Today, on the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in ‘Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization’, which sharply restricted access to abortion nationwide, Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced that the New York State Department of Health and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene are investing $495,000 to expand theNew York City Abortion Access Hub’s referral network. The expansion will allow the Hub to connect callers with a broader network of abortion providers and support organizations outside the five boroughs, helping more people access reproductive health care regardless of where they live.
“As we commemorate four years since the Supreme Court’s disastrous Dobbs decision, New York is sending a clear message to the rest of the country: We’re not going to let Washington Republicans take us backwards,” Governor Hochul said.“Thanks to our support, we are expanding the reach of this vital resource so more people have access to safe reproductive health care.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani said,“Four years ago, the disastrous Dobbs decision stripped away a fundamental right and put reproductive health care out of reach for millions of Americans across this country. Since then, New York has led the fight to protect abortion care. On this anniversary, we are expanding the successful Abortion Access Hub so that anyone seeking care can more easily find it. Together with New York State, we are strengthening a lifeline that connects people to abortion care, medication, transportation, lodging and support. Because abortion is health care. And health care is a human right.”
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said,“New York State will continue to fight to protect access to abortion care and reproductive healthcare for anyone in need of these vital services, despite ongoing politically motivated efforts to remove these hard-fought rights. Our partnership with New York City and the expansion of the Abortion Access Hub enables New York State to further protect these fundamental rights and remain a safe harbor for anyone seeking care.”
Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga said,”The importance of safe, accessible abortion care cannot be overstated, especially as states across the country continue to attack reproductive freedom. The people most harmed by these restrictions are often those already facing the greatest barriers to care — including low-income communities and communities of color. This expansion will help ensure that thousands more people can access the services they need with dignity and support.”
New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin said,“Reproductive healthcare remains under attack across the country, but New York City and State are unwavering in our commitment to protecting and uplifting access to care for anyone in need. Despite robust protections, too many people still face barriers to care. On the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s disastrous Dobbs decision, I’m proud to work with our partners across the state to reduce the burden for more New Yorkers.”
New York State’s annual investment of $250,000 will support the Hub’s coordination with abortion providers outside New York City and organizations that assist patients with travel, financial support and lodging associated with obtaining care.
Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State has authorized millions of dollars to protect and expand access to reproductive health care. Through the Supplemental Abortion Provider Support Program and the Reproductive Freedom and Equity Grant Program, the state has provided funding to clinics and providers offering abortion and reproductive health services across New York.
NYC Abortion Access Hub
The NYC Abortion Access Hub is a confidential hotline that connects callers to abortion care and related services, including financial assistance, insurance enrollment, transportation and lodging. The Hub was launched in response to the Dobbs decision.
Since its launch, the Hub has answered more than 10,400 calls and nearly 5,000 live chat messages. More than half of callers seek medication abortion services, while one-quarter of calls come from outside New York state. Among out-of-state callers, the largest shares come from Florida (35 percent), Texas (27 percent) and Georgia (15 percent), where abortion access is heavily restricted.
Most callers are younger than 30 years old (60 percent). Nearly half identify as Latino (47 percent), nearly one-quarter identify as Black (24 percent), and most report annual household incomes below $25,000 (59 percent).
NYC Sexual Health Clinics
In addition to direct referrals to independent providers, the Hub connects callers toNYC Sexual Health Clinics, which offer no-cost medication abortion, contraception and on-site pregnancy testing at four sites. More than 60 percent of clinic patients receive same-day care, and services are provided regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. Additional services offered by the clinics include birth control, emergency contraception, pap smears, and onsite iron level tests for potential medication abortion patients.
The new partnership between State and City health departments will allow the Hub to engage a broader network of providers and expand referral options statewide.
Washington, DC —On the four-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Reproductive Freedom for All announces the launch of My Body. My Ballot., a $23.5 million campaign to mobilize voters, hold anti-abortion politicians accountable, and elect reproductive freedom champions in key races across the country in order to restore women’s reproductive freedom and rights.
At the center of this campaign is a simple truth: support for abortion access is popular across party lines – more popular than any individual politician or political party. As many voters turn away from Trump and the MAGA movement because of their continued attacks on abortion access, Reproductive Freedom for All is seizing the opportunity to elect pro-abortion candidates up and down the ballot.
The campaign marks Reproductive Freedom for All’s largest-ever midterm electoral program and will focus on persuading and mobilizing voters – including independents, soft Republicans, and split-ticket voters – whose support for abortion access puts them at odds with Trump and his endorsed candidates. It will deploy a layered strategy that includes on-the-ground organizing, research, digital engagement, and political accountability. The program will include deep investments in direct voter contact, including coordinated canvassing programs designed in direct partnership with specific campaigns. It will also include relational organizing training with our members, with priority investments across Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, California, and Georgia. Top-tier targets will include AZ-06, MI-07, and NV-03 congressional districts, alongside critical statewide races and ballot initiatives. The campaign will also include a national communications and digital program designed to reach voters across legacy media, podcasts, creator platforms, and social media ecosystems where public opinion and cultural conversation are increasingly shaped.
Four years after Dobbs, reproductive freedom remains one of the most salient issues in American politics. Anti-abortion politicians and extremists have made clear they will not stop at overturning Roe. They are attacking medication abortion, undermining emergency abortion care, defunding Planned Parenthood, gutting Medicaid, and pushing policies that raise costs for families already struggling to make ends meet. My Body. My Ballot. seizes on a critical political moment as divisions deepen within the Republican Party. As anti-abortion groups pressure the Trump administration to go even further, Republicans are caught between a radical anti-abortion movement demanding a nationwide ban and the 8 in 10 voters who support legal abortion and overwhelmingly oppose political interference in personal medical decisions.
“Abortion is popular – more popular than any individual politician. What’s not popular is Trump and the MAGA movement, who continue to lose voter support with every new attack on abortion access. Instead of lowering costs or helping families plan their futures, MAGA Republicans have advanced policies that make it harder for people to decide whether, when, and how to grow their families,” stated Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju.
“My Body. My Ballot. is about making sure every voter understands how the issues they care most about are connected: our bodies, our families, our health care, our economic security, and our freedom. We have the members, the political power, and the organizing infrastructure to turn outrage into action.
“Four years after Dobbs, abortion bans have created a dangerous and chaotic patchwork where access to care depends on where someone lives, how much money they have, and whether they can travel. Anti-abortion politicians created this crisis, and this November, Americans will make sure they are held accountable.”
Impact of Losing Reproductive Freedom
According to data compiled by314 Action, a national organization working to recruit, train and elect Democratic scientists across all levels of government, the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe four years ago has had significant impact on lives:
41 states have some form of an abortion ban in effect.
Miscarriage care is being directly impacted in hospitals. There’s been a 2.8% increase in miscarrying patients being sent home to ‘wait and see.’ There’s been a 2.2% decrease in medication management and a 13.8% increase in doctors only treating miscarriages with misoprostol, which isn’t the US standard of care and can cause longer, more painful miscarriages.
