Clarke Condemns Passage Of Verify First Act
Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-Crown Heights, Flatbush, East Flatbush, Brownsville, Sheepshead Bay) is denouncing the passage of the Verify First Act, which passed with a vote of 238 to 184 yesterday.
The bill, H.R. 2581, will impose restrictions on immigrants buying health insurance through the marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The legislation would prohibit advance payments of premium tax credits to individuals under current law, the American Health Care Act of 2017, unless the Secretary of the Treasury receives confirmation that the individual is a citizen or a national of the United States, or is lawfully present in the country.
Under Obamacare, millions of dollars in advance payments of the premium tax credit may have been paid on behalf of individuals who were possibly ineligible beneficiaries, including illegal immigrants.
“We have witnessed a series of attacks on immigrant families from Donald Trump and his followers in Congress, from the Muslim Ban to needlessly burdensome requirements for visa applicants. Today, those attacks have extended into health care, as Republicans are now claiming – without any evidence – that immigrants who are not eligible for tax credits to buy health insurance are receiving those subsidies,” said Clarke.
“H.R. 2581 directly contradicts the purpose of the Affordable Care Act, which was intended to allow all eligible families to access health care. Their false claims are an insult to the hardworking immigrant families who contribute enormously to our economy and our civil society. As the daughter of immigrants, I reject this caricature,” she added.
Donovan Has Busy Day In Office
Congressman Dan Donovan (R-South Brooklyn, Staten Island) had a busy day in office helping to pass the Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 and H.R 338, legislation to build a stronger 21st century manufacturing and energy workforce.
The V.A. Accountability bill institutes necessary reforms to increase accountability within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by streamlining the process to remove, demote, or suspend VA employees for poor performance or misconduct. Specifically the bill provides the VA Secretary with authority to hold individuals who are not fulfilling their duties accountable for their actions, recoup taxpayer-funded bonuses from employees who have acted improperly, and appoint permanent, well-qualified medical directors. Additionally, the bill will protect whistleblowers from retaliation.
“No employee should be immune from workplace consequences simply because they are a government employee. In fact, those who take care of our veterans – who sacrificed to protect our way of life – should be held to an even higher standard. This legislation institutes necessary reforms to help fix longstanding accountability problems that plague the VA to ensure veterans receive the quality care they earned, and I look forward to seeing this bill swiftly signed into law,” said Donovan.
H.R. 388 prioritizes Department of Energy grant programs on education and training for manufacturing and energy-related careers specifically preparing students for 21st century jobs. The bill would direct the Secretary of Energy to encourage schools to equip students with technical skills and expertise; establish a database with information on training and workforce development programs; increase outreach to minority, displaced, and unemployed energy and manufacturing workers; and enhance collaboration between school, workforce training organizations and federal agencies.
“We can’t go back in time to fix what happened to American industry. But we can help prepare our workers now for the jobs of the future to ensure that we’re competitive. The bill I voted to support last night capitalizes on the ingenuity of American workers by delivering the education and training programs they need to adapt to the 21st century economy,” said Donovan.
Harris’ Legislation Improves Oversight Of Vocational Schools
Assembly Member Pamela Harris (D-Coney Island, Bay Ridge) announced the passage of a new bill to increase supervision of vocational schools yesterday.
The legislation, authored by Harris, would allow the State Education Department (SED) to transfer funds from a tuition reimbursements account, which has surplus funding, to an account for proprietary school supervision. (A.7947). Proprietary schools in New York are non-degree granting career or technical institutions.
SED’s Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision (BPSS) is responsible for licensing and monitoring the estimated 500 licensed proprietary schools within the state. However, it currently has no resources to investigate unlicensed proprietary schools and has a backlog of license renewals and complaint investigations.
Under the new bill, SED’s Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision (BPSS) would be able to reduce the backlog of complaint investigations and improve licensure renewal. The funding will also help BPSS to bring its technology up to speed and establish a more innovative method to reviewing curriculums.
“New Yorkers who attend vocational schools are doing so to get the skills and education they need to get a good job or further their career. But the bureau that oversees these schools has fallen behind due to a severe shortage of resources. Applications for new schools and new programs go unprocessed for years and hundreds of investigations remain open. We need to know exactly what is happening with these schools,” said Harris.
Mosley Passes Bill to Make SUNY Campuses Smoke Free
Assembly Member Walter T. Mosley (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights) is applauding the passage of A. 1656, a bill to prohibit the sale and use of tobacco at State University of New York (SUNY) schools and institutions on Monday.
