Hi Folks!
I spent this week in Central New York and was in contact with local officials within an hour of Tuesday's tornado touching down in Rome. This week's newsletter contains an update on conditions in Rome and Canastota as recovery efforts continue.
I was also able to announce over $50 million in federal funding that my office secured through the federal government's appropriations process this week. This round of funding will go towards initiatives to support American national defense and border security, and to support Syracuse's Surge Link program.
As the appropriations process unfolds and more funding is voted on by the House, my office will have more announcements pertaining to community projects across Madison, Oneida, and Onondaga counties.
Here are the items we'll cover in today's newsletter: - Information on Severe Weather Across NY-22
- Announcing Funding for Surge Link with Mayor Walsh
- Meeting with Local Officials at Wolfspeed
- Discussing Border Security Funding at SRC
- Community Meetings Across NY-22
- Statement on the Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump
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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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My team and I were in Marcy on Tuesday, when we heard that a tornado had touched down in Rome. Immediately, my office contacted FEMA to ensure that the federal government was tracking developments in real time, and we drove to Rome to speak with local officials and survey the damage.
The swift work of Mayor Lanigan, County Executive Picente, and many others over the last few days has been on display in Rome, where most roads are now passable. When I revisited yesterday, the Department of Public Works had made immense progress clearing damage across the affected area.
Later on Tuesday, I went to Canastota, where Chief Barton showed me the damage on Barlow Street, and I spoke with the widow of Robert Popple, who was tragically killed during the storm. As a veteran, Mr. Popple is entitled to burial benefits, and we will work with local veterans service organizations to ensure that takes place.
We anticipate that FEMA will complete its preliminary report with NYS-DHSES within the next few days, at which point we'll have a fuller understanding of what federal resources will be deployed here to aid in recovery.
In the meantime, take pictures of all damage your property has sustained and make sure you have any necessary associated documentation. Call my District Offices if you believe we can be of assistance.
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This Friday, I joined elected leaders and industry partners outside of City Hall to announce $3 million in Community Project Funding for Syracuse’s Surge Link program, which currently serves 700 Syracuse households.
Mayor Walsh and his office worked with me over the course of months to secure this funding, which makes broadband access more affordable for Syracuse residents.
We’re collaborating across levels of government to make an impact where it counts, right here in CNY. I’m thankful to the Mayor, the Common Council, and everyone who has contributed to this ongoing effort!
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On Tuesday, Wolfspeed hosted a group of elected officials and community partners at its Mohawk Valley Fab in Marcy for a conference to announce $10.9 million in federal funding for the development of silicon carbide flexible bus nodes.
Wolfspeed collaborated with my office to advocate for this programmatic funding, which will be granted through the House of Representatives' Appropriations Process.
I was grateful to be joined by County Executive Picente, Senator Griffo, Assemblywoman Buttenschon, and Mayor Galime in this announcement. We share excitement for Wolfspeed and the bright future of manufacturing in the Mohawk Valley.
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Last Monday, I met with County Executive Ryan McMahon, Assemblyman Al Stirpe, and community partners from CenterState CEO and MACNY to help announce a defense appropriations allocation of $4.5 million to SRC Defense, Inc. to improve tactical data analysis capabilities in support of cognitive electronic warfare.
SRC will also benefit from an additional allocation of $35 million to U.S. Customs and Border Protection to upgrade Mobile Video Surveillance Systems with SRC’s SR Hawk Ground Surveillance Radars, with plans to eventually upgrade the entire fleet of 167 trucks, through the Homeland Security Appropriations process.
This program has enjoyed a long history of bipartisan support, and I'm proud to be a part of that tradition. I'm thankful to SRC for being a steadfast partner in promoting American national security and in creating opportunity right here in Central New York.
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Finally, I was able to meet with Carpenters Local 227 in Utica, the Central New York Firefighters Association in Jordan, Indium Corporation, Tai Shaw and Syracuse's APAPA Chapter in Jamesville, and PPC Broadband in our district this week.
The federal government is at its best when it engages in frequent and close collaboration with local leaders, business, and the community. Throughout the process of securing Community Project Funding for our district, in response to severe weather over the last couple of weeks, and in day-to-day operations, I seek to emulate this.
The House of Representatives being out of session this past week presented an opportunity to spend time working in Central New York, and I'm grateful for that.
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Our nation has stood at the brink of chaos before, and we have come back even stronger. We will do so again, because we must.
I spoke with Morgan Scott of CNY Central last week about the historic moment we witnessed last week, about how we got here, and about what steps Congress needs to take from here.
Our Republic was spared from unfathomable chaos last week. We should be grateful that Former President Trump is safe and work to build a healthier political climate, from the neighborhood to the nation.
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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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