Joining House Intelligence Committee at Flight 93 National Memorial to Advance 9/11 Commission Review 

Visiting the Flight 93 National Memorial is deeply personal for me. One of the 40 heroes aboard Flight 93, Edward Felt, was my childhood friend and fellow college alum. Our families were close, and our fathers were law partners. Ed’s brother Gordon and the other Flight 93 families have done incredible work preserving this powerful and deeply moving tribute to those we lost.

Twenty-five years after September 11, I traveled to Shanksville with my colleagues on the House Intelligence Committee to remember Ed and the other passengers and crew members whose extraordinary courage prevented an even greater tragedy that day. We also advanced our final report examining the lessons of 9/11 and how our Intelligence Community must adapt to the evolving threats facing our country.

Every American should know the story of Flight 93 and the remarkable courage of its 40 heroes. We must never forget their sacrifice and must carry forward the lessons of September 11 to ensure our nation remains vigilant and prepared to confront the threats we face.

Voting to Keep Government Open as Congress Works to Complete Full-Year Appropriations

Congress has a responsibility to fund the government responsibly without disrupting the essential services millions of Americans rely on. This week, I voted for the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027, a short-term measure that keeps the federal government open through December 11 while Congress completes its work on full-year appropriations. The legislation maintains current funding levels and extends critical programs supporting our veterans, agriculture, cybersecurity, transportation, and other priorities while ensuring our servicemembers continue to be paid. This measure gives Congress additional time to finish the appropriations process and provides certainty for our servicemembers, veterans, families, and communities. 

Condemning Socialism

Socialism is not welcome in the United States, and this week, House Republicans made that clear. I voted in support of a House resolution to condemn socialism and reaffirm the principles of individual liberty, private ownership, constitutional government, and opportunity that have made America the greatest nation in the world. Socialism promises fairness but ultimately concentrates greater power in government at the expense of individual freedom and economic opportunity. Our country was built on the belief that government answers to the people, not the other way around, and we must never abandon the freedoms and constitutional principles that make America exceptional.

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. 4782, the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act: This bill would establish a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program to strengthen local food systems by connecting American farmers and producers with organizations serving families in need. Specifically, it would provide cooperative agreements to eligible state entities to purchase unprocessed or minimally processed local foods, including meat, dairy, eggs, produce, poultry, and seafood, and distribute those foods through experienced organizations such as nonprofits. The bill would require at least 25 percent of annual purchases to come from small or mid-sized producers, beginning farmers or ranchers, or veteran farmers or ranchers, and would also provide technical assistance to strengthen local agricultural supply chains. Supporting locally produced food creates new market opportunities for farmers while improving access to fresh and nutritious food in communities across the country. This legislation helps strengthen American agriculture, support local farmers and ranchers, and ensure more locally grown food reaches families who need it.

H.R. 4739, the SHARE Plan Act: This bill would encourage large American companies to provide employees with an ownership stake in the businesses they help build. It would provide qualifying corporations with a reduction in their federal corporate income tax rate when they establish a SHARE plan and distribute sufficient equity to employees, with distributions generally directed equally to the lowest-paid 80 percent of eligible workers. Expanding employee ownership allows workers to share directly in their employers' success and growth while encouraging businesses to invest in their workforce. This legislation helps strengthen the middle class, reward hardworking Americans, and promote long-term wealth creation through greater employee ownership.

H.R. 5544, the Ejiao Act of 2025: This bill would prohibit the commercial transportation, sale, and purchase of donkeys or donkey hides for the purpose of producing ejiao, as well as products containing ejiao, in the United States. The global demand for ejiao, a gelatin produced from donkey hides, has contributed to the slaughter of millions of donkeys and threatens communities around the world that depend on these animals for agriculture, transportation, and economic livelihoods. This legislation helps combat the harmful international donkey hide trade, strengthen animal welfare protections, and reduce American participation in a supply chain that threatens vulnerable communities and global donkey populations.

