Donovan Applauds Newest Trump Travel Ban
Congress member Dan Donovan (R-South Brooklyn, Staten Island) applauded President Donald Trump’s most recent executive order extending Trump’s travel ban from Venezuela, North Korea and Chad.
Over the weekend, Trump signed an executive order that placed new restrictions on eight countries including Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Libya and Syria. According to initial reports, the new rules vary per country barring entry into the United States of immigrants and nonimmigrants from Chad, Libya and Yemen, on business, tourist or business-tourist visas; bars entry of Iranian citizens, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, but provides an exception for Iranian students, provided they receive extra screening; bars immigrants and nonimmigrants from North Korea and Syria; and bars immigration by citizens of Somalia.
Two previous countries on the list–Iraq and Sudan–were left off of this version of the travel ban after further review by Senior administration officials. The move came the same day Trump’s original travel ban order was set to expire.
According to officials, the new restrictions will be phased in over time and will not affect anyone who already holds a U.S. visa. For those visitors affected by the changed restrictions, the new rules will go into effect Oct. 18, according to the order.
“Protecting the homeland from rogue nations and terrorist organizations that wish Americans harm is our government’s number one responsibility. I fully support President Trump’s executive order, which recognizes new, evolving threats our nation faces from North Korea and Chad, and I applaud the Administration’s commitment to prioritizing American security interests. Reviewing and strengthening our vetting procedures is not only common sense during the heightened threat level our global community faces, it’s necessary to breaking down terrorist pathways and preventing enemies from reaching our shore,” said Donovan.
Menchaca To Host Participatory Budget Meeting
City Council member Carlos Menchaca (D-Red Hook, Sunset Park) will hold a meeting to decide how to spend $2 million of public funds in his district today.
The event is the first of many neighborhood meetings in which residents will lead discussions, nominate projects, and then vote to decide which improvements to parks, schools, libraries, and streets will be funded as part of the participatory budgeting process.
Last year, District 38 had the highest voter turnout with about 8,000 votes that successfully funded repairs to handball courts, technology for schools and repairs for parks.
Everyone in District 38 who is 14-years old and up is eligible to participate and to vote.
The meeting is slated for 5 p.m., today, Sept 26, at the Sunset Park Library, in Sunset Park.
You can also submit your project ideas online: http://ideas.pbnyc.org/page/
Schumer Responds To Graham-Cassidy Healthcare Bill Revision
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-Brooklyn) responded to the most recent revision to the Graham-Cassidy Health care bill yesterday.
The newest revision of the Graham-Cassidy bill, announced yesterday, includes increased federal funding to Alaska, Maine, Louisiana, Arizona and Kentucky, states represented by Senators still on the fence about the new piece of legislation.
The bill is being pushed as the latest effort to repeal and replace Obamacare and would block-grant federal health care funding to the states which will include changes to Medicaid expansion, tax credits, employer mandates and cost-sharing subsidies and will allow states to ease coverage requirements.
The deadline for the bill is Sept. 30, the last day in which Republicans can pass a repeal bill with only 50 votes, instead of the necessary 60, due to special budget rules. If the legislation were to get 50 votes, Vice President Mike Pence is expected to break a tie in favor of the bill.
“It appears that the authors of the legislation have tweaked the bill in an attempt to gain the support of the holdouts. Despite sending more money to the states of those members, this new bill, if anything, is worse in many ways than before and in the long run will STILL result in a net cut for every state in our country,” said Schumer.
Fed Lawmakers Praise Cuomo’s Empire State Relief & Recovery Effort
Assembly member Maritza Davila (D-D-Bushwick, Williamsburg) and Senator Martin Malave Dilan (D-Bushwick, East New York, Ocean Hill/Brownsville) praised Governor Andrew Cuomo‘s Empire State Relief and Recovery Effort for Puerto Rico on Monday.
Following a visit to Puerto Rico to deliver emergency supplies and see firsthand the widespread damage and devastation from Hurricane Maria, Cuomo launched the effort. The response brings together civic, business and industry partners to provide needed services, goods and funds to help the people of Puerto Rico during their recovery efforts. The initiative also serves to recover and rebuild the devastated island as well as providing opportunities for New Yorkers to contribute to the relief efforts.
Puerto Rican is currently suffering for a mass power outage across the country including contaminated water and lack of communication services. The small Caribbean nation was devastated by Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 Storm, just last week.
“New Yorkers stand together when faced with adversity, and while our friends and families are struggling to pick up the pieces in Puerto Rico, we will not stand idly by. I encourage our communities to support the Governor’s relief and recovery effort to save the lives of Puerto Ricans by making donations, volunteering, or providing nonperishable items to one of many drop locations across the state,” said Davila.
“The storm has passed, but the true impact of Maria has yet to be seen. There is no shortage of issues to compound the impact of the storm and recovery. What we see today, is that a shortage of people ready and willing to help their fellow Puertorriqueños, is not one of them,” said Dilan.
