I am honored to represent and fight for families in New York’s 21st District every day. Giving Upstate New York and the North Country a seat at the highest levels of government will always be my top priority. This week, I earned the privilege to serve another term in the House Republican leadership team as Conference Chair as the highest-ranked Republican from New York in over 20 years, since Jack Kemp served in this role in the 1980s. This gives me a platform to make the concerns of our district an even higher priority in the upcoming Congress’ legislative and investigative plans.

As the Conference Chairwoman, I will play an integral part in fulfilling our Commitment to America. I am dedicated to driving down inflation through my REIN IN Inflation Act, unleashing domestic energy production, upholding law and order, securing our border, and providing critical checks on the Far Left Democrats in Albany and Washington. With a seat in GOP leadership, I will bring to the floor my REIN IN Inflation Act to hold this Administration accountable for their reckless spending. 

As the 118th Congress prepares for another Farm Bill, I will use my position in leadership to make sure the concerns of farmers in NY-21 are the driving voice in the bill. I have already started the process to listen to farms across our district in different sectors of agriculture to ensure their priorities are at the forefront of this critical legislation. I will also use my position as Chairwoman to provide critical oversight on issues that matter to New York families. I will ensure that our communities get answers about the FBI’s involvement in the deadly Schoharie limo crash, Cuomo’s deadly nursing home order, and Governor Hochul’s complicit involvement . 

I am proud to serve the hardworking people of NY-21, and I will continue to use my leadership position to bring your concerns to the highest levels in Congress. 

The Biden Administration’s proposal this week to restrict the amount of milk available to WIC participants is wrong, especially at a time when 90% of Americans are not consuming enough dairy to meet nutrition standards. In addition, this administration is shamefully further restricting milk choice for families and keeping the door open for more vegan juice consumption. Upstate dairy farmers work hard to provide delicious and nutritious products for families in New York and across the nation, and this proposed rule is a slap in the face to their important work. While I am encouraged that USDA has included my recommendation to increase container size flexibility for WIC products, this is a deeply flawed proposal, and I will work to ensure families in Upstate New York have access to full dietary benefits of milk.

One of the most important duties I have as a Member of Congress is helping my constituents navigate federal agencies, and that is why one of my key goals is to ensure that NY-21 has unparalleled access to constituent services. Throughout my time in Congress, I have brought the concerns of our seniors to the highest levels and returned over $3 million to NY-21 seniors in Social Security and Medicare funds.

I am also proud to support multiple pieces of legislation to support our seniors in Upstate New York and the North Country. For example, I cosponsored the Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act, which will encourage pharmacists to serve seniors, the Drug Price Transparency in Medicaid Act, which will limit the power of pharmacy benefit managers to artificially spike drug prices, and the Pharmacy DIR Reform to Reduce Senior Drug Costs Act, which will lower out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy. I also supported the Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act which would cut delays in the Medicare program, and the Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act to ease the burden of care for seniors in rural areas. These are just a few examples of the work I have done to support NY-21 seniors, and I will continue to keep your concerns my top priority going into the next Congress. 

As you may know, the annual open enrollment period for Medicare began on October 15th and runs through December 7th. This period is the only time each year that you can enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan or Prescription Drug Plan, make any necessary changes to your current Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, or switch between original Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans. Medicare provides assistance so that you can choose the best plan for your unique situation, and also offers counseling and information regarding benefits and plan options. Choosing the Medicare Advantage plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan that is right for you can be an overwhelming task, which is why I want to provide you with resources to choose the plan best for you. 

For questions about the Medicare Open Enrollment Period, you can contact Medicare directly, call toll free to 1-800-MEDICARE, or visit their website at  www.medicare.gov. For questions about Medicare Supplement Insurance you can also call the New York State Health Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program at 1-800-701-0501 or contact your local Office for the Aging.