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Dear neighbor, 

Thank you for reading the newsletters I send out each month to let you know what my office has been working on. It’s important that I tell you about the progress we’ve made on important issues and how I’ve been working for the District.

August was a good mix between work in District and in Washington, DC. We started the month with our Mobile Constituent Services at the Tuckahoe Public Library on August 4. Mobile constituent services are when our district office comes to you! The district is large, and we want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to address their concerns. My staff and I are here to listen and help in any way we can. On August 12, we brought our Mobile Constituent Services to Wakefield and helped area residents there. 

Yonkers Summer Reading Buddies on August 10

I also introduced the Emergency Price Stabilization Act on August 4. This much-needed bill 

takes action to protect people from price gouging on food, energy, housing, health care, transportation, and other goods and services that are vital to the country’s health and economic security. My bill would also  investigate corporate profiteering, design targeted price controls and regulations, and engage the public in the process. We have seen time and again that the Federal Reserve’s approach to inflation doesn’t work - hiking interest rates doesn’t lower inflation and it means throwing everyday people out of work and can even trigger a recession. We need a new economic playbook to make sure everyone in this country has a good job to meet their needs, and the Emergency Price Stabilization Act is a major step in the right direction. 

On the night of August 4, my staff and I visited several National Night Out events to help build community partnerships and find out what’s up in the various areas of District 16. 

National Night Out on August 4

Governor Kathy Kochul visited Yonkers on August 8, and it was an honor to be by her side as she signed three bills, including two making it easier for seniors to “age in place” by providing more flexibility for emergency home repairs for seniors with the state’s RESTORE program and lowering the local property taxes for seniors age 65+ and people with disabilities. 

I joined the Yonkers Summer Reading Buddies on August 10 and read to kids in the program, something that, as an educator, I love doing. The Rye YMCA hosted my visit on August 16, and there I got to paint a little and throw football with the kids! 

Rye YMCA visit on August 16

On August 16, the Inflation Reduction Act was passed! The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – which every single Senate Republican opposed – will directly improve lives and livelihoods in Westchester County, the Bronx, and across the country. Although it is far from everything we need to do in the face of the climate crisis, healthcare, and the economy, the IRA will tax big corporations and the rich; lower prescription drug prices; and make substantial investments in clean energy that will bring us closer to our climate goals. Without progressives fighting to pass the Build Back Better Act, we would not have the IRA today, so I’m proud to celebrate the wins in this bill and will work to ensure our community benefits from the new grant funding opportunities authorized in this new law. 

Here’s an update on our constituent service work we’ve done from our District offices: 

• Since January 2022, we’ve: Helped neighbors retrieve $2.7 Million 

• Year to date we closed 1,375 cases 

• This month we helped 186 neighbors. The top three issues were about immigration, passports and local community referrals to city, state and municipal agencies. 

• Answered 401 phone calls from constituents. 

If you need help, please contact our office – we’re here for you! 

Happy new school year to educators and students!  

Peace and love, 

Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-16)