresponsible policies of Albany, the state and local tax (SALT) deduction matters. It amounts to real relief for hardworking families. During the debate on tax reform in the House, our strong efforts proved successful in retaining portions of the SALT deduction that will enable overburdened property tax payers in New York to continue deducting their property taxes up to $10,000,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. “Today, I am urging the inclusion of these meaningful SALT provisions in a final tax reform package.”
Tenney continued, “New York is the number one state to claim the Historic Tax Credit and leads the nation in investment and jobs created as a result of this important provision. The loss of this tax credit would jeopardize current and future projects across my district and the state of New York.”
“Additionally, on behalf of the more than 120,000 seniors that reside in my district, I urge you to maintain the deductibility of medical expenses as the Senate has done. Millions of American households and thousands of my constituents utilize this deduction to defray high medical costs that have largely been driven by Obamacare,” concluded Tenney.
Rep. Tenney voted in favor of the H.R. 1, the House’s version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Conferees to the House-Senate Conference Committee for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will meet today, December 13 at 2:00pm.
 
Read Rep. Tenney’s letter below.
December 12, 2017
 

    
        
            
            The Honorable Paul Ryan
            Speaker of the House
            U.S. House of Representatives
            Washington, D.C. 20515
             
            The Honorable Mitch McConnell
            Majority Leader
            United States Senate
            Washington, D.C. 20510
             
            
            
            The Honorable Kevin Brady
            Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means
            U.S. House of Representatives
            Washington, D.C. 20515
             
            The Honorable Orrin Hatch
            Chairman, Committee on Finance
            United States Senate
            Washington, D.C. 20510
            
        
    

Dear Speaker Ryan, Leader McConnell, Chairman Brady, and Chairman Hatch: 
  
As you work to finalize and pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, I urge you to retain provisions that are vital to the communities that I represent, namely, the deductibility of up to $10,000 worth of property taxes, the federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC), and provisions allowing for the deductibility of medical expenses.  
In my home state of New York, politicians in Albany have imposed one unfunded mandate after another on local governments. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the property taxes that my constituents pay. A 2013 study from the Brookings Tax Policy Center ranked more than 3,000 counties by their ratio of property tax to home value. All eight of the counties I represent in upstate New York are in the top 36 nationwide. Cortland County comes in at No. 6 and Oswego County at No. 15. But these areas are far from wealthy. To the contrary, average family incomes are well below the national average. That is why I am requesting that the provision in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that allows for the deductibility of $10,000 of property taxes—a provision that passed both the House and Senate—be maintained in the final bill that comes out of the conference committee. 
I would also urge you to retain the 20 percent federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC) that was included in the Senate amendment to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act when the bill is finalized in conference. New York is the number one state to claim the HTC. According to the National Parks Service, New York lead the nation in investment ($831 million) and jobs created (~14,000) as a result of the HTC. The loss of this tax credit would jeopardize current and future projects across my district and the state of New York. 
Finally, on behalf of the more than 120,000 seniors that reside in my district, I urge you to maintain the deductibility of medical expenses as the Senate has done. Millions of American households and thousands of my constituents utilize this deduction to defray high medical costs that have largely been driven by Obamacare. 
The constituents that I represent desperately need the tax relief that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would deliver, however, the elimination of the SALT compromise, the HTC, and the medical expense deduction would be devastating for individuals and job creators in my district. I again urge you to maintain these provisions so that we can provide my constituents with the tax relief they desperately need.   
Sincerely,
Claudia Tenney  
 MEMBER OF CONGRESS
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://reed.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1353,Reed Calls on Colleges to Cut Price Tags,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Tom Reed,R000585,reed.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC- There is a college cost crisis in our country. Through tax reform, Congressman Tom Reed is working to make college more affordable. 
With over $1.4 trillion in student loan debt nationwide, and the average student graduating with over $30,000 in debt, this is an issue that needs to be tackled.
Obtaining a degree and the debt associated with it have risen at an unexplainable rate. Some universities have lost sight of helping kids from working and middle class backgrounds. We want to fix this and we ask that universities work with us to get college cost under control, Reed stated. 
The countrys richest universities have ballooning endowment funds that are currently tax free. Included in the tax reform bill is a 1.4 percent excise tax on endowments for schools that have funds of over $250,000 per student and more than 500 students.
These are tax free investments and contributions that schools are getting, so where that money goes is a legitimate question that needs to be asked. As we bring more light to this issue, I am optimistic we can work with colleges to get the money to where I believe it needs to go- tuition reduction for working class students, Reed added. 
Some of the examples of extravagant endowment spending by universities include: 

Universities are going to have to start making hard decisions of reducing executive salaries, reducing expenditures on some of these extravagant resort type of investments and focus on what they should be focusing on: providing a good quality education with an affordable price tag, Reed said.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/stefanik-applauds-canadian-passage-preclearance-agreement,Stefanik Applauds Canadian Passage of Preclearance Agreement,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) issued the following statement on the news that the U.S./Canadian preclearance agreement has been passed and signed into law by the Canadian Government.
“This is great news for U.S.-Canadian relations and for our North Country community,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “I was proud to help write the Promoting Travel, Commerce and National Security Act that passed Congress and was signed by President Obama last December. This legislation solidifies the U.S. Canadian preclearance agreement that will increase commerce with between our two nations, increase border security, and help provide expedited screening for Amtrak passengers prior to traveling. This process will allow for an easier and accelerated trip while ensuring necessary protections for our national security.
“I will continue working closely with our Canadian neighbors to strengthen our unique relationship and increase economic opportunity in our region.”
Background:
Stefanik Speaks in Support of Canadian Preclearance Legislation as it Passes House
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/three-bills-authored-rep-stefanik-signed-law-part-fy18-ndaa,Three Bills Authored By Rep. Stefanik Signed Into Law as Part of FY18 NDAA,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) issued the following statement after President Donald Trump signed the Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report into law, which included three bills authored by Rep. Elise Stefanik.
“The federal government has no greater role than providing for our national defense, and I am pleased that this critical, bipartisan national security legislation was signed into law today,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “The FY18 NDAA contains many important provisions I was proud to support, including the largest pay raise for our troops in eight years. I am also pleased that my legislation -- the Lift the Relocation Burden from Military Spouses Act and the Military Family Stability Act – was included and will now become law, helping to ease the burdens facing our military families. This important bill also includes legislation I authored to better protect our nation against cyber threats and attacks on our critical infrastructure.”
For more information on these bills and other NDAA provisions Congresswoman Stefanik fought to have included, click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://tenney.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=156,Congresswoman Claudia Tenney’s Bill Passes the House,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Claudia Tenney,T000478,tenney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) announced that her bill, the Community Institution Mortgage Relief Act H.R. 3971 passed the House by a vote of 294-129. The bipartisan bill would rollback escrow regulations on small community financial institutions while providing relief from new regulations that have nearly doubled the cost of servicing loans, specifically for low-income borrowers. The bill would not prohibit community banks from providing escrow services if the institutions still desires to offer the service. The bill is cosponsored by Reps. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX), Rep. David Loebsack (D-IA) and Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX).
“Costly escrow regulations have continued to harm community lending institutions. With smaller staffs and significantly less resources than larger financial institutions, community lending institutions are often unable to bear the costly burden of maintaining escrow accounts for their customers. Mandating that all institutions follow these escrow requirements raises the cost of credit for borrowers who can least afford it while harming small local institutions. In rural areas like the 22nd District, consumers and small businesses rely on relationship lending with local institutions. If these regulations continue, mortgage-lending services will be consolidated within larger institutions which will hurt our family farmers, small business and lower-income borrowers who depend on their existing relationships with these community intuitions to access capital,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney.  
Tenney continued, “On average, America loses one community bank per day. The Community Institution Mortgage Relief Act works to reverse this problem by lowering the cost of credit for low-income borrowers and rolling back onerous escrow regulations that continue to drive community institutions out of the mortgage lending market. This bipartisan bill will ensure that small institutions can continue to lend to their communities. I’m grateful to Chairman Hensarling for his leadership in working to pass this important bill, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside the Financial Services Committee to roll back onerous regulations and get our economy moving again.” 
Under current law, the Truth in Lending Act requires creditors to establish and hold escrow accounts on mortgage loans, a costly and burdensome requirement which small institutions are often unable to manage throughout the life of a loan. This regulation has hurt a number of smaller community lending institutions, forcing these institutions to sell off the loan to larger institutions or mortgage insurance companies that have the resources needed to manage escrow requirements.
Since 2006, more than 1,500 banks have failed, been acquired or merged due to economic factors and the overwhelmingly expensive regulation brought forth by the passage of the Dodd Frank Act. For the first time in over 125 years, there are fewer than 6,000 banks and roughly 6,000 credit unions serving all consumers in the United States. Additionally, a 2014 study by the Independent Community Bankers Association cited that regulatory burdens prevented 73 percent of banks from making residential mortgage loans.
The Community Institution Mortgage Relief Act will work to reverse this trend by exempting community institutions from this regulatory burden, ensuring small institutions can become active in residential mortgage lending once again.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://tenney.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=157,Congresswoman Claudia Tenney Announces 2017 Service Academy Nominees,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Claudia Tenney,T000478,tenney.house.gov,,,legacy,"New Hartford, N.Y.—Today, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) announced that nine local students have been nominated for admission to the United States Service Academies. 
“As the mother of a 2013 Naval Academy graduate, I know how life changing and fulfilling attending a service academy can be. Our region has a long tradition of service to our great nation and the Service Academies provide a unique opportunity for those looking to continue this important legacy. It is an incredible honor to help make this unique opportunity a reality for our next generation of leaders here in the 22nd District,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. “The standards for admission to the Service Academies are rigorous and each of these students have shown the dedication, tenacity and integrity necessary to serve our nation in this role. I would also like to thank the members of Academy Selection Committee for their invaluable knowledge and work in selecting this outstanding group of students.” 
Members of Rep. Tenney’s Academy Selection Committee interviewed the academy candidates and reviewed their backgrounds. Nominees were then selected by the board based on a number of factors including: leadership skills, character, academic achievements and motivation. 
The Nominees to the U.S. Service Academies for 2017 are as follows: 
United States Air Force Academy
John Gabor, Cazenovia High School
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Christopher DeLage, Homer High School
United States Military Academy
Connor Gage, Little Falls High School
Megan Neuman, Syracuse University 
United States Naval Academy
Giana Gigliotti, Thomas R. Proctor High School
Connor Hathaway, DeRuyter High School
Emmalyn Smith, Brookfield High School
Keegan Steele, Whitesboro High School
Ryan Svitak, Whitesboro High School 
 
