Clarke congratulates Black women receiving Presidential Medal of Freedom
U.S. Reps Yvette D. Clarke (D-Brooklyn), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) and Robin Kelly (D-IL), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, yesterday issued the following statement congratulating Sandra Lindsay, Simone Biles, and Diane Nash – the three Black women granted Presidential Medals of Freedom on July 7.
Lindsay is a New York critical care nurse who served on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Biles is the most decorated American gymnast in history. Nash is a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee who organized some of the most important civil rights campaigns of the 20th century.
“Late last week, President Biden bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the United States’ highest civilian honor – upon seventeen of our nation’s most deserving, most exceptional individuals. Among this year’s honorees were three truly trailblazing Black women. In their hearts, they are a nurse, an athlete, and an activist; yet each of these women has surpassed every blueprint and every expectation to rise above and earn this sacred recognition through nothing but their extraordinary lives and will to persist,” said the co-chairs.
“We, the co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, congratulate Sandra Lindsay, Simone Biles, and Diane Nash – not only on receiving this incredible honor, but for every achievement along the way that delivered them to this day. They may hail from distinct backgrounds and generations, but each share the unique story that is Black excellence. For their ceaseless commitment to redefining possibilities, may our nation continue to honor them long into tomorrow.”
Maloney Introduces legislation to combat politicization of U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn), chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, yesterday introduced the Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act to enhance the institutional independence of the Census Bureau and to improve its operations.
“The census is a foundation of American democracy, and it must be protected from partisan interference. The American people saw firsthand how the Trump Administration tried to weaponize the Census Bureau to tip the scales in favor of one political party. From the illegal effort to add a citizenship question to the unconstitutional attempt to exclude millions of immigrants from the apportionment count, it is clear that we need stronger laws to protect the census from political meddling,” said Maloney. “The Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act is a commonsense bill to safeguard the integrity and independence of the Census Bureau.”
The decennial census of people living in the United States is required by the Constitution. The data collected through the Census affects the distribution of more than $1.5 trillion dollars in federal funding, apportionment in the House of Representatives, and public and private sector services across the country.
The Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act enhances the independence of the U.S. Census Bureau and protects it from partisan manipulation. Maloney’s bill would prevent the removal of a Census Bureau Director without just cause, provide transparency into the projected resource needs of the Census Bureau, and ensure that any new questions added to a decennial census are vigorously researched and tested.
AM Zinerman hosts public forum on equitable housing in Bed-Stuy & Crown Heights
Assembly Member Stefani L. Zinerman (D-Brooklyn) has invited leaders, advocates and experts to share information on housing for NYCHA residents, tenants living in regulated and unregulated housing, as well as future homeowners and current homeowners and landlords.
The public forum comes as housing in the 56th Assembly District is increasingly unaffordable and homeownership more unattainable for locals. This forum will not only share resources with district residents but will also provide a space for attendees to share their ideas and needs.
The following sessions will take place:
NYCHA Residents – Blueprint for Change and Public Trust
TENANTS – Housing Preservation & Development, Association Neighborhood Housing Dev, Bridge Street Development Corp
State Housing – Housing & Committee Renewal
The event is slated for between 6-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 13 at Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street in Brooklyn.
Addabbo, Ariola team up for free rain barrel giveaway
State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Queens) is partnering with City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for another rain barrel giveaway event in Howard Beach later this month.
DEP has allotted only 50 rain barrels for this event, so if you want to guarantee that you receive a barrel, you must register through Addabbo’s office. Those who register will get to pick up their rain barrels between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. Then, from noon to 1 p.m., if there are any leftover barrels, they will be given away to anyone who did not register on a first-come first-served basis.
“After a successful giveaway event in Glendale back in May, I am happy to bring another Rain Barrel Giveaway to Howard Beach,” Addabbo said. “The last event was so popular that we had to turn away registrants because we filled the 50-barrel quota in just a few short days. That goes to show the usefulness of these barrels. By storing rain water in the barrels, people can use that to water their gardens or wash their car instead of using the tap from the house. This not only saves money on their water bills, but it is environmentally friendly as well.”
The rain barrels that will be given away are 55-gallon plastic barrels that attach to a rain gutter to collect and store excess water during periods of rainfall. That rainwater can then later be used to complete tasks around the house and outdoors, rather than using fresh water.
“Rain barrels can help to take some of the pressure off of our local sewer systems when it rains, and as many of our constituents know, those systems are especially prone to flooding and backups any time we get a storm” Ariola said. “Not only that, but these barrels also can help homeowners to save on water bills by providing an environmentally-friendly alternative to using municipal water sources. Really these are a win-win for all, and I hope everyone takes advantage of the program.”
The event is slated for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, June 16. Residents who register with Addabbo’s office for the event will be able to collect their free rain barrel at the New York Families for Autistic Children (NYFAC) building, located at 164-14 Cross Bay Boulevard in Howard Beach, Queens.
To register for a free rain barrel, call Addabbo’s office at 718-738-1111 and leave your first and last name, and a phone number.
