The people of New York’s 20th District deserve representatives in Washington that are honest, accessible, and accountable for their actions. Since my first day in office, I have worked to restore openness and transparency in our government by leading by example. That is why I have voluntarily made my daily schedule available to the public where you can keep track of who I am meeting with and the projects I am working on.
Full disclosure is a priority for me, and that is why I have also posted all of my Appropriations and Transportation and Infrastructure funding requests online for the public to see. I have always advocated for greater scrutiny of government spending, and this is just one way the people of the 20th District can help ensure that your tax dollars are responsibly invested.
I also recognize that I am better able to represent you when I hear from you directly. That is why I am committed to giving every constituent as many ways as possible to communicate with me. I have visited 50 towns so far this year, and have met with constituents in all 10 counties I represent. I hope you will take the time to send me a letter or email, call or visit one of my offices, or participate in a Congress-On-Your-Corner event. Your input is important to me and helps me to better understand how policies in Washington impact our communities right here in Upstate New York.
I am proud to fight for openness and transparency in Washington, and I invite you to join my effort to restore accountability to Congress.
Sincerely,
Sunlight Report
Sunlight Report for Monday, November 23rd
- Congress is in recess
- No publicly scheduled meetings or events today
Sunlight Report for Friday, November 20th
- Met with Tom Hoy, Chairman, President and CEO of Glens Falls National Bank
- Volunteered with family and staff at the Saratoga Economic Opportunity Council Soup Kitchen in Saratoga Springs
- Hosted a Congress-On-Your-Corner at the Burger Den in Jackson
- Hosted a Congress-On-Your-Corner at the Hebron Volunteer Fire Company Meeting Hall
Transportation and Infrastructure Requests
America’s highway, mass transit, and surface transportation policies are governed by multi-year authorization bills passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is currently crafting new surface transportation legislation to replace P.L. 109-59, The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), which expires on September 30, 2009. The new five-year authorization legislation would set transportation policy, as well as the funding formulas used to allocate transportation dollars to the states and local communities.
Under the current law, the U.S. Department of Transportation, states, metropolitan planning organizations, and public transit agencies are responsible for the vast majority of surface transportation investment decisions. Although the current federal-state-local partnership has served highway and transit systems well, not all communities are treated equally in the decision-making process.
To complement the work done by these agencies, and to ensure that all communities are full partners in these important programs, a small percentage of the overall investments in the authorization will be available for Members of Congress to designate as High Priority Projects (HPP). As a result, Members of Congress have the opportunity to provide the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with a list of projects that they believe would result in tangible transportation and safety benefits in their districts. Each of these projects must meet all eligibility criteria under Title 23 (Highways) or Chapter 53 of Title 49 (Public Transit) of the US Code to ensure compliance with the highway and transit program objectives.
As your congressman, I am committed to working hard for Upstate New York. Part of my efforts includes advocating for transportation projects that will benefit our economy, improve safety, and protect our environment. In doing so, my staff and I closely scrutinize every transportation request that my office receives to ensure that it is a responsible use of taxpayer dollars. The congressional approval process is competitive; I do not submit all the requests I receive, and not every project I submit for approval is ultimately funded. My goal is to identify and support, to the best of my ability, those projects that would benefit New York’s 20th Congressional District.
Every project I submitted to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee can be found here on my website.
Appropriations Requests
Each year, Congress must pass legislation known as “appropriations bills,” or funding bills that keep our government operating and support the important services provided by the federal government. As part of this process, Members of Congress are able to request that a portion of the overall spending be directed to a specific program or project approved by Congress and signed into law by the President – a process that is often referred to as “earmarking.”
Over the last few years, this process has come under considerable scrutiny – and rightfully so. We are all aware of past examples of earmarked projects that have raised significant questions about the appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. As a result, the 111th Congress has taken important steps to reform the process, introduce transparency, and ensure the responsible use of tax dollars. Members of Congress are now required to post their appropriations requests online. In addition, Members are required to submit a signed letter that certifies that neither the member nor his or her spouse will benefit financially from the successful approval of the project.
I am committed to upholding an office of transparency and accountability, and I will continue to work with President Obama and my colleagues in Congress to bring more openness and transparency to government.
New Yorkers already pay more in taxes than they get back. As long as the process is in place, I will not forfeit my ability to advocate for the needs of our communities. I will, however, assure you that my efforts will focus on projects that improve public health and welfare and bolster economic development and job growth in the Twentieth District. In order to achieve these goals, my staff and I review every appropriations request my office receives to ensure it is a responsible use of taxpayer dollars. Please know that the congressional approval process is competitive; I do not submit all the requests that I receive, and not every project I submit for Congressional approval is ultimately funded. My goal is to identify and support those projects that I believe will provide the most benefit to the Twentieth District of New York.
Every project I submitted to the Appropriations Committee can be found here on my website.
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