Members of Rep. Tenney’s Academy Selection Committee include: 
COL Paul Sweeney
Mr. Albert Eaton
COL Ben Margolius
Brigadier General Phil Tennant
The Honorable Pat Perfetti
Mr. Chris Kendall
CMDR Robert Piper
Mr. Orrin MacMurray
Mr. Les Lebrecque
Mr. Bradley Trudell
Ms. Christine Gregory
Quotes from the Academy Selection Committee are as follows: 
“As a retired Colonel of Marines, I was very impressed by the commitment, academic performance and enthusiasm of the applicants this year.  I believe the Nation will be well served by the future officers whom Congresswoman Tenney has nominated following this competitive process.  It is an honor and a pleasure to serve on her Military Academy Committee,” said Paul Sweeney, attorney from Binghamton, New York.
“It was an honor to meet all of these young men and women whose accomplishments and motivation to serve is so inspiring. The parents should be very proud of the job they have done raising these fine young people,” said Christopher Kendall, attorney from Hamilton, New York. 
“The quality, maturity and character was particularly evident in the candidates who came before the committee this year.  The selection process was very difficult because the students were so well qualified.  I truly believe that these young adults represent some of the very best that the country has to offer and we should all feel both proud and thankful for their desire to serve,” said Mr. Les Labrecque, veteran of the U.S. Air Force and father of a Military Academy graduate. 
“It is an honor and high responsibility to advise Representative Tenney on candidates to attend our Military Academies and lead our armed forces in the future,” said Orrin B. MacMurray, Col. USA (Ret). 
“As a 27-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, I greatly appreciate Congresswoman Tenney putting her faith in me to serve on the Academy Selection Committee. It's an honor to help select the talented group of nominees and I look forward to working with these students throughout the application process,” said Cortland County District Attorney Patrick Perfetti.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://donovan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-congressman-dan-donovan-port-authority-terror-attack,Statement from Congressman Dan Donovan on the Port Authority Terror Attack,2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Daniel Donovan,D000625,donovan.house.gov,,,legacy,"“Thank God there weren’t more injuries or fatalities from this morning’s terror attack. The response by NYPD, FDNY, NYC Emergency Management, and other first responders should give all New Yorkers confidence – they’re the best in the world.
“We are winning on the battlefield but we must constantly remain vigilant at home against ISIS-inspired or directed attacks. New York City remains the world’s top terror target, but fully resourced city, state, and federal anti-terror authorities will continue to save lives by preventing and responding to threats.”
-- Congressman Dan Donovan chairs the House Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications. He represents Staten Island and South Brooklyn in the U.S. House of Representatives.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://faso.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=771,Faso Signs on to Bipartisan Plan that Includes SALT Fix,2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Faso,F000464,faso.house.gov,,,legacy,"Faso Signs on to Bipartisan Plan that Includes SALT Fix 
   
    
       
      
  
    
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        December 11, 2017
      
       
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
      
      
      Washington, D.C. - Congressman John Faso (R-Kinderhook) signed on to a bipartisan plan that would fully reinstate the state and local tax deduction (SALT) currently left out of the House and Senate tax reform proposals. The plan also maintains the medical expense deduction and student loan interest deduction, which have been additional key concerns of Congressman Faso’s. 
“I want to support a tax reform bill, but I have consistently stated that I will only do so if a bill helps New York’s economy and lowers the taxes of all hardworking New York families. The bills passed in both the House and Senate fail to meet these requirements,” said Faso.  “Families and successful businesses are already leaving our state due to the high state taxes and we cannot accelerate this trend. The bipartisan plan I am supporting to fully restore the SALT deduction and other important deductions is a common-sense fix that will help New York families and our local economy.”
The full plan was sent to the conference committee negotiating differences between the House and Senate tax reform bills.
Congressman Faso voted against the House version of tax reform due to concerns that the bill would negatively affect New York families by eliminating the SALT and medical expense deductions. 
    
  
  
  
    
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https://tenney.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=158,"Congresswoman Claudia Tenney Cosponsors, Votes to Pass the Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act",2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Claudia Tenney,T000478,tenney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Claudia Tenney Cosponsors, Votes to Pass the Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act 
   