51 Planned Parenthoods were forced to close in 2025 alone (which impacts reproductive care beyond abortions).
There are more and morereports emerging about women dying due to lack of miscarriage care, because of doctors fearing prosecution for giving life-saving abortions. The exact number is obviously unknown due to HIPPA, fear of speaking out, and cross-state laws, but ProPublica has been doing an incredible investigative series.
OBGYNs are leaving states with abortion bans in mass exodus, which creates a gap in reproductive care for all—not just those who need an abortion.
Republicans are using the courts to try to make it illegal to ship safe medical abortion drugs like mifepristone.
“The full devastation and exact numbers of women harmed by this decision can’t fully be quantified for a range of reasons (including, as you mentioned, abusive relationships, lack of reporting from states with abortion bans, fear of speaking out, etc.)—but the damage that is documented show that women are at risk, no matter where they live. It’s why 314 Action is working to elect pro-choice doctors and scientists to office—to put healthcare back in the hands of the patients, not politicians,” the organization stated.
“Four years ago, the Supreme Court of the United States turned back time on one of the most fundamental rights in America—the freedom to choose. Today, in Donald Trump’s America, women are routinely denied access to reproductive healthcare for abortion, pregnancy complications or miscarriage. Post-Dobbs, women in every state are at risk because of this decision, even where abortion remains legal and protected.
“Reproductive healthcare isn’t a game, it’s life or death. Republicans are attacking reproductive healthcare at every level, which is why 314 Action is electing candidates at every level. This year, a record number of doctors and scientists have stepped up to run for office. In the face of these attacks, 314 Action’s mission remains crystal clear: elect pro-choice scientists and doctors to office who will place healthcare decisions back in the hands of patients.”
314 Action launched Guardians of Public Health in 2025 and is working to elect 100 new doctors, up and down the ballot and across the nation by 2030, raising and spending over $25 million in the effort.
Voters Support Reproductive Freedom
New polling by Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly known of NARAL Pro-Choice America, which has been advocating for women’s rights for 55 years), underscores the opportunity for its campaign. The research, conducted by Impact Research, surveyed likely voters in battleground U.S. House districts, including an oversample of voters who did not support Kamala Harris in 2024 but voted “yes” on abortion rights ballot measures statewide in Arizona, Michigan, and Nevada. The results show that voters overwhelmingly want lawmakers to protect reproductive health care—and that communicating clearly about politicians’ efforts to gut health care access, undermine medical privacy, and prioritize abortion restrictions over families’ needs can meaningfully move voters.
Eight in 10 voters surveyed said it is important for lawmakers to protect access to reproductive care, including 58% who said it is very important. Battleground voters also rejected additional abortion restrictions: Half said lawmakers should pass laws protecting abortion access nationwide.
Support for a nationwide abortion ban carries significant political consequences. More than 4 in 10 voters said a politician’s support for a nationwide abortion ban would be a total dealbreaker—placing it among the most disqualifying positions tested, alongside raising taxes on middle-class families and cutting Medicaid. After hearing messaging about attacks on health care access and privacy and politicians’ misplaced priorities, voters backed a generic Democratic congressional candidate by 12 points, 48% to 36%—a net five-point gain from the start of the poll (45% to 38%).
Reproductive Freedom for All’s National Week of Action
The campaign launch also kicks off Reproductive Freedom for All’s National Week of Action, running June 22–28, with events across the country designed to educate voters, train volunteers, elevate storytellers, and drive direct action in target states and districts. The week will feature 11 in-person events across our chapter states, alongside 12 national activations — including multiple phone banking actions and shifts, as well as a national text bank.
Key components of the campaign include:
● A national organizing program powered by members: Reproductive Freedom for All will activate its 4.5 million members nationwide to grow its volunteer leadership infrastructure and launch direct voter contact and visibility events in priority districts and regions. The campaign will span canvases across our chapter states — including cities like Phoenix, Tucson, Bakersfield, and Savannah — alongside Pride marches, rallies, community roundtables, and press conferences with elected leaders and stakeholders. It will also feature multi-day phone banks at both the in-person and virtual levels.
● Direct voter contact in priority states and districts: The program will include deep investments in direct voter contact, including coordinated canvassing programs designed in direct partnership with specific campaigns. It will persuade and mobilize voters – including independents, soft Republicans, and split-ticket voters – whose support for abortion access puts them at odds with Trump and his endorsed candidates. The program will also include relational organizing training with our members, with priority investments across Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, California, and Georgia. Top-tier targets will include AZ-06, MI-07, and NV-03 congressional districts, alongside critical statewide races and ballot initiatives.
● Research-backed messaging on freedom, care, and economic security: The campaign will use Reproductive Freedom for All’s latest research to connect abortion access to the economic pressures families are already facing, including the reality that deciding whether to have a child is one of the biggest economic decisions a person can make. Campaign messaging will also educate voters on threats to medication abortion, emergency care, health privacy, and access to reproductive health care nationwide.
● Candidate endorsements and accountability: Reproductive Freedom for All will endorse reproductive freedom champions and hold anti-abortion politicians accountable for their records, including those aligned with anti-abortion groups pushing the Trump administration to restrict access even further. The campaign will make clear who is working to protect abortion access—and who is working to push care further out of reach.
● State ballot measures. Reproductive Freedom for All will support ballot measure work in Virginia, Missouri, and Nevada, as part of a broader strategy to engage voters around reproductive freedom up and down the ballot. This work will connect ballot measure engagement to the campaign’s broader voter contact, persuasion, and turnout strategy.
● Digital and creator program to mobilize voters: Reproductive Freedom for All will run a comprehensive digital program across social media, podcast platforms, creator partnerships, paid digital, email, SMS, and rapid-response content. The creator strategy will go beyond paid amplification by partnering with trusted messengers, independent creators, storytellers, and issue-adjacent voices who can authentically reach persuadable audiences and encourage voter engagement.
The campaign builds on Reproductive Freedom for All’s latest research, which connects reproductive freedom to economic security and the freedom to decide whether, when, and how to grow a family. That research will inform the campaign’s ads, field scripts, digital content, volunteer trainings, and voter conversations—including outreach to independent and soft Republican voters who are frustrated by rising costs and alarmed by continued attacks on abortion access.
For over 55 years, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for everybody. Reproductive Freedom for All is powered by its more than 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.
KINGS POINT, N.Y., June 22, 2026 — The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) today graduated 188 new merchant marine and military officers during its 90th commencement ceremony.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy, whose department oversees the Academy, one of the Nation’s five service academies, introduced the keynote speaker, U.S. Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll.
In his introduction, Rear Admiral Tony Ceraolo, USMS, Superintendent, called Secretary Duffy “the most Kings Point–loving secretary of transportation in the history of secretaries of transportation.” He added, “In my career, I have never known another secretary of transportation who has been as invested in the United States Merchant Marine Academy as you have been. Your passion for this place and for these midshipmen is felt across our entire community, from the regiment to the faculty and staff to our alumni and supporters around the country.”
