BK Lawmakers Blasts Trump Administration’s Attempt to Block U.N. Breastfeeding Resolution
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and City Council member Robert Cornegy, Jr. (D-Bedford-Stuyvesant, Northern Crown Heights) denounced the Trump’s administration’s threats against a United Nations resolution aimed at supporting breastfeeding this week.
Last week, the United States turned to threats at the World Health Assembly as Ecuador was expected to introduce a breastfeeding resolution. However, the U.S. warned that if the country went through with introducing the measure, it would cut military aid and implement punitive trade measures, according to the New York Times.
The resolution holds that breastfeeding is the healthiest option for young children, and pushes countries to limit the spread of inaccurate information about breast milk substitutes. However, just yesterday, President Donald Trump came out in support of the measure, claiming the threats were never made and the country is a strong advocate of the right of women to feed their children breast milk.
“”The failing NY Times Fake News story today about breastfeeding must be called out,” Trump tweeted. “The U.S. strongly supports breast feeding but we don’t believe women should be denied access to formula. Many women need this option because of malnutrition and poverty.”
“There’s nothing truly ‘pro-life’ about the Trump administration, as evidenced by their callous threats against basic support for breastfeeding. It is unconscionable to put the health of corporations over the health of children and their mothers. Furthermore, there is a strong connection between breastfeeding and infant mortality, a fact intimately felt by communities of color and families affected by poverty,” said Adams.
“We should be supporting all efforts to make breastfeeding easier and more accepted.We should not be bullying other countries and attempting to water down resolutions that would recognize the importance of breastfeeding for infants and would work against misleading attempts to sell substitutes for a mother’s milk,” said Maloney.
“Yet again, the Trump Administration has proved that corporate profits are more important than the well-being of the American people. As a husband and father of 6 children who has experienced firsthand the serious impediments nursing mothers face in safely and freely breastfeeding their children, I will not stand by while this administration puts billion-dollar companies’ profits ahead of the health of newborn babies and nursing moms,” said Cornegy.
Jeffries, Velazquez Call Out Deteriorating Conditions in NYC Public Housing
Congress members Hakeem Jeffries (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, East New York, Canarsie, Mill Basin, Coney Island, and South Ozone Park and Howard Beach in Queens) and Nydia Velazquez (D-Brooklyn, Queens, Lower Manhattan) alongside other members of the New York Congressional Democrats will join together today to demand bold federal intervention to the crisis sweeping public housing complexes in New York City and throughout the nation.
This month, the city Department of Health discovered that 820 children younger than 6 in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments were found to have elevated levels of lead in their blood between 2012 and 2016.
Young children are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead and can suffer profound and permanent adverse health effects, particularly affecting the development of the brain and nervous system. Lead also causes long-term harm in adults, including increased risk of high blood pressure and kidney damage.
The Brooklyn federal lawmakers will aggressively push for an all-hands-on-deck federal approach to bring about safer and healthy living conditions for the city’s public housing residents.
The event is slated for 11 a.m., today, July 10 on the Steps of City Hall in Lower Manhattan.
Deutsch Announces Major Funding For NYC Public Schools In District 48
City Council member Chaim Deutsch (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Midwood) announced major funding investments for New York City public schools across District 48 yesterday.
“School may be the furthest thing from our kids’ minds right now, but I’m happy to announce increased funds to nearly two dozen of our district’s elementary, middle, and high schools, including four District 75 schools for children with disabilities. Our children deserve to have access to the tools and resources that they need to succeed, and it is critical that we continue to provide that for our young people,” said Deutsch.