    
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        December 11, 2017
      
       
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
      
      
      Washington, D.C.—Today, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) voted in favor of H.R. 1730, the Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act of 2017. Rep. Tenney cosponsored the bipartisan bill that would increase federal penalties for violent threats made against religious institutions. This bill would also make violent threats punishable as hate crimes.
“Religious liberty is a founding principle of our nation and expressly granted to all citizens in the United States Constitution. Every American should have the ability to practice their faith without threat or fear of violence,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. “Earlier this year, we saw over one hundred violent threats to JCC’s across the country including centers in Vestal, Dewitt and Albany. It was particularly disturbing that the threats targeted centers that serve such a large population, including children and seniors. Any threat like this against a religiously affiliated institution is simply unacceptable, and the passage of today’s bill is a step in the right direction toward ending this violence and hate.”
In February, Rep. Tenney signed a bipartisan letter urging the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to address the bomb threats to Jewish Community Centers (JCC).
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https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/legacy-taylor-force,The Legacy of Taylor Force,2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"Taylor Force was a U.S. Army veteran and graduate of West Point. He served our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan and then was brutally murdered by a Palestinian terrorist during an educational tour to Israel in March of 2016. Taylor’s family is just one of the many American and Israeli families who have been robbed of a loved one at the hands of these Palestinian terrorists.
In fact, the Palestinian Authority (PA) incites and rewards this type of violence against innocent Americans and Israelis. The PA, which receives U.S. taxpayer funding, calls their terrorists “martyrs”. They give them burials as if they were heads of state and financially rewards these terrorists for their horrific acts; terrorists just like the one who murdered Taylor Force.  
Taylor Force lives on in the hearts of his family, friends, and fellow Americans who will never forget the sacrifice he made for our nation, and, last week, Taylor’s legacy was further cemented as the House unanimously passed the Taylor Force Act. It has been an honor to be the original cosponsor of this legislation.
The values that inspired the Taylor Force Act are the same values that drove Taylor Force to sign up for the United States Military Academy at West Point, to deploy into combat, and to risk everything to protect his country, our flag, and the ideals it represents. 
The values of the Palestinian Authority incite violence, reward terrorism, and inspire hate. In stark contrast, Taylor Force embodied the values of our great nation - service, commitment, and the willingness to sacrifice for what we know is right.  
Taylor’s legacy is already affecting a change in policy, and as his parents looked on from the House Gallery as we passed the Taylor Force Act, I think the only person who may have been more proud would be Taylor himself. 
The Taylor Force Act withholds economic assistance to the Palestinian Authority until it publicly condemns these acts of violence and stops inciting and rewarding the terrorists who perpetrate these horrific crimes, therefore protecting the innocent Americans and Israelis who are targeted each and every day. These terrorists should not be celebrated or financially rewarded, especially not with U.S. tax dollars.
We must stand in solidarity with Taylor Force, his family, and the many other American and Israeli families who have been impacted, by better leveraging every resource we have, including the power of the purse, to hold the Palestinians accountable for their abhorrent support of the murder of innocent Americans. 
Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Co-Chair of the House Republican Israel Caucus, and the original co-sponsor of the Taylor Force Act.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-s-statement-attempted-nyc-terrorist-attack,Rep. Zeldins Statement on Attempted NYC Terrorist Attack,2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"PATCHOGUE, N.Y. - Today, U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement following this morning’s attempted terrorist attack in New York City:
“This morning’s cowardly terrorist attack was another failed attempt to strike at the heart of the freedoms and liberties that make our country the greatest in the world. Once again, we are reminded of the evil that exists in our world and the radicalized terrorists who seek to destroy lives, communities, and nations across the globe, but as we have seen time and time again, this attack will only make New Yorkers and Americans stronger. The finest and bravest law enforcement officers on earth are right here in New York and the greatest military ever stands ready at the tip of the spear. I have every faith that they will do absolutely everything they can to accurately identify and eradicate this threat and protect our way of life.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://chriscollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/faa-releases-beta-test-of-online-pilot-records-database,FAA Releases Beta Test of Online Pilot Records Database,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Chris Collins,C001092,chriscollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today released its beta test of its online Pilot Records Database (PRD). The PRD will expedite the sharing of pilot records to help commercial airlines and operators make informed hiring decisions.
As a result of a number of airline tragedies, including the 2009 Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash, the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 was passed and signed into law. This legislation put the flying public’s safety first by enhancing pilot training hours and establishing a pilot record database. Buffalo area families who lost loved ones during the 2009 Colgan crash became vocal advocates for flight safety reform and were instrumental in the Airline Safety and FAA Extension Act of 2010 being passed into law. The FAA has developed the PRD to meet requirements put in place through this legislation.
“This is a common-sense resource that will allow airlines to quickly and easily check the qualifications and background of pilots before they are hired,” said Congressman Chris Collins. “The families of Flight 3407 have worked tirelessly to make sure important reforms are put in place to keep our skies safe. The launch of the beta test is a reflection of the significant progress that has been made to make sure all pilots are well-trained and fit to fly so that we can keep preventing senseless tragedies.”
""The release of the FAA's online Pilot Records Database is an important step forward in making our skies safer for travelers. This is a direct result of the tireless advocacy of the Flight 3407 families, who have never stopped courageously turning their tragedy into meaningful action, often at great personal expense. It is because of their advocacy that we passed into law new pilot safety standards and we haven’t seen another fatal regional airline crash since. I'm proud to have worked alongside them to make air travel safer for passengers nationwide,"" said Congresswoman Louise Slaughter.
“This new system will be a useful tool in the recruitment of qualified pilots and is the latest airline safety measure made possible thanks to the tireless efforts of the families whose lives have been forever changed by the crash of Flight 3407,” said Congressman Brian Higgins. 
Through the PRD, a commercial airline will be able to see information regarding employment history, training, certifications, and status of national driver registry records. The beta release is open to any commercial airlines interested in participating. For more information, click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://donovan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/donovan-chairs-hearing-countering-weapons-mass-destruction,Donovan Chairs Hearing on Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Daniel Donovan,D000625,donovan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC—December 7, 2017….Congressman Dan Donovan (NY-11), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, today led a hearing on Capitol Hill entitled Examining the Department of Homeland Security’s Efforts to Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction. The hearing gathered insight from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leaders on our country’s ability to counter weapons of mass destruction and other evolving threats.
Congressman Donovan said, “The scope of threats our nation faces each day continues to change and evolve. We know that terrorist groups hope to employ new weapons, including chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) agents, to attack innocent people and cause destruction. It’s critical that our security agencies are able to protect the homeland, and I’ll be using the insight gathered to develop policies that help DHS further improve preparedness and response measures.” 
Witnesses included James F. McDonnell, DHS Assistant Secretary for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, William Bryan, DHS Acting Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and Chris P. Currie, GAO Director of Emergency Management, National Preparedness, and Critical Infrastructure Protection.
The hearing analyzed the structure of DHS and how possible organizational changes, including the recent establishment of the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Office, will enable the department to better serve its mission of making the U.S. safer and more secure.
When speaking of the CWMD Office, DHS witnesses asked for Congress’ support of the division. They stated that “we fully intend to work collaboratively with Congress to formalize this office, and ensure it is postured appropriately to confront the threat.” Their testimony also highlighted that the creation of the CWMD and other DHS reorganizations will allow for improved U.S. defenses against CBRN threats, enhanced strategic direction, seamless sharing of best practices and reform ideas, better interagency collaboration, and increased efficiency by reducing overlap.
Other topics of note included the rapid evolution and risk of scientific techniques--including CRISPR technology--to create biological weapons, how federal laboratories like New York City’s National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) support anti-terror capabilities, and recent use of chemical and missile weapons by North Korea and other bad actors.
Today’s hearing builds on Donovan’s work in Congress to improve national security defenses. Earlier this year, the House passed three homeland security bills sponsored by Donovan, which bulk up the country’s protections against nuclear, transit, and cybersecurity threats. Last year, Donovan helped lead the fight to reverse proposed cuts to the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI), which provides hundreds of millions of dollars in anti-terror funding to high-risk jurisdictions, including $180 million to New York City.
Testimonies from each witness, as well as a full recording of the hearing, are available here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://katko.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/december-1-2017-week-review,"December 1, 2017 | Week in Review",2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Katko,K000386,katko.house.gov,,,legacy,"13 W. Oneida St., 2nd FloorPlease call 315-423-5657 for an appointment.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://katko.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-katko-slaughter-urge-fema-reconsider-aid-requests-cayuga-monroe,"REPS. KATKO & SLAUGHTER URGE FEMA TO RECONSIDER AID REQUESTS FOR CAYUGA, MONROE COUNTIES",2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Katko,K000386,katko.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Reps. John Katko (NY-24) and Louise Slaughter (NY-25) today asked that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reconsider aid requests recently denied for Cayuga and Monroe Counties.
In order for FEMA to issue a disaster declaration and to provide aid, federal law requires that the initial request come from the Governor.  Following a summer of persistently high water levels and unprecedented flooding in communities along the Lake Ontario shoreline, Governor Cuomo officially requested that a major disaster declaration be issued for New York.  Reps. Katko and Slaughter, among other members of the New York delegation, urged the President to support the disaster declaration that time.  This month, while many other counties in New York State were granted aid, Cayuga and Monroe counties were denied federal assistance. 
In today’s letter Reps. Katko and Slaughter urged FEMA to reconsider any expedited appeal submitted by the Governor in order to protect and rebuild shoreline communities in Cayuga and Monroe Counties.  Reps. Katko and Slaughter stated, “The exclusion of both individual and public assistance for these two counties jeopardizes the recovery efforts for more than 800,000 of our constituents.  These grants are essential for the continued operation of several localities along the shoreline as recovery efforts continue to incur high costs.”
The full text of the bipartisan letter can be found here and below.
Dear Mr. Von Essen:
We are writing to express our support for any expedited appeal submitted by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in response to FEMA’s denial of Individual and Public Assistance for Cayuga and Monroe Counties.
The November 14 disaster declaration granted assistance for several counties but failed to include Monroe and Cayuga Counties because FEMA assessed damages in each county to be below the minimum threshold.   The exclusion of both individual and public assistance for these two counties jeopardizes the recovery efforts for more than 800,000 of our constituents.  These grants are essential for the continued operation of several localities along the shoreline as recovery efforts continue to incur high costs. Considering the recent December 6th denial for July flooding throughout these communities, failure to provide federal assistance will further degrade the ability of these counties to recover from historic flooding.
We ask your continued support for hazard mitigation measures to ensure the protection of our shoreline. The protection of the Lake Ontario shoreline is critical for our local economies and hazard mitigation measures provides our localities the flexibility to prevent future disasters.
We ask that you please expeditiously consider any appeal that may cover Cayuga and Monroe Counties.
Sincerely,
John Katko                                                             Louise Slaughter
Member of Congress                                    Member of Congress
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://reed.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1348,10 REASONS WHY GOV. CUOMOS POLICIES HAVE HURT NEW YORK STATE,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Tom Reed,R000585,reed.house.gov,,,legacy,"1.) One of the highest property tax burdens in the nation: New Yorkers face an unbearable property tax burden driving seniors from their homes and forcing our young people to look for opportunities in other states. 
2.) 73,000 people have fled New York: This is just last year alone
3.) Losing Congressional Representation Upstate: As a result of the population decline, we lost 2 congressional seats in the 2010 census and are likely to lose another seat in the next census. 
4.) Insanely high income tax rates: individual income tax brackets reach as high as 8.82% which is one of the highest rates in the country. 
5.) Defense of the 1% at the expense of the 99%: Tax reform will help hardworking folks upstate. The Governor is more concerned about protecting his rich friends in NYC. 
6.) Fracking and pipeline ban that blocks job creation and economic growth: Stifling New Yorks energy infrastructure and preventing affordable, reliable energy to homes and businesses. 
7.) Waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars: Cuomo's budget included $15 million for a ""world-class"" gondola that will carry 1,200 people an hour from the New York State Fairgrounds to the Onondaga Lakeview Amphitheater.
8.) $4 Billion budget deficit in 2017: In the Governors own words: We need $4 billion just to get to zero. And thats without a penny more being spent.
9.) $13,487 of debt for every resident: Spent by state public authorities without the consent of voters.
10.) Failed economic development attempt: Start Up New York has cost taxpayers $50 Million to create just 76 jobs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/gillibrand-stefanik-announced-bill-fight-workplace-sexual-harassment,"Gillibrand, Stefanik announced bill to fight workplace sexual harassment",2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,318 Cannon House Office Building,1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/stefanik-supports-support-lake-survey-corp-epa,Stefanik supports support for Lake Survey Corp. to EPA,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,318 Cannon House Office Building,1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/stefanik-cosponsors-bill-protect-340b-drug-pricing-program,Stefanik Cosponsors Bill to Protect 340B Drug Pricing Program,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) has cosponsored H.R. 4392, legislation to block a rule put forth by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that would make significant cuts to the 340B drug program.
“Rural communities like ours have been well served by this important program that provides access to discounted drugs and lifesaving services,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “Cuts to this program would jeopardize access to affordable healthcare for many families in our district. I am pleased to join my colleagues on this effort and will continue to work in Congress to ensure rural communities like ours have access to the healthcare we need.”
Background: The CMS’ hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) final rule for calendar year 2018 includes a significant reimbursement cut for 340B drugs. Specifically, the final rule slashes Medicare payments for “separately payable” 340B drugs from ASP +6% to ASP -22.5% -- a severe blow that directly harms safety net hospitals and undermines the ability of covered entities to provide essential health care services for their communities.
H.R. 4392 would block the final rule’s 340B cut. The bill states that the final CMS regulation “shall have no force or effect.”
In October, Congresswoman Stefanik wrote to CMS in support of the 340B drug program.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://tenney.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=151,"Congresswoman Claudia Tenney Calls for Immediate Appeal of FEMA’s Denial of a Major Disaster Declaration for Upstate New York, Invites FEMA Administrator to Visit New York to Survey Devastation from Summer Flooding",2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Claudia Tenney,T000478,tenney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Claudia Tenney Calls for Immediate Appeal of FEMA’s Denial of a Major Disaster Declaration for Upstate New York, Invites FEMA Administrator to Visit New York to Survey Devastation from Summer Flooding 
   