Duffy underscored the significance of the moment while addressing the graduating class and introducing the keynote speaker, saying, “This is a special moment in our nation’s 250th year, and you are stepping forward at a time when duty will call and America will ask more of you. I have come to deeply appreciate the grit, patriotism and honor of the midshipmen here, and I am committed to matching your dedication with my own.”
Driscoll delivered the commencement address to the Class of 2026 before an audience of more than 3,000 family members, friends, alumni and representatives from the federal government, U.S. military and maritime industry.
Driscoll emphasized the enduring partnership between the Army and the Merchant Marine, both of which predate the Nation itself, as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, saying, “Two days before the Army was officially established on June 14, 1775, a group of local fishermen and sailors in Maine armed themselves with axes and muskets, inspired by Lexington and Concord. They commandeered ships and chased down a British schooner. They boarded her and captured warships of the most powerful navy at the time.
“For the rest of the American Revolution, merchant mariners harassed British supply lines and enabled our Army to win. That was the birth of the United States Merchant Marine in fire and fury and revolution.
“Just eight days ago, the United States Army celebrated its 251st birthday, which is also a celebration of our shared heritage, because our two institutions have been inextricably linked for over 250 years.
“The Army was built to win our nation’s wars, and the Merchant Marine was built to ensure we actually get to the battlefield and then sustain the fight once we’re there. In every single major conflict abroad, sealift has delivered Army heavy metal to the fight — from the shores of Cuba and the Philippines, to the beaches of Normandy, the jungles of Vietnam and the deserts of the Middle East.
“The most powerful weapons do not simply appear on the battlefield. They are delivered by mariners. All of you on this field are what keep our Army and the joint force moving around the world, and you are more important now than ever before,” Secretary Driscoll said.
The Academy awarded each graduate a Bachelor of Science degree, a U.S. Coast Guard license as a merchant marine deck or engine officer, and a commission as an officer in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Rear Adm. Michael E. Platt, USCG, commander of the Coast Guard Northeast District, administered the Merchant Mariner Oath. Rear Adm. Benjamin Nicholson, USN, USMMA Class of 1993 and commander of the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, administered the oath of office for newly commissioned officers.
The Academy recognized its top academic graduates. Midshipman John Walter Smolenski, a maritime logistics and security major from Colonia, New Jersey, earned valedictorian honors with a 3.87 GPA. Midshipman Connor Conrad Crymes, a marine engineering systems major from Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, earned salutatorian honors with a 3.83 GPA. Each will sail on their license and serve a as an ensign in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
The USMMA requires more credit hours for a Baccalaureate degree than any other federal service academy – the equivalent of a Masters completed in three-years’ time. The challenging coursework is augmented by the Academy’s Sea Year, which affords midshipmen hands-on, real world experience aboard working commercial or military vessels sailing around the world.
At graduation, the Kings Pointers are awarded the Bachelor of Science degree, a U.S. Coast Guard license, a merchant mariner’s license and an officer’s commission in the U.S. armed forces of their choosing.
USMMA graduates are required to fulfill a service obligation following graduation. Graduates can choose to work five years in the U.S. maritime industry with eight years of service as an officer in any reserve unit of the Armed Forces, or five years on active duty.
Grace Marie Thomas of Brooklyn NY, with Rose, the service dog she trained, is congratulated by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy at the USMMA 90th commencement, Kings Point, Long Island, NY
U.S. Merchant Marine was founded in 1942 by President Franklin Roosevelt to staff the merchant marine vessels supplying the troops. The USMMA is the only one of the five federal service academies that flies the battle standard as part of its color Guard. USMMA’s battle standard has 142 emblazoned into it, commemorating and perpetuating the memory of 142 Cadet Midshipmen who lost their lives during World War II. Indeed, as part of their arduous training – the hardest of any service academy – every Kings Pointer spends a year at sea, often in the service of the military engaged in conflict, as during the Iraq War.
The United States Merchant Marine Academy, in Kings Point, Long Island, NY, is recognized as vital to national security and the economic prosperity: 95 percent of the world’s products are transported over water. The Academy educates and trains those who are vital to the effective operation of the nation’s merchant fleet for both commercial and military transport, in peace as well as in war. Merchant ships can be ordered into national service, delivering military troops, supplies and equipment overseas, and operating as an auxiliary unit of the Navy. Academy graduates abide by the motto: “Acta Non Verba,” or “Deeds Not Words,” and are trained to be leaders who exemplify the ideals of service-above-self.
They began coming at 2 a.m, 3 a.m., the numbers continue to swell until by 10 a.m., there were well over 2 million people lining Broadway and cramming the streets leading to it, dozens thick, to see their heroes, the 2026 NBA Champions, the New York Knicks. It was a historic outpouring for a historic team and an historic occasion – the team’s first NBA Championship in 53 years, but also, how they did it. Yes, in a comfortable 5, losing only game 3, but each game, coming from behind, as much as an unheard of 29 points – to win four of five in the last minutes, last minute, last seconds, last second.
The throngs who came, swelled with joy and pride, did what New Yorkers do best – come together. You might consider the strain on getting to the parade on crammed subways, blocked sidewalks so crowded you couldn’t walk in any direction. But New Yorkers are kind, considerate, good humored and resilient – they somehow opened up space to get through, found a space or something to climb up and stand on.
More than two million lined the Canyon of Heroes, from Battery Park to City Hall, with thousands more cramming sidestreets to the point of b =eing impassable. They waited for hours before the parade even started, cheering, “Knicks in Five,” and finding ways to amuse themselves – playing with a balloon and when a squirrel somehow made its way through the crowd and dashed across Broadway, sent up giddy cheers.
It was as Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at the “keys to the city” ceremony that followed the parade: “Over these past weeks, our city has come together as one… So often when this city comes together it is because we are forced to by tragedy or adversity. What a gift to be brought together by pure, unfiltered. of joy.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani rode the first float (shooting his own video with a broad smile) and other dignitaries like Governor Kathy Hochul and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. Celebrities rode along like the Knicks #1 Fan, Spike Lee who rode on Jalen Brunson’s float. Fans also got to see Knicks Legends Knicks including Patrick Ewing, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Carmelo Anthony, Bernard King, and John Starks.
The Knicks, themselves, were divided among several floats – or in Mitchell Robinson’s case, drove his own truck. Perhaps the biggest moment came when the undeniable MVP Jalen Brunson (he scored 45 of the Knicks’ 94 points in the series-clinching Game 5 in San Antonio), rode down next to his father, Rick Brunson, cradling his son’s MVP trophy. Rick Brunson was also a Knicks standout the last time New York reached the NBA Finals in 1999 before 2026 and became an assistant coach with the Knicks in 2022 the same year his son joined the team.
Just as the crowds waved signs, the people on the floats waved signs thanking fans for their support.
A mutual love fest. It was a celebration of community, with high school basketball champions, local school bands, the workers who make MSG run, and representatives of city departments participating.
People didn’t just hang out from windows in tall buildings, they stood out on ledges, threw what works as confetti and rolled out banners.
