Category Archives: News & Photo Features

Biden Administration, Infrastructure, News & Photo Features, President Joe Biden

FACT SHEET: President Biden Advances Vision for World Class Passenger Rail by Delivering Billions in New Funding

This fact sheet from the White House describes how President Biden is using $16.4 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to repair and replace critical rail infrastructure along the Northeast Corridor, to provide faster and more reliable passenger rail service, and create more than 100,000 construction jobs:

Penn Station, New York, on the busy Northeast Corridor. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak, with $66 billion investment in rail. Biden announced $16.4 billion in new funding for 25 passenger rail projects on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, moving the United States closer to his vision for world-class passenger rail.  The investments announced today will rebuild tunnels and bridges that are over 100 years old; upgrade tracks, power systems, signals, stations, and other infrastructure; and, advance future projects to significantly improve travel times by increasing operating speeds and reducing delays. Combined with Amtrak’s nearly $9 billion fleet replacement program, which will replace over 1,000 locomotives and coaches with state-of-the art and Made-in-America equipment, these investments will ensure that train service is more convenient and climate-friendly than either driving or flying. The funding will also contribute to more than 100,000 good-paying union jobs in construction. © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Bidenomics and President Biden’s Investing in America agenda are tackling long-standing infrastructure needs, supporting communities nationwide, and making it possible to get people and goods where they need to be safely, quickly, and conveniently. The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak, with a $66 billion total investment in rail. Today, President Biden is announcing $16.4 billion in new funding for 25 passenger rail projects on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, moving the United States closer to his vision for world-class passenger rail.  The investments announced today will rebuild tunnels and bridges that are over 100 years old; upgrade tracks, power systems, signals, stations, and other infrastructure; and, advance future projects to significantly improve travel times by increasing operating speeds and reducing delays. Combined with Amtrak’s nearly $9 billion fleet replacement program, which will replace over 1,000 locomotives and coaches with state-of-the art and Made-in-America equipment, these investments will ensure that train service is more convenient and climate-friendly than either driving or flying. The funding will also contribute to more than 100,000 good-paying union jobs in construction. President Biden will travel to Bear, Delaware to make the announcement.

The Northeast Corridor, running from Boston, MA, to Washington, DC, is the most heavily traveled rail corridor in the United States, supporting 800,000 trips per day in a region that represents 20 percent of U.S. Gross Domestic Product. The trains carry five times more passengers than all flights between Washington and New York. Amtrak trains on the Northeast Corridor also emit up to 83% less greenhouse gas emissions compared to car travel and up to 72% less greenhouse gas emissions than flying. If the Northeast Corridor shut down for a single day, it would cost the economy $100 million in lost productivity. Despite its importance, the Corridor hasn’t seen major investment in generations. The Northeast Corridor that exists today is the product of investments that date back to the 1830s, and many of the existing bridges and tunnels were built in the early twentieth century. Thanks to the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Northeast Corridor is finally on track to be rebuilt to meet the needs of 21st century travelers.

Today’s $16.4 billion announcement is through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Federal State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail grant program, and reflects nearly $9 billion in FY 2022 and FY 2023 funds and $7.4 billion in future commitments through phased funding agreements.
Major awarded projects include:

Gateway Hudson River Tunnel (NY/NJ) will receive $3.8 billion in a phased funding agreement to rehabilitate and expand the Hudson River Tunnel between New York and New Jersey, which is over 100 years old, serves 200,000 passengers daily, and was damaged by Superstorm Sandy. The overall Gateway Hudson River Tunnel project will improve resiliency, reliability, and redundancy for New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) and Amtrak passengers traveling on the Northeast Corridor between New York and New Jersey. Combined with other investments, the total Biden Administration commitment to the tunnel project will be a record $11 billion. President Biden visited this project in January to announce a $292 million DOT MEGA program grant for the Hudson Yards Concrete Casing, which supports the critical connection between the new Hudson River Tunnel and New York Penn Station. In June, the Hudson Tunnel Project received a $25 million grant through DOT’s RAISE program to support construction of the new tunnel portal through the Tonnelle Avenue Bridge and utility relocation project in North Bergen, NJ. On Friday, Administration officials participated in a groundbreaking to officially begin construction on the New York side of the tunnel. The Hudson Tunnel Project is a critical component of the Gateway Program — a comprehensive rail investment program that will improve commuter and intercity services, add needed resiliency and create new capacity for the busiest section of the Northeast Corridor. The project is critical to the northeast regional economy — not only will the project generate $19 billion in economic activity over the Project’s construction period, addressing this critical chokepoint on the Northeast Corridor supports the $50 billion that workers riding on the NEC contribute to the economy annually.
 

  • Frederick Douglass Tunnel (MD) will receive $4.7 billion in a phased funding agreement to replace the 150-year-old Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel, increasing speeds from 30 mph to 110 mph and reducing delays on the entire Northeast Corridor. The tunnel’s tight curvature and steep incline requires trains to reduce speeds to 30 mph. These issues create chronic delays — more than 10% of weekday trains are delayed, and delays occur on 99% of weekdays. The tunnel is the largest Northeast Corridor bottleneck between Washington and New Jersey and a single point of failure for the roughly 24,000 Amtrak and Maryland Area Commuter (MARC) passengers who rely on it daily. The President visited this project in January to announce the signing of a project kickoff agreement between Amtrak and the State of Maryland and a Project Labor Agreement between Amtrak and the Baltimore-DC Building and Construction Trades Council. Initial construction began in March of this year, and Amtrak recently awarded a contract for construction on the southern approach.
     
  • Susquehanna River Bridge (MD) will receive $2.1 billion in a phased funding agreement to replace an existing 100-year-old rail bridge with two new two-track spans that will allow speeds to increase from 90 mph to 125 mph, and improve reliability and trip times. Amtrak, the MARC rail and Norfolk Southern Railway use the bridge to transport both passengers and freight and therefore experiences a high volume of rail traffic. Roughly 19,000 passengers travel over the existing bridge every weekday. As part of this replacement project, the existing movable bridge will be replaced with high-level fixed bridges, which will also improve navigation for boats on the Susquehanna River.
     
  • Penn Station Access (NY) will receive $1.6 billion in a phased funding agreement to repair and rehabilitate 19 miles of the Amtrak-owned Hell Gate Line, including tracks, bridges, and signals. The project will introduce Metro-North service to Penn Station, increase Amtrak service, and the cut local transit travel time from the Bronx to Manhattan by as much as 50 minutes. In addition to reducing travel times, New York MTA’s investment will create four new fully ADA-accessible rail stations, and the added service and reduced travel times will have significant benefits for low-income communities in the Bronx. This project is in active construction as of 2023.
     
  • The Connecticut River Bridge (CT) will receive $827 million to replace a 116-year-old bridge with a new modern, resilient movable bridge. Replacing the existing structure will increase reliability and safety, and rail speeds on the bridge will increase from 45 mph to 70 mph. This project is fully designed and set to begin construction in 2024.

Two planning studies are also included in the investment: one to examine opportunities to increase speeds and reduce travel time between Washington, D.C. and New York City, and one to study future infrastructure options to improve speed, resilience, performance, and capacity to support faster trains traveling on the Northeast Corridor through Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Each new awarded project – from the Frederick Douglass Tunnel to the Connecticut River Bridge – will improve travel times by addressing the delays associated with the constant maintenance and repair of old Northeast Corridor infrastructure. These delays are estimated to result in almost 245,000 train delay minutes annually, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will support replacing infrastructure that could result in almost 110,000 delay minutes saved annually.

Creating Good-Paying Union Jobs

Across all Northeast Corridor projects, an agreement is in place between Amtrak and North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) that ensures Amtrak’s large civil engineering construction projects will be performed under a collective bargaining agreement that addresses points such as wages, benefits, working conditions, and promoting diversity and veteran hiring in the construction trades. With this agreement, Amtrak and NABTU will promote a strong workforce pipeline to prevent work disruptions; contractors and subcontractors share Amtrak’s commitment to paying fair wages and benefits; and Amtrak and NABTU can move forward with Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded projects with efficient labor-management relations.

Amtrak expects the Hudson River Tunnel project will result in 72,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction with union partnerships for job training. The Frederick Douglas Tunnel program is expected to generate 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, including approximately 20,000 construction jobs. Amtrak is investing more than $50 million in local workforce development and community investments, including pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs to ensure that local workers in West Baltimore can access these jobs.

Progress for Other Rail Investments

After waiting years for new federal funding, 2023 is the year in which major rail and transit projects across the country are moving forward.

Today’s investment follows major investments in rail safety through track improvements, bridge rehabilitations, fewer grade crossings, upgrades on routes carrying hazardous materials, and enhanced multi-modal connections to keep people living near, working on, and who travel along America’s rail lines safer:

  •  Last month, FRA announced more than $1.4 billion from President Biden’s Bipartisan infrastructure law for 70 rail improvement projects in 35 states and Washington, D.C. This is the largest amount ever awarded for rail safety and rail supply chain upgrades through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements — or CRISI — program. This popular program has quadrupled since the President signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. While the majority of selected projects support freight rail safety and supply chains, CRISI investments are also laying the groundwork to expand world-class passenger rail to more communities nationwide. For example, investments in Virginia will result in two new Amtrak round trips and three new commuter rail round trips on the RF&P corridor between Washington, D.C., and Richmond, VA — a critical link between Northeast and Southeast states — while also improving the fluidity of CSX’s freight network. In California, two additional daily round trips will be added to the Capitol Corridor between the cities of Sacramento and Roseville, and a project eliminating grade crossings in the Central Valley will bring high-speed rail one step closer to becoming a reality. At least $376 million, or 25 percent of the amounts appropriated, was made available for projects in rural areas. In addition to improving passenger rail service, the CRISI program provides funding to further develop workforce and industry in America around rail. For example, Amtrak will receive up to $8.8 million for a pilot apprenticeship training program to recruit and train new track foremen and inspectors in Pennsylvania.  
     
  • In June, FRA announced $570 million for 63 projects in 32 states under the new Railroad Crossing Elimination Program, or RCE, created by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This inaugural round of funding will address more than 400 at-grade crossings nationwide, improve safety, and make it easier to get around railroad tracks by adding grade separations, closing at-grade crossings, and improving existing at-grade crossings where train tracks and roads intersect. Over each of the next four years, additional RCE Program funding will be made available annually. Project selections for other grant programs that will improve freight rail safety and efficiency, strengthen supply chains, and expand the passenger rail network — representing billions of dollars in infrastructure law investments — will be announced in the coming months.
     
  • In 2022, the Biden Administration announced $233 million in grants to upgrade intercity passenger rail service across the country through the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program. These investments will help replace bridges and tunnels along the Northeast Corridor, many of which are over 100 years old. Grants were also awarded to improve rail infrastructure in California, Michigan, and improving Chicago Union Station. 
     
  • On November 30, 2022, the Federal Railroad Administration granted $4.3 billion to Amtrak, which represents the first year of the $22 billion in direct funding to Amtrak provided in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Amtrak is using these funds to modernize the intercity passenger rail network, modernize and increase accessibility at more than 280 Amtrak-served stations across the country, and replace Amtrak’s existing fleet of over 1,000 railcars and locomotives with accessible, comfortable, state-of-the-art equipment. Portions of the new fleet will enter service in 2023, and over 525 new railcars and locomotives will begin service by the end of the decade. Amtrak debuted the design of the new “Airo” railcars in late 2022. In fiscal year 2023 alone, Amtrak has invested nearly $3 billion in 750 projects across the country. By the end of 2023, 15 Amtrak stations will have been brought to full ADA compliance, with 25 more upgraded with passenger information display stations. Through these investments, Amtrak has created nearly 5,000 jobs, including employing over 4,000 union workers.
     
  • Later this year, FRA will award billions from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for intercity passenger rail projects across the country under the Fed-State Partnership National Program. High-speed rail projects are eligible for funding from this program.  

