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Dear neighbor, 

How is it already November? The holidays are right around the corner, but we’re working to get things done before the end of the year!

October was a busy month in and out of the District. Our offices are always open to our constituents, so please feel free to call or email with any questions, concerns, or comments. But sometimes we take it on the road, and we provided mobile constituent services last month in New Rochelle on October 5 and in Tuckahoe on October 14. We post these dates in advance on our social media, and we’re always happy to be out in the community, addressing concerns and serving your needs. 

I’m also very happy to meet educators and people at our District and area schools! (Once an educator, always an educator!) I’m grateful to have spent time with law students at Pace University (October 5); on campus at SUNY Westchester Community College talking about the future of our education system (October 20); and with Mount Vernon Superintendent Dr. Waveline Bennett-Conroy and Mount Vernon High School to continue working together, expanding access to career and technical education (CTE) and alternatives to college (October 25). 

Talking to students at the Rye v. Harrison game

Congrats to Yonkers Public Schools on their $997,159 grant funding for violence prevention programs! “This new violence prevention grant with our partner Student Assistance Services to address bullying, substance use, and mental health will help our students with situations that might keep them from achieving their potential. Internship opportunities through My Brother’s Keeper will cultivate skills to support our students’ career and college readiness. We appreciate Congressman Bowman’s assistance in securing this important grant,” said Yonkers Public Schools Superintendent Edwin Quezada. 

Football!

It’s football season, and I got in a little bit of game watching and community time at a couple of games as well! I was elated to see a bit of October 11th’s Tuckahoe vs. Blindbrook and October 13th’s Rye vs Harrison games. Congrats, Tuckahoe and Harrison on the wins! 

Hispanic Heritage Month is from September 15 through October 15. Westchester’s Hispanic community continues to grow, and we’re happy to showcase a few of its members. Jirandy Martinez leads Community Resource Center, a nonprofit organization empowering and advocating for immigrant and low-income families of Westchester to become self-reliant and thriving members of the community. Martinez is a powerful leader in our vibrant NY-16 community, and we thank her for all she does! Yadira Ramos-Herbert is an elected New Rochelle Council Member and also the Associate Dean of Student and Registration Services at Columbia Law School. Raised in a bilingual household, Ramos-Herbert is a proud Afro-Latino (Dominican and Puerto Rican) and stresses that being Black and Lantinx are not mutually exclusive. It’s an honor to know her!

Closing out the month, I met with the Yonkers Mexican-American Chamber of Commerce to discuss local businesses and how I can support them at the federal level. Additionally, I congratulate the College of Mount Saint Vincent on their $585,941 grant through the Developing Hispanic-Service Institutions Program!

Meeting with the Yonkers Mexican-American Chamber of Commerce

Health and housing are things we sometimes take for granted, until they’re taken away. On October 12, I led my Congressional colleagues in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of Management and Budget, Center for Disease Control and Prevention and The White House to address children’s well-being on school campuses in response to COVID-19, monkeypox and polio. It was heartbreaking to  hear later in the month that 105,000 students in NYC are homeless. That is a failure of policy and government for many years. That’s a failure of the private sector and the government not holding the private sector accountable for doing more, and a failure of toxic capitalism. Every child should be housed, and every person should be able to afford to live where they are based on where they work. 

I want to let you know about a few issues I’ve communicated this month to the President, federal organizations, and the public in my job as your Congressman:

• I’ve been proud of our success earlier this year in passing the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act to bring microchip manufacturing and innovation back to the U.S. On October 5, I joined several Senators and Congressional Reps in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo urging the Commerce Department to strengthen and enforce critical protections against the abuse of funds, including corporate stock buybacks. 

• On October 6, I celebrated President Biden’s federal pardon on marijuana convictions but call for the descheduling of marijuana, legalizing it in every state, and pardons for all who have been convicted of marijuana possession. 

• Following his speech at the National Iranian American Council’s 20th Anniversary Gala on October 7, I joined the international community in calling for justice and equity for women in Iran. 

• On October 14, I joined Congressional Reps. Sean Casten (IL-06) and Kathy Castor (FL-14) in calling on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to amend the Uniform System of Accounts that allows utilities to charge ratepayers for political advocacy. 

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 1,686 cases 

• This month we helped 164 neighbors. The top three issues were local city, state and municipal inquiries, immigration and IRS. 

• Answered 274 phone calls from constituents. 

Gratitude for your attention, community and input! As always, we can be reached at Bowman.Casework@mail.house.gov. 

Peace and love, 

Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-16)