CONGRESS

White House attacks AOC over calls to end ICE as Trump administration rounds up immigrants

BY Spectrum News Staff and Joseph Konig Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON — Eager to frame New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as “the leader of the Democrat Party,” the White House has taken aim at the progressive congresswoman in recent days for her calls to shutter the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and other criticisms of President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.

On Wednesday morning, the White House sent out an official press release slamming Ocasio-Cortez for wanting to eliminate the “agency arresting killers, rapists in New York.”

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Stefanik urges Army to fast-track funding for upgrades at Fort Drum's Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield

BY Luke Parsnow Northern NY

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik is asking the Department of the Army to fast track $69.2 million in funding to address failing infrastructure at Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield at Fort Drum, according to a letter dated Tuesday the congresswoman sent.

Stefanik is asking the Army to reprogram Army Facilities Sustainment, Restoration, and Modernization (FSRM) funds currently scheduled for Fiscal Year 2027 into Fiscal Year 2026. It would go toward replacing deteriorating electric power systems at the airfield.

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Schumer decries House GOP tax bill's cuts to food assistance

BY Luke Parsnow and Spectrum News Staff New York State

The proposed $300 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, passed last week in the U.S. House of Representatives as part of a larger budget package would impact more than 3 million New Yorkers, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

In addition, to receive food stamps through SNAP, those up to age 64, rather than 54, who are able-bodied and without dependents, would need to meet the 80 hours a month work or community engagement requirements. Additionally, some parents of children older than 7 years old would need to fulfill the work requirements.

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Former New York congressman Rangel dies at age 94

BY Associated Press New York City
UPDATED 12:51 PM ET May. 26, 2025

NEW YORK — Former U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel of New York, an outspoken, gravel-voiced Harlem Democrat who spent nearly five decades on Capitol Hill and was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, died Monday at age 94.

His family confirmed the death in a statement provided by City College of New York spokesperson Michelle Stent. He died at a hospital in New York, Stent said.

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New York House GOP cheers tax bill while Democrats decry it

BY Luke Parsnow New York State
UPDATED 10:37 AM ET May. 23, 2025

House Republicans squeezed through their multitrillion-dollar tax breaks package on Capitol Hill in the early morning hours Thursday along party lines with no room to spare.

The bill extends some $4.5 trillion in tax breaks the GOP engineered during Trump's first term in 2017, while adding new ones he campaigned on during his 2024 campaign, including no taxes on tips, overtime pay, car loan interest and others.

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New York House Republicans hold firm on SALT demands in GOP tax bill

BY Luke Parsnow and Kevin Frey New York State

Several New York House Republicans remain committed that restoring the federal deduction for state and local tax payments, also known as SALT, be a part of the substantial multi-trillion-dollar tax package the GOP is trying to push through Congress while President Donald Trump wants them to give up that fight.

SALT was expected to be a big sticking point in the legislation, which aims to extend the 2017 tax cuts Republicans passed during President Donald Trump’s first term in office and will expire at the end of this year. The 2017 law capped the SALT deduction at $10,000 — part of an effort to help pay for tax cuts included in that legislation. The cap disproportionately hurts taxpayers in blue states like New York, where property and state income taxes are relatively high.

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SEIU protests proposed Medicaid cuts, calls on Rep. Lawler to oppose them

BY John Camera Hudson Valley

Members of SEIU 1199 gathered in New York’s 17th Congressional district Wednesday to protest proposed cuts to Medicaid.

The House GOP unveiled the bill that would institute President Donald Trump’s policy priorities, including getting rid of what they labeled "waste, fraud, and abuse" to Medicaid to the tune of nearly $900 billion.

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Sen. Schumer pays tribute to 5/14 victims on Senate floor

BY Spectrum News Staff City of Buffalo

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made sure the tragic anniversary of the Buffalo mass shooting was honored in Washington.

Sen. Schumer took to the Senate floor as the Buffalo community gathered to remember the 10 lives taken in the tragic attack.

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Schumer vows to hold up Justice Department nominations over Trump's plan to accept jet from Qatar

BY Spectrum News Staff and Associated Press Washington, D.C.
UPDATED 8:21 PM ET May. 13, 2025

WASHINGTON — Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday that he will hold up all Justice Department nominations on the Senate floor until he gets more answers about the free Air Force One replacement that President Donald Trump says would be donated by Qatar. Democrats have expressed uniform outrage about the potential foreign gift and many Republicans are uneasy about the plan, as well.

Trump said this week that he wants to accept the $400 million plane, and that it would later be donated to a presidential library. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Monday that the details of the donation are still being worked out.

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Congressional Republicans plan massive cuts to SNAP, Schumer warns

BY Dennis Yusko Rensselaer
UPDATED 2:19 PM ET May. 13, 2025

Food bank and religious leaders joined farmers and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Monday in Rensselaer to warn about proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps low-income families purchase groceries.