    
       
      
  
    
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      New Hartford, NY—Today, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) is calling for an immediate appeal of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) decision on December 6 to deny a major disaster declaration for the 15 Upstate counties impacted by severe flooding in July. Additionally, Rep. Tenney also invited FEMA Administrator Brock Long to tour damaged areas and meet with those who were impacted by the devastating flooding and sustained damages to their homes and businesses.
“It was deeply disappointing to learn that FEMA denied this request for vital federal assistance that the constituents I represent deserve and need. Residents and municipalities alike are overwhelmed and frustrated by the increasing frequency of flooding and a federal disaster declaration would have provided critical assistance to help them recover from the costly damage. I am urging FEMA to revisit this request and reverse its decision.  I stand ready to work with FEMA and the State of New York to ensure that all impacted receive the assistance they desperately need,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. 
In a letter to Governor Cuomo, Rep. Tenney called on the governor to immediately submit an appeal to FEMA’s denial. Rep. Tenney expressed her support for the appeal and willingness to work alongside the Governor to ensure that this decision is reversed.  
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https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-announces-congressional-app-challenge-winners,Rep. Zeldin Announces Congressional App Challenge Winners,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"PATCHOGUE, NY - Today, Congressman Lee Zeldin announced Newfield High School students Syreneti DeLaCruz and Daniel Iacobacci as the winners of this year’s  Congressional App Challenge. DeLaCruz and Iacobacci designed and created an application that helps students track school schedules and extracurricular meetings as well as view lunch menus and monitor their meal balance.
“STEM, coding, and computer sciences are vitally important fields of study for students of the 21st century, educating and preparing our youth for good paying jobs that contribute to the growth of our economy,” Congressman Zeldin said. “I am proud to announce Syreneti DeLaCruz and Daniel Iacobacci as the NY-1 winners of the 2017 Congressional App Challenge. These bright students are two outstanding, promising young minds in our community.” 
The Congressional App Challenge is a public effort to encourage students to participate in and learn more about the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), coding, and computer science education. This annual competition is open to high school students in each Congressional District throughout the nation.  Winners of the competition are invited to attend the #HouseOfCode DC reception and each receive $250 in Amazon Web Services Credits. Additionally, winning apps are eligible to be displayed in the US Capitol Building and featured on www.House.gov.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-leads-23-member-letter-un-amb-haley-re-13-billion-un,Rep. Zeldin Leads 23 Member Letter to UN Amb. Haley re $1.3 Billion UN Development Assistance for Palestinians,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Co-Chairman of the House Republican Israel Caucus, and one of only two Jewish Republicans in Congress, authored a letter signed by 22 Members of Congress to United States Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Nikki Haley detailing their deep concerns with “the UN Development Assistance Framework for the State of Palestine.”
“Once again, Israel is being singled out for vilification. This misguided agreement fails to take into account the Palestinians’ continued blatant disregard for international law, rampant human rights violations, and financial support of terrorists who murder innocent Americans and Israelis,” Congressman Zeldin said. “This agreement is a slush fund of taxpayer dollars used to provide politicized tools to target Israel. Israel is a beacon of liberty and freedom in the trenches of an otherwise dark region of our world. We, as a nation, must do everything we can to protect our ally and the Israeli people from these disparaging, divisive, and dangerous assaults that threaten both their national security and our own.“
The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process issued a proposal with the Palestinians outlining a strategic assistance framework from 2018-2022 for $1.3 billion. This framework would provide “international accountability mechanisms” to hold Israel accountable for alleged violations of international law and develop programs to advance the prospect of Palestinian statehood. This document fails to mention the list of Palestinian violations under international law, including rampant human rights abuses, inciting violence, financially rewarding terrorism, and squandering aid to the Palestinian Authority. 
A signed PDF of the letter is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://donovan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-congressman-dan-donovan-president-trump-recognizing-jerusalem,Statement from Congressman Dan Donovan on President Trump Recognizing Jerusalem as Israels Capital,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Daniel Donovan,D000625,donovan.house.gov,,,legacy,"“I support the President’s decision to formally recognize what has been the reality for a long time: Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. The city is Israel’s seat of government and where the country conducts its national business, and it makes no sense to ignore this fact. Today’s announcement affirms that after eight years, the U.S. is finally returning to our longstanding policy of supporting Israel. I applaud the President for taking much-needed steps to repair our relationship with our closest ally in the region.”
-- Congressman Dan Donovan serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Committee on Homeland Security. He is New York City’s only Republican representative.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://faso.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=765,Faso Supports Increased Accountability Measures at the VA,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Faso,F000464,faso.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington DC – Today, Rep. John Faso voted to increase accountability measures at the VA by supporting the bipartisan Enhancing Veteran Care Act. The proposal would allow for Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) directors to contract with accredited third-party organizations to investigate their healthcare facilities. 
“Our veterans deserve high-quality care from experienced and caring professionals,” said Faso. “These are benefits that they have earned through their service and sacrifice to our country. Unfortunately, we’ve seen far too many incidents across the country that don’t meet an acceptable standard. I am proud to support this bipartisan bill and ensure we are taking real steps to improve quality of care for America’s veterans.”
The legislation is supported by The American Legion and the Paralyzed Veterans of America. It has previously passed the Senate by unanimous consent and is now on the way to the President’s desk for signature.
Background
In June, Congressman Faso voted in support of legislation to crack down on problem employees at the VA while protecting whistleblowers who exposed problems at VA clinics.
Congressman Faso previously introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas program (ATTRA). The legislation makes reliable resources available to veterans looking to start in the agriculture industry.
Earlier this year, Congressman Faso voted in support of Veterans Appeal Improvement and Modernization Act to improve the VA’s broken appeals process, which contains close to 500,000 pending appeals.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/stefanik-goes-bat-acid-rain-research-funding,Stefanik goes to bat for acid rain research funding,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,318 Cannon House Office Building,1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/stefanik-co-introduces-bipartisan-bicameral-legislation-combat-sexual,"Stefanik Co-Introduces Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Combat Sexual Harassment in the Workplace",2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21), Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) and US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) stood with former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson and a bipartisan group of Members of Congress to announce legislation to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Harassment Act of 2017 would void forced arbitration agreements that prevent sexual harassment survivors from getting the justice they deserve. Carlson, who previously hosted “Fox & Friends,” left the network after enduring years of sexual harassment by powerful men who used forced arbitration to institutionalize protections for sexual harassers and prevent survivors from discussing their cases and taking them to trial.
Today, an estimated 60 million Americans are subject to forced arbitration clauses. The bipartisan, bicameral bill that Gillibrand, Bustos, and Carlson announced would void forced arbitration agreements and allow survivors of sexual harassment or discrimination to seek justice, discuss their cases publicly, and eliminate institutional protection for harassers. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Kamala Harris (D-CA), and U.S. Representatives Walter Jones (R-NC), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) are cosponsors of Bustos and Gillibrand’s legislation.
“Story after story continues to come forward detailing shocking realities about the pervasiveness of workplace sexual harassment,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “I share the outrage of Americans across our nation at these revelations and commend the brave men and women who have stepped forward to shine a light on this epidemic. This bill will help protect victims by giving them the opportunity to come forward publicly and have their stories heard. And by shedding light on these crimes and their perpetrators, this bill will also help prevent these disgusting crimes from ever taking place. As policy makers, it’s time for us to join together and put an end to sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace.”
“If we truly want to end sexual harassment in the workplace, we need to eliminate the institutionalized protections that have allowed this unacceptable behavior to continue for too long,” Congresswoman Bustos said. “Whether it’s on factory floors, in office buildings or retail businesses, 60 million Americans have signed away their right to seek real justice and most don’t realize it until they try to get help. Our legislation is very straightforward and simple – if you have been subjected to sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace, we think you - not the employer - should have the right to choose to go to court. While there are a lot of good companies that take sexual harassment seriously and work to prevent it, this legislation will help root out bad actors by preventing them from sweeping this problem under the rug.”  
“When a company has a forced arbitration policy, it means that if a worker is sexually harassed or sexually assaulted in the workplace, they are not allowed to go to court over it; instead, they have to go into a secret meeting with their employer and try to work out some kind of deal that really only protects the predator. They are forbidden from talking about what happened, and then they are expected to keep doing their job as if nothing happened to them. No worker should have to put up with such an unfair system,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am proud to lead this bipartisan legislation to finally get rid of forced arbitration for sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace, and I urge all of my colleagues to join our effort, take this problem seriously, and support this important bipartisan bill.”
“Forced arbitration is a harasser’s best friend,” said Gretchen Carlson. “It keeps harassment complaints and settlements secret. It allows harassers to stay in their jobs, even as victims are pushed out or fired. It silences other victims who may have stepped forward if they’d known. It’s time we as a nation - together - in bipartisan fashion give a voice back to victims.”
Forced arbitration clauses prevent survivors of sexual harassment from discussing the nature or basis of their complaint. If an employee’s contract or employee handbook includes a forced arbitration clause, the employee is likely to have signed away his or her right to a jury trial whether or not they are aware of the clause. Employees are far more likely to win cases that go to trial than cases that go through the arbitration process. 
A copy of the bill text can be found here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/stefanik-leads-letter-epa-support-adirondack-lake-survey-corporation,Stefanik Leads Letter to EPA in Support of Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) led a bipartisan group of her New York colleagues in a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt. The lawmakers voiced their strong support for the Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation and asked the EPA work with them to protect ongoing research and monitoring in the Adirondack Park.
“The Adirondack Park is an ecological treasure and it’s critical that we work to protect it for future generations to enjoy,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “I thank my colleagues for supporting this effort and will continue to work across the aisle to protect our North Country treasures.”
“We applaud Congresswoman Stefanik and all of her colleagues for their efforts to secure federal funding for monitoring whether clean air regulations are working, and for restoring Adirondack lakes damaged by acid rain,” said Adirondack Council Executive Director William C. Janeway.  “Acid rain has devastated the waters, forests, fisheries and the economy of the Adirondacks.  It has harmed lakes and forests from here to Maine.  All of those areas are showing signs of recovery, but the job of curbing upwind, out-of-state air pollution is far from done. Air pollution also threatens public health. Continued EPA funding for the Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation Long Term Monitoring is critical.”
