Issues of the day that dominate our news headlines continue to evolve. Here is an update on a few of them:
Iran War
The war in Iran has entered its seventh month, hardly the quick ‘execution’ promised by the President back in February, with the U.S. Military Inspector General estimating that total costs now exceed $33 billion. Negotiations are on and off, with the stakes continuing to grow for both nations involved and the global economy.
This war was not authorized through the traditional legal means by Congress, and despite multiple war powers resolutions being introduced and debated, with the most recent effort being just this past week, tensions have continued to escalate.
The conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthi rebels has also had major implications on global oil trade, with attacks on Saudi Arabia’s east-west pipeline and Bab al-Mandab Strait further straining supply. U.S. strategic oil reserves are now at their lowest since 1982, reminiscent of the oil crisis of the 1980s.
Status: The war continues on, driving up global costs and straining military capacity on both sides. Support has waned among many across the country, as the President weighs our priorities and objectives for the next stage of this conflict.
Affordability Crisis
Across the country, Americans are feeling the pressure increase on their paychecks as prices on everyday goods are at record highs. Due to the war in the Middle East, gas prices continue to remain high. In total, people across NY‐16 have spent an additional $114 million on gas since the beginning of the war, which has cost the average family in NY‐16 an additional $468. (source: Joint Economic Committee Minority)
Housing, healthcare, and grocery costs are also at record highs, with the Senate Joint Economic Committee estimating that families have had to spend an additional $4,200 on goods and services since the start of last year.
Status: The affordability crisis is as bad as it’s been, and families everywhere are finding it harder than ever to get by. Addressing this is a major concern of mine and remains top of mind.
Supreme Court Rulings
As the Supreme Court gets ready to resume hearing oral arguments in October, they continue to hand down important decisions on a variety of topics – including their most recent ruling on mail-in voting. The Justices rejected Vote-by-Mail restrictions proposed by Conservatives in Washington ahead of the Midterms.
Status:
The President tried to impose new mail-in voting restrictions via executive order earlier this spring. This executive order required the Department of Homeland Security to send each state a list of adult U.S. citizens in that state at least 60 days before a federal election, and authorized the U.S. Attorney General to investigate and prosecute state officials who allow ineligible voters to cast ballots.
This measure was taken up in the Supreme Court with a majority of the justices blocking the procedure that would have given the US Postal Service the unprecedented power to withhold potentially millions of mail ballots.
Recent co-sponsored, authored, or supported legislation
Introduced: Incentivizing Small Business Employee Retention Act of 2026
I am honored to introduce this bill which aims to help small businesses hire and retain employees who traditionally face barriers to employment. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit available to employers who invest in American job seekers who have consistently faced barriers to employment. Employers may claim the credit if they hire an individual who is a member of one of 10 WOTC-eligible groups, including qualified veterans and individuals with disabilities referred from a vocational rehabilitation program.
Co-Sponsored: H.R.10107 – Families Deserve to Know Act
I am a proud co-sponsor of H.R. 10107, the Families Deserve to Know Act. This legislation comes at a time when there are no federal laws requiring ICE to notify families when a detainee dies or suffers a medical emergency while in custody. This important legislation outlines a federal procedure and timeline to notify next of kin and emergency contacts – a step towards establishing long overdue transparency within ICE procedures.
Co-Sponsored: H.R.10252 – Launching with Healthcare Act
I recently co-sponsored H.R. 10252, Launching with Healthcare Act. This piece of legislation proposes an amendment to the Public Health Service Act to raise the age limit for adult children to remain on their parents health insurance plan from 26 to 31 years. I am proud to support this legislation that would guarantee our young people have access to coverage longer.
Co-Sponsored: H.R. 9544 – Save MEDICARE Act of 2026
H.R. 9544 targets overpayments to Medicare Advantage insurers, and enforces stronger oversight to ensure that taxpayers are not overpaying for healthcare coverage. This bill is a major step towards saving taxpayers billions in overpayments and makes it so that traditional Medicare does not remain at a disadvantage to private insurance companies.
Supported: A letter to President Trump urging his Administration to change course in its approach to Canada and recognize Canada as the close friend, ally, neighbor, and economic partner that it is.
I recently joined a group of my colleagues from across the country to sign a letter to President Trump expressing our support for the trade relationship between the U.S. and Canada. Canada is one of our closest, most strategic trading partners and the recent trade war with our ally is hurting Americans and Canadians alike. I signed this letter because I know more tariffs are only furthering the affordability crisis, and I believe our economic strategy should prioritize costs and strategy, rather than posturing and conflict.
Another Group of ‘Bad Bills’
The names of these bills sound convincing, but don’t be fooled.
H.R. 10326 – PROOF Act
This bill would make it easier for federal investigators to gain information from the states regarding potential fraud in federal programs such as Medicare, SNAP benefits, and student loans. Data sharing between Washington and the states could address concerns present in the federal financial aid (FAFSA) system, but this legislation put forward by House Republicans is premature. There is no provision in the bill to help states improve their existing fraud detection investigations. For example, the aid system for FAFSA loans already has a fraud detection mechanism that should be improved, not replaced, as this bill would. The PROOF Act allows the Attorney General to request any other information he deems appropriate to fraud investigations; it leaves the door open for privacy leaks of state data. Currently, this bill has passed the House, and I voted no.
H.R. 1501 – Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025
The Protecting Domestic Mining Act claims it will boost production for the U.S. mining industry, but the proposed boost comes from cutting corners on the review process that protects public health and the environment. Faster environmental impact reviews means more risks to the communities surrounding mines and increased hazards to surrounding ecosystems. Under the guise of cutting red tape, supporters of this bill are shortchanging the people affected the most by the environmental impact of mining. This legislation has passed the House but, I voted no.