The bill, Mosley sponsored, would legally create smoke free SUNY campuses that aim to reduce smoking in young people.
In New York State, 13% of young adults already smoke, and 100% of smokers started smoking before the age of 26. In addition, the vast majority of habitual smokers started smoking around the time they were in school.
“Lung cancer is one of the major killers in New York State, and anything we can do to prevent more people from developing lung cancer is a step we must take. Research has shown that having a smoke free campus makes it less likely that students will take up smoking. A smoke free campus will also encourage those who already smoke to smoke less. College students can lower their risk for certain cancers exponentially by never taking up smoking, and it is my hope that this bill will help them do that,” said Mosley.
Hikind Demands Deportation Of Ex-Concentration Camp Guard
Assembly Member Dov Hikind (D-Borough Park) alongside Assembly Member Michael Simanowitz (D-Queens) and numerous members of the New York State Assembly are urging U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to finally deport Nazi Concentration Camp Guard Jakiw Palij from the United States.
A letter signed by more than 85 members of the Assembly from both sides of the aisle insists that Palij, a decades-long resident of Queens, New York, no longer be allowed the privileges of law-abiding citizens due to his past career as a Nazi Concentration Camp guard at Treblinka death camp and Trawinki Training camp.
Palij first came to America claiming that he was a farmer and war refugee, concealing his work as a Nazi guard and was granted citizenship in 1957. After the revelations about his past became known, he was subsequently stripped of his U.S. citizenship. His deportation order was upheld by the courts in 2004 but as of today, Palij remains a resident of Queens.
“The rights and freedoms we enjoy in America should not extend to those who helped facilitate the death of countless innocent people. Palij’s presence here mocks the memory of the millions who perished. There is no question of his guilt.”
Hikind went on to add, “It is imperative that someone responsible for Nazi atrocities be held accountable for his crimes. While his victims can no longer seek justice, we must, and with this new administration and Attorney General, there’s reason to believe we’ll see that justice. I’m never giving up.”
Squadron Urges State Senate To Pass LLC Loophole Bill
State Senator Daniel Squadron (D-Northern Brooklyn, Lower Manhattan) is urging the State Senate Majority to pass A. 1926-Kavanagh, a bill to close the LLC Loophole in regards to political donations, as it gains it’s 3rd consecutive Assembly passage.
Back in April of this year, Squadron and the Democratic Conference introduced the bill as an amendment to the Public Protection and General Government state budget bill for the fourth time since it’s initial version introduction in 2013. The loophole, was wrongly created by a Board of Elections ruling, allowing virtually unlimited and anonymous corporate dollars to enter into campaign and political donations.
“Too often, Albany laments the state of ethics, as if reform was an unattainable, hazy goal. Here’s one real solution to the massive corporate contributions that drown out the voice of everyday New Yorkers in government — a response to many of the ethics scandals we’ve seen rock Albany’s halls. The Assembly has passed it, the Governor has said he would sign it the day it passes, and good government groups and editorial boards across the state support it. The Senate? It continues to refuse to even bring the bill to the floor,” said Squadron.
Squadron continued, “Ensuring New Yorkers’ voices are not drowned out in the state’s Capitol shouldn’t be a partisan issue. I urge the Senate to take this meaningful step, and pass the bill this session.”
Cymbrowitz Introduces Legislation to Protect Rent-Regulated Housing Stock
Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach), Chair of the Housing Committee, introduced legislation to close loopholes that remove desperately-needed units from the rent-regulated housing stock yesterday.
The legislation (A.8263) seeks to clarify that housing accommodations provided to individuals who are or were homeless or at risk of homelessness would be subject to the protections under the Emergency Tenant Protection Act, and that any units subject to existing leases would return to rent stabilization and only be subject to applicable Rent Guidelines Board increases.
According to data from the Rent Guidelines Board, over the last 22 years, New York City’s rent-regulated stock has decreased by more than 276,000 apartments, and it is estimated that over 8,000 rent-regulated units were lost in 2015 alone.
“With the increasing cost of living and with rents becoming more and more of a percentage of a household’s income, many New Yorkers are faced with a struggle to find affordable housing and too many are falling victim to homelessness. It is vital that we protect the number of units subject to rent stabilization, which is a vital portion of our housing stock,” said Cymbrowitz.