Lawmakers signed on to this letter include Reps. Chris Collins (R-NY-27), John Faso (R-NY-19), John Katko (R-NY-24), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-12), Kathleen Rice (D-NY-4), Louise Slaughter (D-NY-25), and Paul Tonko (D-NY-20).
The text of the letter can be found below; click here for a digital copy.
The Honorable Scott Pruitt  
	Administrator  
	Environmental Protection Agency  
	Office of the Administrator 1101A  
	1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.  
	Washington, D.C. 20460
Administrator Pruitt,
We write to you today to voice strong support for the Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation which is receiving $250,000 in funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for long term monitoring of water quality recovery from acid rain.
The Adirondack Park is an ecological gem and contributes greatly to the culture and economy of New York State. The Park which is situated in Northern New York is located directly downwind from major Midwest coal-burning sources. Power generating facilities in the Midwest emit sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are the major precursors of acid rain which has caused the acidification of many Adirondack lakes and ponds. Certain geologic and soil characteristics including elevated terrain, thin shallow soils, and impermeable bedrock combined with high amounts of rainfall make the Park one of the most sensitive areas to acidification in North America.
Consequently, this region is a focal point for numerous scientific research efforts designed to identify the processes involved in acidification and to evaluate its effect on aquatic resources as well as the effectiveness of emissions controls. Thanks to actions taken after the enactment of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the invaluable work of the Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation, the Adirondacks have experienced a tremendous return to health. Trout populations are returning to once dead lakes, waters and trees are getting healthier, and the park is once again an economic engine in Northern New York.
While we are all pleased to see the Park come back from the brink, work is ongoing and we risk a return to more polluted days should we turn away from this important monitoring. In particular, facilities such as the lab in Ray Brook which collect information for the Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation could close if EPA shifts the focus of the programs and grants that have provided an essential funding stream.
Having seen the benefits both ecologically and economically from effective EPA sponsored research, we ask that you work with us to protect ongoing research and monitoring in the Adirondack Park so we never again return to the days of dead lakes and a dying forest.
We appreciate your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/stefanik-votes-support-concealed-carry-reciprocity-act,Stefanik Votes in Support of Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) helped the House pass H.R. 38 – the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. This legislation she cosponsored provides concealed carry reciprocity for individuals with valid state issued permits, or for residents of states with a right to constitutional concealed carry. The legislation also included the Fix NICS Act (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) to improve the ability of law enforcement entities to identify individuals who cannot legally purchase a firearm.
“Our 2nd Amendment rights don’t disappear when we cross state lines,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “The bill passed out of the House today protects law-abiding citizens’ Constitutional rights and also strengthens our criminal background check system to help keep firearms out of the hands of criminals. I was pleased to help the House pass this important 2nd Amendment bill today and hope the Senate acts swiftly to send it to the President’s desk.”
H.R. 38 - Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (text)
 Provides concealed carry reciprocity for individuals with valid state issued permits, or for residents of states with a right to constitutional concealed carry.
	Retains private individual and state or local government ability to restrict the possession of concealed firearms on certain property.
	Clarifies that federal law enforcement officers, including retired and off-duty officers, are not subject to gun restrictions in federally-defined school zones.
 Fix NICS Act (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) (text)
 Requires federal agencies to make annual reports and certification of compliance and provides penalties for failing to comply.
	Reauthorizes the NICS Improvement Act and increases records submissions assistance for states.
 ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://tenney.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=154,Congresswoman Claudia Tenney: Disappointed in FEMA’s Denial of Major Disaster Declaration for July Flooding Across Upstate New York,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Claudia Tenney,T000478,tenney.house.gov,,,legacy,"New Hartford, NY—Today, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) expressed deep disappointment in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) denial of a major disaster declaration in response to severe flooding which began in early July and caused significant damage throughout 15 Upstate counties; including the counties of Broome, Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Tioga, and Oneida in the 22nd District.  
“A federal disaster declaration would have gone a long way to help families and municipalities recover from this summer’s extreme weather and excessive flooding. I am deeply disappointed that FEMA has denied this request for federal assistance, and I will support an immediate appeal of this decision,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. “Our office has been involved with recovery efforts since the start of the flooding in early July. We visited numerous homes and businesses, were in direct contact with more than 100 impacted residents and passed several individual damage assessments along to FEMA and state officials. Seeing these properties firsthand, I know that the scope of damage is beyond the response capabilities of state and local governments, and should warrant targeted federal recovery assistance.”
Each of the 15 counties under the proposed disaster declaration met their per capita damage threshold and the State of New York exceeded its disaster threshold by $2.7 million. Underscoring the need for assistance is the fact that a significant portion of the damage is centered in economically distressed areas with large populations of elderly and low-income individuals.
Congresswoman Tenney continued, “Uncharacteristically high levels of rainfall along with severe flash flooding, strong winds, and tornadoes caused significant and costly damage to homes, infrastructure, and small businesses. Sustained flooding due to excessive rainfall has been especially damaging, with some localities having received rainfall amounts that exceeded 150 percent of normal precipitation levels. A significant portion of this damage, more than $14.4 million, occurred in New York’s 22nd District. In Oneida County alone, damage exceeded $7 million.”
Immediately following Governor Cuomo’s August 31 request for a major disaster declaration, Rep. Tenney sent a letter to the President urging federal assistance. 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://tenney.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=155,Congresswoman Claudia Tenney: House Passes Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Claudia Tenney,T000478,tenney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington D.C.—Today, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) voted in favor of H.R. 38 the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017. This bill would allow qualified law-abiding citizens who have obtained concealed carry permits to carry their firearm across state lines and in other states, eliminating the need for multiple state permits for those traveling across state lines. The provision also extends to residents of Constitutional carry states, which do not require a permit for a citizen to lawfully carry a concealed firearm. Rep. Tenney is a cosponsor of this bipartisan bill.  
 Conflicting state regulations on concealed carry have been confusing for many law-abiding gun owners. Establishing nationwide reciprocity will streamline regulations allowing permit holders to cross state lines without the worry of breaking the law. This bill does not impact state’s authority over regulations for carrying within their borders. Additionally, the “Fix NICS” provision of this legislation would add an extra layer of accountability to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for individuals who are legally prohibited from obtaining a firearm.
“Nationwide reciprocity will streamline federal standards to ensure that the rights of law-abiding gun owners are protected across state lines. If a law-abiding gun owner unknowingly crosses state lines, they shouldn’t have to worry about breaking the law due to conflicting concealed carry regulations. The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 is a common sense solution to end this complex and confusing maze of regulations,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. “Additionally, Article 4, Section 1 of the United States Constitution requires, ‘Full Faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state.’ This provision allows state driver’s licenses to be recognized in all 50 states. There is no reason that this same provision should not extend to our 2nd Amendment rights.”
 This bill will also allow concealed carry in the National Park System, National Wildlife Refuge System, and on lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation.
Since 1991, the number of concealed carry permits have drastically increased, while the violent crime rates have dropped nearly 51% according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Rep. Tenney, who represents Ilion, New York the home of Remington Arms, is a leading 2nd Amendment advocate. During her time in the New York State Assembly, she was the first to introduce a full repeal of Governor Cuomo’s gun-grabbing SAFE Act. 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-statement-strong-support-president-trump-recognizing,Rep. Zeldin Statement in Strong Support of President Trump Recognizing Jerusalem as Capital of Israel,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Co-Chairman of the House Republican Israel Caucus, issued the following statement after President Trump announced formal recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel:
“I applaud President Trump on his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel. I strongly believe Jerusalem is the indisputable, undivided capital of the Jewish State. Moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem is an important next step in protecting Israel’s sovereignty and security and strengthening the bond between our two nations. The U.S. has no greater ally and strategic partner than Israel. As the center of the Israeli government, as well as the nation’s unquestionable capital, it is absolutely imperative that this move is initiated and completed in earnest.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://donovan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-donovan-cosponsored-bill-stop-funding-palestinian-authority,House Passes Donovan Cosponsored Bill to Stop Funding for Palestinian Authority,2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Daniel Donovan,D000625,donovan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC—December 5, 2017….Congressman Dan Donovan (NY-11), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today announced that the Taylor Force Act, legislation he cosponsored, passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation is named after West Point graduate and Army veteran Taylor Force, who was studying abroad in Israel in pursuit of a Master’s degree when a Palestinian assailant stabbed him to death in an act of terror. The bill that bears his name would end U.S. financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority until it stops compensating terrorists for their acts of violence.
Congressman Donovan said, “The Palestinian Authority’s pay-for-slay program for terrorists is reprehensible. This bill rightfully ensures that American dollars will no longer fund a regime that promotes attacks on the innocent. Those who encourage violence must be held accountable, and I’m proud to support this important legislation.”
The bill withholds economic aid to the West Bank and Gaza that directly benefits the Palestinian Authority (PA) until the Secretary of State certifies that the PA is:
 Taking steps to end acts of violence against Israelis and Americans;
	Terminates payments for acts of terrorism;
	Revokes laws compensating prisoners who committed acts of terrorism; and
	Publicly condemns acts of violence.
 Donovan has been a steadfast supporter of Israel in Congress. Donovan recently introduced the United States-Israel Anti-Tunnel Defense Cooperation Act, legislation that authorizes the United States military to work with Israel to establish capabilities to detect and neutralize tunnels used by terrorist organizations. Last year, he cosponsored and helped pass H. Res. 729, which expressed support for a final military assistance agreement between the U.S. and Israel. Donovan has previously toured Israel and met with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://faso.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=764,Taylor Force Act Passes House with Faso Support,2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Faso,F000464,faso.house.gov,,,legacy,"Taylor Force Act Passes House with Faso Support 
   