 
Northeast Corridor Awarded Projects Map


Biden Administration, Federal Budget, Infrastructure, News & Photo Features

FACT SHEET: As President Biden Announces Historic Transportation Investments, Extreme House Republicans Try to Slash Infrastructure Funding

This fact sheet from the White House details Biden’s historic investments in transportation, while Congressional Republicans are using the threat of a government shutdown  to slash infrastructure funding.

President Biden wants to invest in America’s infrastructure, including passenger rail, but Republicans would cut funding that would impact making critical investments in improving the safety and efficiency of the Nation’s rail system and airspace, risking increased delays and cancellations due to outages and lost opportunities to improve safety, and undermine the Federal Aviation Administration’s ability to promote innovations that would lower noise and emissions, improve efficiency, and help the industry keep flight costs under control © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Thanks to President Biden’s leadership, the United States is making historic investments in infrastructure needs so people and goods can get where they need to be safely, quickly, and conveniently. Today, the President is announcing $16.4 billion for passenger rail projects from his Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which makes the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak.
 
While the Biden-Harris Administration is trying to make travel faster, safer and more reliable, House Republicans are trying to make it slower, harder, and less safe.
 
House Republicans are turning their backs on their communities—both urban and rural—and undermining American infrastructure with an appropriations bill that guts funding for Amtrak and makes draconian cuts to transportation and infrastructure programs. As outlined in a Statement of Administration Policy, the President would veto this extreme bill that would slash support for infrastructure in communities across the country, while at the same time adding billions to the deficit with give-aways to wealthy tax cheats.
 
Extreme House Republicans’ bill to defund infrastructure is just the latest example of their brutal cuts that would hurt the American people—following failed attempts to cut investments in infrastructure in March, May, June, and September and to eliminate hundreds of border patrol officers and tens of thousands of Head Start slots for kids. Rather than putting forward these devastating cuts, House Republicans need to follow the lead of the Senate and get to work on a bipartisan funding agreement—and act immediately on the Administration’s supplemental funding requests for urgent national security and domestic needs.
 
Extreme House Republicans’ draconian infrastructure defunding bill would:

  • Severely reduce Amtrak service and undermine critical maintenance work by slashing Amtrak funding by $1 billion. This reduction in funding would require Amtrak to reduce most, if not all, long-distance services, reduce certain Northeast Corridor regional train frequencies, and reduce or defer nearly 400 capital projects across the country. The Northeast Corridor is the most heavily traveled rail corridor in the United States, supporting 800,000 trips per day in a region that represents 20 percent of U.S. Gross Domestic Product.
     
  • Cut transit programs across the country with an 85% cut to the Capital Investment Grant program. This critical program funds projects that provide transformative benefits for communities across the Nation by expanding convenient and accessible transportation options—while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.
     
  • Fail to make critical investments in improving the safety and efficiency of the Nation’s airspace, including by funding National Airspace System technology $500 million below the President’s Budget request, risking increased delays and cancellations due to outages and lost opportunities to improve safety.
     
  • Cut aviation research funding by over 20 percent, which would undermine the Federal Aviation Administration’s ability to promote innovations that would lower noise and emissions, improve efficiency, and help the industry keep flight costs under control.

 
The same extreme bill includes deep cuts to housing programs, which would:

  • Result in 20,000 fewer affordable homes being constructed, rehabbed, or purchased in communities across the Nation due to a nearly 70% cut to the HOME Investment Partnerships Program at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
     
  • Put 78,000 children at greater risk of lead exposure due a rescission of over $564 million for programs that mitigate housing-related risks of lead poisoning and other illnesses and hazards to lower income families, especially children.
News & Photo Features

PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS: NYC VILLAGE HALLOWEEN PARADE MARKS 50 YEARS WITH ‘UPSIDE DOWN’

The Village Halloween Parade in New York City is celebrating 50 years with this year’s theme, UPSIDE/DOWN © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, www.goingplacesfarandnear.com

The Village Halloween Parade, celebrating 50 years since it began as a small neighborhood “promenade” and has become one of the largest Halloween events in the world, was themed UPSIDE/DOWN, reflecting the tumult of the last few years, and inviting self-reflection.  

“The Halloween Parade has always been a night of transformation, but this topsy turvy year feels even more-so in terms of realizing a dream, being who you are most authentically in your imagination,” said Jeanne Fleming, Artistic and Producing Director.

The Village Halloween Parade, celebrating 50 years, gives New Yorkers an opportunity to show off their creativity, artistry and humor © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Hundreds of thousands of spectators packed the streets along the mile-long parade route from Canal Street to 16th Street along Sixth Avenue,  to thrill at hundreds of puppets, 50 bands representing music from around the world, dancers, artists, and thousands of other New Yorkers in costumes of their own creation in the nation’s most wildly creative public participatory event in the greatest city in the world – the biggest crowds since 2019.

“I’m astonished by how many people are here,” said a justifiably proud and delighted Fleming. “We invite people to come out and they did!”

Village Halloween Parade Director Jeanne Fleming was delighted with a huge turnout of  costumed parade goers and spectators © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Spectators thrilled at seeing hundreds of puppets, 50 bands and dancers representing music from around the world and New York’s melting pot, and tens of thousands of New Yorkers in costumes of their own creation, in the nation’s most wildly creative public participatory event in the greatest city in the world.

The Village Halloween Parade, celebrating 50 years, gives New Yorkers an opportunity to show off their creativity, artistry and humor © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Started by Greenwich Village mask maker and puppeteer Ralph Lee in 1973, the Parade began as a walk from house to house in his neighborhood for his children and their friends.

After the second year of this local promenade, Theater for the New City stepped in and produced the event on a larger scale as part of their City in the Streets program.

 
Fogo Azul NYC, an all-women Brazilian drumline, is one of about 50 bands joining the Village Halloween Parade © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Today the Parade is the largest celebration of its kind in the world and has been picked by Festivals International as “The Best Event in the World” for October 31.

Now, 50 years later, the Parade draws more than 70,000 costumed participants and some 2 million spectators, including television-viewing audience, live on NY1 beginning at 8 pm.

Parade marchers really interact with the spectators, to everyone’s delight © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

In 1994, the Mayor of the City of New York issued a Proclamation honoring the Village Halloween Parade for 20 years of bringing everyone in the City together in a joyful and creative way and being a boon to the economic life of the City. “New York is the world’s capital of creativity and entertainment. The Village Halloween Parade presents the single greatest opportunity for all New Yorkers to exhibit their creativity in an event that is one-of-a-kind, unique and memorable every year. New Yorkers of all ages love Halloween, and this delightful event enables them to enjoy it every year and join in with their own special contributions. The Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village is a true cultural treasure.”

The irony is that while Halloween is about taking on a completely different persona, at the Village Halloween Parade, we see New Yorkers’ true selves.

And that’s true to the Upside/Down-Inside/Out theme.

Here are more photo highlights:

The Village Halloween Parade in New York City marks 50 years © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Giant puppets are a hallmark of the New York City’s Village Halloween Parade © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
The Village Halloween Parade, celebrating 50 years, gives New Yorkers an opportunity to show off their creativity, artistry and humor © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Giant puppets are a hallmark of the New York City’s Village Halloween Parade © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
The Village Halloween Parade, celebrating 50 years, gives New Yorkers an opportunity to show off their creativity, artistry and humor © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
The Village Halloween Parade, celebrating 50 years, gives New Yorkers an opportunity to show off their creativity, artistry and humor © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Parade marchers really interact with the spectators, to everyone’s delight © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Village Halloween Parade marchers enjoy interacting with spectators much to their delight © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
The Village Halloween Parade, celebrating 50 years, gives New Yorkers an opportunity to show off their creativity, artistry and humor © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
All you need to march in the Village Halloween Parade – the people’s parade – is a costume © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
The Village Halloween Parade in New York City marks 50 years © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com 
Village Halloween Parade showcases the many cultures of New York’s melting pot © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
The Village Halloween Parade in New York City marks 50 years © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com 
Grand Marshal of the Village Halloween Parade Laurie Anderson © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
 Fogo Azul NYC, an all-women Brazilian drumline, is one of about 50 bands joining the Village Halloween Parade © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
L Train Brass Band brings its joyful music to the Village Halloween Parade © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
All you need to march in the Village Halloween Parade – the people’s parade – is a costume © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
The Village Halloween Parade, celebrating 50 years, gives New Yorkers an opportunity to show off their creativity, artistry and humor © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Thriller at the Village Halloween Parade © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Village Halloween Parade features some of the best bands in New York City© Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Village Halloween Parade features some of the best bands in New York City© Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Music is in the air at the village Halloween Parade © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
The Village Halloween Parade, celebrating 50 years, gives New Yorkers an opportunity to show off their creativity, artistry and humor © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
The Village Halloween Parade, celebrating 50 years, gives New Yorkers an opportunity to show off their creativity, artistry and humor © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Costumed Village Halloween Parade enjoy interacting with spectators much to their delight © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Costumed Village Halloween Parade enjoy interacting with spectators much to their delight © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Costumed Village Halloween Parade enjoy interacting with spectators much to their delight © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
The Village Halloween Parade in New York City is celebrating 50 years with the theme, UPSIDE/DOWN © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

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© 2023 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com, www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin, and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com and moralcompasstravel.info. Visit instagram.com/going_places_far_and_near and instagram.com/bigbackpacktraveler/ Send comments or questions to [email protected]. Tweet @TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook.com/KarenBRubin 

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Climate Action, Climate Change, Energy, Environment, New York State politics, News & Photo Features

NYS Announces Nation’s Biggest Investment in Renewable Energy: 3 Offshore Wind, 22 Land-Based Renewable Projects to Power 2.6M Homes

Long Islanders have been protesting, pleading, rallying for offshore windpower for years. Here, rallying outside Long Island Power Authority’s offices in May, 2016. Governor Kathy Hochul has just announced the largest state investment in renewable energy in US history, demonstrating New York’s leadership in advancing the clean energy transition. The conditional awards include three offshore wind and 22 land-based renewable energy projects totaling 6.4 gigawatts of clean energy, enough to power 2.6 million New York homes and deliver approximately 12 percent of New York’s electricity needs once completed.  © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Three Offshore Wind and 22 Land-Based Renewable Energy Projects Totaling 6.4 Gigawatts Will Power 2.6 Million New York Homes and Deliver 12 Percent of New York’s Electricity Needs in 2030  

Projects Expected to Create Approximately 8,300 Family-Sustaining Jobs and Bring $20 Billion in Economic Development Investments Statewide, Including Developer-Committed Investments to Support Disadvantaged Communities 

Advances the Nation’s First Offshore Wind Blade and Nacelle Manufacturing Facilities with the State Committing $300 Million and Attracting an Additional $668 Million in Private Funding

Supports Progress Toward New York’s Climate Act Goal to Obtain 70 Percent of the State’s Electricity from Renewable Sources by 2030 

79 Percent of New York’s 2030 Electricity Needs to be Met with Renewable Energy

Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the largest state investment in renewable energy in United States history, demonstrating New York’s leadership in advancing the clean energy transition. The conditional awards include three offshore wind and 22 land-based renewable energy projects totaling 6.4 gigawatts of clean energy, enough to power 2.6 million New York homes and deliver approximately 12 percent of New York’s electricity needs once completed. When coupled with two marquee offshore wind blade and nacelle manufacturing facilities, this portfolio of newly announced projects is expected to create approximately 8,300 family-sustaining jobs and spur $20 billion in economic development investments statewide, including developer-committed investments to support disadvantaged communities.

The announcement supports progress toward New York’s goal for 70 percent of the state’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030 – and nine gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035 – on the path to a zero-emission grid as required by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Following these awards, New York will now have enough operating, contracted, and under development renewable energy projects to supply 79 percent of the state’s 2030 electricity needs with renewable energy.

