Dear Neighbor,

It has been a busy week with a lot of work on issues relating to my membership on the Small Business Committee. This week I want to recognize Gun Violence Prevention Week. Today is Wear Orange Day to honor Hadiya Pendleton, who marched in President Obama’s second inaugural parade in 2013 and was killed by gun violence a week later. Many of you may be familiar with my track record on gun violence prevention as a County Executive, including ending gun shows on County property and creating a Gun Violence Prevention Committee. Now as a member of Congress, I will hold firm on those same principles to keep our communities safe.

I would also like to recognize LGBTQI+ Pride Month. No matter who you are or who you love, you deserve to live a full life without discrimination or bigotry. This month we celebrate the progress we have made and stand with the LGBTQI+ community that is facing increased attacks and threats. I am a proud member of the Congressional Equality Caucus, and will continue to work with them to protect our LGBTQI+ neighbors.

My first bill, the bipartisan Transparency and Predictability in Small Business Opportunities Act, passed the House unanimously on Tuesday. This is a small but important fix that will provide small businesses with some predictability when they are applying for federal contracts. Small business owners are often resource constrained. It can be confusing and deeply frustrating for a small business owner if a federal agency decides to cancel a solicitation without transparency into why that decision has been made. If we are serious about bringing more small businesses into federal contracting, we must ensure that business owners have confidence and trust in their federal partners.

Last year, the Small Business Committee heard testimony from a small business owner that said solicitation proposals can cost a small business upwards of $10,000 worth of labor to draft, develop, review, and execute. With that in mind, it can be rightfully frustrating for a small business owner if a federal agency decides to cancel a solicitation without transparency into why that decision has been made. You can watch my floor remarks here. 

On Wednesday, I questioned Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler about several of the Trump Administration’s policies. I asked the Administrator questions I have heard directly from local Chambers of Commerce and small business owners, and I didn’t get much clarity. Small business owners regularly ask me about current tariffs rates, and I asked if SBA will include that information on its website. I was given a non-answer. If I can’t get a question answered in a Congressional hearing, how is a small business expected to get clarity on all of these moving parts? This is very frustrating for small business owners who are worried about their bottom line and facing an uncertain economy. You can watch our exchange here.

This week the House also debated the Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act, which would close and relocate SBA regional offices if a city or county has been deemed a “sanctuary jurisdiction.” The SBA, under the Trump Administration, plans to close the regional office in Federal Plaza in Manhattan, and move it further away on Long Island. As the former Westchester County Executive, I was uniquely positioned to speak about how this will hurt small businesses in our district and around the country. You can watch my remarks on the House floor here.

This week I was announced my Community Project Funding (CPF) priorities for Fiscal Year 2026. This provides members with the opportunity to identify important local projects that would benefit from direct federal funding. Because the House Majority did not fund FY25 projects, I decided to resubmit the projects submitted last year by my predecessor. This is a wide-ranging list of deserving project proposals that will make life better for residents in our district. I will do all I can to advocate for them as the process moves forward.

The projects are:

