Email from Rep. Tenney Congresswoman Tenney's Weekly Newsletter   Have Questions? Contact Me Here Ending Obamacare Loopholes and Protecting Taxpayers The One Big Beautiful Bill ends Obamacare loopholes Albany exploited for years, protecting taxpayers and restoring fairness in our health care system. For too long, New York used federal funds to sidestep the long-standing five-year waiting period for noncitizens enrolling in Medicaid. This misguided policy diverted billions of taxpayer dollars to provide more generous benefits to noncitizens than to American citizens, fueling higher costs and incentivizing immigration for the wrong reasons. The One Big Beautiful Bill delivers real accountability by closing this loophole and establishing parity between Obamacare PTC eligibility and Medicaid eligibility. This bill safeguards limited resources for citizens and long-term lawful residents, promotes self-sufficiency, and ensures our federal health care programs serve the American people, not Albany’s reckless agenda. New Yorkers deserve a health care system that is sustainable, transparent, and fair, and this legislation delivers exactly that. Expanding Affordable Housing Through the One Big Beautiful Bill Housing affordability is one of the most pressing issues facing families in New York and across the nation. Nearly 40% of New York households spend more than 30% of their income on housing, with more than one in five severely cost-burdened, paying over half of their income. At the same time, between 2012 and 2022, our state added only 462,000 new housing units, ranking 32nd nationwide in growth, while rental costs surged nearly 40%. The One Big Beautiful Bill delivers solutions to this crisis by strengthening the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, which has been an extremely successful affordable housing tool. This bill permanently increases the amount of credits available to states and lowers the tax-exempt bond-financing threshold from 50% to 25%, unlocking new private capital for projects that would otherwise be stalled. These commonsense reforms reduce barriers to investment, encourage public-private partnerships, and help finance new affordable housing construction in both rural and high-cost areas. For Upstate New York, that means revitalizing downtowns and expanding options for families, seniors, veterans, and vulnerable populations. By modernizing LIHTC, the bill will expand the supply of affordable homes, stabilize costs, create jobs, and bring long-overdue relief to families in our district and across America. As your representative in Congress, my top priority is championing legislative initiatives that benefit you and your families. Each week, I review numerous bills and letters, engaging in thorough discussions with members of our community to determine which actions to support and address your needs. Below are a few bills I recently cosponsored. H.R. 1121 – No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act: This bill would direct the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to develop standards and guidance requiring the removal of any Chinese DeepSeek application from federal government phones or computers. DeepSeek is an artificial intelligence start-up founded in China that is backed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and allows the CCP a backdoor into all DeepSeek usage. It is imperative that government devices are free from Chinese-made software that poses a clear national security risk to the United States. H.R. 1551 – The Protect and Serve Act of 2025: This bill would create additional federal penalties for anyone who targets and harms law enforcement. Additionally, this bill mandates a sentence of up to 10 years for anyone who attacks and injures an officer and life in prison for anyone who kills or kidnaps an officer. Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line for us every day, and I will always stand with our officers who work around the clock to keep our streets, homes, and families safe. H.R. 1993 - the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act: This bill would direct the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 in 2026, and a portion of the proceeds from these coins would go to funding the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center. It is important that we honor all those who lost their lives on September 11th and commemorate the sacrifices of the first responders who lost their lives saving others in this tragedy. H.R. 3643 - the VA Data Transparency and Trust Act: This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide Congress with structured, anonymized annual reports on utilization, demographics, costs, and outcomes for both the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). Modeled after reporting practices at Medicare and TRICARE, these reports would allow Congress, the Congressional Budget Office, the Government Accountability Office, and researchers to accurately evaluate VA programs, estimate costs of reforms, and improve accountability. By ensuring data transparency while safeguarding veterans’ privacy, the legislation aims to modernize oversight, strengthen program performance, and guarantee that VA benefits and health services are meeting the needs of veterans efficiently and effectively. Transparency in Congress and a well-informed electorate are vital to preserving our self-governing Constitutional Republic. My constituents deserve to know how their members of Congress vote, which is why I have explained every vote I have cast in Congress since I was first elected. To read more about my votes and see the full list with explanations of all the legislation considered this week by the House, please click here. Tuesday, Sept 2 I voted “Yes” on H.R. 747, Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act. Fentanyl has destroyed too many families and communities, and it is one of the primary reasons that overdose is the leading cause of death among American adults aged 18-45. In 2024 alone, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized enough fentanyl to kill every American multiple times. This bill would impose new sanctions on Chinese fentanyl traffickers that are purposefully killing Americans and harming our national security. I wholly support President Trump’s efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis that is being led by Chinese fentanyl traffickers, and this bill will help provide more tools to President Trump to win this fight. This bill passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 407-4. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 4216, Made-in-America Defense Act. This bill would help expedite the sale of U.S. defense articles to our allies and partners by conducting a review of which Foreign Military Sales (FMS) could be listed as Direct Commercial Sales (DCS). By moving certain defense articles from FMS to DCS, this would reduce bureaucratic delays and help expedite sales, keeping the U.S. as the leading provider of these critical assets globally. This bill supports U.S. industry and jobs, and will maintain our status as the global partner of choice for our allies and partners. This bill passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 395-20. Wednesday, Sept 3 I voted “No” on the Motion to Table H.Res. 539, Censuring Representative LaMonica McIver and removing her from the Committee on Homeland Security. Congresswoman McIver disgraced both herself and the House of Representatives when she violently struck a federal law enforcement officer and attempted to impede our brave officers’ ability to do their job. Congresswoman McIver has been charged with a federal crime and should not be allowed to continue serving on the Homeland Security Committee amidst these serious charges. I voted against the Motion to Table to ensure Congress could consider this important resolution. All members of Congress must be held to the highest