    
       
      
  
    
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      Washington DC – Representative John Faso issued a statement following passage of the Taylor Force Act through the House of Representatives: 
“The Palestinian Authority sends a terrible message by subsidizing the families of recently deceased terrorists,” said Faso. “The subsidies are a direct contrast to the interests of peace. I am glad the House came together to send a unified and bipartisan message that America is committed to peace in the region.”
Background:
·         The Taylor Force Act would prohibit U.S. Foreign Assistance from going to the Palestinian Authority (PA) until it is certified that the PA stops the practice of issuing payments to the families of deceased terrorists. 
·         The Taylor Force Act is named for Taylor Force, a U.S. citizen murdered by a Palestinian terrorist. 
·         Representative Faso met with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Dr. Rami Hamdallah during a visit to Israel earlier this year. 
    
  
  
  
    
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https://katko.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-bipartisan-katko-legislation-fund-overtime-pay-secret,HOUSE PASSES BIPARTISAN KATKO LEGISLATION TO FUND OVERTIME PAY FOR SECRET SERVICE,2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Katko,K000386,katko.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a bipartisan vote today, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. John Katko (NY-24), Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee’s Transportation and Protective Security Subcommittee, to ensure that the men and women of the U.S. Secret Service are paid for the overtime they work in 2017 and 2018.  Rep. Katko was joined by Rep. Elijah Cummings, the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, as well as Reps. Trey Gowdy, Michael McCaul, Bennie Thompson, and Bonnie Watson-Coleman, in introducing H.R. 3731, the bipartisan Secret Service Recruitment and Retention Act of 2017.
The Secret Service reports more than 1,000 agents—a third of the agent workforce—have already “maxed out” their annual overtime and salary under the pay cap set forth in 5 U.S.C. § 5547, which prohibits agents from being paid for overtime after reaching the maximum annual salary for the pay rate of GS-15. This bipartisan legislation would allow the Secret Service to cover additional overtime earned this year and the next up to level II of the Executive Schedule and require the Secret Service to submit a report to Congress on recruitment and retention efforts.  
Before the vote, Rep. Katko spoke on the floor of the House in support of the legislation. His remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below.
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3731, the Secret Service Recruitment and Retention Act of 2017, because I believe in the need to pay the hardworking men and women of the United States Secret Service for the critical work that they perform in dedication to the security of America’s leaders.  While most Americans know the Secret Service for its role in protecting the President and First Family, many are unaware of the additional roles and countless hours worked by Special Agents, Uniformed Division Officers, technical personnel, and intelligence professionals.  These jobs require extensive travel, often on short notice, as well as sometimes working multiple weeks in a row without a day off, because the security of our Nation’s leaders depends on their constant vigilance. 
“This legislation demonstrates an important recognition of the men and women who wake up every day to dedicate their lives to the protection of America’s leadership and financial systems. This agency has struggled to improve employee morale in recent years, due, in part, to strict overtime pay caps that prevent adequate compensation for their work.  This, in turn, leads to challenges in retention and recruitment, further exacerbating staffing shortages.  In 2017, the agency estimates that 1,200 employees will exceed the statutory pay cap, losing approximately $10 million in overtime pay unless Congress steps in to help. 
“I wish to thank each of the bipartisan cosponsors for their support of this bill, which took the cooperation of multiple Committees to bring to the Floor today.  In particular, I would like to thank Chairman Goodlatte of the Judiciary Committee for bringing this legislation up today, as well as Chairman Gowdy and Ranking Member Cummings of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee for marking up and supporting the bill in their Committee.  Additionally, I would like to thank Chairman McCaul, Ranking Member Thompson, and Ranking Member Watson Coleman of the Homeland Security Committee for their recognition of this legislation’s importance to the Secret Service and for their support.  Further, I would like to explicitly thank two staffers who were truly instrumental in coordinating the movement of this bill, Kevin Ortiz of the Oversight Committee and Bobby Parmiter of the Judiciary Committee. 
“Mr. Speaker, this bill provides overdue relief to an agency whose dedication knows no bounds.  As we enjoy this holiday season, I can think of no better Christmas gift to the hardworking men and women of the Secret Service than the compensation that is owed to them for their hard work in securing our nation.  For that reason, I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I urge the Senate to quickly take up and pass this bill.”
Congressman John Katko represents the 24th Congressional District of New York, which includes all of Onondaga, Cayuga, and Wayne Counties and the western portion of Oswego County.  For more information visit https://katko.house.gov or www.facebook.com/RepJohnKatko.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://peteking.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/last-chance-for-li-institutions-on-influencing-tax-overhaul,Last chance for LI institutions on influencing tax overhaul,2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Peter King,K000210,peteking.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON — Long Islanders and other New Yorkers have one more long-shot chance to influence the tax legislation before it becomes enacted into law — and topping their wish list is restoration of the state and local tax deduction.
The list also includes hopes that the writers of the massive overhaul will keep tax-exempt private activity bonds, reject repealing the requirement that people obtain health insurance and preserve student loan interest deductions.
That one last opportunity will come next week, when lawmakers begin hammering out differences between the Senate Republicans’ $1.4 trillion bill passed early Saturday and the House Republicans’ $1.5 trillion version passed Nov. 16 to create a final bill.
It will take several days just to sift through the nearly 500-page Senate bill to determine exactly what measures are included, said Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford), who voted against the House bill.
“There could be a hundred other examples in the bill that we don’t know about,” he said. “These guys are changing the bills with ballpoint pens on the floor of the Senate the other night.”
Still, saving the state and local tax deduction remains the top priority for Long Island’s delegation to Congress, business groups such as the Long Island Association and the Association for a Better New York, and even hospital and higher education associations.
“We’re still going to be fighting and still making noise to bring as much attention as possible,” King said. But he also acknowledged, “It’s going to be very difficult.”
King said that Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) was the best hope to restore those deductions in the Senate bill, but she accepted the Senate Republican leaders’ decision to add to their bill the House measure to allow homeowners to deduct only up to $10,000 in property taxes.
Representatives of two major economic forces on Long Island — health care and higher education — are lobbying to block key changes to the tax code in both bills.
Local governments and nonprofits including hospitals and colleges hope that the final legislation omits a measure in the House bill that would end the exemption for tax-exempt bonds, which they use to build facilities.
Kevin Dahill, president of the Suburban Hospital Alliance of New York State, pointed to provisions he hopes are removed from the final version.
One is the House bill’s elimination of deductions for medical expenses exceeding 10 percent of income, and the other is the Senate bill’s elimination of Obamacare’s health insurance mandate for individuals, which the Congressional Budget Office said would raise premiums 10 percent a year and result in 13 million more people going without health insurance.
Dahill said the Obamacare insurance exchange has worked well on Long Island, and he would hate to see it get destablized by elimination of the mandate. “It would be such a setback,” he said.
Mary Beth Labate, president of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities of New York, urged Republicans to reconsider parts of both the House and Senate bills that seek to end exemptions and add taxes to private nonprofit colleges.
“Preserving tax deductibility for student loan interest and higher education savings options, and keeping tuition and employer-based tuition benefits tax-free are all in our common interest,” Labate argued earlier this month.
The House version ends those benefits, but the Senate retains student loan interest deductions, which were taken by more than 130,000 Long Island taxpayers in 2015, IRS data shows.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other New York Democrats argued that both the House and Senate Republican bills should be scrapped and that Republicans should work with Democrats to come up with a bipartisan tax overhaul bill.
But that is not going to happen, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said last week.
Instead, Republicans from the Senate and House will seek to compromise on the differences in the two bills with one overriding consideration: Creating a final bill that will satisfy a majority of their members and pass in both chambers before Christmas.
Said Dahill: “What we become concerned about is this: In their effort to move this along quickly, will the House just accept the Senate bill?”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://tenney.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=148,Congresswoman Claudia Tenney Votes to Pass Taylor Force Act,2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Claudia Tenney,T000478,tenney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Claudia Tenney Votes to Pass Taylor Force Act 
   