My Votes Explained

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.

Monday, August 31

I voted “Yes” on S. 307, the Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act. This bill requires the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to implement recommendations from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General’s report on mitigating sexual harassment and assault by inmates against prison staff. It would also require DOJ to issue national standards to prevent, reduce, and punish sexual harassment and sexual assault by inmates against BOP correctional officers and employees. Federal correctional officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect our communities, and they deserve a safe workplace with effective procedures for reporting misconduct and holding offenders accountable. This commonsense legislation will strengthen protections for prison staff and ensure the Bureau of Prisons takes meaningful action to address these dangerous incidents. This bill passed the House by a vote of 376-8.

I voted “Yes” on S. 32, the Local Access to Courts Act. This bill adds College Station to the list of places where court can be held in the Southern District of Texas and adds El Centro to the list of places where court can be held in the Southern District of California. Currently, residents, jurors, witnesses, attorneys, and law enforcement officers may have to travel significant distances to participate in federal court proceedings. By allowing proceedings at these additional locations, this legislation will improve access to the federal court system, reduce unnecessary travel and expenses, and help cases move through the judicial process more efficiently. This will ensure federal courts can better serve local communities. This bill passed the House by a vote of 378-10.

Tuesday, September 1

I voted “Yes” on the Senate Amendments to H.R. 6500, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027. The Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act maintains federal funding at Fiscal Year 2026 levels through December 11, 2026, or until full-year appropriations are enacted, whichever comes first. The legislation also prevents the expiration of important programs and authorities supporting veterans, agriculture, cybersecurity, transportation, flood insurance, and other federal priorities. Shutting down the federal government would disrupt essential services Americans rely on and distract Congress from the important work of advancing responsible, full-year appropriations. This short-term measure keeps the government open, maintains funding for programs serving our veterans and communities, ensures our servicemembers continue to be paid, and gives Congress additional time to finish its work. Rest assured, I remain committed to advancing responsible spending bills that protect taxpayers, strengthen our national security, and hold the federal government accountable to the American people. This bill passed the House by a vote of 370-48.

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 9436, the Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act. This bill extends the existing moratorium on certain federal regulations affecting the American lobster and Jonah crab fisheries from December 31, 2028, to December 31, 2035. The lobster industry supports thousands of jobs and contributes billions to our economy each year, and conservation efforts should be made in cooperation with those whose livelihoods depend on these fisheries. This commonsense legislation protects a historic American industry from premature and burdensome mandates while allowing continued work to safeguard the North Atlantic right whale. This bill passed the House by a vote of 219-196.

I voted “Yes” on H.Res. 1490, Providing for the condemnation and denouncement of socialism in all its forms, and for other purposes. Socialism invariably results in widespread political repression, economic collapse, and severe human rights violations, such as in the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, North Korea, and Venezuela. This dangerous ideology has led to the deaths of more than 100 million people throughout socialist countries. Yet Democratic Socialists continue pushing radical policies that would weaken our constitutional system and permit noncitizens to vote in American elections. Our nation was built on individual liberty, free enterprise, limited government, and equal opportunity, not the failed promises of socialism. The resolution reemphasizes the dangers of socialism and warns against the expansion of socialist policies that concentrate power in the state, undermine democratic institutions, and erode liberty. I proudly supported this resolution to defend our founding principles, uphold the Constitution, and oppose the rise of socialism. This resolution passed the House by a vote of 220-192, with 2 members voting present. 

I voted “Yes” on H.Res. 1498, In the matter of allegations relating to Representative Chuck Edwards. Following an investigation, the bipartisan House Committee on Ethics found that Rep. Edwards engaged in “poor judgment and unbecoming conduct” and his behavior violated “the spirit of the House’s prohibitions on sexual harassment and unwanted advances, as well as the requirement to act in a manner that reflects credibly upon the House.” This resolution adopts the Committee’s recommendation of a censure for Representative Edwards’ inappropriate conduct. Members of Congress must uphold the highest standards of ethical behavior, and Congressman Edwards failed to do so. Sexual harassment is never acceptable, and I supported this resolution to hold Congressman Edwards accountable and make it clear that every Member of Congress must behave appropriately or face formal repercussions for their actions. This resolution passed the House by a vote of 413-2.

