Hi Folks!
After an eventful week in the House of Representatives, there are a few important updates I'd like to share with you. The House took a number of consequential votes, and I introduced a resolution. This week's newsletter will cover these, among other things, in depth.
Here are the items we'll cover in today's newsletter: - An update on the Senate's immigration bill
- Resolution urging POTUS to resume LNG exports
- Cooperation with Japan toward shared security and energy goals
- Standalone aid package to Israel
- Hearing on AI for the government's science agencies
- Meeting with the Upstate New York Poison Center
- FY 2025 Appropriations Requests are OPEN
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A Message from Rep. Brandon Williams:
Our 22nd Congressional District encompasses all of Oneida, Madison, and Onondaga counties, and a sliver of Oswego County. As always, I am working to support families in CNY and the Mohawk Valley, improve our local infrastructure, grow manufacturing, and rein-in energy costs through common sense engineering and business practices. As a Navy Veteran, I stand with and for our veterans. I am protecting Social Security and Medicare for our elderly, and I always speak up for our law enforcement, firefighters, and first responders.
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The Senate voted down its own "border bill" before the House even had a chance to consider it. This 370-page, $118 billion spending package, which the Senate spent a month negotiating behind closed doors before finally releasing this past Sunday, would have been nothing more than a fig leaf to cover three years of chaos, where most of the spending authorized had nothing to do with the border at all.
Luckily, the House of Representatives has passed a comprehensive border bill that addresses the ongoing crisis clearly and directly. H.R.2, the Secure the Border Act of 2023, passed through the House 9-months ago. Since then, it's been on Senator Schumer's desk, where he has refused to even hold a vote.
Beyond that, the President has the authority to re-implement the "Remain in Mexico" policy which he overturned on his first day in office. This would reduce the flow of illegal crossings by 70% immediately.
The Senate and the White House have both demonstrated a reluctance to take decisive action on the border, unless their preferred spending packages are attached.
My press release can be found here.
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The President’s suspension of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports is an example of the worst kind of retaliation politics. He’s clearly put American families who depend on the jobs created by the extraction, processing, and shipping of LNG in harm’s way, but that's not all. This rash decision sends a signal to our allies in Europe that we are not a trustworthy alternative to Russian natural gas. These same allies are using our LNG to wean off of Russian supply, but will be backed into a corner if they can't rely on the United States as a supplier.
I've introduced a resolution urging a return to permitting LNG exports for the sake of economic prosperity and national security. The President's decision to put these things in jeopardy is irrational, but it's not too late to change course and put American security and prosperity first.
The full resolution text is here.
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It was a pleasure to speak with Congressional Minister Ishigaki, representing the Embassy of Japan in Washington, last Wednesday. Open dialogue and active partnership between the United States and Japan are more important now than ever, and our cooperation on shared security and energy priorities will be mutually beneficial for years to come.
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Representative Jeffries and House Democrats voted against a standalone aid package on Tuesday. This bill would have provided $17.6 billion in aid to Israel.
It is disappointing to see that an aid bill like this was unable to win the votes of House Democrats, given the gravity of the situation. Progressives in Congress, however, have clearly caved to the pro-Hamas wing of their own party.
My full press release is here.
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Last Tuesday, the Science, Space, & Technology Committee held a joint hearing between the Energy Subcommittee and the Research & Technology Subcommittee, and I was able to serve as the chairman.
The topic of the hearing was "Federal Science Agencies and the Promise of AI in Driving Scientific Discoveries," and discussion ranged from how the federal government partners with industry to address the AI resource divide to whether we have an AI-trained workforce prepared to build and utilize the resources that will be integral to scientific discovery in the future.
Members of Congress spoke with Dr. Georgia Tourassi, Dr. Chaouki Abdallah, Dr. Louay Chamra, Mr. Jack Clark, and Ms. Tess DeBlanc Knowles, who provided their expertise to contribute to the discussions that craft policy surrounding this important developing technology.
The full hearing can be accessed here.
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I was in our district on Thursday visiting the facilities of the Upstate New York Poison Center, which offers free and confidential services, as well as poison prevention education, to 54 New York counties.
Their 24/7 phone line (1-800-222-1222) is staffed by Certified Specialists in Poison Information, registered nurses and pharmacists trained in toxicology, who can provide information that may be lifesaving in the event of an emergency.
The Upstate New York Poison Center does important work that keeps our district's families safe, and I'm grateful for the staff's hospitality.
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FY 2025 Appropriations Requests are LIVE |
FY 2025 Appropriations Requests are LIVE.
Click here for information on how to apply.
If you are experiencing difficulty with a federal agency, my office can help.
Trained caseworkers can assist with agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. While we cannot guarantee a favorable outcome, we will do our best to help you receive a fair and timely response to your problem.
NY-22 residents can contact our Syracuse (315-233-4333) or Utica (315-732-0713) offices for assistance. You can also submit a request on my website, here.
Thank you for reading this week's wrap-up! |
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Brandon Williams
Member of Congress |
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