“New York continues to set the pace for our nation’s transition to clean energy,” Governor Hochul said. “An investment of this magnitude is about more than just fighting climate change – we’re creating good-paying union jobs, improving the reliability of our electric grid, and generating significant benefits in disadvantaged communities. Today, we are taking action to keep New York’s climate goals within reach, demonstrating to the nation how to recalibrate in the wake of global economic challenges while driving us toward a greener and more prosperous future for generations to come.”  

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said, “The Department of Energy applauds the significant step that this announcement represents for building an offshore wind energy industry here in the U.S. that revitalizes domestic manufacturing and coastal economies, while advancing our clean energy future. New York is showing President Biden’s Investing in America agenda at work, and DOE looks forward to continued collaboration on project deployment, development of a robust domestic supply chain along with transmission development to help realize both our state and federal offshore wind goals.”

Once in service, the awarded offshore wind and land-based renewable energy projects will: 

  • Produce approximately 19 million megawatt-hours of new renewable energy per year, enough to power more than 2.6 million New York homes. 
  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 9.4 million metric tons annually, the equivalent of taking more than 2 million cars off the road every year. 
  • Provide public health benefits resulting from reduced exposure to harmful pollutants—including fewer episodes of illness and premature death, fewer days of missed school or work, less disruption of business, and lower health care costs.
  • Deliver a host of benefits to disadvantaged communities in line with the Climate Act goals, with over $3.5 billion in commitments to disadvantaged communities made by developers.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “This latest and largest round of large-scale renewable energy awards is further proof that New York is, and will continue to be, a place where the renewable energy sector can thrive. This cohort of large-scale renewable energy projects reflect New York’s longstanding and ongoing priority to responsibly advance the most cost-competitive and economically viable clean energy projects in a manner that is timely and maximizes benefits for all New Yorkers.” 

Today’s announcement represents the first set of actions taken by the State as part of New York’s 10-point Action Plan, announced recently by Governor Hochul, offering insight into how the Governor’s Administration plans to overcome recent macroeconomic and inflationary challenges that have impacted the renewable energy sector. Today’s awards also mark the commencement of contract negotiations with the awarded parties, and the awards are conditional on successful contract execution. 

Demonstrating the State’s commitment to ensuring these projects create quality, family-sustaining jobs for New Yorkers, the contracts upon full execution will include commitments to purchase certain minimum amounts of U.S. iron and steel and prevailing wage provisions for all laborers, workers, and mechanics performing construction activities. In addition, offshore wind project developers will be required to negotiate Project Labor Agreements among their construction contractors and a building and construction trade labor organization representing craft workers for the construction of the new renewable energy generation resources. 

The Nation’s Largest-Ever State Investment in Offshore Wind
In the most competitive offshore wind solicitation in the U.S., NYSERDA has selected three new offshore wind projects totaling 4,032 megawatts (MW) of clean energy which is expected to displace over 7 million metric tons of CO2 annually, equivalent to removing 1.6 million cars from the road each year. Additionally, the awarded projects will bring more than $15 billion in anticipated in-state spending and create more than 4,200 family sustaining jobs across Long Island, New York City and the Capital Region over the 25-year lifespan of the projects. 

The three offshore wind projects include: 

  • Attentive Energy One (1,404 MW) developed by TotalEnergies, Rise Light & Power and Corio Generation. The project includes a novel fossil repurposing plan in Queens, which seeks to retire fossil fuel power generation in the heart of New York City and transition the current workforce to clean energy jobs.  
  • Community Offshore Wind (1,314 MW) developed by RWE Offshore Renewables and National Grid Ventures. The project includes utilization of new grid interconnection being developed by Con Edison in downtown Brooklyn, made possible by the Public Service Commission Order Approving Cost Recovery for Clean Energy Hub to maximize delivery of clean electricity into New York City.  
  • Excelsior Wind (1,314 MW) developed by Vineyard Offshore (Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners). The project includes proposed cable route options providing robust energy deliverability to Long Island, leveraging the electric grid expansion provided through the Long Island Public Policy Transmission Need outcome. 

Together, these projects will bring tremendous benefits to New York’s economy, workforce, and environment, including: 

  • More than $85 million to support wildlife and fisheries research, mitigation, and enhancement. 
  • Nearly $300 million in commitments to Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) and Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOBs). 
  • Over $100 million in commitments to train New York’s workforce to build and service offshore wind projects. 
  • Billions of dollars in public health benefits resulting from reduced exposure to harmful pollutants—including fewer episodes of illness and premature death, fewer days of missed school or work, less disruption of business, and lower health care costs.    

These projects employ a mix of flexible and innovative transmission designs, including a reduced footprint in transmitting energy from offshore wind projects to New York City through high voltage direct current (HVDC) and adaptable “Meshed-Ready” offshore electrical substations. The three offshore wind projects are anticipated to enter commercial operation in 2030. The average bill impact for customers over the life of the projects will be approximately 2.73 percent, or about $2.93 per month. The average all-in development cost of the awarded offshore wind projects over the life of the contracts is $96.72 per megawatt-hour.

Delivering on Governor Hochul’s commitment to make New York State a hub for the U.S. offshore wind supply chain, this procurement includes continued support for offshore wind turbine manufacturing, which leverages over $2 in privately committed capital for every $1 of New York public funding. 

NYSERDA is also awarding $300 million in state investment to enable the development of two supply chain facilities including nacelle manufacturing and assembly by GE Vernova, along with blade manufacturing developed by LM Wind Power Blades USA, both planned for New York’s Capital Region.  

This investment has the capacity to supply almost one-third of the total regional demand for offshore wind by 2035, which will unlock $968 million in public and private funding, create 1,700 direct and indirect jobs backed by prevailing wage and project labor agreements, and result in over $3 billion in direct spending in the State. Additionally, these projects also align with available federal tax credits, enabling future savings to New York’s ratepayers. 


New York’s Land-Based Renewable Energy Procurement
In addition, New York also announced its latest round of conditional land-based large-scale renewable awards, which are comprised of 14 new solar projects, six wind repowering projects, one new wind project, and one return-to-service hydroelectric project, totaling a combined 2,410 megawatts – enough new renewable generation to power over 560,000 New York homes annually for at least 20 years. These projects are expected to spur over $4 billion in direct investments and create over 4,100 good-paying short- and long-term jobs across New York State. 

The projects by region include:

Central New York 

  • Oxbow Hill Solar: Cypress Creek Renewables will build a 140-megawatt solar facility in the Town of Fenner, Madison County. 

Finger Lakes 

  • Gravel Road Solar: Delaware River Solar will build a 128-megawatt solar facility in the Towns of Tyre and Seneca Falls, Seneca County. 
  • Hatchery Solar: VC Renewables, LLC will build a 19.99-megawatt solar facility in the Town of Caledonia, Livingston County. 
  • SunEast Hampton Corners Solar: Cordelio Power will build a 19.99-megawatt solar facility in the Town of Groveland, Livingston County. 
  • SunEast Niagara Solar: Cordelio Power will build a 19.99-megawatt solar facility in the Town of Caledonia, Livingston County. 
  • White Creek Solar, LLC: AES will build a 135-megawatt solar facility in the Towns of York and Leicester, Livingston County. 
  • Hemlock Ridge Solar: AES will build a 200-megawatt solar facility in the Towns of Barre and Shelby, Orleans County. 
  • Valcour Bliss Windpark: AES will repower a 100.5-megawatt wind facility in the Town of Eagle, Wyoming County. 
  • Valcour Wethersfield Windpark: AES will repower a 126-megawatt wind facility in the Town of Wethersfield, Wyoming County. 

Mohawk Valley 

  • Dolgeville Hydro: Energy Ottawa NY Generation Ltd. will continue operations for a 5-megawatt hydroelectric facility in the Town of Dolgeville, Herkimer County. 
  • SunEast Millers Grove Solar: Cordelio Power will build a 19.99-megawatt solar facility in the Town of Schuyler, Herkimer County. 

North Country 

  • North Country Wind: Terra-Gen Development Company, LLC will build a 298.2-megawatt wind facility in the towns of Burke and Chateaugay, Franklin County. 
  • Riverside Solar: AES will build a 100-megawatt solar facility in the Towns of Lyme and Brownville, Franklin County. 
  • SunEast Morris Solar: Cordelio Power will build a 19.99-megawatt solar facility in the Town of Gouverneur, St. Lawrence County. 
  • Valcour Altona Windpark: AES will repower a 97.5-megawatt wind facility in the Town of Altona, Clinton County. 
  • Valcour Chateaugay Windpark: AES will repower a 106.5-megawatt Wind facility in the Town of Chateaugay, Franklin County. 
  • Valcour Clinton Windpark: AES will repower a 100.5-megawatt Wind facility in the Town of Clinton, Clinton County. 
  • Valcour Ellenburg Windpark: AES will repower an 81-megawatt Wind facility in the Town of Ellenburg, Clinton County. 

Southern Tier 

  • Clear View Solar: VC Renewables, LLC will build a 19.99-megawatt Solar facility in the Town of Cohocton, Steuben County. 
  • Stonewall Solar: Nexamp will build a 145-megawatt solar facility co-located with 20 megawatts of energy storage in the Town of Meredith, Delaware County. 

Western New York 

  • Somerset Solar: Somerset Solar, LLC will build a 125-megawatt solar facility in the Town of Somerset, Niagara County. 

Outside of New York 

  • Mineral Basin Solar: Swift Current Energy will build a 401.6-megawatt solar facility in the Townships of Girard and Goshen, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and will deliver energy into the New York electric grid. 

The average bill impact for customers over the life of the projects will be approximately 0.31 percent, or about $0.32 per month. The average all-in development cost of the awarded Tier 1 projects over the life of the contracts is $60.93 per megawatt-hour. Importantly, these projects are prioritizing benefits to disadvantaged communities in line with the State’s Climate Act, with over $108 million in commitments to disadvantaged communities made by developers as part of their proposals to NYSERDA. These projects are also expected to result in over $38 million in commitments in spending to MWBEs and SDVOBs. 

The State will continue to emphasize and enhance engagement with the communities where the projects are being developed. NYSERDA offers resources and no-cost technical assistance to help local governments understand how to manage responsible clean energy development in their communities, including step-by-step instructions and tools to guide the implementation of clean energy, including permitting processes, property taxes, siting, zoning, and more. 

Long Island Power Authority Chief Executive Officer Thomas Falcone said, “LIPA proudly stands with Governor Hochul as we make history with this monumental investment in renewable energy. These projects are part of a shared commitment to a sustainable future, directly aligning with LIPA’s vision of delivering clean, reliable, and affordable electricity to our communities. Governor Hochul is transforming how we power New York while creating thousands of jobs in a new industry.”

“New York’s significant investments in offshore wind and renewable energy projects are a testament to Governor Hochul’s commitment in advancing a clean energy economy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions to benefit the state’s communities,” New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “I applaud the Governor for continuing to address the challenges of climate change with the wind, solar, and hydro projects announced today that are helping ensure a greener, more prosperous, and equitable future for all New Yorkers.”

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said,“Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, this monumental investment not only propels New York to the forefront of the renewable energy sector but promises thousands of family-sustaining jobs across our state. As we work towards a sustainable future, we’re committed to ensuring that every New Yorker reaps the economic benefits of this initiative, especially our disadvantaged communities.”

Representative Paul Tonko said, “I have always believed in the potential for New York to play a leading role in offshore wind and clean energy development and have pushed hard at the federal level to advance policy and investment that grows out this industry. Today’s announcement is a realization of that vision. This next chapter in the storied history of skilled labor and innovation in our area will bring hundreds of good paying green jobs to the Capital Region while advancing our clean energy future and protecting our environment for generations to come. I look forward to closely working with our state and commercial partners to make these bold plans a reality and I will never stop working to secure our clean energy future and create the jobs of tomorrow.”

