January 17, 2026
Dear Friends,
Since Donald Trump took office nearly a year ago, his administration’s lawlessness and cruelty have grown worse by the day. After last week’s illegal occupation of Venezuela and the fatal shooting in Minneapolis of an innocent mother of three during a raid by masked ICE agents, this week brought yet more horrors: the slashing of billions in funding to combat addiction and support mental health, a brazen attack on the independence of the Federal Reserve, and more atrocities committed by Trump’s out-of-control secret police. These dangerous actions demand a vigorous response, which is why I spent this week fighting back against the Trump administration’s authoritarianism on multiple fronts.
Late Tuesday night, more than 2,000 addiction and mental health programs across the nation received notice from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that their funding was being terminated — a total of nearly $2 billion in cuts to thousands of vital initiatives. As Co-Chair of the Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery (ATR) Caucus, I’ve spent the past year fighting back against this administration’s efforts to undermine lifesaving treatment programs by eroding SAMHSA’s independence and illegally firing hundreds of its workers. This week’s outrageous action was an even more damaging step in that malicious campaign, and I resolved immediately to do everything in my power to reverse it.
Upon hearing the news, I led more than 100 bipartisan colleagues in a letter to HHS Secretary Kennedy demanding the immediate restoration of this critical funding. Our advocacy proved successful, as the administration moved to restore the funding within hours. But while I’m proud of the outcome we achieved, I also know that Trump and his cronies cannot be trusted to act in the best interests of the American people — and I’ll keep up the pressure to make certain our communities get the resources they need.
President Trump isn’t just abusing his power to slash programs that benefit our communities — he’s also using it to intimidate nonpartisan civil servants and replace them with loyalists who will do his bidding. Earlier this week, following a yearlong campaign to pressure the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, Trump’s handpicked prosecutors at the Department of Justice launched an investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The probe was ostensibly focused on alleged “abuses of taxpayer dollars” in the renovation of the Fed’s headquarters — an ironic charge given Trump’s unauthorized demolition of the entire East Wing of the White House last year.
But as Powell himself said, the investigation is really “a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President.” A fully independent central bank is a cornerstone of our economy, and lawmakers from both parties have rightly condemned this lawless effort to seize control of monetary policy. I commend Chairman Powell for standing up to Trump’s intimidation tactics, and I’ll continue fighting back against this brazen abuse of power.
Amid all these shocking headlines, ICE’s ongoing campaign of terror against our communities remains the most appalling example of this administration’s authoritarian crackdown. After last week’s killing of Renee Nicole Good, masked ICE agents continued to rampage through the streets of Minneapolis — going door-to-door demanding residents inform on their neighbors, sending children to the hospital with tear gas and flash grenades, and shooting another man in the leg. These actions are unconscionable and un-American.
That’s why I joined 60 of my colleagues this week in supporting articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Under her so-called “leadership,” ICE’s disgraceful tactics have made all of us less safe — causing the death of a U.S. citizen and shattering public trust in her department. Secretary Noem is clearly unfit for office, and I’ll continue pushing the rest of my colleagues to hold her accountable for her actions.
The American people are fed up with the heartless brutality of this administration. Polls consistently show a significant majority of Americans disapproving of President Trump’s job performance, with even larger majorities rejecting his approach to immigration and the economy. And last week, when I sent out a survey to ask what you think Congress should prioritize in 2026, the top response was clear: standing up against the Trump administration’s illegal actions. With that strong mandate in mind, I’ll keep fighting back as long as this administration continues to abuse its power to hurt Americans.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates, announcements, and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- With the 2026 tax season set to begin on Monday, January 26th, I want to make sure you have the resources and guidance you need to file your returns.
- That’s why on Tuesday, January 20th at 1:00 PM, I’m hosting a 2026 Tax Season Webinar on my YouTube page to give you tips and updates for this tax filing season!
- During the webinar, my staff and a representative from the United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program will deliver a presentation about what you need to know to file your taxes this year.
- The Capital Region VITA program offers FREE federal and New York State tax preparation for income-eligible individuals and families across our Capital Region.
- You can learn more about the program and book an appointment today by clicking HERE.
- You can tune into the webinar LIVE on my YouTube page, or view a full recording of the event there after the event concludes.
