State of the County Address

In Onondaga County, Wednesday night's State of the County address by County Executive Ryan McMahon highlighted the growth and opportunities being created in Central New York.

Set in motion are initiatives to train a 21^st century workforce capable of operating some of the most advanced manufacturing sites in the world, scholarships to tackle the nursing shortage, and efforts to expand the availability of affordable housing.

Our single greatest challenge across the 22^nd district in the coming years will all come down to how we invest in our own people. Workforce development and affordable housing are paramount needs. As a member of the House committees on Education and the Workforce, Transportation & Infrastructure, and Science, Space, & Technology, I am proud to partner with Onondaga County to deliver federal support for these investments in our schools, services, and local economy.

During discussions of these long-term investments, I always advocate for the inclusion of the entire I-90 corridor so all four counties in the 22^nd district benefit.

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ARISE CNY

When considering the needs of our community it’s imperative we work to improve the quality of life of everyone, including those with a disability.

I was honored to tour ARISE CNY where they are working every day to address the needs of those who need assistance in living independently.

The sense of purpose and tireless work behind each member of the ARISE team is truly inspiring and should serve as a reminder of the compassion and responsibility we should dedicate ourselves to everyday to make the world a better place for all.

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IBEW 43 Training Site

To supply our future economy with a workforce supply of skilled labor we will need multiple sources of recruitment and training.

Local unions such as IBEW 43 are leading efforts to train skilled tradespeople essential to the growth and success of our local economy. In speaking with their members, I was struck by the deep sense of pride and dedication to not just the perfection of their own craft as electricians, but to the greater needs of the community. To meet the demands of Micron, IBEW’s facility in Clay is unique in its proximity to the future home of Micron’s fabrication sites and ability to train hundreds of future electrical apprentices.

I look forward to more joyous discussions and assisting with the success of IBEW 43 and their 1500 members stretching from Syracuse to Utica.

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East Syracuse Minoa School District

By far, this week’s highlight was visiting the East Syracuse Minoa school district which included a stop by Fremont Elementary School to chat with a class.

They had many questions I was happy to answer about submarines and the first few months as a member of Congress. 

Dr. DeSiato’s pioneering leadership in educating the next generation was evident by the investments made in prioritizing science and technology down to the elementary school level. We must work to ensure every child has equal access, regardless of their upbringing, to a good education and opportunity to compete and succeed in a skilled workforce.

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Ag Advisory Council Meeting

Lastly, I convened my first Agricultural Advisory Council meeting with local farmers to share the work I have been doing to protect local farmers and hear from the greater agricultural community on their needs heading into a farm bill year.

It was a great success with farmers from Onondaga, Madison, and Oneida all joining to discuss the challenges of farming in a state with out-of-touch farming policies on top of the already high taxes and difficult farming climate.

My first bill, the Protect Local Farms Act, amends Federal Labor Standards to prevent progressive state legislatures from setting overtime wage thresholds for agricultural workers at levels unsustainable for the all-too-common family farm that is already struggling.

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