    
      Legislation will remove U.S. Taxpayer funding for payments to Palestinian Terrorists 
      
  
    
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        December 5, 2017
      
       
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
      
      
      Washington, D.C.—Today, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) hailed the passage of the Taylor Force Act, H.R. 1164. Named in honor of a veteran and West Point Graduate who was murdered in Tel Aviv, Israel in 2016, this bill would halt taxpayer funds from being made available to the West Bank and Gaza until the Palestinian Authority ends its practice of providing monetary rewards to terrorists and their families. 
“It is deeply troubling to know that for years the Palestinian government has funded and incentivized terror attacks, while receiving monetary aid from the U.S. taxpayer. The only path to a lasting peace in the region is to put an end to incitement and the hateful promotion of violence,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. “I am grateful for the diligent work of my colleagues in the House and Senate and I am honored to be a cosponsor of this important, bipartisan legislation.”Laws passed by the Palestinian legislature encode a twisted pension system whereby terrorists and their families are paid and otherwise compensated through a tiered system that rewards more deaths with higher payments.
 In May, Rep. Tenney led a letter to Secretary of State Tillerson highlighting the issue of Palestinian terror payments and urging the Secretary to resolve this issue with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.  
  Additionally, Rep. Tenney met with Stuart and Robbi Force, Taylor’s parents, shortly before the vote to learn more about their son and discuss this important legislation.
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https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-house-passage-taylor-force-act,Rep. Zeldin on House Passage of Taylor Force Act,2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"Watch Rep. Zeldin’s floor speech here. 
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-chairman of the House Republican Israel Caucus, issued the following statement after the House unanimously passed the Taylor Force Act this afternoon (H.R. 1164):
“Taylor Force was a U.S. Army veteran and graduate of West Point, a very promising young man who was brutally murdered by a Palestinian terrorist. In fact, the Palestinian Authority incites this type of violence and financially rewards the families of these terrorists, just like the one who murdered Taylor. The Taylor Force Act withholds economic assistance to the Palestinian Authority until it publicly condemns these acts of violence and stops inciting and rewarding terrorism. Terrorists who murder innocent Americans and Israelis should not be celebrated or financially rewarded, especially not with U.S. tax dollars. It was an honor to introduce this legislation with Congressman Doug Lamborn of Colorado and work closely with Taylor’s parents, Stuart and Robbi. I’m also very grateful for the bipartisan efforts and support of Chairman Ed Royce and Ranking Member Eliot Engel of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.” 
The Taylor Force Act (H.R. 1164) prevents American foreign aid from funding the Palestinian Authority (PA) unless the Secretary of State certifies that the PA has taken credible steps to end acts of violence against United States and Israeli citizens, publicly condemns such acts of violence, terminates payments for acts of terrorism against the U.S. and revokes any law authorizing this payment system.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-statement-strong-support-president-recognizing-jerusalem,Rep. Zeldin Statement in Strong Support of President Recognizing Jerusalem as Capital of Israel,2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Co-Chairman of the House Republican Israel Caucus, issued the following statement in strong support of the anticipated decision by President Trump to recognize Jerusalem tomorrow as the capital of Israel:
“Jerusalem should be fully recognized as the indisputable, undivided capital of the Jewish State of Israel. As the permanent location of the Israeli Knesset and offices and residences of the Israeli Prime Minister and President, and for countless other reasons, the fact is that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem would be an important next step in protecting Israel’s sovereignty and security and strengthening the bond between our two nations. The U.S. has no greater ally and strategic partner than Israel. As the center of the Israeli government, as well as the nation’s unquestionable capital, it is absolutely imperative that this move is initiated and completed in earnest.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://donovan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/donovan-postmaster-tanna-honor-letter-carrier-lisa-sweeney-saving-life,"Donovan, Postmaster Tanna Honor Letter Carrier Lisa Sweeney for Saving a Life",2017-12-04,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Daniel Donovan,D000625,donovan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Staten Island, NY—December 4, 2017….Congressman Dan Donovan (NY-11) and Staten Island Postmaster John Tanna today honored Lisa Sweeney, a long-serving letter carrier whose dedication to the job and her customers saved a woman’s life.
On August 7, 2017, Ms. Sweeney called 9-1-1 after she noticed irregularities at the home of Marie Boyer, an 87-year old woman on her mail route. Ms. Sweeney saw that Ms. Boyer’s mailbox was full, her empty trash cans were still on the curb even though the garbage had been collected days prior, and her car was in the driveway. Ms. Boyer had slipped and fallen several days earlier and was unable to get help. After Ms. Sweeney’s 9-1-1 call, emergency personnel found Ms. Boyer inside her home, dehydrated but alive. Ms. Boyer credits Ms. Sweeney with saving her life.
Congressman Donovan said, “Many folks, especially senior citizens, share a special relationship with their postal carriers. They’re a familiar face six days a week and deliver information vital to seniors’ lives – Social Security checks, health insurance information, and more. Lisa Sweeney’s life-saving actions show just how special that relationship can be. Because of Lisa’s experience and dedication to her job, she noticed something was wrong at Marie Boyer’s home, and Lisa’s 9-1-1 call saved Marie’s life.”
Postmaster Tanna said, “Postal workers know their communities best, and on that day in August Lisa showed why. I’m incredibly proud of the work we do, and Lisa represents the best among us.”
At today’s ceremony, Congressman Donovan and Postmaster Tanna spoke about Ms. Sweeney’s life-saving decision and her special bond with Ms. Boyer. Congressman Donovan presented Ms. Sweeney with a formal copy of remarks he made to the U.S. House of Representatives, which will be forever memorialized in the Congressional Record.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://donovan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/effort-preserve-salt-deduction-donovan-and-king-vote-against-sending,"In Effort to Preserve SALT Deduction, Donovan and King Vote Against Sending Bill to Conference",2017-12-04,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Daniel Donovan,D000625,donovan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC—December 4, 2017….Congressman Dan Donovan (NY-11) and Congressman Peter King (NY-2), in another effort to preserve the state and local tax deduction, voted against sending the tax reform proposal to a conference committee. Because the House and Senate passed different tax reform bills, a conference committee of negotiators from both chambers is necessary to settle on identical legislation. The lawmakers tonight voted against creating such a conference committee because the state and local tax deduction solutions they proposed have not been accepted by Congressional leaders.
Congressman Donovan said, “For weeks, I and my Republican colleagues in the New York delegation have been advocating for our solution to the state and local tax deduction issue. Our proposal delivers on the promise of middle class tax cuts for all Americans, not just folks in some states. Our constituents have to put food on the table and save for their kids’ college tuition just like families in other parts of the country – they shouldn’t foot the bill for everybody else’s tax relief. That’s why I voted against advancing this legislation as it currently stands.”
Congressman King said, “The House and Senate tax bills would each devastate New York and Long Island. Having a House and Senate conference on two bad bills will almost definitely result in a bill that is just as bad or maybe worse. That is why I voted NO on agreeing to a Conference Committee. Preventing a Conference would kill both bills and allow the entire process to start over to provide real tax relief across the board.”
Last month, Donovan and King proposed maintaining the state and local tax deduction for families earning less than $400,000 per year, and phasing it out for higher earners over four years so states have time to prepare.
According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, four states – New York, New Jersey, California, and Maryland – would pay $16 billion more in taxes while the other 46 states receive a $100-billion tax cut under the House bill. Donovan and his colleagues in the New York delegation have been vocal advocates for preserving the deduction on which large proportions of their constituencies rely.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://donovan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/icymi-donovan-publishes-op-ed-needed-fixes-tax-reform-proposals,ICYMI: Donovan Publishes Op-Ed on Needed Fixes to Tax Reform Proposals,2017-12-04,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Daniel Donovan,D000625,donovan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – December 4, 2017…. Congressman Dan Donovan (NY-11) published the below op-ed in the Staten Island Advance. The piece includes an analysis of the current tax reform proposals and what needs to be changed to deliver true tax relief for all middle-class, taxpaying Americans.
Excerpts from the op-ed: 
It's not easy being a middle class family in New York. You work hard, pay your taxes, maybe put a few dollars aside for your children's college, but every time you think you can inch ahead, life throws you a curveball.
As the son of a longshoreman and factory worker, I learned that struggle at a young age. My parents were forced to make tough spending choices every day. I take those experiences, and the stories of so many similar families, with me to Washington, and that is why I am fighting so hard for a tax bill that will deliver real relief for the residents of Staten Island and South Brooklyn.
The current bill that was voted on in the House recently would do the opposite, raising taxes on our community to pay for tax cuts in other parts of the country. The Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy released a report showing that New York, New Jersey, California, and Maryland would pay an extra $16.7 billion in taxes, while the other 46 states would see a tax break worth more than $100 billion under this proposed legislation. That is why I voted NO, because it is unfair to you and your family! 
Because of the huge advantage provided by itemizing under current law, around 90 percent of middle income families in our community (a family of four earning between $100,000 and $200,000) itemize their deductions.
So what does that mean for an average family of four living on Staten Island? Imagine a firefighter married to a nurse, a school teacher married to a construction worker, and a police officer married to a secretary. Each family has two children and makes a combined income of $175,000 per year.
Under current tax law, everybody in a household gets a $4,050 personal exemption, so a family of four deducts $16,200 off their taxable income right off the bat. At that salary, they'd pay about $15,000 in state and local income taxes, which they can also write off. And let's assume their home is worth $650,000 and they're about 10 years into a $520,000 mortgage, so they have an additional deduction of about $18,000 in mortgage interest.
Add in $6,000 for deductible property taxes, plus $3,500 in other miscellaneous deductions (e.g., student loan interest, medical expenses, child care expenses, charitable contributions) and the total itemized deduction is $42,500. Including the personal exemption I mentioned earlier, that family of four reduces their taxable income by $58,700, meaning they only pay taxes on $116,300. Based on the existing tax code, this typical family would itemize its deductions and pay about $20,300 in federal income tax.
Now let's take a look at how that family would be impacted by the tax reform plan that passed the House of Representatives last week. It's a much simpler calculation because most of the above itemized deductions would be eliminated.
The plan does away with the personal exemption entirely, and it prohibits filers from writing off their state and local income tax. So this family could only itemize its $6,000 property tax and $18,000 mortgage interest. Since this equals the new $24,000 standard deduction, the family would probably take the simpler route and just claim the standard deduction. That puts their taxable income at $151,000, which, using the new, lower, brackets, comes out to $26,050 owed to the federal government.
However, this family would benefit from the new, higher child tax credit (which phases out at a much higher income) of $1,600 per child, plus a $300 credit for each parent, so their total tax burden would be $22,250. Compared to what they're paying now ($20,300), that's a tax hike of $1,950 for a family of four earning $175,000 in an average home, or $160 per month.
To add insult to injury, the bill cuts taxes on private jet owners and provides a special tax credit for champagne producers and importers. That's insane. And it's why I voted against the bill in its current form and have been fighting tirelessly to get a better bill that delivers tax relief -- not increases -- for New Yorkers…
…I commend President Trump for taking on tax reform and restoring the American economy. The president set his priorities and it's up to Congress to deliver him a good bill that meets those goals. The solution I and my Republican colleagues from New York proposed would keep the state and local tax deduction for those making $400,000 or less per year and phase it out for truly high income earners. This would result in a tax cut for ALL middle-class, taxpaying Americans.
I'll continue pushing to make it happen. The fight isn't over, and truthfully, I don't care how many feathers I have to ruffle to try and stop this tax hike. You and your family are my only priority in Congress
(Full op-ed)
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https://faso.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=762,Rep. Faso Meets with Service Academy Nominations Advisory Board,2017-12-04,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,John Faso,F000464,faso.house.gov,,,legacy,"Ulster County, NY – On December 3rd, Congressman John Faso (R-Kinderhook) met with the advisory board tasked with selecting the New York 19th congressional office's service academy nominations for admission in June 2018. The advisory board is made up of people who have either graduated from a military service academy, have a family connection to a military academy, or have otherwise served in the military.
“The advisory board will play a critical role in selecting candidates to receive recommendations to our nation’s service academies,” said Faso. “The crop of students up for consideration are exemplary candidates, and I am looking forward to submitting recommendations on their behalf. Our service academies have produced some of our nation's finest leaders both in and out of the military, and I am proud that there is such great interest from local students who want to serve our nation.”