Over the course of the last several years Deutsch has been able to secure funding for essential capital investments at:
P.S. 52: The Sheepshead Bay School – $150,000
-For technology upgrades, smart boards and laptops
P.S. 100: The Coney Island School – $100,000
-For technology upgrades
P.S. 195: The Manhattan Beach School – $390,000
-For computer labs upgrades, technology upgrades and cultural programs
P.S. 197: Kings HIghway Academy – $618,127
-For technology upgrades including a sound system, smart boards and cameras
P.S. 199: The Frederick Wachtel School – $203,000
-For auditorium upgrades
P.S. 206: The Joseph Lamb School – $628,000
-For a library renovation, electrical wiring, auditorium upgrades and cultural programming
P.S. 209: The Margaret Mead School
-For an upgrade electrical system in the school auditorium
P.S. 253: The Magnet School of Multicultural Humanities – $164,000
-For cultural programming and electrical wiring upgrades
P.S. 254: The Dag Hammarskjold School – $684,000
-For technology upgrades, a sound system, restroom improvements and cultural programming
P.S. 255: The Barbara Reing School – $600,000
-For restroom upgrades and playground equipment
I.S. 14: The Shell Bank School – $303,000
-For cultural programming, accessibility ramp, restroom upgrades and computer lab
I.S. 98: The Bay Academy – $425,000
-For cultural programming, a dance studio, technology upgrades and restrooms
I.S. 234: Cunningham Junior High School – $495,000
-For media studio, fitness center and cultural programming
Leon Goldstein High School – $260,000
-For cultural programing and technology upgrades
Edward R. Murrow High School – $315,000
-To create a mock courtroom and TV studio
William R. Grady High School – $500,000
-For upgrades to a culinary arts kitchen and for new field lights
Origins High School – $90,000
-For mobile lab and technology upgrades
James Madison High School – $1,645,000
For a library upgrade, computer lab, auditorium upgrade, hallway resurfacing, and technology upgrades
P.S. 53K – District 75 – $100,000
-For technology upgrades
P.S. 370K: The Jim Thorpe School – District 75 – $250,000
-For technology upgrades and cultural programming
P.S. 771K @ 225K – District 75 – $250,000
-For technology upgrades, whiteboards, robotics and cultural programming
P.S. 811K: The Connie Lekas School – District 75 – $950,000
-For culinary jobs training center, technology upgrades, a garden, security cameras and cultural programming
Golden Honors 50th Anniversary of Popular Brooklyn Band
State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C-I, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach, Gravesend, Manhattan Beach) will honor the legacy of the Brooklyn-based band “Alive N Kickin” this week.
Golden will present a proclamation from the New York State Senate to Pepe Cardona, lead singer of the popular band in honor of their 50th Anniversary. The band will follow the ceremony with a live performance as part of the Marine Park Summer Concert series.
“Alive N Kickin” is best known for their #1 hit single “Tighter, Tighter”, which was written and produced by Tommy James of Tommy James and the Shondells. The song was released in May 1970 and stayed on the US chart for 16 weeks, selling over one million copies and receiving a gold disc awarded by the R.I.A.A.
The band was formed in 1968 by six teenagers including Sandy Toder and Pepe Cardona (vocals) Bruce Sudano (keyboards), Rich Luisi aka Woody Wilson (bass guitar), Dave Shearer (guitar), and Jeff Miller (drums). After becoming successful quickly, the group went on to break up quietly in 1971 but have since reunited with a new line up.
The event is slated for 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 11, at the of the popular band, at Marine Park (entrance at Fillmore Avenue and Madison Place).
Espinal Applauds Starbucks For Going Plastic Straw-Free
City Council member Rafael Espinal (D-Bushwick, Cypress Hills, East New York) applauded Starbucks for their recent announcement to phase out plastic straws in all of its stores by 2020.
On Monday, the coffee giant announced its plan to replace its current straw cups to “adult sippy cups” in a move to create recyclable and compostable cups around the world. The new cups will include a plastic strawless lid and when fully implemented is expected to save the company billions in plastic straws across its 28,000 stores worldwide.
In May, Espinal introduced legislation (Intro No. 936), a measure aimed at banning all non-biodegradable plastic straws and stirrers in New York City food service establishments. The bill is part of a nationwide movement to address the environmental impact of plastic, and follows similar bans in Seattle, Malibu, and Miami Beach. If passed, New York City would be the largest city to institute a ban of this type. Last month, advocates rallied at City Hall Park to support the bill and attended a public hearing in the Consumer Affairs Committee, giving testimony on the legislation.
“When it comes to protecting our planet, private corporations, government entities and individuals all must work together. Today, Starbucks shows us that it is not only possible, but also preferable, to run an environmentally-conscious business that takes into consideration its impact on the world around it,” said Espinal.
“This marks a huge step in our campaign and I am happy to see more companies step up as we continue to raise awareness of the large impact a small change– like skipping the straw– can have on our environment,” added Espinal.