MTA Will Run Additional Subway Service on Match Days and to Free Fan Fest in Queens; Ample Service on LIRR and Metro-North for Fans to Connect to Matchday Shuttle Bus and Trains
Unprecedented Safety and Security Preparedness Effort Has Coordinated City and State Forces To Ensure Safety Throughout the Region During the Tournament
Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani today updated New Yorkers on regionwide transportation and safety preparations in advance of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With the first match at the NYNJ Stadium set just over a week away, New York is fully prepared to welcome over one million visitors to the city and to ensure they can travel safely to matches and throughout the region. Working across government, transportation and public safety, planning efforts have been underway for over a year. The MTA is fully prepared to handle additional transit needs throughout the tournament for matchgoing fans and New Yorkers alike, with extra subway service planned on strategic lines and a full deployment of customer ambassadors to assist fans making connections to the matches via shuttle bus or train.
“New York’s transit system safely and reliably moves millions every day, and we are ready to shine on the world stage,” Governor Hochul said. “The World Cup will be a once-in-a-generation event for our state, and whether you’re traveling from Brazil or Bed-Stuy, we have spent months developing a plan to get you to where you need to go safely.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said, “We have spent months coordinating, drilling and preparing so that when the world arrives at our doorstep, we are ready. From the first kickoff to the final whistle and long after, our job is clear: keep residents and visiting fans safe, informed and supported during every moment of this busy summer.”
New York’s Transit System is Ready:
The MTA plans to run full service throughout the region on all matchdays and throughout the tournament, to support visitors to the region and the millions of New Yorkers who rely on mass transit to get around every single day. The MTA will run extra subway service on match days and fully scheduled commuter rail service at both Penn Station and Grand Central on both its railroads to ensure that the region continues to move, even on match days.
The New York City Subway has prepared additional service to meet demand on match days and for major events during the tournament. To get fans to and from shuttle buses and trains to the games, extra local service will be added on the 1, C and F lines. 1 and C frequencies will be increased all day on weekend match days between 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. In addition, 1, C and F train service will be increased for post-match travel to help move fans returning from matches. Lastly, to improve access to the free Fan Zone at the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing, the MTA will run additional 7 train service on Mets game days where crowding is greatest. This added service will reduce crowding and improve customer wait times.
To ensure smooth travel, the MTA has also suspended all planned subway work in and around Midtown Manhattan on match days.
For fans traveling to matches via Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road, both railroads will provide connections to nearby shuttle bus service near Grand Central and trains to the game at Penn Station. Both LIRR and Metro-North have ample weekend capacity to meet the expected demand on matchdays.
To aid travelers, the MTA will deploy customer ambassadors at major shuttle bus hubs (Grand Central, Times Sq-42 St and 59 St Columbus Circle) to help guide travelers to the street level where they can connect to the stadium-bound bus service. For commuter rail travelers there will be extra LIRR, MTAPD and NYCT staff and MTA volunteers on site to support with wayfinding and customer assistance to navigate the station and provide directions to connecting rail service for the matches.
Keeping New Yorkers Safe:
As part of the FY27 Enacted Budget, Governor Hochul secured an additional $77 million to support the deployment of NYPD officers across the subway system to target areas of greatest need and to enhance rider safety, bringing the total to $154 million. This year’s budget also includes an expansion of the Subway Co-Response Outreach Teams (SCOUT) initiative by 50 percent to reach more locations and operate with greater flexibility across the system.
These investments build on the Governor’s past investments in subway safety, which brought subway crime down to the lowest levels in 16 years in 2025. Last year, Governor Hochul expanded safety initiatives throughout the transit system by partnering with New York City officials to increase NYPD patrols on subway platforms and trains; installing new protective barriers on subway platforms to protect riders; upgrading fare gates and delaying egress on exit gates to help crack down on fare evasion; adding LED lighting throughout stations to increase visibility; and updating and strengthening key mental health laws to ensure that New Yorkers with severe mental illness are connected with care instead of being left to languish on subway trains and platforms.
Emergency Preparedness:
Over the last year, the MTA has been working with local partners to enhance security measures in preparation for the World Cup. The MTA has conducted in-person training, tabletops, and other readiness exercises — including one of the largest in State history at Moynihan Train Hall — across MTA and transit facilities with a wide range of law enforcement, safety, and other regional stakeholders. The MTA has also partnered with local and federal agencies to coordinate intelligence sharing and structure chains of communications plans for managing operations and any potential incidents on match days and special events.
Additionally, law enforcement agencies will maintain an enhanced security presence on match days and for special events, with boots on the ground across major hubs and advanced surveillance and proactive crowd management.
These efforts also include strengthened cyber and critical infrastructure protections to ensure digital and physical infrastructure is safe from bad actors and the increased external pressures associated with these events. Counter-UAS [i.e., drone] detection equipment will be deployed at critical locations throughout the MTA system, including across tunnel and bridge infrastructure.
Moving Fans Affordably:
To ensure that fans have affordable, accessible transportation options to and from matches, Governor Hochul teamed up with the NYNJ FIFA World Cup Host Committee to significantly reduce the cost of shuttle bus service and add additional bus capacity on matchdays. Bus tickets now cost $20 round trip, with 20 percent of all tickets reserved for New York residents. The total number of bus seats has increased from the initial 10,000 to 12,000 on school days and 18,000 on the five non-school days when matches will occur.
To date, the Host Committee has sold nearly 34,000 shuttle bus tickets. The first two matches on June 13 and June 16 are approximately 50 percent sold and are expected to sell out. Fans with valid match tickets are encouraged to take advantage of this low cost option to travel to the NYNJ Stadium while tickets are available by purchasing shuttle tickets here.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “After months of planning, we are adding trains wherever fans are going to watch matches while helping to keep them safe. Moving millions is what we do, and not just when the World Cup is in town.”
NYNJ FIFA World Cup Host Committee CEO Alex Lasry said, “With kickoff just days away, our region is ready to welcome the world. This level of preparation doesn’t happen overnight — it is the result of years of collaboration among transportation agencies, public safety officials, and government partners across New York and New Jersey. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Hochul, Mayor Mamdani, the MTA and countless partners, fans will have safe and reliable ways to travel throughout the tournament while residents continue to move around the region. We are grateful for their partnership and shared commitment to delivering an unforgettable World Cup this summer.”
Trump Administration Set to Illegally Pay TotalEnergies $795 Million to Abandon Wind Lease off the Coast of New York and Invest in Fossil Fuels in Texas
Canceled Project Would Have Saved New Yorkers $10 Billion in Energy Bills and Brought More Than 1,700 Jobs to the State
Governor Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that New York is leading a coalition of six other attorneys general in suing the Trump administration over its unlawful cancellation of a major offshore wind lease off the coast of New York.
