This week I joined my colleagues in the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology in our first hearing, "United States, China and the Fight for Global Leadership: Building a U.S National Science and Technology Strategy."

As a nation, we need to plan for the future energy mix with an uncertainty band and not put all our eggs in one basket. We must prioritize research and development for dual-use technologies to stay ahead of China's military and technological advancements.

Click the image above to watch my entire line of questioning.

Each year, Members of the House are allowed to submit a limited number of discretionary program requests to the House Appropriations Committee for projects needing federal funding.

I want to hear from constituents about the federal funding opportunities most important to New York's 22nd Congressional District and its community.

Individuals and organizations seeking to request federal funding through the congressional appropriations process should complete one of the two following forms below. Please be aware that submissions are due by the close of business Friday, March 17th, 2023.

Generally, two types of funding requests exist: Community Project Funding (CPF) requests, and Programmatic and Language requests.

Community Project Funding allows Members of Congress to direct resources to benefit the communities they represent. These funds can be directed to various public projects and activities, including building and renovating facilities, expanding existing programs, and planning and designing future initiatives. Community engagement and support are crucial in determining which projects are worthy of federal funding.

Who is eligible for Community Project Funding?

• State or local governmental entities
• Non-profits, – must provide evidence of their non-profit organization status, e.g., 501(c)3, 501(c)6, etc.
• *All for-profit recipients are strictly ineligible.

I look forward to submitting Community Project Funding (CPF) requests for local governmental entities and non-profit organizations within New York’s 22nd Congressional District. However, submitting CPF requests will be extensive and time-consuming and must meet the highest ethical standards.

Click here for the form and additional information to submit a Community Project Funding request.

Programmatic and language requests are general funding requests for national and regional programs, and/or bill and report language requests that direct, encourage, or urge an Agency or Department to act.

Click here for the form and additional information to submit a Programmatic and Language request.

THE DO NOT CALL ACT OF 2023

This week I proudly cosponsored Rep. David Kustoff’s “Deter Obnoxious, Nefarious, and Outrageous Telephone Calls Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘DO NOT Call Act of 2023.”

The bill would modify penalties for violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 to deter increasingly aggressive robocallers and scammers and allow prison terms for up to one year for willfully and knowingly violating it. In addition, excessive or repeated violations of the law and double the maximum penalties would allow prison terms for up to three years of breaking the law and double the maximum penalties currently under TCPA for falsifying caller identifications from $10,000 to $20,000.

My constituents do not deserve to be harassed on the phone, and I stand in support of this legislation.

Click here to read the bill text.

HONORING VIETNAM VETERANS

Congressman Dan Crenshaw (TX-02) introduced a joint resolution with Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) to honor and recognize the extraordinary sacrifice of Vietnam war veterans and commends them for their unwavering and courageous sacrifice to our country. In addition, the bill issues a formal apology to those veterans for their public mistreatment on behalf of Congress and urges the President to do the same. This apology and recognition are significant during the ongoing Vietnam War Commemoration – these heroes deserve credit for what they and their families both endured during and after the war.

The bill also expresses urgent support to increase our children’s education to reflect better the courage and sacrifice of the Vietnam veterans and the lack of support back home. My father-in-law served in Vietnam, and Rep. Crenshaw’s bill is significant for my family. I am a staunch advocate for protecting and honoring our country’s courageous veterans, and I am proud to cosponsor this critical resolution.

Click here to read the resolution.

9/11 RESPONDER AND SURVIVOR HEALTH FUNDING CORRECTION ACT

Earlier this week, I co-signed a bipartisan resolution introduced by Congressman Andrew Garbarino (NY-02) and cosponsored by Reps. Anthony D’Esposito (NY-04), Dan Goldman (NY-10), and Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) to provide additional funding to address a funding shortfall with the World Trade Center Health Program, which provides medical treatment and monitoring for over 110,000 responders and survivors from the World Trade Center and lower Manhattan, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville, PA crash site. 

The legislation also makes other technical corrections to make the program work better for responders and survivors, as well as authorizes the program to develop a research cohort to study the impact of the toxic exposures and psychological trauma on the more than 35,000 people who were children at the time of the attack.

Our courageous 9/11 first responders deserve the utmost care for their noble service and sacrifice on that tragic day.

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.

Residents of the 22nd Congressional District 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.