Meng To Introduce Legislation To Stop Trump From Declaring National Emergency For Wall
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Bayside, Flushing, Forest Hills, Fresh Meadows, Glendale, Kew Gardens, Maspeth, Middle Village, Rego Park) today will introduce legislation that seeks to stop President Trump from declaring a national emergency so that he can build his border wall.
The “No Walls Act” would prohibit the construction of barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border if national emergencies are declared during government shutdowns. Under the measure, barriers would include fences, walls and steel slats.
“It is unconscionable that President Trump is threatening to side-step Congress and declare a fake national emergency in order to build his wall, as funding for the government and more than 800,000 federal workers hangs in the balance,” said Meng. “We must send a clear message to the President that creating this type of manufactured emergency for the sole purpose of securing an unrealistic campaign promise is unacceptable. There can be legitimate national emergencies. Federal agencies can construct authorized border barriers. But the President can’t just refuse to fund the government, say ‘EMERGENCY!!!’ and get whatever political wish he desires. That’s not how the Constitution works. The passage of my legislation would ensure that this outrageous abuse of power does not happen, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it.”
Ulrich Calls On De Blasio To Stay Focused On NYC
City Councilman and candidate for Public Advocate Eric Ulrich (R-Belle Harbor, Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Neponsit, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Rockaway Park, Roxbury, South Ozone Park, West Hamilton Beach, Woodhaven) yesterday reacted to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s state of the city address by calling on the Mayor to actually address the needs of the 8.5 million New Yorkers he leads, rather than thinking about the 2020 Iowa Caucuses.
“Today’s speech should have been titled the – State of My Presidential Campaign – rather than the State of the City,” said Ulrich, “The mayor has been sprinkling buzzwords and programs for a few days now, leaking information to national press who aren’t focused on his mismanagement the concerns of New Yorkers, all to avoid local scrutiny of New Yorkers who are suffering from his lack of attention.”
Ulrich alleged that, “Obviously, the mayor is seeking the unbridled support of the socialist wing of the Democratic Party.”
Among the Mayor’s recent announcements that Ulrich criticized included:
- HHC Mandate to give healthcare for all: The announced he would add to HHC’s burdens without explaining how he would pay for it, or how HHC can actually handle the added patients.
- Business Mandates: Mandatory paid vacation for workers – despite the job killing impact it will have the Mayor wants to legislate benefits on small businesses and over regulate them.
- More Bureaucracy: Create a new repetitive tenant bureaucracy and add a new workers rights bureaucracy, all to address matters that the City Council has addressed, or that numerous state agencies already handle.
“It’s time for the Mayor to do his actual job and run the city,” said Ulrich, “if he wants to moonlight as a ‘Professor of Government Waste’ he should do so on his own time. As Public Advocate, I’m going to hold him accountable to the people of this city for things that occur in this city.”
Miller To Carry De Blasio’s “Retirement Security for All” Legislation
City Council Members I. Daneek Miller (D-Cambria Heights, Hollis, Jamaica, Jamaica Estates, Laurelton, Queens Village, Springfield Gardens, St. Albans) and Ben Kallos (D-Manhattan) announced yesterday they will re-introduce“Retirement Security for All” legislation, which would allow the city to manage Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) for private sector employees working for businesses with five or more employees.
New York State Attorney General and then Public Advocate Letitia James first authored the legislation in 2015. However, it would need some state and federal approvals allowing a municipality to hold and invest a non-government worker’s savings.
In New York City, two-thirds of workers, more than 2 million people in 2009, did not participate in employer-sponsored retirement plans, largely because their employer didn’t offer one, according to a 2011 report by Comptroller John Liu.
More than one-third of households lead by a member who will become a senior citizen in the next decade will either be unable to retire or have to live on entirely or primarily on Social Security Income, according to the same report. The National Institute on Retirement Security predicts a United States retirement saving deficit of as much as $14 trillion.
“Too few Americans lack the means or direction to adequately plan for their retirement,” said Miller, Chair of the Committee on Civil Service and Labor. “We all recognized this deficiency several years ago, and dared to act boldly to provide the infrastructure necessary to help nearly half of our City’s private workforce members lay a foundation for a more stable future.
“The prospects of our Retirement Security for All initiative seemed to dim after a hostile federal government assumed by Republicans passed resolutions intended to extinguish this very proposal, but the tide has turned, and the dawn of a friendly State Legislature and Congress is upon us. I thank Mayor de Blasio for his leadership in confronting this maligned Administration in Washington in order to fulfill this worthy goal. Council Member Kallos and I look forward to working with him in the days ahead to make the principle of Retirement Security for All New Yorkers a reality.”
Constantinides Sets Date for His 2019 State of the District Address
City Council Member Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria, East Elmhurst, parts of Long Island City, Woodside ) at the end of this month will deliver his 2019 State of the District address.
The speech will outline policy and budget initiatives for western Queens in the new year. The Council Member will also recap victories for the community in 2018.
The speech is slated for 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 31 at P.S. 2 — The Alfred Zimberg School, 75-10 21st Avenue in East Elmhurst.