“Today marks a key milestone for solar, wind and renewable energy projects that will not only help New York reach its sustainability goals, but also create thousands of good paying, union careers for our hardworking tradesmen and tradeswomen,” New York State Building Trades President Gary LaBarbera said. “This historic investment will brighten our clean energy future and the improve the lives of all New Yorkers, including those who will now have the opportunity to work on these projects, support their families and pursue a more accessible path to the middle class. We applaud Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to streamlining clean energy initiatives, all while uplifting working class New Yorkers.”

New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento said, “I thank Governor Hochul for this historic investment that will help us combat climate change, and ultimately win that battle while creating solid, middle-class, union jobs right here in New York State. It is the next step to ensuring that New York’s clean energy future is built, operated, and maintained by a highly trained and highly skilled union workforce. We look forward to continuing to work with the governor to address climate change while creating and preserving family-sustaining union jobs.”

Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO President John Durso said, “We look forward to working with the governor and her team as we move the offshore wind industry forward, creating good union jobs that will not only power Long Island’s economy but also make an historic commitment to our environment. The Long Island Federation of Labor, as a crucial partner, plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of offshore wind development, with our expertise and dedication, in bolstering the growth of the industry while safeguarding the interests of our workforce.”

“Today’s announcement is clearly indicative of Governor Hochul’s intent to move forward with a thriving offshore wind industry,” IBEW Local Union #3 Business Manager Christopher Erikson said. “This commitment includes labor protections for working men and women, the guaranteeing of good wages, the inclusion of PLA’s and workforce development for both the construction trades and supply chain employers. This is good for New Yorkers, our employers, our environment, and the health of generations to come.”

Alliance for Clean Energy New York Executive Director Anne Reynolds said, “New contracts for 22 wind, solar, and hydroelectric projects, plus for three major offshore wind energy projects, is good news for New York’s environment and electricity system. Building these projects will mean construction jobs for laborers, electricians, and other building trades, as well as cleaner air for New Yorkers. The renewable energy industry welcomes today’s announcements and looks forward to continuing to work with the state of New York on its ambitious energy transition.”

New York Offshore Wind Alliance Director Fred Zalcman said,“Today’s announcement by the Governor, awarding three contracts for more than 4,000 MW of offshore wind generation, shows that New York is prepared to double down on this clean, renewable and job-creating resource, and will go a long way towards instilling confidence in a market that has recently faced tremendous headwinds.

New York League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe said, “As the climate crisis bears down on us and the health of our population and planet continue to suffer the damaging effects of burning fossil fuels, we can no longer afford to just talk about renewable energy, we need to deliver real projects on the ground. The awarding of an additional 6.2 GW of wind, solar, and hydro power is a big step to meeting the state’s renewable energy goals and a major win for public health and the environment. We applaud Governor Hochul and NYSERDA President Doreen Harris for going big in the latest round of renewable energy procurements.”

Citizens Campaign for the Environment Executive Director Adrienne Esposito said, “Climate change impacts have continued to assault New York this year with more flooding in New York City subways, mud slides in Westchester and significant erosion along Fire Island and Long Island’s south shore.  Now is the time to act! Transitioning to renewable energy is the primary action we need to take to fight climate change.  Today’s announcement establishes a pivotal turning point in advancing green energy in our state. We are excited and hopeful that New York will lead the way for our Nation to act just as vigorously and decisively as New York.  We applaud Governor Hochul and NYSERDA for this historic action which will not only fight climate change, but also result in cleaner air, healthier communities and uplift our economy.”

President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and President of the National Offshore Wind Training Center Matthew Aracich said,”Here is another shining example by Governor Hochul honoring her pledge to advance the offshore wind industry here in NY. The magnitude of these projects will undoubtedly spur economic growth that will reverberate throughout the state and simultaneously provide a true pathway to the middle class. The work mentioned in today’s announcement allows skilled labor’s registered apprenticeship training programs to grow at an unprecedented rate and holds the key to maintaining a vibrant future for the Long Island Region. When we build green energy projects at a scale necessary, we eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels as quickly as possible.”

New York State’s Nation-Leading Climate Plan
New York State’s nation-leading climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economywide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York’s unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $55 billion in 145 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 165,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector in 2021 and over 3,000 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with nearly 400 registered and more than 100 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the state to help target air pollution and combat climate change. 

Gun Violence Prevention, Law & Order, News & Photo Features

NYS Governor Hochul Announces New Guidance for Law Enforcement When Responding to Domestic Incidents

Model Policy Outlines Trauma-Informed and Survivor-Centered Best Practices and Procedures for Police Officers and Supervisors That Promote Safety of Victims and Officers, Connect Individuals to Services and Support, and Preserve Evidence of a Crime

Governor Hochul Secures $1 Million Investment to Further Expand the Use of New York State’s Red Flag Law in Situations of Intimate Partner and Gender-Based Violence

Governor Hochul Signs Domestic Violence Prevention Legislation at Meeting with Survivors in Albany

 
From her earliest days as New York State Governor, Kathy Hochul has been working to address domestic violence and promote safety, signing gun control laws and expanding use of the state’s Red Flag Law. She announced announced new state guidance for police departments and sheriffs’ offices when responding to domestic incidents and secured $1 million to further expand the use of the Red Flag Law in situations of intimate partner and gender-based violence by providing training and technical assistance to community-based organizations so they can facilitate the filing of these potentially life-saving orders. © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced new state guidance for police departments and sheriffs’ offices when responding to domestic incidents. The state’s Law Enforcement Domestic Incident Model Policy outlines trauma-informed and survivor-centered best practices and procedures for police officers and supervisors to follow, with the goal of promoting safety for victims and officers, connecting individuals to services and support, and preserve evidence of a crime, among other topics. The Governor has secured $1 million to further expand the use of the state’s Red Flag Law in situations of intimate partner and gender-based violence by providing training and technical assistance to community-based organizations so they can facilitate the filing of these potentially life-saving orders. Governor Hochul also signed S.5935/A.5040 and S.5915/A.5347, two new laws related to domestic violence prevention, during a roundtable discussion with survivors in Albany. 

“I’m committed to leading an administration that treats survivors with dignity and respect,” Governor Hochul said. “This is personal to me: my mother was a lifelong advocate for victims of domestic abuse, and our family founded a transitional home for survivors in Western New York. These actions build on my administration’s ongoing commitment to help survivors and provide them with the resources, support and information they need to recover and rebuild.” 

State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) Executive Director Kelli Owens and Safe Horizon Chief Executive Officer Liz Roberts joined Governor Hochul for the roundtable discussion, information from which will inform her administration’s future policies to address domestic and gender-based violence. The goal is to build on the Governor’s establishment of a new flexible funding stream for survivor resources in the FY24 Budget, which also included $5 million in local assistance funding for OPDV to provide direct financial assistance to victims and survivors of domestic violence. October is marked in New York State and the nation as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Governor Hochul dramatically expanded use of the state’s Red Flag Law in the aftermath of the 2022 racially motivate murders at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo. Also known as the Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Law, the law is designed to prevent individuals who show signs of being a threat to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing any kind of firearm, while providing procedural safeguards to ensure that no firearm is removed without due process.

This new, $1 million investment will fund training and technical assistance for community-based organizations so they can help potential ERPO petitioners – family members, school officials, and health and mental health care providers, among others – identify extreme risk behavior and navigate the court process to further increase the use of this critical public safety law. The state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) and OPDV will work with the state’s 10 Domestic Violence Regional Councils to implement this initiative.

The new Law Enforcement Domestic Incident Model Policy addresses significant shifts in law enforcement policy and practice that have occurred since the state first issued guidance in 2010, as well as an increased understanding of the effects of trauma, the need to assess for lethality factors when responding to these incidents, and the importance of putting victims and survivors at the center of any response and holding individuals who harm accountable for their behavior. The State’s Municipal Police Training Council, to which DCJS provides staff support, adopted the policy after working with subject matter experts in policing, domestic violence prevention and response, and law enforcement training.

“Domestic incidents are among the most common and serious calls agencies receive,” New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said. “This comprehensive model policy is designed to provide responding officers with the information, tools, and resources they need to effectively handle these cases. I thank the members of the Municipal Police Training Council and my team at DCJS for their work and commitment to improving policing and how the criminal justice system responds to victims and survivors.”

New York State Office for Victim Services Director Elizabeth Cronin said,“It takes an incredible amount of courage for someone in an abusive relationship to seek help from the police. Once they take that step, even making that call can cause a dangerous situation to escalate, so it’s critically important that police officers have the best information, training, and skills when they respond. I thank Municipal Police Training Council members for their leadership and urge all police agencies take advantage of this important guidance.”

In addition to announcing the availability of this critical guidance for law enforcement and funding to expand the use of the state’s Red Flag Law, Governor Hochul signed legislation S.5935/A.5040 enacting the “Hope Card Act” that directs the state Office of Court Administration to develop a program to issue cards containing information of a final order of protection at no cost to individuals. This will empower and enable survivors to enforce their orders of protection without carrying, and risk losing, their official copies. New York is the sixth state to implement a Hope Card program. 

The Governor also signed legislation S.5915/A.5347 requiring the State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence to distribute informational materials on economic abuse. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more than 90 percent of survivors of domestic violence have suffered economic abuse, but many people do not see themselves as being in an abusive relationship if they are not being physically harmed. Informational materials for victims and survivors of domestic- and gender-based violence will include connections to housing resources, local social service offices, and more to help individuals attain safety and stability. 

“Economic abuse – like so many forms of domestic violence – is overlooked, underreported, and sometimes difficult to recognize,” State Senator Kristen Gonzalez said. “By requiring the Office of the Prevention of Domestic Violence to distribute informational materials on a form of domestic violence that is near ubiquitous in abusive relationships, this bill will empower survivors of economic abuse to recognize economic abuse in its many forms and give them the tools they need to find help. We thank the Governor for signing this bill into law, and for promoting more trauma-informed responses to domestic violence.”

Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal said,”Economic abuse is an invisible form of domestic violence, making it increasingly important that we shine a light on this dangerous practice. Despite being lesser known, economic abuse is extremely common, impacting more than 90% of domestic violence survivors. When a person is trying to leave a dangerous situation, the last thing they should have to worry about is how they will afford to rebuild their life or if their credit has been destroyed by their abuser. I thank Governor Hochul for signing my legislation to make informational materials available to survivors statewide so that they can recognize economic abuse and know where to turn for help.”

The Model Policy addresses changes in law enforcement practice, updates to state law, including the Red Flag Law, and ways for the law enforcement response to be more survivor centered, including: 

  • Assessing potential lethality to a victim by asking questions about their partner’s access to guns or threats to harm themselves or others, prior incidents of strangulation, harm experienced during pregnancy, jealously and escalating violence. If an individual answers yes to these questions, the guidance provides officers with detailed information about the next steps they should take, including immediately connecting the victim with safety planning by calling a state or local domestic violence hotline or arranging for an advocate to arrive on scene; obtaining evidence from all possible sources, such as phone records, video, and license plate readers, not solely the victim; and consult with prosecutors prior to arraignment if an individual has been charged in connection with the incident.
  • Determining if it is necessary to obtain an ERPO to remove any firearms from the home if the alleged abuser poses a danger to the victim, themselves, or others. The Municipal Police Training Council also has an Extreme Risk Protective Order Model Policy and DCJS has provided training on the topic to assist law enforcement professionals with this assessment and their responsibilities under the law.
  • Using the individual’s own words when documenting the incident, rather than drawing conclusions: “I can’t sign this or he’ll kill me,” instead of characterizing the statement, such as “victim refused to cooperate.” Police officers must complete a New York State Domestic Incident Report, whether or not an offense occurred, or an arrest is made.
  • Notifying individuals about the availability critical civil legal services so they can obtain orders of protection, and assistance with custody and housing, among other legal matters resulting from their victimization.
  • Understanding how the effects of trauma and coercive control may result in victims and survivors of domestic violence being hesitant to say what happened, list events in illogical order, and fear authority figures or that police involvement may subject them to future harm.
  • Using body-worn cameras, which may affect a victim’s willingness to provide information. If a victim requests an officer stop recording, that request should be documented on camera before the recording is deactivated.