Schumer said congressional Republicans in their recently announced budget are looking to cut $230 billion from USDA programs, including SNAP, to pay for President Donald Trump's proposed tax cuts. The senator and other speakers said the cuts would leave millions of Americans without protection from hunger at a time of heightened need.

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Legislation honoring Buffalo mass shooting victim would create federal ban on military-grade body armor for civilians

BY Spectrum News Staff Buffalo

Wednesday marks three years since the racially motivated mass shooting that killed 10 Black people at a Tops supermarket in Buffalo. Legislation is now being introduced in honor of one of the shooting victims.

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Tim Kennedy, of New York’s 26th Congressional District, was joined by the families of the victims as he announced new legislation that would ban owning or selling military-grade body armor to civilians at the federal level. It's called the Aaron Salter, Jr. Responsible Body Armor Possession Act.

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Rep. Mike Lawler peppered with questions about Trump during raucous town hall

BY Associated Press Westchester County

Voters in U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler’s suburban New York swing district heaped criticism on the Republican during a raucous town hall Sunday night, peppering him with questions around President Donald Trump’s aggressive agenda before devolving into a chaotic chorus of boos as attendees were removed by law enforcement.

The town hall in Somers, a leafy section of Lawler’s Hudson Valley district, began to teeter off the rails soon after it began.

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Schumer shows impact of AmeriCorps cuts on New York

BY Spectrum News Staff and Associated Press New York State
UPDATED 10:18 AM ET May. 02, 2025

After the Trump administration's latest move toward dismantling AmeriCorps, the 30-year-old federal agency for volunteer service, and the cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in grant funding for state and community projects across the U.S., Sen. Chuck Schumer is highlighting the impacts the moves will have on New York.

In a press release Thursday, Schumer, the Senate minority leader, said the cuts — at least 85% of AmeriCorps staff were put on administrative leave this month, according to a federal lawsuit filed against the president's Department of Government Efficiency — have affected more than 3,600 members. He also called for House Republicans from New York to " stand up to protect this vital public service" and join the effort to reverse the cuts.

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Rep. Langworthy introduces bill to streamline environmental reviews

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers in Congress has introduced legislation aimed at reducing delays in the construction of major manufacturing facilities, like Micron’s planned multi-billion dollar semiconductor plant just outside of Syracuse.

The legislation, led by New York Congressman Nick Langworthy, seeks to streamline what the Republican argues can be a duplicative environmental review process. In short, the bill exempts such major projects from certain federal reviews when in states where they already must meet equally or more stringent state-level environmental standards.

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Schumer says Trump tariffs will hurt local restaurant businesses

BY Natalie Mooney Syracuse

There’s a growing concern for what a trade war could mean for the restaurant industry. President Donald Trump has implemented a baseline 10% tariff on all countries and a 145% for Chinese imports — which could put pressure on costs of ingredients and supplies.

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and local restaurant owners met in Syracuse on Monday, calling for a stop to this tedious trade tussle.

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Consumer advocates decry vote in Congress to repeal bank overdraft fee limits

BY John Camera Hudson Valley

Legal aid attorney Elizabeth Lynch says that Congress voting to overturn overdraft fee limits is a major blow for working class people. Those fees can turn a $1 overdraft into a $36 penalty and very quickly add up.

“We see things that are more akin to like payday lending, which is not allowed in New York state," Lynch said. "But your banks and the bank accounts through these overdraft fees can basically give out a loan that has interest rates that are astronomical when you compare it to the purchase that the person is making.”

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George Santos is 'unrepentant' as he faces years in prison for fraud, prosecutors say

BY Associated Press New York State

Disgraced former U.S. Rep. George Santos “remains unrepentant” as he faces years in federal prison for fraud and identity theft, federal prosecutors say, citing a tirade of his social media posts in recent days.

Prosecutors, in a legal filing Thursday, bolstered their arguments for a stiff sentence, saying the 36-year-old New York Republican has disparaged the U.S. Department of Justice as a “cabal of pedophiles” and cast himself as a victim of prosecutorial overreach in multiple posts on the social platform X.

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Elise Stefanik considering run for governor, source says

BY Kevin Frey and Bernadette Hogan New York City
UPDATED 8:25 PM ET Apr. 16, 2025

New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik is considering throwing her name in the mix for a 2026 gubernatorial run, a source familiar with her thinking told NY1.

“I think there’s a lot of candidates that are in the mix. I’m honored to have my name in the mix as well,” she told NY1 in an interview on Tuesday night at the New York State Republican Party gala in Midtown Manhattan.

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Rep. Tonko: Federal cuts will impact Capital Region libraries

BY Spectrum News Staff Albany/Capital Region

U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko is sounding the alarm about federal spending cuts that will impact libraries in the Capital Region.

During a round table at the Bethlehem Public Library on Wednesday, Tonko discussed a presidential executive order earlier this month — one he says slashed $200 million in annual library funding.

