Neighbor,

As we close out this very busy month, I want to catch you up on some of the things that my team and I have been covering in Westchester and the Bronx and in D.C.

Flooding our news headlines are issues abroad and at home. It seems like every time we read the headlines, another travesty has hit our country. This comes shortly after the tragic accident at LaGuardia airport that took the lives of two pilots and injured many more. My thoughts are with the families and loved ones who were impacted by this tragedy.

As your representative, I remain committed to fighting for you and your families. I will continue to listen to constituents at home and in Washington to hear your stories and work to best represent you in the halls of Congress.

For over a month, the Department of Homeland Security remains shut down. Like many of you, I’m deeply concerned that our TSA and FEMA employees are working without pay. I share your deep frustrations about the long lines at the airport and understand the anxiety around the Administration’s decision to send ICE agents to airports.

That’s why I signed onto a discharge petition to force a vote that will fund the Department of Homeland Security, including TSA workers, without providing funds to ICE until this Administration agrees to concrete reforms to rein in ICE and protect Americans. I am proud to support this legislation to end the ongoing shutdown and get DHS workers their paycheck, without folding on demands to reform ICE and the way they operate. 

Since I was sworn into Congress over a year ago, I have proudly displayed a replica of the plaque honoring the brave officers who defended the Capitol on January 6, 2021, outside of my office in Washington.

The Speaker of the House did not put the official plaque on display but, finally after years of waiting, the plaque was put up in the middle of the night under a stairwell in the Capitol.

I joined with my colleagues to unveil the commemorative plaque that honors all the police officers that protected the U.S. Capitol that day. While there are some who may try to rewrite history or forget what happened that day, we will never forget the bravery of our police officers. Our democracy continues to be worth fighting for and we must resist all efforts to use physical force to override legal procedures that protect us all.  

New York Representatives Latimer, Suozzi, Morelle, Velazquez, and Kennedy at the January 6th plaque 

As the undeclared war continues in Iran, it’s becoming painfully clear that this Administration’s policies haven’t laid out anything resembling a coherent plan. Since military operations began, thousands of Americans—including students—have been stranded across the Middle East, watching flights vanish from departure boards and refreshing their phones for updates that never seem to come.

The State Department’s lack of preparation, and the Administration’s broader failure to plan for war, continues to take a real toll on hardworking Americans—families absorbing the sting of rising gas prices, and parents and spouses lying awake at night, terrified for loved ones stuck overseas. Along with my colleagues on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I signed onto a letter demanding that Secretary Rubio, Secretary Hegseth, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner appear before the Committee to testify about the decisions, diplomacy, and planning—or lack thereof—surrounding the war in Iran.

While much is happening in Washington, I always look forward to meeting with constituents and advocacy groups on a wide range of issues, because those conversations cut through the noise and remind me who we’re fighting for. This past week, I had the opportunity to meet with the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, Philanthropy New York, and Everytown for Gun Safety to discuss how I can best support their legislative priorities here in Washington. In each meeting, I heard urgency and determination—stories of lives changed in an instant, communities seeking resources, and advocates pushing for practical steps that can save lives.

BACK HOME IN WESTCHESTER AND THE BRONX

In March, we celebrated a holiday that connects to my own Irish heritage, St. Patrick’s Day, with local leaders across Westchester and the Bronx, joined local students to combat food insecurities with the Food Web NY, heard from NAACP members in Co-Op City, and talked with you about how I can be the best representation for you in the halls of Congress.

The Congressional Art Competition is now open for submissions! This contest is for high school students living in or attending school in Westchester and the Bronx. The winning artist will have their work featured in the U.S. Capitol and be invited to D.C. for an awards ceremony with our office and all other art competition winners.

This year, in celebration of our country’s 250th anniversary, the theme for the competition is “Revolutionary 250”. Artists may choose to follow themes provided below but it is not mandated.

• History happened here: 
  Visit or research a revolutionary historical site near you and create a piece of art that reflects on what you learned, saw, or felt. Revolutionary sites in Westchester and the Bronx can be found at rw250.org/sites
• Forgotten voices of the revolution: 
  Create a piece of art that reflects on the lives and roles of the American Revolutionary people who have been forgotten or overlooked in the telling of our history.
• Revolutions in Conversation: 
  Create a piece of art reflecting on how other “revolutions” throughout American history (Women’s Suffrage, Abolition, Civil Rights, etc.) have related to or contrasted with the original American Revolution?

We look forward to seeing all of the creative ideas that the local artists come up with! Submissions and further rules and regulations can be found on our website at https://latimer.house.gov/services/art-competition

Watch some of my recent House of Representatives floor speeches:

SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT

SURVEY

DHS has been shut down for over a month, meaning essential staff are being forced to work without pay.

Enough is enough. Congress must act NOW to fund DHS without giving ICE a blank check. I signed on to legislation that funds essential DHS agencies, like TSA and the Coast Guard, without funding ICE and Border Patrol.

America at war and increasing costs of everyday living dominate the headlines, but there are still issues that matter greatly. The Epstein scandal, Russia’s war on Ukraine, deep cuts to healthcare, public education, and medical research, dangerous anti-vaccine policies, and much more. We continue to work on these issues, even when they are not in today’s headlines.

In case you missed it, my office sends text messages to residents in the 16th District. We hope this is another way to keep you informed of what I am working on in DC and at home. If you would like to join our texting list, you can sign up here: https://latimer.house.gov/services/subscribe-texting

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!

Sincerely,

Rep. George Latimer

Member of Congress