Police departments and sheriffs’ offices are not required to adopt the Law Enforcement Domestic Incident Model Policy: It is designed so each agency can develop their own policies and procedures to best serve the unique needs of their community. Development of model policies is a core function of the Municipal Police Training Council, which also establishes requirements for statutorily mandated police and peace officer basic training in New York State, and police and peace officer instructor certifications, among other responsibilities.

New York State’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline provides free, confidential support 24/7 and is available in most languages: 800-942-6906 (call), 844-997-2121 (text) or @opdv.ny.gov (chat). Individuals also can visit OVS Resource Connect to find a victim assistance program in their community. The Office of Victim Services funds and supports 239 victim assistance programs across the state that provide essential services, such as crisis counseling, support groups, case management, emergency shelter, civil legal help, and relocation assistance, among other assistance, to victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and other crimes, and their families. The agency also provides a critical financial safety net for individuals who have no other resources to pay for expenses they incurred because of the crime.

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services is a multifunction criminal justice support agency with a variety of responsibilities, including law enforcement training; collection and analysis of statewide crime data; maintenance of criminal history information and fingerprint files; administrative oversight of the state’s DNA databank, in partnership with the New York State Police; funding and oversight of probation and community correction programs; administration of federal and state criminal justice funds; support of criminal justice-related agencies across the state; and administration of the State’s Sex Offender Registry. Follow the agency on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

The New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violenceis the country’s only executive level state agency dedicated to the issue of gender-based violence. Follow the agency on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Safe Horizon is the nation’s largest nonprofit victim assistance organization. Based entirely in New York City, Safe Horizon offers a client-centered, trauma-informed, anti-racist response to 250,000 New Yorkers each year who have experienced violence or abuse.

Biden Administration, Israel, Israel-Palestine, Jewish issues, News & Photo Features

Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Takes Landmark Step to Counter Antisemitism; Governors Show Support for Israel 

‘No Fear, No Hate’ Solidarity March against Antisemitism, NYC, Jan 5, 2020. Rising antisemitism has been a concern for years, hitting new records year after year, but spiking now with the Israel-Hamas war that seems to only provide another excuse to express hate and bigotry. Governors lead by New York State have taken a stand and the Biden Administration, even before the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre of 1400 Israelis, announced groundbreaking actions across eight federal agencies to address antisemitism. © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Amid record rates of antisemitism and hate crimes –  given added fuel with the Israel-Hamas war –  for the first time, eight federal agencies make clear that a key civil rights protection prohibits certain forms of antisemitism; actions are major deliverable in implementing the President’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.

According to an Oct. 7 analysis by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the instances of antisemitic rhetoric and calls for violence against Jews social media greatly increased following Hamas’ sneak attack on Israel earlier that day which killed more than 1,200 Israelis and resulted in hundreds more being taken hostage. On platforms favored by white supremacist extremists, however, hateful and violent rhetoric targeting Jews increased by 488 percent, the ADL said. New York State, New York City, and Long Island, home to the largest population of Jews outside of Israel, have had to step up police protection.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul led a bipartisan coalition of 17 governors to stand in solidarity with Israel, issuing a joint letter to federal leaders to express the broad support for Israel and condemnation of terror attacks from Hamas on October 17. The governors also reaffirmed their commitment to work with the U.S. Department of State to ensure the safe return of Americans.

“The bonds between America and Israel are unbreakable – now and forever,” Governor Hochul said. “As the Governor of the largest Jewish population outside Israel, I recognize we have a unique and solemn responsibility to support Israel during this critical moment. I’m proud to stand with my fellow Governors to show our support for Israel, and grateful to my colleagues for their bold moral leadership.”

The letter reads:

As Governors representing more than 144,000,000 Americans, we stand with Israel and unequivocally condemn the despicable acts of war and terror perpetrated by Hamas on Saturday, October 7, 2023, which have already claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent people in Israel. In the days since these initial attacks, we have joined with members of our communities to mourn and pray, and we have experienced first-hand the deep emotional toll this horrendous evil has taken on so many. We also know that there are several Americans that have already been confirmed killed as a result of this violence, and we know that number is likely to rise in the days ahead.

We stand united in support of Israel in its efforts to secure the safe return of hostages and ensure the ongoing safety of its people. We commend President Biden for his swift response in providing increased military assistance to Israel, and members of Congress from both parties for their firm statements of support for Israel. We urge immediate and continued U.S. aid to Israel in the weeks and months to come. We also urge the Senate to swiftly confirm nominees to key diplomatic roles in the region, including ambassador roles in Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, and Kuwait as well as move forward with consideration of all pending military nominations and promotions to ensure that our most experienced leaders are occupying the most important jobs for our national defense.

Each of us has taken action in our respective states to increase security in Jewish communities and at Jewish houses of worship. Given these concerns, and the rise of antisemitism across the country, Congress should ensure funding for states and local governments to support activities and programs to ensure resources to safeguard houses of worship and religious-affiliated groups are available to combat antisemitism at home. We will continue to work with federal, state, and local law enforcement to monitor for potential domestic threats and provide support to community leaders as needed.

We stand ready to provide additional support to Israel and to work with the United States Department of State to ensure the safe return of Americans in Israel. Our prayers remain with those who have been lost, their loved ones, the people of Israel, and the Jewish community worldwide.

This fact sheet was provided by the White House on September 28, 2023, more than a week before Hamas massacre of 1400 Israelis in surprise attacks on October 7: As part of President Biden’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, eight federal agencies clarified—for the first time in writing—that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits certain forms of antisemitic, Islamophobic, and related forms of discrimination in federally funded programs and activities. These wide-ranging protections provide important tools to curb discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics and to better protect the civil rights of all Americans.

The Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, Treasury, and Transportation will also ensure that agency staff understand and are ready to respond to this kind of discrimination, engage with entities that are prohibited from discriminating in these ways to explain their legal responsibilities, and inform communities of their rights to be free from such discrimination and how to file complaints. In addition, the agencies will continue to investigate complaints under Title VI and other civil rights authorities and vigorously enforce protections within federally funded programs and activities they administer. Examples include shielding people from harassment or discrimination on transit systems funded by the Department of Transportation (DOT); in housing funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); or in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded food programs.

Each agency today is clarifying the ways in which Title VI covers discrimination on the basis of shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, including certain forms of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of bias and discrimination. These actions were developed with support from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and provide details about how these protections may cover individuals of many different faith traditions, such as people who are Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Hindu, or Buddhist. Agency fact sheets are being translated into Yiddish, Hebrew, Arabic, Punjabi, and other languages to ensure that a diverse array of populations can access this vital civil rights information, and additional languages will be available upon request.

Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act applies to all programs and activities supported by federal financial assistance. Thus, these protections are wide-ranging and provide important tools to prevent and curb discrimination. Today’s announcement is a deliverable of President Biden’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, released in May 2023. This strategy represents the most comprehensive and ambitious U.S. government effort to counter antisemitism in American history. It includes over 100 actions the Biden-Harris Administration is taking to address the rise of antisemitism in the U.S. Since the release of the strategy, agencies have taken dozens of actions. Highlights include:

• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) published a resource guide for houses of worship and other faith-based institutions to increase security while sustaining an open and welcoming environment.

• DHS has held listening sessions nationwide with communities impacted by targeted violence to better understand evolving threats and address their safety and security needs, with an emphasis on underserved communities. These sessions are ongoing and will help improve accessibility and information-sharing of DHS’ resources to meet the needs of those impacted by hate-motivated violence.

• The Department of Education (ED) launched an Antisemitism Awareness Campaign to ensure all students are able to attend schools free of discrimination. To open this campaign, in May, ED issued a Dear Colleague Letter specifically on antisemitism to schools, reminding them of their legal obligation under Title VI. The Department of Education has long detailed how Title VI applies to shared ancestry and ethnic characteristics in the educational setting. To further these crucial efforts to counter antisemitism, today, ED will launch the first of several Fall site visits to address and learn about antisemitism at schools and colleges. Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten will visit the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco to engage with students, educators, school administrators, and community leaders around countering antisemitism. Then, the ED team will join San Francisco Hillel for a closed-door conversation with Jewish students from Bay Area colleges around their experiences of antisemitism on college campuses.

• The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at DHS is expanding security capacity-building services to historically targeted communities, including Jewish communities. This includes sessions on active shooter preparedness; an introduction to bomb threat management; tabletop exercise packages for places of worship, such as synagogues; a training on responding to suspicious behaviors and items; and a workshop held at the White House, in cooperation with the White House and DHS Offices of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, on Sept. 28.

• DOJ released updated informational materials about the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), which provide an overview of the law and DOJ’s enforcement efforts, as well as information about how to identify and report violations. DOJ also announced that it will host a series of outreach events on RLUIPA in 2023 and 2024.

• By the end of September, DOJ will launch the United Against Hate program in all 94 of its U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to strengthen trust between law enforcement and communities that are often the targets of hate, including Jewish communities, teach community members how to identify and report hate crimes and hate incidents. DOJ has already held more than 200 events nationwide.

• DOT, through the Federal Transit Administration, has initiated research to identify the data available at the transit-agency level to better understand the extent to which race, ethnicity, and religion or religious appearance impact assaults on, harassment of, and discrimination against transit riders, including antisemitism. DOT completed interviews at the nine largest transit agencies in the United States and plans to share its findings in a future report.

• The Small Business Administration (SBA) is providing training and resources for small business owners and employees on preventing and responding to antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of hate. For example, SBA is working with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to encourage small businesses and employees to report antisemitic and other hate incidents to the proper authorities. SBA will host a webinar to share these resources broadly.

• The EEOC has disseminated materials on nondiscrimination and religious accommodations in the workplace, including a fact sheet to inform employees of their rights when they face antisemitism at work. Since last October, it has held more than 40 outreach and training events at its field offices around the country.

• HUD issued a letter to 200 federally-funded fair housing partners on how to identify and counter antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of bias and discrimination in housing.

• The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) will extend its national tour of the Americans and the Holocaust exhibition at public and academic libraries in partnership with the American Library Association. To date, it has reached more than 300,000 visitors at 50 host sites across the country. The tour will continue to an additional 50 libraries in 2024.

• AmeriCorps circulated resources to its grantees and sponsors, who support about 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in nearly 40,000 locations across the country, on ways to help counter antisemitism and hate, and enhance the physical security of religious communities.

• The Department of the Interior (DOI) is distributing new resources on Jewish American heritage through the National Park Service (NPS). Additionally, starting in October, NPS will integrate guidance on stopping or preventing antisemitic behavior in parks into staff trainings. NPS will also add tools on countering antisemitism to bystander intervention and conflict de-escalation trainings that are available to all DOI staff.

• In November, USDA will host a summit in Omaha, Nebraska that will include a diverse group of more than 100 religious leaders from across the country to assess the state of antisemitism, highlight effective strategies to counter antisemitism, and build solidarity across faiths.

• The Department of State and the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism produced a report documenting existing overseas programs, policies, and actions that counter antisemitism to help inform domestic efforts to counter antisemitism.

• The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is providing ongoing trainings on antidiscrimination laws to medical students nationwide. HHS is also holding listening sessions with Jewish and Muslim chaplains on religious discrimination in healthcare settings. These sessions will inform future HHS departmental priorities.

• The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will launch its Artists for Understanding and Connecting initiative in October. Through this work, the NEA will raise awareness of the power of the arts to counter antisemitism, Islamophobia and others forms of hate.