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Rep. Pat Ryan pitches 'patriotic populism' as Democrats look to counter Trump's right-wing populist style

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

As Democrats look to regroup, New York U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan, a moderate who outperformed his party in last year’s election, is encouraging his colleagues to adopt an aggressive message focused on reaching out to working class Americans.

He dubs it "patriotic populism" — a direct response to President Donald Trump’s right-wing populist style, which he describes as “destructive” — and argues it could be instrumental in reversing his party’s fortunes.

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New York state, federal officials clash on budget strategies

BY Kate Lisa New York State

As they negotiate separate spending packages, New York state and federal officials are pointing the finger at each other — clashing over their opposing budget strategies.

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday said the threats of drastic federal cuts and the instability of the market, spurred by President Donald Trump's ongoing trade war, is not pushing her to finish the state budget, now over two weeks late, any sooner.

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AOC, prominent N.Y. Dems question whether Republicans engaged in insider trading

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is calling for an investigation into whether members of Congress engaged in insider trading on the day President Donald Trump sent stock prices soaring by pausing his "reciprocal" tariffs on imports from around the world.

And she's renewing her call for a ban on stock trading by members of Congress.

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Stefanik returns to GOP House leadership in new role after UN ambassador nomination scrapped

BY Luke Parsnow New York State

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik has returned to House GOP leadership in the new role of chairwoman of House Republican Leadership and was reappointed to her committees after President Donald Trump recently withdrew her nomination as ambassador to the United Nations.

According to a press release Wednesday, the leadership chair role is a senior leadership appointed position focused on strategy and communications. It has been used by multiple previous Republican leadership teams and comes with budget, staff, and an expansive strategy, legislative, and communications portfolio.

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First on NY1: N.Y. House Democrats demand meeting with RFK Jr. over health funding cuts

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

All 19 New York Democrats in the U.S. House united Wednesday in demanding a meeting with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., warning a recent attempt to cut $11 billion in public health grants is endangering their constituents.

In a letter to Kennedy, shared first with Spectrum News NY1, the lawmakers said New York could lose roughly $400 million in health funding if the Trump administration’s effort to rescind funding succeeds.

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Sen. Schumer warns of potential tariff impacts to NYC economy

BY Ayana Harry New York City

Standing in his Midtown office, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed he’ll continue urging President Donald Trump to rethink upcoming tariffs on some of America’s biggest trade partners.

Schumer said Americans, especially New Yorkers, will pay the price.

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Renewed legislation would designate Finger Lakes region as a National Heritage Area

BY Adam Penale Finger Lakes
UPDATED 4:03 PM ET Apr. 07, 2025

Rep. Claudia Tenney and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand have reintroduced legislation in the House and Senate that would designate the Finger Lakes Region as a National Heritage Area.

If it does pass, the bipartisan Finger Lakes National Heritage Area Act would provide funding to preserve the area's natural and historic resources in hopes of boosting recreation and economic development.

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'Gross incompetence': 9/11 advocates warn HHS cuts undermine World Trade Center health program

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

The World Trade Center Health Program could be devastated by this week’s mass layoffs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 9/11 community advocates say.

They warn the deep job cuts likely include workers supporting the health program, which provides medical care for those sickened by toxic smoke and debris from the Twin Towers' collapse.

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Speaker Johnson 'trying to figure out some creative role' for Stefanik in House GOP leadership after ambassador post withdrawal

BY Luke Parsnow and Kevin Frey New York State

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Tuesday that Republicans are looking for what kind of future Rep. Elise Stefanik can bring to the House leadership now that she won’t be serving as President Donald Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations.

“We’re trying to figure out some creative role for Elise to play,” Johnson said.

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Chuck Schumer says he's taking the fight over federal spending to Trump country

BY Associated Press New York State

The Senate’s top Democrat is no stranger to political maneuvering. But his latest act — a tightly choreographed blitz through Republican-held districts — signals a sharpened strategy: take the fight over federal spending directly into Trump country, and force Republicans to own the response.

On Monday, Sen. Chuck Schumer visited two nursing homes, one on Staten Island, the other in suburban Long Island, to spotlight what Democrats warn would be catastrophic consequences if Republican-led efforts to slash Medicaid succeed. The choice of backdrop was deliberate, as both facilities sit in congressional districts held by GOP members who have largely aligned with President Donald Trump’s agenda.

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Trump nominates former Rep. Anthony D'Esposito as Department of Labor inspector general

BY Luke Parsnow and Kevin Frey New York State

Former U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito has been nominated by President Donald Trump’s administration to serve as the next inspector general for the U.S. Department of Labor, months after he narrowly lost his reelection bid in November, the White House said Monday evening.

The role conducts audits to review the effectiveness, efficiency, economy, and integrity of all Department of Labor programs and operations, including those performed by its contractors and grantees, according to the department's website. It also conducts criminal, civil, and administrative investigations into alleged violations of federal laws relating to DOL programs, operations, and personnel.