In March 2026, after a string of court losses in its crusade against wind energy, the administration struck a deal with TotalEnergies, a French energy company, to cancel two offshore wind leases and pay the company nearly $1 billion in taxpayer dollars. In exchange, TotalEnergies agreed to walk away from offshore wind, invest hundreds of millions of dollars in oil and gas projects, and pledge not to develop any new offshore wind projects in the United States. TotalEnergies subsidiary Attentive Energy would have developed the New York lease, and the project was expected to deliver clean energy directly to New York City, power more than 700,000 New York homes, and generate billions of dollars in benefits for New Yorkers. Attorney General James and the coalition argue that the deal is blatantly unlawful and are asking the court to strike it down.
“This pay-not-to-play scheme pressuring a foreign company to forego planned offshore wind projects in America in favor of gas and oil drilling is an outrageous abuse of taxpayer dollars that hurts our ability to meet our energy needs, create good jobs, and help secure American energy independence while reducing emissions,” Governor Hochul said. “Attorney General James and I will continue to aggressively fight back against Donald Trump’s overt and never-ending hostility toward offshore wind, including his unlawful use of the most powerful office in the world to get private companies like TotalEnergies to bow to his will.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James said, “The Trump administration is once again trying to kill clean energy projects and destroy good-paying jobs for New Yorkers. After repeatedly losing in court, this administration cooked up a sham deal to pay a foreign energy company hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to abandon offshore wind and invest in oil and gas instead. We are fighting back to stop this illegal agreement that threatens to erase over a thousand union jobs and cheat millions of New Yorkers out of clean, affordable energy.”
NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “I thank Attorney General James for continuing to fight to protect our offshore wind industry in New York State. Governor Hochul has made it clear that offshore wind is a vital part of our state’s diverse energy portfolio and we remain committed to delivering reliable, affordable energy to all New Yorkers.”
In 2022, Attentive Energy paid $795 million to purchase an offshore wind lease approximately 47 miles off the coast of New York, as part of the highest-grossing competitive offshore energy lease sale in United States history. The lease area was expected to support two projects: Attentive Energy One, which would have delivered energy directly to New York City, and Attentive Energy Two, which would have served New Jersey. The Attentive Energy One project was estimated to deliver $25.6 billion in economic benefits to New York state over its 25-year life, including $10 billion in savings on New Yorkers’ energy bills. The project was also expected to create an estimated 1,716 new jobs in New York.
In March 2026, more than four years after the lease was awarded and with construction plans already under review, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) suddenly announced that it had reached an agreement with TotalEnergies to cancel the Attentive Energy lease and a separate lease off the coast of North Carolina. DOI claimed that new national security concerns justified the cancellation, even though the federal government had already reviewed and approved the lease area after years of analysis and consultation. Under the agreement, TotalEnergies would invest approximately $795 million in fossil fuel projects, while the federal government would unlawfully “reimburse” the company with $795 million from the Judgment Fund, which may be used only to settle claims related to ongoing or imminent litigation. The administration also announced that TotalEnergies had pledged not to develop any new offshore wind projects in the United States.
The Trump administration’s deal with TotalEnergies followed a series of failed attempts to eliminate wind energy development. On his first day in office, the president halted federal approvals for all wind energy projects nationwide. Attorney General James led a coalition in a lawsuit and, in December 2025, secured a final judgment ending the illegal blockade. The administration later attempted to suspend construction on several offshore wind projects, including Empire Wind and Sunrise Wind in New York, on vague national security grounds. Again, Attorney General James sued, and federal courts blocked those suspensions as well.
Attorney General James and the coalition assert that the cancellation of the Attentive Energy projects will harm their states’ economies, energy grids, and climate goals. Offshore wind is a critical part of New York’s plan to meet growing electricity demand, especially in New York City, where Attentive Energy One was expected to deliver power directly. New York’s State Energy Plan projects that electricity demand will continue to rise significantly in coming years, and offshore wind is expected to play a major role in ensuring that the state has enough energy to meet that demand. Canceling the projects also threatens to deprive New York of more than a thousand new, good-paying jobs, infrastructure investment, and long-term economic development.
The attorneys general argue that the Trump administration’s deal violated the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which limits DOI’s ability to cancel offshore wind leases. DOI must hold a hearing, specifically find that continuing the lease would likely cause serious harm to life, property, national security, or the environment, and determine that the benefits of cancellation outweigh the benefits of allowing the lease to continue. DOI did none of that before canceling the Attentive Energy lease. The coalition also argues that the deal violates the Judgment Fund Act because the $795 million payment was not a legitimate compromise settlement in an imminent lawsuit, but rather a contrived arrangement to satisfy the president’s personal opposition to wind energy.
Attorney General James and the coalition are asking the court to strike down the plainly unlawful agreement, vacate the lease cancellation, and stop the administration from taking further action to implement this illegal deal.
Joining Attorney General James in today’s lawsuit are the attorneys general of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
The 2026 Israel Day Parade drew over 50,000 marchers from around the region and even the world but what it lacked in bipartisan, almost universal support from New Yorkers it more than made up for in a defiant, joyful energy and spirit.
For the first time in anyone’s memory, a New York City mayor declined to march in the parade. As a Palestinian rights supporter, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has criticized Israel’s response to the Hamas terror attacks on Oct. 27, 2023.
Instead, the march was led by New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch along with former mayor Mike Bloomberg. Other political luminaries and parade regulars included Senator Chuck Schumer; Governor Kathy Hochul; New York Attorney General Letitia James; NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli; city Comptroller Mark Levine; and city Council Speaker Julie Menin. Congressman Dan Goldman was also expected to march.
Governor Hochul did more than march, she signed the “Buffer Bill” – legislation that creates a 50-foot security perimeter between protests and houses of worship.
“Today we march in defiance and also to stand up for the values that define New York State since its very beginning,” Governor Hochul declared at the start of the march. “We will always be that bastion, that beacon of hope for others to be able to live the way they want to live, and practice their religious belief freely from harassment.
“That is why just one hour ago, I was proud to stand with our leaders from JCRC and UJA and other organizations to literally sign the ‘Buffer Bill’ — the first ever in the State of New York that says when you go to worship with your families, you should not have to endure harassment, intimidation or hatred from anyone.
“We’re going to stand up and make sure that you’re protected on our streets and in our subways and in our schools and our community centers, because this is who we are, my friends, and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. We stand up for each other. We are allies with one another, and hate against one is hate against all,” Governor Hochul declared.
Hochul’s Republican opponent, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, also took the opportunity to make himself – and his opposition to Mamdani- very visible, holding a rally and passing out campaign signs which a cluster of onlookers along the Fifth Avenue route held up. Blakeman, who after Mamdani’s election said he would erect a security “surveillance wall” between New York City and Nassau County, has attacked Mamdani as an antisemite because Mamdani loosened the definition of “antisemitism” to distinguish between hate speech and political criticism of the Israeli government.
(Blakeman’s surveillance wall consisted of AI video cameras with facial recognition, license plate readers, and increased police patrols and cooperation with ICE over immigration enforcement. The move prompted pushback from civil liberties advocates, still smarting from his formation of a secretive private militia but his “tough guy” persona and policies are central to Blakeman’s administration and his campaign for governor.)
Former Mayor Eric Adams also marched, and was greeted by a group of onlookers cheering, “We want you back.” Several on the sidelines and in the parade carried signs attacking Mamdani.