• The National Endowment for the Humanities has placed a special call for applications within existing funding opportunities to encourage research and projects on antisemitism and Islamophobia. Additionally, last week, NEH announced $2.8 million in funding in every state and jurisdiction through its United We Stand: Connecting Through Culture initiative for humanities-based programming that counters hate-motivated violence as well as antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of bias and discrimination in the United States.

Biden Administration, Gun Violence Prevention, News & Photo Features

Biden-Harris Administration Provides $4.4 Billion to Support Community Safety, Prevent Gun Violence and Violent Crime

This roundup of Biden-Harris administrations actions to support community safety, prevent gun violence and other violent crime has been provided by the White House:

The Biden-Harris Administration has taken new action to support community safety, reduce violent crime, and prevent gun violence in communities across the country with the announcement of $4.4 billion of Department of Justice grants. These new grants will invest in community violence intervention and prevention efforts, improve services for victims of gun violence, and support law enforcement as they work to reduce crime – and they build on President Biden’s historic efforts to reduce gun violence in our country.
 

New York City among communities pleading for action to stop the epidemic of gun violence. The Biden-Harris Administration has taken new action to support community safety, reduce violent crime, and prevent gun violence in communities across the country with the announcement of $4.4 billion of Department of Justice grants. These new grants will invest in community violence intervention and prevention efforts, improve services for victims of gun violence, and support law enforcement as they work to reduce crime – and they build on President Biden’s historic efforts to reduce gun violence in our country. © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre: “Over the past few days we have seen the traumatizing impact of the gun violence epidemic in our country. At Morgan State University in Baltimore, where a joyful Homecoming week was interrupted by violence. In Holyoke, where several people were shot at including a pregnant woman who tragically lost the child she was carrying hours later in the hospital. And in Philadelphia, where three police officers were shot while doing their jobs last night.
 
Americans should be able to go to their schools, places of worship, jobs, and out in their community without the fear of gun violence.
 
Last week, the Department of Justice announced that they are awarding more than $4.4 billion in grants to support state, local, and Tribal community safety efforts that reach every corner of the country. This historic investment in community safety is a major stride toward preventing violence in our communities.
 
Among some examples of where this critical funding will be going toward are: number one, first, community violence prevention efforts, including in new investments in states including North Carolina, Colorado, and Ohio; efforts to support victims of gun violence in all fifty states; investments in crime reduction strategies and support for law enforcement; crucial resources to keep our kids safe in and out of school; and much more.
 
This is just the latest action from the Biden-Harris Administration to keep communities safe.
 
And it builds on the historic action President Biden has taken to reduce gun violence and gun crime: including signing into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, announcing dozens of executive actions, and last month, launching the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.”
 
Department of Justice: Justice Department Awards Over $4.4 Billion to Support Community Safety
 
The Justice Department announced today that it is awarding more than $4.4 billion to support state, local, and Tribal public safety and community justice activities. The grants, from the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will help build community capacity to curb violence, serve victims and youth, and achieve fair outcomes through evidence-based criminal and juvenile justice strategies.
 
“Everyone in this country deserves to be safe in their communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “That is why, in addition to continuing our efforts to identify and prosecute the most violent criminals, the Justice Department is putting every available resource to work to support the efforts of our law enforcement and community partners nationwide. This significant investment will go directly to state and local programs that support the victims of crime, support officer safety and wellness, build the public trust in law enforcement essential to public safety, and help make all of our communities safer.”
 
The more than 3,700 OJP grants being awarded this fiscal year will support state, local, and community-based efforts and evidence-based interventions that reduce violence, crime, and recidivism while delivering treatment and services to those at-risk of justice system involvement. Funding will expand partnerships between criminal justice professionals and behavioral health experts, help people safely and successfully transition from confinement back to their communities, reach crime victims in underserved areas, steer young people away from justice system contact, improve the management of sex offenders, and support a wide range of research and statistical activities that will help justice system professionals meet community safety challenges.
 
“Across the country, the Justice Department is working side-by-side with our partners in state and local law enforcement to combat violent crime by using our federal resources to amplify their work on the front lines,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The billions of dollars in grants announced today will augment those efforts and the tools law enforcement is using to curb violence, counter deadly drug abuse, and promote safety and public trust. Together with our state and local partners, the Department will continue to do everything we can to protect the communities we all serve.”
 
“The Department of Justice is investing in community-based approaches to violence prevention, law enforcement health and wellness, Tribal courts, improved services for victims, research and data collection efforts, reentry programs, and much more,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “The grants announced today further our commitment to working with our state, Tribal, and local partners to increase public safety, build police-community trust, and ensure safe, healthy, and just communities for all.”
 
“Every sector of our society — not only the justice system, but nonprofit and faith-based groups, local leaders, and advocates, and people with lived experience who serve as credible messengers — plays a critical role in ensuring public safety and public health,” said OJP Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon. “The Office of Justice Programs is proud to make these substantial investments in building community infrastructure and supporting communities as co-producers of safety and justice.”
 
Grants will support five major community safety and justice priorities:

  • Awards totaling more than $1 billion will promote safety and strengthen trust, helping communities tackle the proliferation of gun violence in America and restore bonds of trust between community residents and the justice system. Grants will support innovative and evidence-based strategies designed to prevent and reduce violent crime, support the health and safety of law enforcement and public safety professionals, promote rehabilitation and reentry success, and address the rise in hate crimes across the country.
     
  • More than $437 million in grant awards will accelerate justice system reforms designed to achieve equal justice and fair treatment for all. Grants will expand access to services among historically underserved and marginalized communities, reduce counterproductive involvement in the justice system, increase opportunities for diversion, and build pathways to treatment for people with substance use and mental health disorders. 
     
  • Over $192 million will improve the fairness and effectiveness of the juvenile justice system by supporting developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive interventions for youth. Funding will ensure that young people are served at home in their communities whenever possible, are equipped to transition to a healthy adulthood free of crime, and are protected from violence and abuse.
     
  • More than $1.7 billion will expand access to victim services by investing in programs that provide trauma-informed and culturally responsive services to victims. Funding will support thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory, while helping these programs build their capacity to reach those disproportionately affected by crime and victimization.
     
  •  Over $418 million in awards will advance science and innovation to strengthen the base of knowledge that policymakers and practitioners can use to design and deploy effective community safety strategies. Awards will support research and data collection on a wide range of public safety issues, help maintain timely and accurate criminal history records, and improve the capacity of crime labs and forensic analysts to solve crimes, absolve the innocent, and deliver justice to victims.   

In addition, OJP will award more than $611 million to continue its support of other previously funded programs and congressionally directed spending. More information about the awards announced today can be found by visiting www.ojp.gov/funding/fy23awards

Biden Administration, National Security, News & Photo Features, President Joe Biden

FACT SHEET: President Biden Calls on Congress to Advance Critical National Security Priorities Including Israel, Ukraine, Border

Following his Oval Office speech to the American people outlining the nation’s interests in aiding Israel, Ukraine and bolstering the border, President Joe Biden is requesting supplemental funding from Congress that advances our national security and supports our allies and partners. This is a fact sheet from the White House:

Following his Oval Office speech to the American people outlining the nation’s interests in aiding Israel, Ukraine and bolstering the border, President Joe Biden is requesting supplemental funding from Congress that advances our national security and supports our allies and partners.

Since the horrific terrorist attack by Hamas, President Biden has surged security, intelligence, and diplomatic support to the people of Israel. This supplemental request will continue to provide the necessary security assistance to Israel, support Israeli efforts to secure the release of hostages, and extend humanitarian assistance to civilians impacted by the war in Israel and in Gaza.
      
The United States’ support to Israel comes at the same time that Vladimir Putin’s illegal war against the people of Ukraine passes its 600th day. The actions of the Biden-Harris Administration have enabled the people of Ukraine to defend their nation against a brutal and unprovoked invasion and recapture territory seized by Russian forces, liberating Ukrainian civilians from Russian occupation. The Administration’s supplemental request will provide the critical training, equipment, and weapons necessary to help Ukraine defend and recapture its sovereign territory and protect the Ukrainian people against Russian aggression.
 
The Administration’s supplemental invests in our military industrial base to ensure our military readiness, including replenishing resources to meet our defense needs as we support Israel and Ukraine, as well as the growing security requirements in the Indo-Pacific. Resources for the American defense industrial base will support American jobs, increase our nation’s ability to produce critically important munitions and other equipment, and ensure our Military continues to be the most ready, capable, and best equipped fighting force the world has ever seen. The Administration’s supplemental also requests increased support to allies and partners in our strategic competition with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). It will mobilize hundreds of billions from international finance institutions to provide a sustainable source of financing to developing countries as an alternative to the coercive lending practices of the PRC.
 
Additionally, we’ve been clear that the Congressional Republicans need to stop playing political games with border security and provide the resources our law enforcement personnel need to secure the southwest border and stop the flow of fentanyl into our country. President Biden continues to implement a regional migration strategy focused on enforcement, deterrence, and diplomacy. While progress has been made, President Biden has made clear that we need more funding to enhance our enforcement measures.
 
To advance our critical national security interests, the Biden-Harris Administration is calling on Congress to provide additional national security resources that will:

Support Israel’s Defense Against Terrorism
 
Immediately following the brutal October 7 terrorist attack in Israel, President Biden directed his Administration to take swift and decisive action to ensure the government of Israel has everything it needs to defend itself consistent with the rule of law and the law of war. To build on that support, today the Administration is requesting funding to aid Israel’s defense against these horrific terrorist attacks. This request includes funds to:
 

  • Strengthen Israel’s defense from vicious terrorist attacks and bolster the Israeli Defense Forces through Department of Defense (DOD) assistance.
  • Ensure Israel’s air and missile defense systems’ readiness with support for the Government of Israel’s procurement of Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile defense systems and components, and development of Iron Beam.
  • Replenish DOD stocks that are being drawn down to support Israel in its time of need.
  • Strengthen Israel’s military and enhance U.S. embassy security with foreign military financing from the Department of State.

 
Defend Ukraine Against Russian Aggression

Previous supplemental appropriations for direct military aid, economic and humanitarian assistance, and other support for Ukraine have been committed or nearly committed. As Ukrainians wage a tough counteroffensive and as winter approaches, the world is watching what Congress does next. The Administration’s request will provide funding for:
 

  • Additional weapons and equipment to help Ukraine succeed on the battlefield and protect its people against Russian attacks, as well as replenish DOD stocks provided to Ukraine via Presidential drawdown authority. The weapons and equipment the United States has provided to date include air defense systems, munitions, small arms, ground maneuver units, and other key capabilities that have made a significant difference on the battlefield, helping Ukraine save countless lives and win the battles for Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson.
  • Continued military, intelligence, and other defense support, including robust investments in the defense industrial base, transportation costs of U.S. personnel and equipment, and continuing an enhanced U.S. troop presence in Europe among other critical support activities, in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
  • Critical economic and civilian security assistance, including direct budget support to help Ukraine continue to provide critical services to its people and sustain its economy while under attack; assistance for investments in critical infrastructure; support for civilian law enforcement; and assistance for demining in territory recently liberated from Russian occupation.
  • Support for Ukrainians displaced by Russia’s war and provided safety and shelter in the United States through Uniting for Ukraine.
  • Nuclear and radiological crisis management, response, and partner capacity building in case of emergencies as part of our general contingency planning.