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Democrat eyeing NY-21 seat to remain in the race until 2026 general election

BY Susan Arbetter New York State

On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced that he was withdrawing the nomination of North Country U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik to be America’s ambassador to the United Nations, citing the Republican’s' narrow majority in the House of Representatives.

The withdrawn nomination puts an end to speculation on when a special election might be called in a race where Democrats had already picked their candidate, St. Lawrence County farmer Blake Gendebien.

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Analysis: Keeping Stefanik in the House has benefits for Trump and the GOP

BY Luke Parsnow New York State

“A new Republican Star is born. Great going @EliseStefanik!”

That’s what President Donald Trump tweeted on Nov. 17, 2019, about the northern New York congresswoman. Facing his first impeachment at the time, Rep. Elise Stefanik quickly became one of the president’s most vocal and effective defenders during those hearings. At 35 at the time, she quickly earned praise and respect from elders of the GOP in a very public way.

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New York GOP strategist discusses Stefanik's UN ambassador nomination withdrawal

BY Susan Arbetter New York State

With Republicans having a razor-thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he is withdrawing the nomination of North Country Republican U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik to be the country’s ambassador to the United Nations.

In his post on Truth Social, the president praised Stefanik and said he “looks forward to the day when Elise is able to join my administration.”

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Hakeem Jeffries insists Democrats are winning against Trump

BY Susan Carpenter Nationwide

WASHINGTON — As the Trump administration makes sweeping changes to the federal government, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Thursday that the Democrats are winning in their fight against President Donald Trump’s policies.

Citing Republican initiatives to cut Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare and public education, Jeffries said the Democratic Party is “all hands on deck, and it will continue to be all hands on deck” to protect the programs that make life better for all Americans.

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White House to pull Rep. Elise Stefanik's nomination for U.N. ambassador

BY Luke Parsnow New York State

President Donald Trump is pulling Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination as ambassador to the United Nations, he announced on Truth Social on Thursday.

Stefanik, who represents New York's 21st Congressional District, was one of the first cabinet-level nominees put forward by Trump just days after his election in November. Her confirmation hearings were held the day after Trump’s inauguration in January but two months later was yet to be confirmed.

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Schumer, Jeffries both say U.S. defense secretary should be fired over Signal group chat

BY Luke Parsnow New York State

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer joined House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to be fired following the texting of sensitive plans for a military strike against Yemen's Houthis earlier this month to a group chat that included The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg.

“He should be fired. I agree, he should be fired,” the Democratic New York senator told reporters Wednesday afternoon while leaving a press conference event on Social Security.

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Pelosi backs Schumer after critique, says Jeffries should tour like AOC and Sanders

BY Cassie Semyon and Joseph Konig Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON — Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-Ca., told reporters Tuesday that Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer should “of course” remain in his role after she criticized her Senate colleagues last week for conceding the fight on the Republican spending bill.

Pelosi also said her successor, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, is the leader the party needs headed into next year’s midterm elections. She encouraged him to take a page out of the playbooks of fellow New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who have been rallying across the country as part of Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, pitching their progressive politics and ginning up opposition to Trump and Republicans.

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AOC hits the rally circuit, as Democrats seek effective messengers and messaging

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

Bronx Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez addressed huge crowds over the weekend, joining Sen. Bernie Sanders in a series of rallies denouncing President Donald Trump and his agenda.

Her campaign-style swing, where the progressive star told rally attendees that Democrats need a party that “fights harder for us,” grabbed the spotlight at a time the party is hungry for a winning message and new leadership.

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N.Y. Conservative Party prefers state Sen. Dan Stec to succeed Stefanik, will meet with candidates this week

BY Tim Williams and Luke Parsnow New York State

The New York state Conservative Party will be meeting three candidates this week in the eventual special election to replace Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik in New York's 21st Congressional District, but at this time, still prefers state Sen. Dan Stec, the party told Spectrum News 1 Monday.

Stec, R-Queensbury, represents New York's 45th state Senate District, which is made up of the eastern part of the state’s North Country, including Plattsburgh, Potsdam, Lake Placid and Lake George. He served in the state Assembly prior to being elected to the Senate in 2020.

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Schumer says he won't step down as Senate Democratic leader despite government funding uproar

BY Associated Press Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON — Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says he won't resign his post, despite pressure from some in his party after he voted to move forward with a Republican spending bill that avoided a government shutdown.

“Look, I’m not stepping down,” Schumer said in an interview with NBC's “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. The New York senator said he knew voting for the bill backed by Republican President Donald Trump would spark “a lot of controversy."

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Rep. Paul Tonko: Dismantling U.S. Education Department 'a tragic occurrence'

BY Susan Arbetter New York State

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education which oversees federal student loans, funding for low-income students and civil rights enforcement.

While only Congress can completely abolish a federal agency, the administration can begin to reduce the agency’s resources.

