Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s Weekly Report to Constituents
This week, I began holding working group phone calls with our local County Public Health Officials and hospitals and community health centers from across the district. It is very important for me to hear directly from our healthcare professionals and administrators to ensure I work to meet their needs on the federal level. I will continue to hold these working group calls over the next few weeks with local elected officials, business owners, farmers, and school districts in order to gain valuable feedback as we create a path forward together. Read more here.
Announcing $300,000 EPA Grant for Glens Falls
This week, I announced $300,000 in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Assessment funding will be awarded to Glens Falls. EPA’s Brownfields program empowers states and communities to assess and clean up hazards in local communities. Community-wide grant funds will be used to conduct up to 24 Phase I and six Phase II environmental site assessments and develop up to six cleanup plans. Assessment activities will target the city’s Gateway Industrial Corridor, of which the Broad Street portion is designated as a Qualified Opportunity Zone. This funding will be crucial to helping the City of Glens Falls clean up a formerly contaminated site, and will help spark economic development opportunities. This grant will not only help clean up environmental contaminants, but also utilize these properties to create jobs, increase the tax base, and open new opportunities for a previously unused area. I am proud to advocate for federal funding that supports community-based projects like the one that will be conducted in Glens Falls, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact it has on the area. Read more here.
Requesting Support for State and Local Governments
This week, I sent a letter to House and Senate leadership requesting that future relief legislation include immediate financial assistance to state and local governments that have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the CARES Act included $7.5 billion in assistance for New York State and its large municipalities, it did not include direct funding for local governments with less than 500,000 people. The letter, sent by the entire New York Congressional Delegation, requests robust funding for all levels of government as well as provisions to ensure states do not use this funding to supplant assistance currently provided to local governments. The North Country needs direct assistance in order to continue to provide essential services to communities. New York has been the epicenter of this pandemic and those effects have disproportionately affected the economy in our region. I will continue to work with my colleagues to deliver federal relief to our local governments in order to provide the most direct support. Read more here.
Requesting Support for Mental Health Services During COVID-19
I have sent two letters to House leadership requesting support for mental health resources and suicide prevention as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The first letter specifically requests leadership to include provisions related to suicide prevention in any forthcoming COVID-19 relief package, including $61 million in funding for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The second letter calls on leadership to prioritize the mental health needs of healthcare workers who are treating COVID-19 patients, including a new grant program through the Department of Health and Human Services to supplement existing assistance programs focused on mental health. The COVID-19 outbreak has presented numerous challenges not only for our essential healthcare workers but for many people struggling with mental health issues. It is imperative that we provide adequate resources and funding in any forthcoming legislative packages to support suicide prevention and help our communities address this crisis on all fronts. The provisions and funding outlined in these two letters will ensure struggling individuals have access to the resources they need. I will continue to advocate for initiatives like these in order to help our North Country communities respond to and recover from this crisis. Read more here.
Requesting Support for the U.S. Postal Service
Last week, I sent a letter to House and Senate leadership requesting immediate help for the United States Postal Service. The letter, signed by members of the New York Congressional Delegation, outlines the importance of the Postal Service in New York State, where 7.7 million addresses are served. The letter also outlines the negative financial impact that the COVID-19 outbreak has had on mail volume and goes on to support the Postal Board of Governors’ request for a total of $75 billion in funding for the Postal Service. I have heard from many constituents and met with many Postal groups throughout my time in Congress. I understand firsthand the importance of the Postal Service in my district, especially in our more rural areas. The Postal Service is a critical component of our infrastructure, and it employs many people in my district as well. I will continue to advocate for federal funding to support the Postal Service through this challenging time and beyond. Read more here.
Posted: May 6th, 2020 under Congressional News, Political News.