ethical standards and Congresswoman McIver clearly failed to meet even the most basic standards of decorum. The Motion to Table passed by a vote of 215-207, with 2 members voting present. I voted “Yes” on H.J.Res. 104, Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to "Miles City Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment”. This bill would rescind the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) under former President Biden that would have banned 1.74 million acres of land from being available for coal leasing. The Biden administration was willing to sacrifice well-paying jobs, energy security, and our national security to satisfy radical environmentalists by imposing these bans. Lifting these bans is critical to ensuring domestic energy production and supporting President Trump’s Executive Order 14154, “Unleashing American Energy”. This resolution passed the House by a vote of 211-208. I voted “Yes” on H.J.Res. 105, Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to "North Dakota Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan". This bill would rescind the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) under former President Biden, which would have banned more than 4 million acres of land in North Dakota from being available for coal leasing, and oil and gas development. Reversing these bans is essential for boosting domestic energy production while responsibly managing federal land. This resolution passed the House by a vote of 215-211 I voted “Yes” on H.J.Res. 106, Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to "Central Yukon Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan". This bill would rescind the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) under former President Biden, which would prohibit energy development on approximately 3.6 million acres of land in Alaska, endangering U.S. jobs, energy security, and our national security. Removing these bans is essential for boosting domestic energy production. This bill advances the key policies contained in President Trump’s Executive Order 14153, “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential,” by responsibly managing our vast energy resources for the benefit of our country. This resolution passed the House by a vote of 215-210. Thursday, September 4 I voted “Yes” on H.R. 4553, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026. This bill makes targeted, strategic investments in our national security, energy independence, and critical infrastructure while cutting wasteful spending and protecting American taxpayers. It strengthens our nuclear deterrent, modernizes key defense systems, and boosts our advantage over adversaries like China and Russia by prohibiting federal funds from being funneled to foreign entities of concern. It supports the Trump Administration’s push for 400 gigawatts of nuclear energy by 2050 with robust investments in advanced nuclear technologies, small modular reactors, and critical minerals development, helping to restore American energy dominance and secure our electric grid. This bill also contains $10 million to support the Army Corps of Engineers’ work in Genesee County to provide additional drinking water to the county. Finally, this bill eliminates redundant, unaccountable programs like the Biden-era Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and redirects resources to high-priority research, ports, and water infrastructure that will move goods, strengthen our economy, and keep communities safe. This appropriations bill puts America’s security, prosperity, and values first. The bill passed the House by a vote of 214-213. Meeting SUNY Leaders I sat down with SUNY leaders for a substantive discussion on strengthening economic development in Upstate New York and ensuring students have every tool to succeed. We talked about critical issues like Pell Grants and how our colleges and universities can better connect students with opportunity, innovation, and good-paying jobs right here in NY-24. I’ll keep working relentlessly to deliver for students, families, and educators while driving growth in our communities. RRH Geneva Medical Campus Ribbon Cutting My team was glad to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Rochester Regional Health’s new Geneva Medical Campus. They met with leadership from RRH, including CEO Richard “Chip” Davis and members of their government affairs department, and presented a certificate recognizing this exciting milestone. Following the ceremony, my team toured the state-of-the-art facility alongside other attendees. I remain committed to working alongside our hospitals to strengthen health care access and services across our region. Commending the Gorham First Responders This week, I spoke on the House Floor to commend the courageous first responders in Gorham who battled a devastating warehouse fire that put the entire community at risk. These men and women, many of them volunteers, stepped up without hesitation, putting themselves in danger to protect their neighbors. Some even came from surrounding towns to lend support, reflecting the strong spirit of service and sacrifice that defines NY-24. Their dedication represents the very best of who we are, and I extend my deepest gratitude to every firefighter, first responder, and volunteer who contributed to these lifesaving efforts. Successful Casework Story An Oswego County resident recently lost his mother, and his family was waiting for benefit payouts from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and was frustrated with delays. He contacted my office, and our casework team worked with the local SSA office to determine where the delay was at the SSA Payment Center, and the constituent was able to receive these funds and some additional closure after his loss: “I just wanted to let you know I received my check from Social Security today. Thank you so much for all your help. Have a great day, and God bless you.” US Coast Guard Academy Admissions Workshop On Saturday, September 27, 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy will host an Admissions Workshop at USCG Station Rochester from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM. This event is open to high school students who want to learn more about the Coast Guard and the unique path offered through the Academy. I encourage all interested students and families to attend and take advantage of this chance to hear directly from Academy representatives. To register for this event, click here. Internship Opportunities My office is accepting applications for internships in both our Washington, D.C., and district offices. Interns play an important role in serving the people of NY-24, whether it’s assisting constituents, conducting legislative research, or supporting community outreach. This is a valuable opportunity to gain firsthand experience in public service, learn how Congress works, and make a real impact on our district. If you or someone you know is a motivated, hardworking individual with a passion for serving our communities, I encourage you to apply! To apply for an internship, click here. Need Help with a Federal Agency? Call us today. If you or someone you know ever needs assistance with a federal agency, we are just a phone call away and are ready to help you! Please contact my Canandaigua Office at 585-869-2060, my Oswego Office at 315-236-7088, or my Lockport Office at 716-514-5130. I am honored to have the opportunity to represent you. Have News or Updates to Share? Email Me! If you have updates regarding events in the community or other news to share from across New York's 24th District, please visit the "Contact Me" page on my website to share it with me. My team will try to include as many of your updates from around #NY24 as we can each week.     tenney.house.gov Rep. Tenney | 2230 Rayburn House Office Building | Washington, DC 20515 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice