Levine Bids Goodbye to Oxiris Barbot
Councilmember Mark Levine (D-Manhattan Valley, Manhattanville) released a statement yesterday after receiving news of the resignation of NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot.
Barbot submitted her resignation to her staff earlier that day, although her letter did not provide a reason for her resignation. She wrote that it was an honor to serve, and that she will continue dedicating herself to the City’s health.
“The departure of Dr. Oxiris Barbot is a grave blow to the fight for public health here,” said Levine. “Dr. Barbot has stood up fearlessly and consistently on behalf of science, no matter how strong the opposition. Her loss is a major setback in our fight against the pandemic.
“New York City is fortunate to have had a leader of the caliber of Dr. Barbot at the helm of the Health Department for the first six months of this crisis. I have been honored to work with her, and wish her much success.”
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $12 Million in Funding for COVID-19 Testing
Yesterday, U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D) announced an additional $12 million in federal funding for COVID-19 testing across New York State.
The funding was allocated by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) via the Expanding Capacity for Coronavirus Testing (ECT) program, which seeks to help health centers respond to and contain the coronavirus in their communities.
“As New York rebuilds and recovers from this unprecedented health and economic crisis, it’s imperative that hospitals and health centers have the resources they need to execute an aggressive testing strategy to keep the virus at bay,” said Schumer. “This federal funding does just that by increasing the testing capacity of hospitals and health centers across the state. I will continue to fight tooth and nail for the federal resources to keep our communities safe and to be proactive in the battle against COVID-19.”
Maloney Applauds Court Decision on Un-Postmarked Ballots
U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens) released a statement yesterday following a ruling from United States District Judge Analisa Torres on the validity of un-postmarked ballots.
Torres ruled that all ballots mailed on or before June 23 must be counted, including those that were delivered without a postmark.
“Weeks ago I called for all of these ballots to be counted,” said Maloney. “Although the number involved cannot possibly affect the outcome of my primary election, which I won by a significant margin, I am happy that voters in my district will have their votes counted notwithstanding the Postal Services mistake.”
Krueger to Host Town Hall on Ageism and Ableism
Tomorrow, State Senator Liz Krueger (D-Upper East Side, Lenox Hill) will host a meeting on ageism and ableism in the COVID-19 era.
Krueger argues that the threat of infection is causing us to discriminate against the elderly and disabled. The forum will go over what we can do to help these marginalized groups. Joining Krueger will be Slatin Group Founder Peter Slatin and ageism expert Ashton Applewhite.
The event will take place tomorrow from 7-8 p.m. on facebook.com/statesenatorlizkrueger. To register, click here.