Israeli elected officials also joined, among them Amir Ohana, the speaker of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament; former UN Ambassador Magen David Adom Global President Gilad Erdan; Mayor Matah Katzman of Even-Yehuda; and Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon, with a large contingent from Israel’s consulate.
The overarching theme for the 2026 march was “Proud Americans, Proud Zionists,” focusing on Jewish visibility, identity, pride and community solidarity, and highlighting the strong bonds between the United States and Israel, Israel’s history and its permanence. Signs read “Standing Together. Standing Proud.” “Israel Our History. Our Future.” “Stronger than Before. Thank you for standing with us.” “Unapologentically Zionist.”
The defiant vibe predominated, amidst a worrisome decline in support from Americans (especially a Democratic faction and young progressives) that could hurt Israel severely as that country will likely have to deal with generational war as a result of its short-sighted militancy in Iran and Lebanon as well as Gaza and the West Bank.
A growing number of Americans are demanding an end to the billions in military aid for Israel and much of the world has lost sympathy for the decades of terror Israelis have had to endure in face of Netanyahu and the Israeli right-wing’s abuses in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. Even liberal American Jews have expressed opposition to Netanyahu and the direction his right wing extremists have taken Israel. Increasingly, support for Israel, once bipartisan, is being associated with Trump and the MAGA rightwing extremists, a partisan wedge that can only hurt Israel.
But that was not on the minds of the 50,000 who marched in the Israel Day Parade, nor the thousands of like-minded supporters who lined Fifth Avenue – albeit a shortened parade route – to cheer them on.
There was a joyous, triumphant, in-your-face pride, energy and clear demonstration of the unity of values and purpose they see between the United States and Israel.
Among the marchers, Holocaust survivors, American Veterans of Israel 1948, Jewish American Veterans, a huge contingent from Israel’s Consulate, the Judeo-Christian Zionist Congress and from Chinatown’s chamber of commerce.
More fanciful marchers included Philadelphia Mummers, two camels, bottle dancers from “Fiddler on the Roof,” and a contingent of Chai Riders motorcyclists.
Amidst heightened levels of antisemitism, anti-Israel and anti-Zionist acts and concern for terror attacks, the march this year came with an unprecedented level of security – streets were barricaded from Madison Avenue to Sixth Avenue, all onlookers had to go through security and were separated from the marchers by a buffer and barricades, the parade route was shortened, and there was an extra heavy police presence.
“As the mayor of our city, I take seriously my responsibility to protect the safety and well-being of every New Yorker and every event, regardless of my attendance,” Mayor Mamdani said at a press conference a week before.
As a result, there were few onlookers who were not somehow connected to the march, and no anti-Israel protesters along the route, though there was the regular, small group of ultra-orthodox outside the security perimeter who oppose Israel’s creation before the messiah.
A group of onlookers who were otherwise supportive of Israel but opposed to Netanyahu and his right wing government, waved signs saying reflecting their nuanced position: “The only hope: a shared Israel-Palestinian future” and “This Israeli Government belongs in the Hague, not in NYC”. Another tried to separate politics from supporting Israel’s security.
It’s most apt that Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who has ambitions of becoming New York State Governor, presided over an “America’s 250th” event at Peacock Point, a waterfront mansion in Locust Valley, to honor the founding of U.S. Naval Aviation by the First Yale Unit that became known as the “Millionaire’s Unit”, featuring a rainy-day flyover by a U.S. Navy T-45 Goshawk, before an audience of VIPs, Republican officials and county police and first responders, or that the host of the event, Henry Davison II, introduced him as “Mr. Governor…too soon?”
This wasn’t a flyover for 250,000, like at the Jones Beach Memorial Day air show, which this year, is being pushed back to July 5-6 to actually honor America’s 250th. The flyover lasting mere seconds – in rainy weather – was for an audience of about 60 invitees.
Blakeman’s boast about how he got the flyover was particularly revealing: “I called the White House to ask for a flyover and was directed to the Secretary of War,” he gleefully recounted. “Instead of 3 to 4, I got one” because there is a war on, you know. After the fly-by, the two pilots of Training Squadron NINE Tiger – US Navy Lt. Ravendran Shanmugam Thorny and Lt. Luke O’Sullivan (an “exchange” pilot from the Royal Navy Britain) – were ferried to the event by Nassau County Police helicopter, performing a second “flyover” and landing on the lawn.
Blakeman also related how he came to learn of the “Millionaires Unit.” it began at a dinner in New York City where he met a historian whom he asked what he might do to mark the 250th anniversary. He subsequently learned the history of these Yale students who formed their own flying club and went to Europe during World War I.
“The flying group they formed here at Peacock Point became the foundation for the U.S. naval air unit.
“Rather than do what others were doing for the 250th, I wanted to celebrate the rich history of the United States here in Nassau County.”
The event focused on the history surrounding “The Millionaire’s Unit,” a group of young Yale students who founded the U.S. Naval Aviation Reserves in Nassau County and became the first aviation unit to enter World War I from America. County Executive Blakeman highlighted Nassau County’s place in U.S. history and spoke about the values Americans should be proud of as we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary.
In fact, Long Island is known as the “Cradle of Aviation” (there is even a museum dedicated to it) for good reason – the first airplanes were developed and manufactured here, and it was from what is now Roosevelt Field on this very day in 1927 (of which Blakeman was not aware), that Charles Lindbergh set out on his historic solo, nonstop 33.5-hour flight 3,600 miles to Paris. Lindbergh actually stayed at Peacock Point.
“We are known as the Cradle of Aviation, but not that many people know what happened here at Peacock Point,” County Executive Blakeman said. “This is the greatest country in the world. This country was founded on values and principles that have made us a rich, diverse, and, quite frankly, the greatest country in the world…There are values that we cherish: Judeo-Christian work ethic…democracy, freedom of religion, freedom of speech – things we might take for granted. But on this day, we should remember that those freedoms cannot be taken for granted.”
The event was held on the property of Henry Davison II, the grandson of F. Trubee Davison, who with his brother, Henry P. Davison Jr., were founding members of the first Yale Unit (known as the Millionaires’ Unit). He reiterated the importance of honoring American history and spoke about his family’s connection to Nassau County.
“The Davison family has been here for a long time. We have been here longer than anybody but the Indians, and we plan to stay here. And we are never leaving Oyster Bay,” Davison said.
There actually is a link in this event – or rather this family – to America’s 250th. Davison noted that his wife, Christina, is descendent from Benjamin Talmadge who was George Washington’s first spy master. Nathan Hale, Talmadge’s roommate at Yale, was captured by the British very near to this place, and hung in 1776, famously declaring, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” After Hale’s death, Talmadge set up the Culper Spy Ring to report on British troop movements.
Davison, whose great grandfather, Harry P. Davison, was a managing partner of J.P. Morgan, related the story to illustrate his family’s commitment to duty and sacrifice. “There was an explicit understanding, that to whom much is given, much is expected.” Which is why the very wealthy, privileged Davisons and the other Yale men, formed the Millionaires Unit and went to Europe to fight in World War I, when they didn’t have to. “They were willing to sacrifice their own life for those who represented their ideals.”
