AOC Hosts Town Hall in The Bronx
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Bronx, Queens) tomorrow will host her monthly town hall for constituents of New York’s 14th Congressional District.
The Congresswoman will provide an update on her office’s casework in the district and legislative action in D.C. She will also take questions from constituents. Attendees are required to wear masks for the safety of young children and our immunocompromised neighbors.
The town hall is slated for 6 p.m., Thursday, March 24 at St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1891 McGraw Avenue in the Bronx. Those who can’t attend in person are invited to view the town hall live on the @RepAOC Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts.
Stavisky, Kaplan Brings Renowned “Courage to Remember” Holocaust Exhibition to the New York State Capital
State Senators Anna Kaplan (D-Long Island) and Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Queens) joined forces to bring the the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s renowned “Courage to Remember” Holocaust Exhibition at the New York State Capitol in Albany.
“Courage to Remember” is a 40-panel traveling exhibition designed to educate its audience on the true horrors that took place during the Holocaust.
“The lessons of the Holocaust are more important today than ever before, as we all watch in horror as a peaceful European nation is invaded under false pretenses, and cynically using Holocaust misinformation as an excuse to do so. It’s critical that we know our history, that we learn from it, and that we ensure that “never again” isn’t just a saying, but something we work to deliver. That’s why I asked the Simon Wiesenthal Center to bring the “Courage to Remember” exhibition to Albany, so that everyone here can take it in and learn about this vital history, and so that we can continue to have this important dialogue around the issue of Holocaust education and how we’re failing to properly teach this history here in New York,” said Kaplan.
“Philosopher George Santayana famously wrote ‘those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,’ says Senator Stavisky. “We are seeing this in our country as anti-Semitic and anti-Asian violence surge, and we are seeing it overseas as tragedy unfolds in Ukraine and Putin’s excuse is denazification. I firmly believe that education is the response. Having the courage to remember is the first step toward silencing Holocaust deniers. The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s exhibit is as powerful as it is necessary, and I thank them for sharing it with New Yorkers.”
The exhibition will be on display in the Legislative Office Building in Albany through Friday, March 25th.
Maloney Presses Archivist to Recognize ERA as 28th Amendment
U.S. Rep. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn), chairwoman of the Oversight and Reform Committee, recently sent a letter to Archivist of the United States David Ferriero, urging him to carry out his statutory duty to certify and publish the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as the 28th Amendment to the Constitution on the 50th Anniversary of its passing.
“On the anniversary of a historic step towards equality in our country, I am writing to share new legal analyses from leading constitutional experts Laurence Tribe and Senator Russ Feingold, which confirm the ERA is ‘currently a valid part of the United States Constitution,’ and state that you, as Archivist of the United States, ‘can and should certify and publish the ERA as the 28th Amendment to the Constitution without delay,’” wrote Maloney.
Maloney’s letter includes new analyses from prominent legal scholar Laurence Tribe, the Carl M. Loeb University Professor Emeritus of Constitutional Law at Harvard Law School, as well as Senator Russ Feingold, President of the American Constitution Society and former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution.
CMs La Rosa, Hudson Call on State to Pass & Fund Fair Pay for Home Care
City Council Members Carmen De La Rosa (D-Manhattan) and Crystal Hudson (D-Brooklyn) yesterday – chair and a members of the Civil Service and Labor Committee, heard and passed a City Council Resolution yesterday calling on Governor Hochul and the state legislature to pass the Fair Pay for Home Care Act (S.5374-A/A.6374).
This legislation would raise home care wages to 150% of the minimum wage, making their hourly wage floor between $19.80 and $22.50 in New York. Prior to its passage the committee hearing examined the current state of conditions, wages, and benefits for home health care workers in New York City, explored recommendations from advocates, and centered workers’ testimony.
“Our home health care workers are essential. It it imperative that we work together to protect and prioritize the wellbeing, and dignity of our home health care workers, our elderly population, and our disabled population alike. It is time that we invest in the home care workforce to ensure that these workers earn wages that properly compensate them for the skilled and important work they do.” said Rosa. “My mother was a home health care worker for over 25 years and today is her birthday. I call on Governor Hochul to fully fund and include the Fair Pay for Home Care Act in her budget.”
“Our home care workers deserve the same care they give to our loved ones. We’ve asked them to commute long hours, skip family events, and work grueling hours to keep older adults and people with disabilities safe and healthy. We owe it to them—a majority of whom are women of color and immigrants—to pay a fair, living wage. We won’t address the growing home care worker shortage in New York (the worst in the country) unless we do,” said Hudson.
Addabbo Co-Sponsors Legislative Package Dealing With Increase of Helicopters Flying
State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr.’s (D-Queens) yesterday announced he is co-sponsoring four pieces of legislation aimed at regulating helicopters in the state.
The measures come as constituents have been dealing with an increase in helicopter activity over the last few years. While aircraft noise is expected in areas neighboring an airport, the introduction of Uber Copter in 2019 — an initiative by the ride-sharing company Uber to offer helicopter rides between Manhattan and JFK International Airport — has increased the number of helicopters flying over residential neighborhoods leading to more noise and air pollution in those communities.
“I’ve heard from many frustrated constituents asking if we can do anything about the growing helicopter noise in their communities,” Addabbo said. “While much of the responsibility to regulate aircraft falls to the federal government through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), there are steps we can take on the State level related to the operation of helicopters within New York.”
Malliotakis Announces Winners of 2021 Presidents’ Day Essay Contest
U.S Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island, Brooklyn) yesterday announced the winners of her 2021 Presidents’ Day Essay contest.
Staten Island and Brooklyn elementary school students in grades three through five were invited to participate and write essays about what they would do to improve their community if they were President of the United States.
“My office received over 250 submissions to our Presidents’ Day Essay Contest, each one more than deserving of recognition for their ideas on how to make our community and country better places to live, work, and play,” said Malliotakis. “This year’s winners proposed everything from lifting mask and vaccine mandates, cleaning our streets and planting community gardens, improving public transportation to making every Friday Ice Cream Day. I’m truly excited to meet some of these future leaders and discuss their ideas – they should all be extremely proud of their work.”
STATEN ISLAND WINNERS:
3RD GRADE:
1st place: Juliana Melisi – Our Lady Queen of Peace
2nd place: Charles De Luca – P.S. 42
4TH GRADE:
1st place: Violet Auer – Petrides School
2nd place: Anthony Taormina – Our Lady Star of the Sea
5TH GRADE:
1st place: Lauren Hachemeister – P.S. 29
2nd place: Andrew Jichetti – Our Lady Star of the Sea
BROOKLYN WINNERS:
3RD GRADE:
1st place: Abigal Chan – P.S. 102
2nd place: Dinah Slepovitch – Big Apple Academy
4TH GRADE:
1st place: Jason Song – P.S. 229
2nd place: Layla Abuelkhir – P.S. 264
5TH GRADE:
1st place: Luca Padormo – St. Bernadette’s Catholic Academy
2nd place: Peter Ciaccia – St. Bernadette’s Catholic Academy
Contest winners received gift cards to Barnes & Noble and will be invited to participate in a reception to meet the Congresswoman at her Staten Island and Brooklyn District Offices.
