Donovan Condemns Terrorist Attack In Manchester
Congressman Dan Donovan (R-South Brooklyn, Staten Island) sent his condolences to the victims of the Manchester terror attack yesterday.
The terror attack committed by 22-year-old, Salman Abedi, at an Ariana concert in Manchester, England killed 22 people so far and injured dozens of others. The attack has put the United Kingdom on high alert, raising their threat level to “critical.”
“My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by yesterday’s terror attack in Manchester and the people of the United Kingdom. We condemn this atrocity and support the efforts being made to bring those responsible to justice, which has already led to the arrest of one suspect. Terror has no country borders, and the targeting and loss of innocent lives has become an all too common occurrence across the globe. As we wait for further details, the United States stands in solidarity with our ally, the U.K., and pledges to further our commitment to defending freedom and combatting radical terror,” said Donovan.
Hikind To Join Rally At CUNY Offices To Protest Sarsour Keynote Adress
NY State Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Borough Park) will join protestors at the CUNY (City University of New York) offices on 42nd street in Manhattan in rallying against the invitation of Linda Sarsour to keynote CUNY’s Commencement ceremony this Thursday.
Hikind has been an outspoken opponent of Sarsour’s address, claiming the co-founder of the Women’s March on Washington is a “terror apologist” and a “promoter of violence” citing her social media and public support of Rasmea Odeh and the Intifada, among other so-called terrorist groups.
“The insensitivity, hypocrisy and irresponsibility at CUNY is almost beyond belief. The ultra-left are defending Linda Sarsour’s invitation to deliver a prestigious commencement speech while ignoring the real issue. Sarsour promotes violence. Sarsour glorifies terrorists. This type of person is unacceptable as a commencement speaker. This is something New York State funded schools should distance themselves from, not tacitly approve,” said Hikind.
The event is slated for 12 noon to 2 p.m. this Thursday, May 25, at the CUNY Offices, 217 E 42nd Street in East Midtown Manhattan.
Velázquez Denounces Trump Federal Budget Cuts
Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-Brooklyn,LES, Queens) is denouncing Trump’s federal budget for Fiscal Year 2018 as an attack on the most vulnerable people in society, specifically working families, seniors and children.
On Tuesday President Trump asked lawmakers to cut $3.6 trillion in government spending over the next ten years, specifically in healthcare and food assistance programs in an austere budget that would also boosts the military.
“The President would slash programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Meals on Wheels and Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. These are initiatives relied on by seniors and by hard working, low-income New Yorkers,” said Velazquez.
“SNAP provides nutritional assistance to 1.8 million families, the elderly and the disabled in New York. Yet this Administration takes aim at this initiative, suggesting slashing it by $193 billion – more than 25 percent – over the next decade. In order to give bigger tax breaks to his billionaire buddies, President Trump is literally willing to take food from the mouths of babies,” she added.
Hamilton, Savino, IDC Work To Protect Title X Funding
Senators Jesse Hamilton (D-Central Brooklyn) and Diane Savino (D-Coney Island, Staten Island) alongside other members of the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) introduced legislation to protect funding on a state level for vital women’s health services under Title X yesterday.
Title X funding provides money for groups like Planned Parenthood and other entities that offer family planning and preventative health services, including contraceptive and cancer screenings to low-income and uninsured individuals.
“It is unfair to deprive any woman of health care services that she needs. It is absurd that anyone on a federal level would deprive a woman of care and we will not let that impact funding to important organizations like Planned Parenthood,” said Hamilton.
“No woman should ever be deprived the care that she needs because Title X funding was taken away on the federal level. Our health is important and screenings for breast and cervical cancer, for preventative health care, for contraceptive care and family planning should not be ripped away from any woman and we will stand with Planned Parenthood and ensure that we protect these important funds here in New York State,” said Savino.
Nadler, NYS Dems Calling On DeVos To Reconsider Funding Cuts To Upward Bound
U.S. Congressmen Jerrold Nadler (D-Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan) alongside fellow New York Democrats, Representative Jose E. Serrano (D-Manhattan) and Adriano Espaillat (D-Manhattan) are calling upon Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to reconsider her decision to cut program funding for Upward Bound.
Nadler alongside his colleagues held a press conference with Upward Bound students on the campus of Columbia University to push for a reversal in DeVos’ decision on Monday.
Upward Bound provides fundamental support to students to prepare for college, including providing opportunities for high school students from low-income families and high school students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree. The program aims to increase the rate of students graduating from high school and enrolling and graduating from postsecondary institutions.
“In 1965, I arrived at Columbia University as the first kid in my family to go to college.That same year, Columbia received its first Upward Bound funding, which has helped kids just like myself finish high school, enroll in college, and be the first people in their families to receive a college degree,” said Nadler.
“Now, that legacy is on the line – not because Columbia isn’t interested or because the quality of the program has fallen off, but because of some single-spaced paragraphs and bureaucratic nonsense. This is what happens when you intentionally work to grind the government to a halt, stop running programs that actually help people, and leave people with no recourse, like the students and administrators with Upward Bound,” he added.
Lander Demanding State Senate Dems Unite, IDC To Rejoin Majority
Council Member Brad Lander (D-Park Slope, Kensington, Windsor Terrace) is urging Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) members to rejoin the Democrats in the State Senate through a series of emergency rallies at each IDC member’s office.
The Democrats have a total of 32 seats, a majority out of the total 63 seats with the inclusion of IDC members. The IDC, a seven-member Democratic coalition, caucus’s with the Senate Republicans to pass legislation. The Conference is made up of Senators Jesse Hamilton (D-Central Brooklyn), Diane Savino (D-Coney Island, Staten Island), David Carlucci (D-NY), Tony Avella (D-Queens), Marisol Alcantara (D-Manhattan), Jose Peralta (D-Queens), and IDC Leader Jeff Klein(D-Bronx).
Lander is pushing for the unification of the party in order to pass progressive legislation, specifically the Reproductive Health Act, and to make progress on protecting immigrants, supporting public education, campaign finance reform, and other progressive issues.
The event is slated for 4:30 p.m. today, May 24 at Sen. Hamilton’s Office, 1669 Bedford Avenue in Crown Heights; and at the same time at Sen. Savino’s Office, 36 Richmond Terrace in Staten Island.
Levin, NYC Council Call On Mayor To Increase Funding for Hungry New Yorkers
City Council Member Stephen Levin , Chair of the General Welfare Committee (D-Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, Williamsburg, Boerum Hill) will join the rest of his council colleagues including Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito on the Steps of City Hall to urge Mayor Bill de Blasio to fully fund the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) today.
At the Executive Budget Hearing of the Finance Committee earlier this month, Levin, alongside Queens Council Member Barry Grodenchik, presented a letter on behalf of the entire Council, urging the Administration to include $22 million in baselined food funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) in the Fiscal Year 2018 New York City budget. The 50 Council Members echoed the call for an increase from $8 million to $22 million baseline funding made by Mark-Viverito in her State of the City Address.
The program helps support the over 1.4 million New Yorkers who rely on food pantries and food kitchens to get high-quality, nutritious foods. The current Executive Budget underfunds EFAP and proposes cutting funding by 4.9 million dollars.
“The epidemic of hunger in our city disproportionately affects women, children, seniors, and communities of color and it’s critical that we can guarantee that no New Yorker is turned away from a pantry or soup kitchen. It is unacceptable that this Administration has failed to recognize the clear need to feed more than a million New Yorkers who depend on emergency food to survive,” said Levin.
The event is slated for 11 a.m, today, May 24 at the Steps of City Hall in Lower Manhattan.