Actually Harry P. Davison is an American Dream success story. Abandoned by his father and orphaned at a young age, he got into a card game with circus impresario P.T. Barnum who introduced him to his future wife, Kate Trubee, daughter of a local merchant family, and got Harry his first job as a cashier at the Astor Place Bank in New York City, where he foiled a bank robbery and came to the attention of J.P. Morgan. He worked his way up, founded the Bankers Trust Company, became J.P. Morgan’s personal assistant, and ultimately a partner. After J.P. Morgan died, he took the helm. He became chairman and raised funds for the American Red Cross during World War I – a demonstration of where the sense of noblesse oblige originated.
Marc Wortman, author of The Millionaires’ Unit that so inspired Blakeman, related that the First Yale Unit (dubbed “Millionaires’ Unit” for their privileged backgrounds), was a pioneering group of 28 wealthy Yale undergraduates who formed a private air militia in 1916. At a time when the United States had funding for but one airplane (but not for parts or equipment) and just 40 aviators (fewer than Bulgaria), they financed their own training, planes, and equipment and formed a private air militia. Their group became the founding squadron of the U.S. Naval Air Reserve and the first to fly for the U.S. in World War I, ultimately persuading Congress to create the Naval Reserve Flying Corps.
“They formed the vanguard, the nucleus of the service that grew to 40,000 men,” he said. Among them were the first American to fly a bomber, first to fly a submarine patrol, the first strategic bomber force and the first aviator ace (Lt. David Ingalls), as well as the first aviator killed in combat and numerous accounts of heroism – when Harry Davison’s friend, Di Gates, was shot down in Europe, he undertook a rescue mission (Gates was taken as a PoW).
Many members went on to become top government and military officials, including serving as Secretaries of War and Defense. Davison’s godfather was Robert Lovett, one of the Yale First Unit who became Under Secretary of State from 1947 to 1949 and George C. Marshall’s primary deputy. Lovett orchestrated the Berlin Air Lift and spearheaded early Cold War initiatives, including the Marshall Plan.
Wortman noted that the young men were well aware of the risks and horrors that would befall them. Trubee Davison had been an ambulance driver, bringing wounded from the front, before the United States entered World War I. “He knew how dangerous war and flying was.”
“They were after honor, loved their country, had a sense of duty, righteousness, loyalty and a spirit of mission.”
Their stories were all but forgotten when Wortman wrote his book (that was turned into a documentary) based in part on letters from Kenneth MacLeish to his brother, the Pulitzer prize winner Archibald McLeish. Kenneth MacLeish was shot down and killed over Belgium on October 14, 1918—just weeks before the war ended.
“They put their lives at risk for the ideals, the principles that kept our country free,” Blakeman added before unveiling a plaque that will commemorate Peacock Point as the place of the founding of U.S. Naval Aviation.
In addition to covering the history of aviation in Nassau County, the event also featured two live demonstrations. The proceedings began with a ceremonial flyover of a U.S. Navy T-45 Goshawk advanced jet trainer, operated by pilots of Training Squadron NINE “Tigers” of the Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi. A second flyover featuring a Nassau County Police Department helicopter concluded the ceremony.
For the first time in 30 years, the Long Island Rail Road, the biggest commuter rail system in the nation, is on strike, causing havoc across the region, as some 300,000 daily riders have to find alternate ways to get to work.
At a time when the air quality is already bad, the increased traffic and emissions will make it worse.
People who normally have to drive for work, to get to doctor, or some emergency are stuck in traffic, at a time when gas prices are reaching new heights, compounding family financial woes.
You look at the vacant cafes and shops around the train station that are normally bustling with people.
The timing is interesting, aimed at hurting Governor Kathy Hochul who is being challenged by Republican Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County Executive.
The NICE buses which are under Blakeman’s control, take only 13,000 people from Long Island train stations, depositing them at subway stations in Queens.
A commute that normally takes 40 minutes can take 2 hours.
The timing of the strike – the first in 30 years – is interesting, especially since the MTA put very favorable terms on the table, and the LIRR workers are already the highest paid in the nation.
I would bet Trump is behind the Long Island Railroad strike in order to boost Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who is the Republican challenging Governor Kathy Hochul and thinks the strike makes Governor Hochul look bad and the pain it will cause the 300,000 daily LIRR riders will result in lots of angry votes against her, because of course you blame the Democrat – except it actually makes Blakeman look impotent.
It also makes it clear that like his idol, Donald Trump, Blakeman is willing to inflict misery and suffering on his constituents in order to benefit himself. The Teamsters, who have supported trump for the unfathomable notion that trump is for workers and for unions (when he has sold workers and unions under the bus at every turn) and that waving the trump flag makes them more patriotic and better Americans than others (radical liberal lunatics who want to be able to afford food, clothing and shelter) are doing this to bolster Blakeman.
Here’s how you know that Blakeman is enjoying seeing Hochul and Long Islanders squirm: he could offer to help organize NICE buses to relieve some of the stress, but instead, uses the opportunity to try to get Hochul to cancel congestion pricing tolls (which he sued to overturn), to be told by Hochul that it is not possible under the federal contract. Instead, the pro-Blakeman NICE unions are urging bus drivers to support the LIRR strikers and not change their schedules to help. (Where were the unions defending the federal workers as they were fired by DOGE?)
But Governor Hochul, while showing respect for unions and workers, has noted that Long Island Railroad workers are already the highest paid in the country, and if the MTA accedes to their fairly outrageous demands, it not only will force a further increase in fares for already hard-pressed Long Islanders, but will trigger similar, unsustainable increases throughout the workforce.
“The LIRR is more stable now than it has been for generations,” Governor Kathy Hochul stated. “The decision by some unions to strike over demands that would threaten that progress is reckless. These unions represent the highest paid workers of any railroad in the nation, yet they are demanding contracts that could raise fares as much as 8%, pit workers against one another, and risk tax hikes for Long Islanders. This is unacceptable. My priority is protecting affordability for riders and ensuring fairness across the workforce.
“The disruption that Long Islanders face starting tonight is the direct result of reckless actions by the Trump Administration to cut mediation short and push these negotiations toward a strike. For weeks, the MTA has attempted to negotiate in good faith and put multiple fair offers on the table that included meaningful wage increases, but you cannot make a deal if one side refuses to engage in good faith.
“Commuters are dealing with unnecessary dysfunction and thousands of union LIRR workers are being forced to go without a paycheck because of decisions made by a small group of union leaders. I stand with LIRR riders and will fight to preserve the long term stability of the MTA. I believe a deal can be done and I urge both the MTA and these unions to return to the table and bargain non-stop until a deal is reached.”
The Long Island Railroad Strike has stranded some 300,000 riders a day, cost millions of dollars of economic activity daily, exacerbated traffic and pollution when air quality is already bad. The Teamsters’ demands would cause fares to increase 8%, and trigger wage and cost increases across the state’s workforce at a time when commuters can scarcely afford it.