Wednesday, September 2

I voted “Yes” on H.J.Res. 1, Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require that the Supreme Court of the United States be composed of nine justices. This joint resolution would propose an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring the U.S. Supreme Court to consist of 9 justices: one chief justice and 8 associate justices. Radical proposals to pack or abolish the Supreme Court threaten the separation of powers and would transform an independent judiciary into a political instrument. Allowing future congressional majorities to manipulate the Court’s membership whenever they dislike its decisions would undermine public confidence and weaken our constitutional system. This amendment would preserve the Court’s independence, provide institutional stability, and prevent partisan court-packing schemes. Under Article V of the Constitution, if two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate favorably propose an amendment, then it shall be submitted to the states for ratification. Unfortunately, H.J.Res. 1 did not reach the required two-thirds majority and failed in the House by a vote of 212-206. 

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 1501, the Protecting Domestic Mining Act. This bill amends federal law to clarify that mining and mineral processing activities are entitled to expedited permitting under the enacted Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The bill would also prohibit the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (FPISC) from finalizing, implementing, administering, or enforcing its 2023 proposed rule that would narrow the scope of eligible mining projects under the FAST Act. The United States possesses abundant mineral resources, and domestic access to hardrock mining and critical minerals is a national security priority that ensures we are not reliant on adversarial nations like China for the technologies essential to Americans’ everyday lives. This legislation will streamline permitting, strengthen domestic mineral supply chains, support American jobs, and advance our energy and national security. This bill passed the House by a vote of 218-201.

I voted “Yes” on H.R. 4795, the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026. This bill ensures that colleges and universities receiving federal higher education funding cannot participate in certain commercial boycotts of Israel that are not based on a legitimate business reason. It also requires schools receiving federal international education funding to treat academic opportunities involving Israel the same as those involving other countries, ensuring students and faculty are not denied opportunities to study abroad, conduct research, attend conferences, or participate in academic exchanges simply because they involve Israel. Anti-Semitism on college campuses has risen dramatically in recent years, with 2,334 incidents reported during the 2024-2025 academic year alone. American taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize universities that participate in discriminatory efforts to isolate Israel, one of our closest strategic partners. There can be no tolerance for anti-Semitism at our universities, and this legislation helps ensure that federally funded institutions provide students and faculty fair access to academic opportunities involving Israel. It is truly disappointing that a majority of my Democrat colleagues voted against this legislation at a time when anti-Semitism on college campuses remains alarmingly high. This bill passed the House by a vote of 237-169.

Service Academy Nomination Applications Due October 1

For young people interested in serving our nation, attending a United States Service Academy offers an extraordinary opportunity to receive a world-class education and prepare to become a leader in our Armed Forces. As your representative in Congress, I have the privilege of nominating qualified students to four of our nation’s five Service Academies, and I encourage interested students across New York’s 24th District to complete their applications.

Completed nomination packets must be received by my Oswego office by close of business on October 1, 2026. Applicants can find the required forms, application instructions, and additional information on my website, or contact my Oswego office at 315-236-7088 with questions about the process.

To apply, click here.

Successful Casework Story

A WNY constituent who was a federal employee contacted our office for assistance after having difficulty receiving answers from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). My team reached out to OPM on his behalf and was able to help connect him with the information he needed regarding his benefits.

"I would like to thank your office again for the help in dealing with OPM. I do not believe my issue would have been resolved without the assistance of your office at this time. And the communication with your office on my issue and keeping me informed on my case was outstanding. Thank you again for the help."

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.