Democrats' Blatant Shutdown Hypocrisy

Democrat leaders such as Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Hakeem Jeffries are celebrating a government shutdown that is hurting working families, small businesses, and our national security. While they posture for the cameras, troops are preparing to miss paychecks, federal workers face furloughs, and local economies across Upstate New York are feeling the strain. Instead of backing the same clean, bipartisan funding bill they supported more than a dozen times under President Biden, Democrats are demanding $1.5 trillion in new spending to fund their political agenda. Their proposal includes taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants, climate programs overseas, and cuts to hospitals that serve rural communities. For years, Schumer and Jeffries called shutdowns reckless and harmful. Now, they’re bragging that “every day gets better.” Their hypocrisy is disgraceful.

House Republicans have already voted to reopen the government, pay our troops, and keep essential services running. Democrats blocked it multiple times. They claim to want negotiations, yet there’s nothing to negotiate when our bill contains no partisan riders or new spending. What they truly want is a secret deal that forces taxpayers to bankroll their far-left wish list. They talk about transparency while pushing backroom deals, and they claim to care about families even as they left women and children without support until President Trump stepped in to restore nutrition programs. The double standard is glaring, and the American people see right through it. It’s time to end the political games and get the government working for the people again.

 Democrat Shutdown Freezes Small Business Funding and Threatens Jobs

The Democrat-led shutdown is strangling Main Street and hurting working families across Upstate New York. The Small Business Administration has now halted new loans and guarantees, leaving countless small businesses cut off from the funding they rely on to make payroll, buy equipment, and rebuild after disasters. Every day this continues, local employers lose millions, projects are delayed, and jobs are at risk. Federal contracts, exports, and mortgages are also frozen, compounding the damage to our economy. House Republicans passed a responsible plan to keep our government open and our economy strong, but Democrats are refusing to act. They could end this today, yet they continue to bow to the far-left activists controlling their party. It’s shameful, un-American, and it’s time to get the government working for hardworking Americans again.

Removing my Yellow Ribbon!

The yellow ribbon I wore was a constant reminder of the hostages’ suffering and the unwavering courage of their families, who refused to lose hope. I can finally take it off because our living hostages are home, and peace has been restored through American strength. President Trump’s decisive leadership freed 20 hostages, returned 10 remains, and secured a historic Middle East peace deal that the world said was impossible. This moment is proof that peace is earned through strength, not rhetoric. When America leads with conviction, freedom advances and the world becomes a safer place.

ICYMI: Trump Peace and Prosperity Award

The Nobel Peace Prize once represented strength and moral clarity, but it has lost its way, rewarding politics over true achievement. President Donald J. Trump’s record speaks for itself: he negotiated the historic Abraham Accords, brought Israel and Arab nations together in an unprecedented peace deal, crushed ISIS, deterred Iran, kept North Korea in check, and restored American credibility abroad. His steady leadership once again changed the course of history with the new peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, securing a comprehensive ceasefire and the release of hostages, building directly on the foundation he laid through strength and bold diplomacy. That is why I am calling for the creation of the Trump Peace and Prosperity Award, a new global honor that recognizes leaders who promote peace through strength, freedom, human rights, and economic progress. This award will restore integrity to the cause of peace and remind the world that lasting stability is achieved not through weakness or appeasement, but through American strength and resolve.

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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. 662, the Promoting Domestic Energy Production Act: This bill would amend the tax code to allow companies to deduct costs associated with domestic energy exploration. Affordable domestic energy is critical to American households and prevents reliance on foreign adversaries. This bipartisan bill helps to eliminate barriers for energy companies, ensuring that the U.S. becomes energy dominant again. 

H.R. 4974, the DETECT Act of 2025: This bill would require the Comptroller General of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to submit a report to Congress on the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in detecting tax fraud. In Fiscal Year 2024, the IRS identified over $9 billion in fraud related to tax and financial crimes. This bill will help the IRS further enhance its efforts to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse by evaluating how AI can safeguard taxpayer dollars.

H.R. 795, the Pregnancy Is Not An Illness Act: This bill would prohibit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from treating pregnancy as an illness for the purposes of approving any abortion drug. Additionally, this bill would nullify approval of any abortion drug that relied at all on the treatment of pregnancy as an illness. Children are not diseases, and any abortion drugs approved under the pretext of an illness should be immediately prohibited.

Jay DeBates and Sons Farm

I recently toured Jay DeBates and Sons Farm, a remarkable family operation that has been growing apples and supporting our local economy for generations. The DeBates family shared valuable insight into the realities of running a farm. We discussed how Congress can better support family farms by cutting red tape, improving workforce programs, and ensuring family farms can thrive. Our farmers embody the spirit of hard work and perseverance that makes Upstate New York thrive, and I’ll continue working to make sure their voices are heard in Washington.

Leonard's Express

It was a pleasure to visit Leonard’s Express in Farmington to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing New York’s trucking and logistics industry. We met with CEO Ken Johnson, former Assemblyman and Judge Craig Doran, and members of their team to talk about strengthening the workforce, expanding opportunities for young drivers, and supporting commonsense policies to support the trucking industry. Upstate New York’s trucking industry keeps America moving, and I’ll continue supporting our truckers, manufacturers, and small businesses to have the resources to succeed.

Successful Casework Story

A Niagara County Veteran was informed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that his service-connected condition had improved, and his benefits would be reduced. The Veteran had reached out to our team because he believed this was an incorrect determination by the VA. Our office worked with the Veteran and the VA over several months to ensure the benefits he earned for his service were restored. 

“Good news. Our appeal was successful. Full benefits were restored. I wish to thank you for your efforts and support at this time.”

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.

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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.