    
        
            
        
    


The advisory board has made their recommendations and those recommendations are in the process of being made to the respective service academies. 
A list of advisory board members is below:
Back row: L to R: David White, Dr. Dean Robinson, Lt. Col. James Trainor (Ret.), Peter O’Conor, George Poles, Gerald Washington, CDR John Young (Ret.), Capt. Daniel White
Front row: L to R: SGM Gary Flaherty (Ret.), Carol Barnes, Dr. Ilze Eglitis, Rep. John Faso, Kristin Davis, 1Lt. Anthony DiNallo (Ret.) and Col. Darrel Supak (Ret.)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://reed.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1346,Reed to Hold Three Town Hall Meetings December 16,2017-12-04,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Tom Reed,R000585,reed.house.gov,,,legacy,"Reed to Hold Three Town Hall Meetings December 16 
   
    
       
      
  
    
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        Corning, NY,
        December 4, 2017
      
       
    
  
  
  
  
  
      
    
  
  
    
      
      
      Congressman Tom Reed will hold three town hall meetings on Saturday, December 16, 2017. The meetings will be held at the following locations and times:   

Town of Poland 9:00am-10:00am
Kennedy Volunteer Fire Station 1
3590 Daily Hill Road
Kennedy, NY 14747

Village of Silver Creek 

11:30am- 12:30pm 
Silver Creek High School (Cafeteria)  

1 Dickinson St Silver Creek, NY 14136   


City of Salamanca 

2:00pm-3:00pm 
Salamanca Village Hall Courtroom225 Wildwood Avenue Salamanca, NY 14779
    
  
  
  
    
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      e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/stefanik-announces-2017-congressional-app-challenge-winner,Stefanik Announces 2017 Congressional App Challenge Winner,2017-12-04,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21), Co-Chair of the Congressional STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) Caucus, announced that Collin Bolles of Saratoga Springs has been named the winner of the 2017 NY-21 Congressional App Challenge.
“I am excited to announce that Collin’s winning entry will be showcased at the U.S. Capitol for visitors from around the world to see,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “The North Country is home to many gifted students and I am confident that Collin’s entry will help inspire other young people in NY-21 to pursue STEAM education and careers.”
Collin designed and created an application called “Parking Assistant,” which helps visitors in high-density urban regions find automobile parking, enabling local downtown businesses to benefit from increased customer volume. His winning app will not only be displayed in the U.S. Capitol building, but will also be featured on the Congressional App Challenge website. You can view a video demonstration of his app here.
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https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-epa-and-state-officials-announce-204-million-funding-long,"Rep. Zeldin, EPA, and State Officials Announce $2.04 Million in Funding for Long Island Sound Restoration",2017-12-04,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Zeldin announces $2.04 million in grants for local governments and community groups to improve the health and vitality of the Long Island Sound. 
PATCHOGUE, N.Y. - Today, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), co-chair of the Long Island Sound Caucus and founding member of the Congressional Estuary Caucus, was joined by EPA Regional Administrator Pete Lopez, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Regional Director Carrie Meek Gallagher, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Northeast Regional Director Amanda Bassow, and others, to announce 31 grants, totaling $2.04 million, that will be awarded to local governments and community groups. The grants will support projects that will continue to improve water quality, restore natural habitats, enhance living resources, and educate and involve the public in protecting and restoring the Long Island Sound. 
“The Long Island Sound is a precious feature of our life, culture, and economy, one that affects the livelihoods of all Long Islanders, as well as our local recreation and tourism industries,” Congressman Zeldin said, “Protecting and restoring this critical waterway, which has suffered from pollution and overdevelopment for too many years, is so important to improving our area’s water quality, restoring our area’s natural habitats, and improving Long Islanders’ quality of life. These grants, totaling $2.04 million, are a critical component of preserving the Long Island Sound for generations to come.” 
“Throughout my career in public service, I have seen time and again how effective local actions can be in solving daunting problems,” said Regional Administrator Lopez. “Engaging the people who are most connected to the Long Island Sound is the most effective way to work toward the Sound’s recovery – evidenced by the tremendous success we have already enjoyed in restoring this world-famous jewel.”
“One of the greatest environmental challenges facing our nation and its communities is the protection and restoration of highly productive estuaries,” said Jeff Trandahl, Executive Director and CEO, NFWF. “This year, funded projects will help youth become stewards of the outdoors and introduce them to wildlife in their schoolyards. Additionally, work will help restore the health of our rivers, coastal marshes, forests and grasslands for the benefit of fish and wildlife and to enhance the strength of coastal communities.""
“The Long Island Sound Futures Fund has effectively leveraged $50 million to accelerate implementation of the most innovative, sustainable and cost-effective strategies for improving water quality and protecting vital habitats throughout the Long Island Sound watershed,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “This funding complements key local projects supporting the Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan and Governor Cuomo’s aggressive actions to restore and protect this vital ecosystem.”
Since coming to Congress, Congressman Zeldin has been instrumental in securing the resources and funding needed for these vital programs to continue protecting and preserving the Long Island Sound. Earlier this year, he secured $26.5 million for the National Estuary Program and a doubling of the Long Island Sound program to $8 million.
The $2.04 million in grant funding announced today will treat 439,000 gallons of water runoff, reducing more than 15,600 pounds of nitrogen and collecting 2,800 pounds of floating trash.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z