 
Provide Life-Saving Humanitarian Assistance
 
In addition to funding for security assistance for Ukraine and Israel, we are also requesting funding to address humanitarian needs of innocent civilians, including those impacted by the war in Israel and in Gaza. Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine also continues to have a global impact, particularly on food security, given Ukraine’s role as the leading grain producer in the world, and this humanitarian assistance will address global needs. Our humanitarian assistance is critical to demonstrating U.S. leadership amid unprecedented levels of humanitarian need, geopolitical competition, and global challenges. This request includes funds to:
 

  • Provide life-saving humanitarian assistance and support for innocent civilians devastated by Putin’s unjust war in Ukraine, Hamas’ attack on Israel, and the numerous other natural and man-made crises around the world. This includes life-saving humanitarian assistance in Gaza and support for Palestinian refugees in the West Bank and surrounding areas

Strengthen Security in the Indo-Pacific


It is critically important that we not lose our focus on the importance of integrated deterrence in the Indo-Pacific. Our allies and partners in the region need our support more than ever, and this request provides resources to help them build the capabilities necessary to meet emerging challenges. This request will provide funding for:
 

  • Security assistance for capacity building to address ongoing and emerging threats to critical allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific. This funding will bolster deterrence and support key allies and partners as they face an increasingly assertive PRC, and will support partners transitioning off of Russian military equipment.
  • The United States’ Submarine Industrial Base, through improvements and infrastructure work at the Navy’s four public shipyards and increasing production rates and submarine availability through initiatives in supplier development, shipbuilder and supplier infrastructure, workforce development, technology advancements, government oversight, and strategic sourcing. This funding will accelerate build and sustainment rates for attack submarines, one of our most effective capabilities for maintaining deterrence, in order to meet U.S. military requirements.  
  • AUKUS. While this funding for our submarine industrial base is necessary to meet U.S. national needs, these investments will also support U.S. commitments under AUKUS – our trilateral security partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom – the first major deliverable of which was our historic decision to support Australia acquiring conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines. Australia has also committed to provide a proportionate financial investment in the U.S. submarine industrial base to accelerate the delivery of Virginia class submarines.

 
Ensure Military Readiness
 
As we support our partners in Israel, Ukraine, and across the Indo-Pacific, the Administration’s request –including the items described above – provides funding to ensure American military readiness by investing over $50 billion in the American defense industrial base with through replenishment funding and other forms of security assistance, like foreign military financing and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Resources for the American defense industrial base will support American jobs, increase our nation’s ability to produce critically important munitions and other equipment, and ensure our Military continues to be the most ready, capable, and best equipped fighting force the world has ever seen. Without additional replenishment funding, DOD will be unable to continue to backfill the Military Services for equipment provided via drawdown to Ukraine and Israel, thereby degrading U.S. readiness.
 
Provide Alternatives to Coercive PRC Financing in Developing Countries
 
To provide a credible alternative to the People’s Republic of China’s coercive and unsustainable financing for developing countries around the world, the Administration’s request will advance high-leverage solutions through the international financial institutions. This historic U.S. action will support the mobilization of $200 billion of new financing for developing countries backed by our partners and allies. The requested funding will:
 

  • Materially expand development finance to the countries hard hit by the spillovers of Russia’s war through funding for the World Bank.
  • Unlock up to $21 billion in new transparent lending with no additional appropriations through the authorization to lend to two International Monetary Fund (IMF) trust funds.

 
Additionally, we are seeking authorization to ensure the IMF can respond quickly to future global financial shocks and restore stability to both economies and markets, minimizing negative spillovers that could affect the U.S. economy, by providing the authority to extend our participation in the IMF’s New Arrangements to Borrow mechanism.
 
Strengthen Border Security and Enforcement
 
The Administration is asking Congress to provide the resources our law enforcement personnel need to secure the southwest border and stop the flow of fentanyl into our country. President Biden continues to implement a regional migration strategy focused on enforcement, diplomacy, and legal pathways and work authorization. The plan has resulted in the largest expansion of legal pathways in decades, increased the number of law enforcement personnel along the border and expedited removals of unlawful crossings thanks to historic diplomatic agreements. Despite the progress made, President Biden has made clear that we need more funding to execute on our three-part strategy, including enhancing our enforcement measures. The requested funding supports:
 

  • An additional 1,300 border patrol agents to work alongside the 20,200 agents already funded in the FY2024 Budget.
  • Funding to deploy over 100 cutting-edge inspection machines to help detect fentanyl at our southwest border ports of entry.
  • Additional 1,000 law enforcement personnel and investigative capabilities to prevent cartels from moving fentanyl into the country.
  • 1,600 additional asylum officers to increase by 2.5 times the number of personnel that interview and adjudicate claims for asylum and facilitate timely decisions so that those who are ineligible can be quickly removed and those with valid claims can have faster resolution.
  • 375 new immigration judge teams, the largest incremental request ever, to adjudicate and process immigration cases more quickly and help reduce the caseload backlog.
  • Additional grants to local governments and non-profits to support the provision of for temporary food, shelter, and other services for those recently released from DHS custody.
  • Critical border management activities, including additional temporary holding facilities and detention beds for fair and fast processing for recent arrivals.
  • Expansion of lawful pathways, including efforts to streamline the processing of eligible refugees and migrants through the Safe Mobility Offices Initiative.
  • Support for eligible arrivals, including services to successfully resettle in the United States and become self-sufficient.
  • Funding to conduct robust child labor investigations and enforcement, particularly to protect vulnerable migrant children entering the United States through the southern border.
  • Reimbursement to the Department of Defense for its support provided along the southwest border in FY 2024.

Finally, our nation faces additional urgent needs for millions of hard-working Americans. In coming days, the Administration will also submit a request for supplemental funds to address recent natural disasters, avoid the risk that millions of Americans lose access to affordable high-speed internet or child care, provide additional resources for FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program, and avert a funding cliff for wildland firefighter pay. Congress should also address critical funding needs the Administration communicated earlier this fall, including to protect critical nutrition assistance for millions of pregnant women, infants, and children through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Biden Administration, News & Photo Features

IRS Launches New Initiatives to Ensure Large Corporations Pay Taxes Owed, Continues to Improve Service and Modernize Technology

This fact sheet is provided by the Department of the Treasury concerning new initiatives launched by the IRS using funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to ensure large corporations pay the taxes they owe, while improving service and modernizing technology with the launch of the Business Tax Account:

U.S. Department of the Treasury. The IRS is announcing new initiatives to ensure large corporations pay taxes owed. As these initiatives to improve compliance among high-income individuals, complex partnerships, and large corporations ramp up, the IRS is continuing its work to improve customer service and modernize core technology infrastructure, most notably with the launch of Business Tax Account. © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

WASHINGTON—Following a dramatically improved 2023 Filing Season thanks to Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) investments, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has targeted IRA resources on strengthening enforcement, with announcements on new initiatives to pursue high-income, high-wealth individuals who do not pay overdue tax bills and complex partnerships. Today the IRS is announcing new initiatives to ensure large corporations pay taxes owed. As these initiatives to improve compliance among high-income individuals, complex partnerships, and large corporations ramp up, the IRS is continuing its work to improve customer service and modernize core technology infrastructure, most notably with the launch of Business Tax Account.

Ensuring Large Corporations and High-Income, High-Wealth Individual Taxpayers Pay Taxes Owed

The IRS is working to ensure large corporate and high-income individual filers pay the taxes they owe. Prior to the Inflation Reduction Act, more than a decade of budget cuts prevented the IRS from keeping pace with the increasingly complicated set of tools that the wealthiest taxpayers use to hide their income and evade paying their share. The IRS is now taking swift and aggressive action to close this gap.

  • Large Foreign-Owned Corporations Transfer Pricing Initiative: The IRS is increasing compliance efforts on the U.S. subsidiaries of foreign companies that distribute goods in the U.S. and do not pay their fair share of tax on the profit they earn of their U.S. activity. These foreign companies use transfer pricing rules year after year to report losses that are engineered through the improper use of these rules to avoid reporting an appropriate amount of U.S. profits. To crack down on this strategy, the IRS is sending compliance alerts to approximately 150 subsidiaries of large foreign corporations to reiterate their U.S. tax obligations and incentivize self-correction.
     
  • Expansion of the Large Corporate Compliance program: The Large Business & International Division’s (LB&I) Large Corporate Compliance (LCC) program focuses on noncompliance by using data analytics to identify large corporate taxpayers for audit. LCC includes the largest and most complex corporate taxpayers with average assets of more than $24 billion and average taxable income of approximately $526 million per year. As new accountants come on board in early 2024, LB&I is expanding the program by starting an additional 60 audits of the largest corporate taxpayers selected using a combination of artificial intelligence and subject matter expertise in areas such as cross-border issues and corporate planning and transactions.
     
  • Cracking Down on Abuse of Repealed Corporate Tax Break: Following the 2017 repeal of a provision of the code that provided a deduction for producing goods in the U.S., the IRS received hundreds of claims collectively seeking more than $6 billion in refunds, with a significant portion of filers claiming the deduction for the first time. The IRS launched a campaign to address noncompliance and review high-risk claims in this area. IRS efforts have been incredibly successful in ensuring revenue is collected. The efforts have recently been supported by a significant win in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, which sided with the Tax Court and IRS in denying a refund claim based on a $1.8 billion deduction. This will have far-reaching benefit to the IRS’ ongoing efforts in this space.
     
  • Prioritization of high-income cases: The IRS has been ramping up efforts to pursue high income, high wealth individuals who have either not filed their taxes or failed to pay recognized tax debt. These efforts are concentrated among taxpayers with more than $1 million in income and more than $250,000 in recognized tax debt. Building off earlier successes that collected $38 million from more than 175 high-income earners, dozens of Revenue Officers are focusing on these high-end collection cases in the coming fiscal year. As announced in September, the IRS has begun contacting about 1,600 new taxpayers in this category that owe hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes.
    • The IRS has now collected $122 million dollars in 100 of these already assigned 1,600 cases. Examples of cases closed since the Inflation Reduction Act passed follow:
      • An individual last month was ordered to pay more than $15 million in restitution. The individual falsified millions of dollars of personal expenses as deductible business expenses and financed construction of a 51,000-square-foot mansion, including expenses of interior and exterior construction costs; an outdoor pool and pool house; and tennis, basketball, and bocce courts. The individual falsified millions of dollars of expenses for luxury vehicles, artwork, country club memberships, and homes for his children.
         
      • An individual last week pled guilty to filing false tax returns and skimming more than $670,000 from his business. The individual spent $110,000 on personal expenses and $502,000 on gambling.
         
      • An individual was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining $5 million in COVID relief loans for sham businesses. The individual then spent the money on himself, purchasing Ferrari, Bentley, and Lamborghini cars

Improving Taxpayer Service

The IRS is focused on helping taxpayers get it right the first time—claiming the credits and deductions they are eligible for and avoiding back-and-forth with the agency when errors arise. To help taxpayers get it right, the IRS is working toward taxpayers being able to seamlessly interact with the agency in the ways that work best for them on the phone, in-person, and online. The IRS is expanding in-person service and meeting taxpayers where they are, particularly those in underserved and rural communities. The IRS is continuing to expand Taxpayer Assistance Centers across the country, while also starting a special series of events to help taxpayers living in areas far from the agency’s in-person offices.

  • Community Assistance Visits: In these new Community Assistance Visits, the IRS will set up a temporary Taxpayer Assistance Center to give taxpayers from hard-to-reach areas an opportunity to meet face-to-face with IRS customer service representatives. The IRS has conducted seven events in Paris, Texas Alpena, Michigan; Hastings, Nebraska; Twin Falls, Idaho; Juneau, Alaska; Lihue, Hawaii; Baker City, Oregon. Many of the taxpayers served at these events had exhausted all other options for IRS services. The feedback from IRS employees, taxpayers and the host sites have all been very positive. Currently, two additional locations have been identified to host Community Assistance Visits in Ciales, Puerto Rico and Gallup, New Mexico.
     
