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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nFor the past two years under this Administration, the people\nin power have tried to convince us that the villain in the American story is\neach other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That is not our story. That is not who we are. I’m calling\non you to join me in the fight for a different American story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I believe in an America where the economy works for working\npeople. An America where health care is a fundamental right \u2013 not a privilege\nfor those who can afford it. An America where every parent can send their children\nto school without being haunted by the awful specter of another killing spree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I believe in an America where our daughters, sisters,\nmothers and grandmothers are respected. Where reproductive rights are\nguaranteed in every state in this land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I believe in an America where our democracy and its\ninstitutions are protected against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Where we\nare focused on making it easier for all eligible voters to cast a ballot, not\nharder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You won\u2019t hear Trump talk about this America, but that\u2019s the\nAmerica we believe in; the America I\u2019m ready to fight for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We have a long road ahead of us, but I know there\u2019s nothing\nwe can\u2019t do if we work together and fight for what\u2019s right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brindisi looking for ways to bring parties together, get things done for Upstate New York<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Congressman Anthony Brindisi welcomed Chief Master Sergeant\nJohn A. Jones as his guest to the State of the Union. Chief Jones is the\nSuperintendent of the 174th Maintenance Operations Flight, 174th Maintenance\nGroup in Syracuse and a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force\/Air National\nGuard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a member of the House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee,\nBrindisi is committed to supporting servicemembers and ensuring they have the\nsupport and resources they need when they return home from service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur most important duty as Americans is supporting the men\nand women who wear our country\u2019s uniform,\u201d said Brindisi. \u201cChief\nJones has dedicated his life to serving and protecting our country, and I\u2019m\nproud to have him as my guest at the State of the Union. I look forward to\nworking with him to find ways to support our servicemembers and veterans and\nensure they have the tools they need to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brindisi also announced he will sit with Congressman John\nKatko (NY-24) during the State of the Union address. Brindisi and Katko are\nboth part of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, a group of members\ncommitted to forming relationships across the aisle and finding common ground\non issues before Congress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cToo often, conversations in Washington are about who\u2019s\nright and who\u2019s wrong instead of how we can work together to solve\nproblems,\u201d said Brindisi. \u201cI came to Washington with a different approach.\nI\u2019m sitting with Congressman Katko during tonight’s State of the Union address\nand will be listening for areas where we can find common ground and work together\nto solve problems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTonight, I hope the president provides real solutions to\nthe issues I hear most from Upstate New Yorkers: fixing our broken health care\nsystem and protecting those with pre-existing conditions, creating good-paying\njobs, improving schools and technical training programs, and ensuring our\nveterans have the highest-quality care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere is so much work to do for our veterans, families,\nstudents and hardworking Upstate New Yorkers. I\u2019m ready to roll up my sleeves\nand get the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n During his first month in Congress, Brindisi has built a\nreputation as someone who reaches across the aisle to solve problems and hold\nCongress accountable. The first bill he co-sponsored was the No Budget No Pay Act<\/a> to stop members of Congress from\nbeing paid if they don\u2019t pass a budget and appropriations bills on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brindisi is also following through on his commitment to\ncommunicate directly with his constituents, holding his first congressional town hall<\/a> last month in\nBinghamton. He will hold one town hall each month in 2019, visiting all eight\ncounties in NY-22.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brindisi statement on State of the Union<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Congressman Anthony Brindisi (NY-22) released the following\nstatement after the State of the Union address:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI promised Upstate New Yorkers I would work with anyone to\nsolve problems and get things done for our state and our country. Tonight, the\npresident highlighted some areas where I hope we can find common ground.\nWorking together is the only way we can create good-paying jobs, lower the cost\nof prescription drugs, fix our crumbling infrastructure, and take care of our\nveterans. I will be the first one at the table, ready and willing, to work with\nanyone serious about getting things done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gillibrand issues statement on State of the Union Address<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following\nstatement in response to President Trump\u2019s State of the Union address: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPresident Trump has had years to bring this country\ntogether, but instead he has chosen to divide the country across every single\nline he can imagine. If President Trump wants to convince the country that he\nactually cares about bringing us together, then he can start by no longer using\ngovernment workers as political pawns, reuniting the families that his\nAdministration ripped apart at the border and stopping with political wedge\nissues like telling women they can\u2019t make their own health decisions in consultation\nwith their doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Miller: NYers cannot afford single-payer health care<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Assemblyman Brian Miller (R,I,C,Ref-New Hartford) expressed\nhis concerns over a potential single-payer health care system proposal that was\nheavily debated at the Joint Budget Conference Committee on Health. He said the\n$226 billion proposal would be paid for by imposing two new taxes on already\noverburdened working New Yorkers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe governor and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli this week\nannounced that the state budget is going to be short by more than $2 billion\nalready; how on earth can the state afford to implement a single-payer health\ncare system that could cost as much as $226 billion more? The hardworking\npeople of our state are already struggling to pay the highest taxes in the\nnation. It is unacceptable to ask them for more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though the exact cost of implementing a single-payer health\ncare program in New York remains unknown, studies on the issue have estimated\nit could cost anywhere between $225.1 billion (The Economic Analysis of the New York Health Act<\/a>) to $389.6\nbillion or more (The Price of Single Payer Health Care in New York<\/a>). The\nlegislation (A.4738 of 2017-18; awaiting 2019-20 bill number) creates two new\ntaxes to pay for the program, including a payroll tax on all working New\nYorkers (including those who are self-employed). This tax would increase based\non an individual\u2019s salary, and individual employees would be required to pay up\nto 20 percent of the tax themselves, with their employer paying the remaining\n80 percent (self-employed persons would pay 100 percent of the tax themselves).\nThe second new tax would be an additional income tax on interests, dividends\nand capital gains. The second tax would also apply to New Yorkers who are\nemployed out-of-state or by out-of-state employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is an issue that every New Yorker should be concerned\nabout because not only would it dramatically increase your tax burden, but it\ncould also compromise the quality of health care you would receive,\u201d Miller\nsaid. \u201cThis plan would replace existing federal options for New Yorkers on\nMedicare or those getting their health coverage through the Veterans\nAdministration with an unknown program. With the governor now proposing to\ncreate a commission on the topic, this is something the people of our state\nneed to be aware of.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/image001-2.jpg?resize=282%2C300&ssl=1\")
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