Read newsletter as a PDF here. 

Dear neighbor, 

June was a great time for meeting inspiring constituents and learning about exceptional organizations in the District! There was also a lot of work to be done in DC, and thank you for reading about what our DC and District offices accomplished in June.

The shooter in the Buffalo supermarket shooting in mid-May – which resulted in ten Black people being killed and three others injured – believed in the Great Replacement Theory and used it to justify his violent actions. Gun violence is an existential threat to us all, but it takes deep hate and brainwashing to kill people simply for their race, religion or national origin. We must tackle both gun reform and fight against hate of all kinds to truly eradicate these shocking and shattering mass killings. 

On June 8, I passed a resolution condemning the Great Replacement Theory for the first time in history. It passed 218-205 in the House, with widespread support from the Democratic caucus, and I was proud to be joined by my co-leads Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Beatty, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Ruiz, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chairwoman Chu, Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus Chairman Cicilline, Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Jayapl, Rep. Higgins, Rep. Takano, and Rep. Raskin. Rolling Stone magazine wrote about it, along with the New York Times. 

A majority of my constituents in the District support common sense gun laws, and I will continue to fight for them.  I voted YES on the Protecting Our Kids Act on raising the semi automatic purchase age to 21 and increasing red flag laws to prevent gun purchases by those at risk of harming themselves or others. It’s very important to stay in close communication with our constituents on the issue of public safety, so we held a Gun Violence Town Hall as one way to communicate with each other. At the Town Hall, community members set clear steps on how Congress can end violence. You can watch the Town Hall here. 

Later in the month, the Supreme Court of the United States officially overturned Roe V Wade. Again, the majority of our neighbors support abortion rights. This ruling is about controlling women and robbing them of their right to make decisions about their own bodies and healthcare. Between sham appointments, stolen seats, and extreme verdicts such as this one, SCOTUS has lost its legitimacy. For our democracy and governance to work, we must restore the legitimacy of the highest court in the nation. The best way to do that is to expand the Supreme Court and restore a level of balance that has eroded over the years. On CNN, I called on all members of Congress to get together and work it out to protect the American people. 

Environmental issues also continued to be at the forefront of concern, and on the last day of June, SCOTUS ruled in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency that the EPA doesn’t have reinforcement power over power plants under the Clean Air Act. 

In early June, I voted YES on the Water Resources Development Act, which, if enacted into law, would include 2 new initiatives that would authorize the US Army Corp of Engineers to study the Saw Mill River basin and the Hutchinson River. By studying the river, in its entirety, we can develop a comprehensive interagency plan to address flooding throughout Westchester County and The Bronx. 

In other actions on the Hill, I joined Rep. Ilhan Omar’s press conference and Special Order Hour on the global food crisis, voted YES on the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act, and voted YES on the Keep Kids Fed Act which would ensure free, universal meals for kids that were set to expire would continue through the rest of this summer. 

I was able to recharge by coming back to the district and re-connecting with my constituents.  I celebrated and spoke with the Scarsdale Edgemont Girl Scouts and heard about their amazing projects. On June 10, we met and acknowledged the incredible Service Academy nominees in our community at our Service Academy Celebration at Hastings-on-Hudson. It was an honor to be the commencement speaker at the Portchester High School graduation. I also wish to congratulate the six focused young men from New Rochelle Troop 15 who obtained Eagle Scout rank. 

The Elizabeth Seton Children’s Center hosted a visit from our team, and I was reunited with a former student there for the first time in over ten years; I was unaware that she was a resident there!  Andrus in Yonkers showed us how they make a difference in students’ lives when it comes to mental health and educational support. Southern Westchester BOCES exhibited how it teaches students in areas such as carpentry, culinary arts, cosmetology, and more. I attended the Yonkers National Puerto Rican Day Parade, the Ukrainian Festival in Yonkers, and Juneteenth celebrations all over the district for the first year of Juneteenth as a national holiday! 

I – and we – have a lot to work on to make life more equitable, easier, and just for all, but there’s a lot of good happening as well. 

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

• Since January 2022, we’ve: Helped neighbors retrieve $2.3 Million 

• Year to date we closed 1,096 cases 

• This month we helped 216 neighbors. The top three issues were about immigration, passport assistance and local quality of life. 

• Answered 447 phone calls from constituents. 

If you need help, contact my office and we are happy to help! 

Peace and love, 

Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-16)