  • Opening Taxpayer Assistance Centers: Currently, the IRS has opened or reopened 50 Taxpayer Assistance Centers since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, including eight additional since the 1st anniversary of the law’s enactment:

1. Waco, TX 10/10/2023
2. Missoula, MT 10/2/2023
3. Martinsburg, WV 10/2/2023
4. Monroe, LA 9/25/2023
5. York, PA 9/18/2023
6. Topeka, KS 9/5/2023
7. Utica, NY 8/28/2023
8. Fayetteville, AR 8/14/2023
9. Hickory, NC 8/7/2023
10. Rome, GA 8/7/2023
11. Plantation, FL 8/3/2023
12. Panama City, FL 7/31/2023
13. Cranberry Township, PA 7/31/2023
14. Peoria, IL 7/24/2023
15. Huntington, WV, 7/5/2023
16. Lincoln NE, May 23, 2023
17. La Vale MD, May 15, 2023
18. Altoona PA, May 8, 2023
19. Fredericksburg VA, May 1, 2023
20. Parkersburg WV, May 1, 2023
21. Bend OR, April 17, 2023
22. Greenville MS, April 10, 2023
23. Trenton NJ, April 10, 2023
24. Bellingham WA, April 3, 2023
25. Augusta ME, March 30, 2023
26. Jackson TN, March 28, 2023
27. Joplin MO, March 28, 2023
28. Colorado Springs CO, March 27, 2023
29. Glendale AZ, March 27, 2023
30. Cranberry Township PA, Mar 22, 2023
31. La Crosse WI, March 20, 2023
32. Charlottesville VA, March 17, 2023
33. Queensbury NY, March 9, 2023
34. Santa Fe NM, Feb. 27, 2023
35. Longview TX, Jan. 17, 2023
36. Overland Park KS, Jan. 17, 2023
37. West Nyack NY, Jan. 5, 2023
38. Binghamton NY, Jan. 3, 2023
39. Casper WY, Jan. 3, 2023
40. Fort Myers FL, Dec. 19, 2022
41. Grand Junction CO, Dec. 19, 2022
42. Rockford IL, Dec. 12, 2022
43. Hagerstown MD, Dec. 1, 2022
44. DASE (Guaynabo) PR, Nov. 28, 2022
45. Johnson City TN, Nov. 28, 2022
46. Prestonsburg KY, Nov. 28, 2022
47. Vienna VA, Nov. 28, 2022
48. Greensboro NC, Nov. 22, 2022
49. Bloomington IL, Nov. 21, 2022
50. Ponce PR, Nov. 14, 2022

  • Taxpayer Assistance Center Hiring Update: As of September 23, the IRS has hired 745 employees to staff Taxpayer Assistance Centers. This represents a 31% net increase in Taxpayer Assistance Center staffing compared to Fiscal Year 2022, and IRS continues to hire to replace departing staff. Taxpayer Assistance Centers have served about 235,000 more taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2023 than Fiscal Year 2022, an 18% increase.

Taxpayers deserve the same functionality in their online accounts that they experience with their bank or other financial institutions. As detailed in the Strategic Operating Plan, in the next five years, taxpayers will be able to securely file all documents and respond to all notices online and securely access and download their data and account history. The IRS has hit or has in progress several milestones toward this goal, including the launch of Business Tax Account, the expansion of the Document Upload Tool to accept responses to nearly all notices and letters, and the launch of digital mobile-adaptive forms.

  • Business Tax Account: IRS launched the first phase of Business Tax Account that, over time, will allow business taxpayers to check their tax payment history, make payments, view notices, authorize powers of attorney and conduct other business with the IRS. This initial phase allows unincorporated sole proprietors who have an active Employer Identification Number to set up a business tax account, whether they can view their business profile and manage authorized users. Future improvements will allow taxpayers to use their business tax accounts to view letters or notices, request tax transcripts, add third parties for power of attorney or tax information authorizations, schedule or cancel tax payments and store bank account information.
     
  • Respond to notices online: Taxpayers are now able to respond to notices online. Until Filing Season 2023, when taxpayers received notices for things like document verification, they had to respond through the mail. During Filing Season 2023, taxpayers were able to respond to 10 of the most common notices for credits like the Earned Income and Health Insurance Tax Credits online, saving them time and money. As of September 29, the IRS has received more than 32,000 responses to notices via the online tool.
     
  • Enable taxpayers to submit mobile-friendly forms: The IRS is enabling taxpayers to submit mobile-friendly forms with the launch of the first three forms. These forms are adaptive for mobile device screen and can be submitted electronically when completed. This is also an important milestone toward the IRS goal of meeting taxpayers where they are and allowing them to interact with the IRS in the ways that work best for them. An estimated 15% of Americans rely solely on mobile phones for their Internet access—they do not have broadband at home—so it is important to make forms available in mobile-friendly formats. The first three forms launched at the end of September.
    • Form 15109, Request for Tax Deferment. Taxpayers can provide information related to their entry and exit from service in combat ones, contingency operations or hazardous duty stations.
       
    • Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. Taxpayers can provide information related to the fraudulent use of their and/or dependent identity.
       
    • Form 14242, Reporting Abusive Tax Promotions and/or Preparers. Taxpayers use this form to provide detail information about tax schemes.
       
    • A fourth form, Form 13909, Tax-Exempt Organization Complaint, will launch later this fall. At least 20 of the most-used tax forms will launch in early 2024.

In addition, the IRS continues to expand the functionality of several online platforms:

  • Individual Account: The IRS continues to deploy enhanced capabilities for individual accounts, following the May launch of virtual assistance and live chat. Taxpayers can now validate their bank accounts and save multiple accounts, eliminating the need to re-enter bank account information every time they make a payment. This feature launched at the end of September.
     
  • Tax Professional Account: The IRS continues to provide enhanced capabilities for tax professionals’ online accounts, helping practitioners manage their active client authorizations on file with the Centralized Authorization File (CAF) database, which stores the information on individuals authorized to act on a taxpayer’s behalf. Other enhancements put into place in September 2023 allow tax professionals to view their client’s tax information, including balance due amounts. Tax Pro Account users can now also withdraw from their active authorizations online in real time.

Modernizing Technology
On the technology side, the IRS is modernizing decades-old technology to drive the agency’s efforts to provide world class customer service and protect taxpayers’ data.

  • Digitalization: The IRS also continues to make significant progress scanning and e-filing paper returns. As of October, the IRS had scanned more than 1 million forms during the 2023 calendar year—more than 480,000 Forms 940, 579,000 Forms 941 and more than 90,000 Forms 1040. Digitization has far-reaching implications for improving IRS service. Digitizing paper returns will eliminate errors that result from manually inputting data from paper returns, which will speed up processing, reduce storage costs, and allow IRS to focus more resources on customer service. Once paper returns are digitized, extracting the data will enable IRS customer service employees to answer taxpayer questions and resolve issues more quickly and accurately. Customer service employees do not currently have easy access to the information from paper returns and other correspondence submitted by mail. Digitization and data extraction will give them access to that information they need to better serve taxpayers.

For Further Information:

Biden Administration, Gun Violence Prevention, Joe Biden, News & Photo Features, President Joe Biden

Biden Establishes First-Ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention

President Biden announces the formation of the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention, to be overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris. Congressman Maxwell Frost (D-FL), a gun violence survivor and gun violence prevention activist was on hand for the announcement at the White House © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com via MSNBC.

By Karen Rubin, news-photos-features.com

For those who insist the 2nd Amendment is absolute and government has no authority to regulate guns, look to the preamble of the Constitution, the authority is written there: “to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”

It’s a shonda that in face of 31,394 gun deaths and 506 mass shootings so far this year- that President Biden has felt the need to establish the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Headed by Vice President Kamala Harris, it is aimed at providing aid and comfort to communities after yet another incident of gun violence, in the same way FEMA does after a disaster, recognizing the trauma and dislocation of communities after such events. The office will also see to fully implement the provisions of the Safer Communities Act – the first serious gun control legislation in nearly 30 years – enact the many gun-safety Executive Orders, and see where new measures need to be taken.

President Biden also vowed to see renewed legislation banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and gave a long list of actions that Congress must take to end the scourge, the epidemic of gun violence that is uniquely “American.”

The new Office of Gun Violence Prevention will be overseen by Vice President Harris, who has been a been a key leader in the Biden-Harris Administration’s effort to end our nation’s gun violence epidemic. Stefanie Feldman, a longtime policy advisor to President Biden on gun violence prevention, will serve as Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, alongside leading gun violence prevention advocates Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox, who will join the Administration as Deputy Directors of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
 
“Every time I’ve met with families impacted by gun violence as they mourn their loved ones, and I’ve met with so many throughout the country, they all have the same message for their elected officials: ‘do something.’ It’s why, last year, I signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to keep guns out of dangerous hands, and have taken more executive action than any President in history to keep communities safe. But as I’ve said before – while these are important steps, they are just the first steps toward what is needed,” President Biden said at a ceremony announcing the office.
 
“That’s why I’m announcing additional steps forward, with the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris, to build upon these measures and keep Americans safe. The Office will include Stefanie Feldman, who has capably led my Administration’s gun violence prevention efforts and been a trusted aide for more than a decade, alongside leading experts Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox whose own lives and families have been touched by the tragedy of gun violence. They have turned their pain into purpose and dedicated their careers to being advocates for change – that important work will continue as they join my team in these new roles.
 
“I’ll continue to urge Congress to take commonsense actions that the majority of Americans support like enacting universal background checks and banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. But in the absence of that sorely-needed action, the Office of Gun Violence Prevention along with the rest of my Administration will continue to do everything it can to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is tearing our families, our communities, and our country apart,” Biden said.
  
The Office of Gun Violence Prevention builds on historic actions taken by President Biden to end gun violence in our country: including signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant legislative action in nearly 30 years aimed at doing so, and taking more meaningful executive action than any other president to make our schools, churches, grocery stores, and communities safer.
 
The Biden-Harris Administration has worked to implement the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun violence prevention legislation in nearly 30 years. This legislation is already saving lives by keeping guns out of the hands of individuals under 21 who are prohibited from purchasing firearms, empowering the Justice Department with new authorities to prosecute firearms traffickers, improving access to mental health services in our schools to help young people deal with the trauma and grief resulting from gun violence, and investing in community violence interventions.
 
The Biden-Harris Administration has announced dozens of executive actions to: keep especially dangerous weapons and repeat shooters off our streets; hold rogue gun dealers and gun traffickers accountable; provide law enforcement with the tools and resources they need to reduce gun violence; and address the root causes of gun violence.  Most recently, the Justice Department’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – a critical leader in work to reduce gun violence – proposed a rule to reduce the number of guns sold without background checks and keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
 
President Biden continues to call on Congress to take additional action, including by:

  • Banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines;
  • Requiring safe storage of firearms;
  • Requiring background checks for all gun sales;
  • Eliminating gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability; and

Enacting his Safer America Plan, which would put more police officers on our streets for accountable, community policing and invest in gun violence prevention and intervention.

 “Every person and every child deserves the opportunity to fulfill their dreams and live up to their God-given potential. Every family, in every community, should have the freedom to live and to thrive,” Vice President Kamala Harris stated. “We know true freedom is not possible if people are not safe. This epidemic of gun violence requires urgent leadership to end the fear and trauma that Americans experience every day. The new Office of Gun Violence Prevention will play a critical role in implementing President Biden’s and my efforts to reduce violence to the fullest extent under the law, while also engaging and encouraging Congressional leaders, state and local leaders, and advocates to come together to build upon the meaningful progress that we have made to save lives. Our promise to the American people is this: we will not stop working to end the epidemic of gun violence in every community, because we do not have a moment, nor a life to spare.”

See also:

To Stop Scourge of Gun Violence, End Easy Access, Hold Manufacturers, Retailers, Owners Accountable

The 2nd Amendment Myth that ‘Gun Rights’ Cannot be ‘Infringed’

FACT SHEET: BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION TAKES ANOTHER LIFE-SAVING STEP TO KEEP GUNS OUT OF DANGEROUS HANDS

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© 2023 News & Photo Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. For editorial feature and photo information, go to www.news-photos-features.com, email [email protected]. Blogging at www.dailykos.com/blogs/NewsPhotosFeatures. ‘Like’ us on facebook.com/KarenBRubin, Tweet @KarenBRubin