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New York congressmen try to reassure tech stakeholders amid Trump attacks on CHIPS Act

BY Natalie Mooney Clay

Upstate New York is working toward becoming home to a bustling technology hub thanks to the planned Micron semiconductor manufacturing facility coming to Onondaga County. But President Donald Trump’s criticism of the CHIPS and Science Act have left some questioning if the projects will come to fruition.

Members of New York’s congressional delegation reassured stakeholders the future of tech in the state is bright.

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Rep. Josh Riley introduces bipartisan bill to adjust rules for egg farmers in aim to lower prices

BY Luke Parsnow New York State

Democratic U.S. Rep. Josh Riley introduced bipartisan legislation that aims to lower egg prices by adjusting certain regulations for egg farmers, the congressman announced Wednesday.

The Lowering Egg Prices Act would address federal regulations that require farmers to refrigerate eggs immediately after they are laid, but current regulations do not distinguish between table eggs — raw products that need to be refrigerated — and breaker eggs — which are pasteurized for use in products like salad dressing, cake mix and pasta.

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Rep. Pat Ryan hosts candid conversations about affordability

BY Darcie Ortique Newburgh

NEWBURGH, N.Y. – Rep. Pat Ryan is raising awareness about the concerns families across the Hudson Valley have regarding affordability. The congressman on Tuesday visited Alexis Diner in Newburgh for "kitchen table" conversations with housing experts, dairy farmers and child care experts.

The attendees held candid discussions about inflation prices, tariffs and the affordable housing crisis impacting New Yorkers.

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Trump, Musk dominate conversation at Rep. Paul Tonko's town hall

BY Spencer Conlin Albany

U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko hosted a town hall at Schenectady High School on Monday, fielding a wide range of questions from the live audience with most involving Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration and cuts being made to the federal workforce.

“I will continue to fight this plan with every fiber of my being as it works its way through Congress,” Tonko said of President Donald Trump’s policies.

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Chuck Schumer postpones book tour amid criticism over spending vote

BY Associated Press New York City

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer is postponing several planned events this week to promote his new book, “Antisemitism in America: A Warning,” after some liberal groups had planned to stage protests.

The cancellations of events in Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and other cities came amid widespread criticism from the party’s liberal base over Schumer’s vote to move forward with Republican spending legislation last week. Risa Heller, a representative for Schumer’s book, said that the tour would be rescheduled “due to security concerns.”

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Ex-U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, a New York Democrat who chaired powerful House Appropriations Committee, dies

BY Associated Press New York State

NEW YORK (AP) — Former U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, a long serving New York Democrat who was the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee, has died. She was 87.

Lowey's family, in a statement shared by the Westchester County Democratic Committee, said she died Saturday after battling metastatic breast cancer with the “same tenacity and strength that she fought throughout her 32-year career in Congress for women, children and families."

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‘Betrayed us all’: Democrats blast Schumer over handling of GOP funding bill

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

Sen. Chuck Schumer is facing a massive backlash from fellow Democrats after he refused to block Republican legislation to keep the government funded and avert a shutdown.

In the 24 hours after he announced he would vote to advance the legislation, progressive and centrist Democrats alike are voicing frustration, even anger, with the New Yorker. Some went so far as to accuse him of betrayal and rolling over for President Donald Trump.

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Analysis: Schumer's tough position with government shutdown likely avoided, past shutdown haunting

BY Luke Parsnow New York State
UPDATED 5:28 PM ET Mar. 14, 2025

New York U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer had been quite boisterous all week regarding congressional Republicans’ plan to keep the government funded through September, which had squeezed through the House of Representatives almost exclusively on party lines. But that changed rather quickly.

In Schumer’s chamber, 10 Senate Democrats joined Republicans to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to pass the budget with a deadline of midnight on Saturday. On Wednesday, Schumer said the GOP didn’t have enough Democratic votes to advance the funding stopgap bill past a filibuster.

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Democratic Party fractures in government shutdown fight, with anger running high

BY Associated Press Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON — The Democratic Party was fracturing Friday as a torrent of frustration and anger was unleashed at Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Chuck Schumer, who faced what they saw as an awful choice: shut the government down or consent to a Republican funding bill that allows President Donald Trump to continue slashing the federal government.

After Schumer announced Thursday that he would reluctantly support the bill, he bore the brunt of that anger, including a protest at his office, calls from progressives that he be primaried in 2028 and suggestions that the Democratic Party would soon be looking for new leaders.

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House Dems see silver lining after first weeks of second Trump admin

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

Out of power in Washington, and with their brand in the dumps, House Democrats say they see a silver lining after the first weeks of the second Trump administration.

“I think a number of people who voted for the current administration are having second thoughts,” Albany-area Congressman Paul Tonko said.

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Dem leadership in Congress need to be 'more emphatic' in warning of democratic crisis, historian warns

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

Democratic leadership on Capitol Hill could be doing more to push back against President Donald Trump, warns a historian who studies the rise of autocracy.