• Bronxville Stormwater and Crawford Drainage Improvement, Bronxville: The project encompasses the construction of stormwater channels and pipes to reduce recurrent flooding in residential neighborhoods and a local elementary school.
• Forest Avenue Water Main Replacement Under I-87, Yonkers: The project will replace a cast iron drinking water main that will provide backup drinking water supply and fire protection to 5,000 residents and numerous commercial businesses.
• Greenburgh East Rumbrook Park Expansion, Greenburgh: This project will allow for the construction of much-needed athletic fields, making usage of them less expensive for residents. And the construction of a universal park space to provide playground equipment for children with special needs.
• Hastings-on-Hudson Stormwater Management, Hastings-on-Hudson: This project will improve water quality in the Saw Mill River, which is threatened by pollution and that empties into the Hudson River. The project will also reduce flooding in an area where frequent and severe storms threaten public and private property.
• Highbrook Avenue Drainage Improvement Project, Pelham: This project would improve stormwater infrastructure that was inadequately installed in 1924 that remains inefficient at both managing and mitigating flooding.
• Mamaroneck Town Safety and Economic Renaissance Roundabout Project, Mamaroneck: This project will reconstruct the congested Madison Avenue/New Jefferson Street/I-95 Exit 17 ramp intersection into a modern single-lane roundabout. This will improve traffic flow and improve pedestrian safety in support of broader economic development efforts.
• Mount Vernon City Armory Preservation and Rehabilitation, Mount Vernon: This project will expand the city’s capacity to provide critical services by renovating the Mount Vernon Armory to create a state-of-the-art Community Wellness and Inclusion Center.
• Mount Vernon Police Document Conversion Project, Mount Vernon: This project will convert over 1,000 personnel records, civilian complaints, and handwritten reports into digitized form to make them searchable and to comply with retention and reporting laws.
• New Rochelle City Park Drainage Improvements, New Rochelle: This project will allow for the design and construction of drainage improvements at Flowers (City) Park to address extreme flooding experienced during recent storms.
• New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority, New Rochelle: The project will improve aging infrastructure and ADA compliance, and enhance living conditions for low-income residents at the Peter Bracey Apartments, a 100-unit public housing development.
• Port Chester Village Hall Gymnasium Remodeling Project, Port Chester: This project will revitalize the currently abandoned Port Chester Gymnasium to create an indoor space with new multi-purpose rooms for community activities, and with the upgrades, the option for it to be used as an emergency shelter.
• Tarrytown Benedict Avenue Sidewalk, Tarrytown: This project will fund an ADA-compliant sidewalk across a heavily trafficked stretch of Benedict Avenue, improving pedestrian safety and connectivity within the community.
• Children’s Village Youth Violence Prevention and Deterrence Initiative, Valhalla: This project will allow for the advancement of prevention-first strategies that align with national juvenile justice reforms, promote community-based violence prevention, and improve mental and behavioral health access for young people.
• Tuckahoe Depot Square and Main Street Sign Improvements, Tuckahoe: This project will update streetscape improvement at Depot Square in the Village and its surrounding areas.
• Yonkers Warburton Avenue Slope Stabilization Project, Yonkers: This project will help stabilize the steep hillside west of Warburton Avenue. By stabilizing the slope, it will mitigate the recurrence of mudslides, prevent future Metro North blockages and the destabilization of residences and municipal infrastructure.

Submitting these projects to the House Appropriations Committee is the first step in the process. The Appropriations Committee will soon begin their process of crafting and debating funding bills. More information will be made available about which projects are included in the Appropriations bills in the coming months.

This week I spoke on the House floor about the recent antisemitic attacks in DC and Boulder. And how they are part of a terrifying rise in antisemitism in our country. You can watch the speech here.

My stellar constituent services team has been at El Centro Hispano, the Mount Vernon Public Library and the Tuckahoe Public Library in the last two weeks, assisting residents with federal issues. I was glad to join them at El Centro Hispano and the Mount Vernon Public Library to speak directly with constituents and connect them with the services our office provides.

They will be at the Carver Center, 400 Westchester Avenue in Port Chester on Wednesday, June 11th from 1-5pm. More dates and locations will be announced soon.

In the last two weeks, I attended many events throughout the district, including those that commemorated Memorial Day in Yonkers and Co-op City, announcing funding for new housing projects in Yonkers, and celebrating the beginning of LGBTQI+ Pride Month in White Plains.

• Boosting regional tourism to create jobs
• Reflecting on the recent antisemitic attacks
• 81st Anniversary of D-Day and supporting Ukraine
• The fluctuating rhetoric of Elon Musk

Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, Twitter/X and YouTube to stay up-to-date on what I am working on. If this newsletter was sent to you by someone else, you can sign up for it here: https://latimer.house.gov/contact/newsletter-subscribe

As always, reach out to my offices with concerns or questions. We are here to serve you!

More soon.

Sincerely,

Rep. George Latimer

Member of Congress