Governor Hochul, while showing respect for unions and workers, has noted that Long Island Railroad workers are already the highest paid in the country, and if the MTA accedes to their fairly outrageous demands, it not only will force a further increase in fares for already hard-pressed Long Islanders, but will trigger similar, unsustainable increases throughout the workforce.
Here are Governor Kathy Hochul’s remarks about the Long Island Railroad strike – Karen Rubin, editor@news-photos-features.com
“The Long Island Rail Road is essential. Every day it carries nearly 300,000 commuters and without this service, life on Long Island as we know it is not possible.
“As Governor, I have been proud to make historic investments in the LIRR. Working with the MTA, we increased service by 40%, improved safety for riders and workers, secured the railroad’s fiscal future after the pandemic, and delivered transformative projects like the Main Line Third Track and Grand Central Madison.
“The LIRR is more stable now than it has been for generations. The decision by some unions to strike over demands that would threaten that progress is reckless. These unions represent the highest paid workers of any railroad in the nation, yet they are demanding contracts that could raise fares as much as 8%, pit workers against one another, and risk tax hikes for Long Islanders. This is unacceptable. My priority is protecting affordability for riders and ensuring fairness across the workforce.
“The disruption that Long Islanders face starting tonight is the direct result of reckless actions by the Trump Administration to cut mediation short and push these negotiations toward a strike. For weeks, the MTA has attempted to negotiate in good faith and put multiple fair offers on the table that included meaningful wage increases, but you cannot make a deal if one side refuses to engage in good faith.
“Commuters are dealing with unnecessary dysfunction and thousands of union LIRR workers are being forced to go without a paycheck because of decisions made by a small group of union leaders. I stand with LIRR riders and will fight to preserve the long term stability of the MTA. I believe a deal can be done and I urge both the MTA and these unions to return to the table and bargain non-stop until a deal is reached.”
After the strike was underway, Governor Hochul gave a briefing and discussed what was being done to mitigate the disruption in transportation:
I want to give Long Island Rail Road riders the latest updates on the strike. Let me be clear, I did not want a strike. The MTA did not want a strike. The MTA has put fair offers on the table, in fact, many of them. And so despite that, for the first time in 30 years, the hundreds of thousands of people who rely on the LIRR are without service because of a strike. We all know that the railroad is the lifeblood of Long Island. Without it, life as we know it is simply not possible. The bottom line is: No one wins in a strike. Everyone is hurt — the hundreds of thousands of people who rely on the railroad, and the thousands of unionized workers who are losing out on wages.
I want to speak directly to the men and women of labor at the LIRR: The work you do is absolutely vital. Absolutely. I value your labor, and I believe that you deserve fair wages and benefits. But this strike has put all that at risk. Just three days of a strike would erase every dollar of additional salary that workers would receive under a new contract. We don’t need to be here. Workers deserve better, but also New Yorkers deserve better. That’s why today I’m urging all parties once again to bargain at the table, and to get a deal done.
I also want to give an update to the Long Island Rail Road riders who are wondering about work tomorrow. Now, I’ve been in close communication, I’ve been touring the sites. I’m here at the Operations Control Center to talk to the individuals overseeing the lines that we anticipate the highest volume on tomorrow — you’ll hear more about that from our MTA leadership team — and we have a plan to ensure that essential workers can get into the city during the workday commute.
Now, starting at 4:00 a.m. tomorrow, the MTA will deploy shuttle buses to bring essential workers from across Long Island to subway stations in Queens, and those shuttle buses will be standing by to bring those essential workers back home to Long Island at the end of the day, to Long Island and Queens.
For those in Nassau County who absolutely cannot work from home, there continues to be the option of taking a Nassau Inter-County Express bus directly to the subway connections in Queens. They’ll run extra bus service weekdays during the strike, and we’ve encouraged the county to add additional capacity.
Another option is Citi Field. With the Mets hitting the road tomorrow, you can park there and transfer to the 7 train.
So right here, as I said, in the nerve center of the subway, every day four million New Yorkers rely on this system to get around. This subway system is absolutely vital, even more so tomorrow. And the MTA, as I’ve listened and asked questions, they’re ready to meet the challenge. Extra trains are on standby, and the MTA stands ready to run additional New York City subway service to meet the demand. And for the residents of Eastern Queens, who typically rely on the speed and convenience of the LIRR, the E and A trains are there for you as a great option to get to and from the city at this time.
But let’s face the facts. It’s impossible to fully replace LIRR service. So effective Monday, I’m asking that regular commuters who can work from home should. Please do so. And employers should make every accommodation necessary to allow for remote work. Now, I’ve already directed all state agencies affected to implement telecommuting plans for the state employees who typically commute in from Long Island. But also, we have to maintain essential government services. Now, everyone knows these alternatives are not business as usual. But unfortunately, they’re the direct result of this strike.
Let me be clear: This strike would not have been possible if the Trump Administration had not taken the highly unusual step last fall of releasing labor unions from mediation. Unfortunately for our commuters, the direct consequence of this action is the strike we have today.
Now, New York, everyone knows, is a pro-labor state. We believe in working men and women receiving a fair wage and benefits. But the MTA cannot agree to a contract that would raise fares as much as eight percent and risk hiking taxes for Long Islanders. I have worked too long and hard to reduce costs for our residents, and I will not allow that to be undone. As Governor, my priority is to fight for affordability for all New Yorkers, and this strike puts that affordability at risk.
Long Islanders deserve a break, as do all the residents who commute on our lines from Queens and elsewhere. They face tariff prices, price hikes on everything from food to school supplies, and skyrocketing gas prices after Trump’s war in Iran. I will not let this dispute lead to higher prices and less money in the pockets of our residents.
So we’re looking at ways to defray the costs caused by this strike, costs that fly in the face of affordability, and I’ll have more to say about that in the coming days if necessary.
Now, remember this — not long ago when I became Governor, the MTA was barreling off a fiscal cliff. Rider post-pandemic was down, and there were calls to reduce service and slash costs. I took a different approach. I said, “Let’s invest more. Let’s create more reliability. Let’s have a higher level of service.” And those results have borne out. We’ve invested billions of dollars, and I need those investments to hold and not be diminished. And as a result, ridership has surged back, nearly all the way back to the pre-pandemic levels, which is an extraordinary result, and I want to thank all the workers across the lines and at the MTA who’ve been responsible for that success.
Like I said, I put the MTA on stable financial grounds. I worked hard to do that, and I don’t want that undone. I will not let that be undone. But I believe, I know a deal can be reached to end this strike and end it soon. But to reach the deal, as I’ve said before, the MTA needs a partner. The MTA has made multiple generous offers with real wage increases.
I urge both sides to come together as soon as possible and resolve this to avoid a prolonged strike that’ll disrupt the lives of hardworking New Yorkers and affect the pocketbooks of the union members that their leaders are representing. So getting everyone back to the table is the surest way to resolve this strike, also achieving all of our goals, and getting the trains running once again.