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a professor at New York University and author of the book “Strongmen,” warns the United States is in a “democratic emergency” that is “getting worse every day.”

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Rep. Kennedy calls on Trump to permanently rescind tariffs on Canada

BY Spectrum News Staff Western New York

Buffalo Congressman Tim Kennedy is calling on President Donald Trump to permanently rescind tariffs on Canada.

Rep. Kennedy said that Canada is our greatest ally and trading partner. He said that Trump's pausing of the tariffs is a positive step as Trump needs to avoid an all out trade-war.

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New York House Republicans sign onto resolution supporting correction officer strike

BY Luke Parsnow New York State

Republicans in New York’s congressional delegation backed a resolution Thursday supporting the ongoing strike by correction officers at prisons across the state that is now in its 18th day.

Rep. Claudia Tenney, of New York's 24th Congressional District, introduced the resolution in the House of Representatives and was cosponsored by Reps. Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Nick Langworthy, Andrew Garbarino and Nicole Malliotakis.

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Jeffries says GOP House funding plan violates Fiscal Responsibility Act

BY Susan Carpenter Nationwide

One day after the Congressional Budget Office said the proposed House GOP budget was impossible without cutting Medicare and Medicaid, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said the CBO assessment is proof of what Democrats have been saying since Republicans approved the budget blueprint last week.

“House Republicans and Donald Trump have proposed the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, and they’ve also put the target on the back of Social Security and Medicare,” Jeffries said during a news conference Thursday.

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New York business groups to Congress: Don't cut NIH grants

BY Kate Lisa New York State

The New York State Business Council and more than a dozen chambers of commerce sent a letter Thursday pressing the state's congressional delegation to push back against President Donald Trump's proposed cuts to National Institutes of Health grants — arguing it would be detrimental to New York communities.

Business leaders urged the state's 26 representatives to fight cutting the NIH grants, which provides over $3.5 billion to more than 250 entities across the state for some of the nation's leading biomedical, cancer and other health care research.

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Rep. Torres reintroduces bill to improve federal response to health emergencies

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

Bronx U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres is re-introducing legislation aimed at improving the federal government’s response to public health emergencies, Spectrum News NY1 has learned.

The bill was initially inspired by concerns over the government’s handling of COVID-19 and mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. Torres is reintroducing it in this session of Congress as the U.S. grapples with outbreaks of the bird flu and measles.

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'Are you selling out New Yorkers?': Democrats grill Mayor Adams on Capitol Hill

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

Democrats in the House Oversight Committee on Capitol Hill flipped the script Wednesday, sharply questioning one of their own: New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

During the hearing, they pressed him repeatedly on the Trump Justice Department’s controversial push to drop the federal corruption case against him. More than a half dozen veteran prosecutors resigned, some alleging an improper quid pro quo between the White House and the mayor over immigration enforcement.

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New York officials confident CHIPS Act likely won't see repeal

BY Ryan Whalen Buffalo

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- During his congressional address Tuesday, President Donald Trump boasted the country has seen $1.7 trillion in new investment over the past several weeks — a result, he said, of confidence in his election and new economic policies.

That included a $100 billion commitment from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company to expand its Arizona operations.

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New York state Senate leader says bill changing special elections is stalled

BY Luke Parsnow and Bernadette Hogan New York State

A bill that would amend New York’s special election schedule remains stalled, state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins told reporters Tuesday in Albany.

Democrats in the state Legislature introduced a measure earlier this year that would allow the governor to delay congressional special elections until Election Day. Republicans labeled the measure as a pure political one, as it would directly impact the race to replace Rep. Elise Stefanik in the 21st Congressional District once she resigned to become U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

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Rep. Claudia Tenney invites Oswego County sheriff to Trump's address to Congress

BY Luke Parsnow New York State

U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney has invited Oswego County Sheriff Don Hilton to be her guest at President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress next week.

"Sheriff Don Hilton is a highly regarded law enforcement officer from our district, and I am honored to have him join me in attending the Joint Address this year. Since 1987, Sheriff Hilton has dedicated his life to public service, serving in a variety of law enforcement roles across our region," Tenney said in a statement Friday. "He started his career in Oswego County as a corrections officer and has since returned to serve as the Oswego County Sheriff."

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Rep. Adriano Espaillat to give Spanish-language response to Trump's address to Congress

BY Luke Parsnow New York State

U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat will deliver the Democratic Party’s Spanish-language response to President Donald Trump’s upcoming joint address to Congress, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Thursday.

Espaillat represents New York's 13th Congressional District, which includes upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2016. He is currently the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

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Jeffries says Republicans are lying about Medicaid cuts

BY Susan Carpenter Nationwide

WASHINGTON — Two days after House Republicans narrowly approved the “big, beautiful” budget blueprint President Donald Trump has been asking for, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., derided it as a reckless scheme.

“The Republican budget will set in motion the largest cut to Medicaid in American history,” he said. “Children will be hurt. Families will be hurt. Seniors will be hurt. Everyday Americans with disabilities will be hurt. Hospitals will be hurt. And nursing homes will be hurt all across America.”

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N.Y. lawmakers relaunch push to permanently fund 9/11 health program, one week after rescinded DOGE cuts

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

Congressional lawmakers are launching yet another bipartisan push for permanent funding for the health program that helps people sickened by toxic smoke and debris from the World Trade Center's collapse.

“We've made a promise that we will never forget and we will keep fighting for this,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said, introducing the legislation at a Wednesday press conference on Capitol Hill.

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House Dems warn GOP plan is 'devastating' for 7 million New Yorkers on Medicaid

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

Democrats are warning of the possibility of devastating cuts to Medicaid, as House Republicans in Washington move ahead with legislation to enact President Donald Trump’s agenda.

On a nearly party-line vote Tuesday, House Republicans advanced a budget blueprint, setting the framework for the eventual spending package. As part of the final bill, Trump is seeking massive tax and spending cuts alongside new funding for immigration enforcement.

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Federal legislation proposed to increase transparency of milk pricing

BY Emily Kenny Central NY

Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that would require manufacturers to report their dairy processing costs every two years.

“New York dairy farmers deserve to be paid a fair price for their milk, and they need a milk pricing system that they can count on,” said U.S. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand Thursday in a press release. “Requiring manufacturers to report dairy processing costs on a biennial basis will give dairy producers, processors, and cooperatives the data they need to ensure that their prices accurate reflect the costs of production.”

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Rep. Mike Lawler discusses N.Y. prison strikes, NYC Mayor Adams and congestion pricing

BY Tim Williams and Casey Bortnick New York State

As he continues to mull his 2026 options, Hudson Valley Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler was in Western New York on Wednesday to stand with state Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt at a press conference on the prison strikes happening across New York state.

The congressman, who has been mentioned as a top Republican gubernatorial candidate in 2026, joined Capital Tonight on Wednesday to discuss the strikes, President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw federal support of New York City’s congestion pricing plan and the calls for New York City Mayor Eric Adams to resign or be removed from office.

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Malliotakis cheers Trump's move to cancel congestion pricing

BY Spectrum News Staff New York City

On the heels of the Trump administration announcing Wednesday that it is moving to end congestion pricing in New York City, Staten Island Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a fierce critic of the toll, joined NY1 to air her thoughts on the decision.

Tap the video player above to watch the full interview.

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Pharmacists, Rep. Ryan push for pharmacy benefit manager reform

BY John Camera Dutchess County

Pharmacists are calling on Congress to pass reforms for pharmacy benefit managers, also known as PBMs, who act as middlemen between pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies, and are supposed to negotiate the cost of drugs to save patients money.

But pharmacists like Pine Plains’ Nasir Mahmood say they haven’t been doing that, and instead, they’ve driven up costs and made it harder for locally owned pharmacists.

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First on Spectrum News: Rep. Josh Riley sponsors first bill, aimed at helping households weatherize homes

BY Kevin Frey Hudson Valley

First-term Rep. Josh Riley is introducing his first bill in Congress, Spectrum News 1 has learned. The focus: lowering energy bills for low-income households.

The legislation, which Riley, a Democrat representing New York's 19th Congressional District, is rolling out with a bipartisan group of co-sponsors, would modify the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program, a nearly five-decade-old program that helps individuals retrofit their homes to make them more energy efficient. Upgrades can include improving insulation and moisture control.

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'On a short leash': NYers on Capitol Hill react to DOJ's Mayor Adams order

BY Kevin Frey New York City

President Donald Trump has Mayor Eric Adams on a "short leash."

That's just one of several reactions from New York Democrats on Capitol Hill after the U.S. Department of Justice ordered the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office to halt its criminal prosecution of the mayor — while still holding out the possibility of reviving charges later.

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Schumer calls for community health center funding

BY Spectrum News Staff New York State

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer called for continued funding to community health centers.

He spoke Monday at Syracuse Community Health, saying federal funding is set to run out in a month for these type of health care facilities.

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Rep. Claudia Tenney says violent threats made against staff

BY Ryan Whalen and Luke Parsnow New York State
UPDATED 7:18 PM ET Feb. 06, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney's district offices are closed after reporting of three separate incidents Wednesday of threats of violence and intimidation against staff.

Tenney's office said Capitol Police and local law enforcement responded to the threats. The statement does not identify which offices were targeted.

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Democrats pick St. Lawrence County dairy farmer as nominee for pending NY-21 special election

BY Tim Williams Northern NY

As the United States Senate moves forward with the nomination of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik as United Nations ambassador, North Country Democrats are preparing for the special election to fill the seat whenever a special election is called by selecting St. Lawrence County dairy farmer Blake Gendebien as their candidate.

In a special election for New York's 21st Congressional District, there is no primary for voters to pick their party’s nominee – the nominee is selected by the chairs of the county parties in the district. Gendebien is a third-generation dairy farmer from Lisbon, and operates Twin Mill Farms. He is married and has three children. He has degree in agriculture from Penn State University.

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2 N.Y. lawmakers push for use of Niagara Falls air base in ICE operations

BY Spectrum News Staff and Keegan Trunick Niagara Falls

A Western New York air base is being floated as a potential place to help support the recent expansion of ICE operations.

Rep. Nick Langworthy (R - NY23) and Rep. Claudia Tenney (R - NY21) sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to potentially use the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.

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Gillibrand warns Trump's tariffs will hit wallets hard

BY Erica Brosnan and Spectrum News NY1 New York City

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is vowing to push back against President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico, saying the plan is only going to drive up costs for everyday Americans.

“I think what President Trump is doing is harmful. It's creating chaos. It doesn't make sense. It's not going to have the impact that he's hoping it has. It's just going to raise costs for everyday Americans,” Gillibrand said Monday on “Mornings On 1.”

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'She's good at formulating messages': What does Stefanik's time in Congress say about how she'll serve as U.N. ambassador?

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

It was a moment that vaulted New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik to prominence on the national stage and won her the admiration of MAGA Republicans.

As House Democrats pursued impeachment against President Donald Trump during his first term in the White House, Stefanik aggressively mounted a defense of the president, with pointed questioning at impeachment hearings.

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Rep. Nick Langworthy meets with Buffalo ICE officials to discuss operations under Trump

BY Ryan Whalen Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-NY-23, spent about 45 minutes with Buffalo Immigration Customs Enforcement officials Tuesday to discuss how operations have changed under President Donald Trump's new executive orders.

Across the country, ICE has reported detaining individuals including three this past week in Western New York.

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Trump nominates former Rep. Brandon Williams for National Nuclear Security Administration administrator

BY Luke Parsnow New York State

Former U.S. Rep. Brandon Williams will serve as the next under secretary for nuclear security and also the administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration at the federal Department of Energy, President-elect Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social Thursday morning.

“Brandon is a successful businessman and Veteran of the U.S. Navy, where he served as a Nuclear Submarine Officer, and Strategic Missile Officer,” Trump wrote. “He is a graduate of Pepperdine University, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Congratulations Brandon!”

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Stefanik confirmation hearing for UN ambassador post slated for next Tuesday

BY Luke Parsnow and Kevin Frey New York State

The confirmation hearing for U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik to become the next ambassador to the United Nations will take place next Tuesday, Jan. 21 with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Confirmation hearing for @EliseStefanik to become UN Ambassador is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 10a before the Senate Foreign Relations Cmte >> https://t.co/9RLthBNAqg

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Taliban hostage Ryan Corbett's family speaks to Biden, meets with Trump administration in Mar-a-Lago

BY Dana Damiani Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — For 887 days, Livingston County native Ryan Corbett has been wrongfully detained by the Taliban. He’s been living in a nine-by-nine basement cell with little access to food, water and sunlight. Since his detention, he says he’s had constant ringing in his ears, dental issues, fainting spells and seizures, among many other illnesses.

His family heard from him Sunday around 5:30 a.m. and learned he has finally been able to put on a little weight and he’d been given a bit more access to sunlight.

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New York's newest members of Congress get committee assignments

BY Luke Parsnow and Kevin Frey New York State

With the 119th Congress underway, New York’s newest members of the House of Representatives received their committee assignments on Tuesday.

Democratic Rep. John Mannion, of the 22nd District in Central New York, was appointed to the House Education and Workforce Committee, as well as the House Agriculture Committee.

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Mulling a run for governor, Rep. Mike Lawler criticizes Hochul on day of her State of the State address

BY Luke Parsnow and Kate Lisa New York State

U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler stood beside New York legislative Republicans Tuesday morning to criticize Gov. Kathy Hochul and Democratic policies ahead of her State of the State address as the Hudson Valley congressman mulls a run for governor next year.

Lawler slammed the Democratic governor on state spending, criminal justice reforms, the migrant influx, congestion pricing and other issues.

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Malliotakis: Trump backs efforts to raise SALT cap, end congestion pricing

BY Spectrum News NY1 New York City

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis said Monday that President-elect Donald Trump supports efforts to raise the state and local tax deduction cap and oppose New York’s congestion pricing plan,

Malliotakis, who attended a weekend meeting at Mar-a-Lago in Florida with Republican members of the New York delegation, said Trump’s stance on the SALT cap—created during his administration in 2017—has shifted because of rising taxes in New York.

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Rep. Mike Lawler to lead House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee

BY Luke Parsnow New York State

U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler will serve as chairman of the House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee announced Thursday.

The panel has jurisdiction over the Middle East and North Africa regions and has oversight responsibilities over activities in the State Department.

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