Dear Neighbor, 

I hope you had a great September and back to school! My team and I have been hard at work fighting for our NY-16 community since Congress came back from August recess and successfully working to prevent a government shutdown. Here’s what we’ve been up to. 

I started the month by greeting students on their first day at schools across NY-16. As a former educator, visiting schools throughout Westchester and the Bronx is one of my favorite parts of my job as Congressman. I also released an open letter to students across the country welcoming them back. I know school can be tough, so my office and I are here to support any student who reaches out. Making sure that kids feel safe and supported in the classroom is essential for keeping our communities happy and healthy, and it takes so much more than just emergency preparedness to do that. That’s why I also wrote an op-ed about how we can work together to keep students safe and unlock their full potential.

The next week in Washington, I cosponsored the Child Care Stabilization Act led by Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA). A healthy democracy and a healthy society need child care to thrive and we have to pass this critical legislation. Back in NY-16, I attended 9/11 memorial ceremonies throughout the district. It was an honor to join our communities to remember those that we lost. I’m sending love to their families, friends, and loved ones. 

My team and also I walked in the March to End Fossil Fuels. Climate change is a threat to us all, so we all have to be in this fight. I was proud to join the organizers and advocates demanding climate action now. I also just reintroduced my Green New Deal for Public Schools which would make historic investments in our school system while combating the climate crisis. It’s time for a revolution in public education. 

In other legislative news, Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) and I introduced the Rail Worker and Community Safety Act to make much-needed improvements to keep our communities safe and make sure no rail worker faces unsafe conditions. From the train derailment in East Palestine to the fight for paid sick leave for rail workers, we’ve seen firsthand how the neglect and exploitation of our railways and workers harms our communities. 

L’Shanah Tovah! I also want to wish everyone in our NY-16 Jewish community a happy, healthy, and sweet new year, and I hope your Yom Kippur fasting was easy and meaningful. Let’s all join in reflection on how we can build a more peaceful and equitable world. 

For the Annual Legislative Conference hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, I hosted a panel on the Restoring Artistic Protection Act (RAP Act), my bill with Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04), which would make song lyrics inadmissible as primary evidence in court. We had an insightful discussion on the need to protect the creativity of Black and brown artists across the country and how to organize to make sure that no artist is criminalized for their art. Thank you to the panelists and everyone who joined us!

And lastly, I hope that everyone impacted by the storm in New York last Friday was able to stay dry and safe. Here are some resources that might be helpful if you’ve experienced flooding. For tips on what to do after a flood, visit weather.gov/safety/flood-after. For NYS disaster and flood recovery resources, visit dfs.ny.gov/consumers/disaster_flood or call (800) 339-1759. For home oil tank spills due to flooding, call 800-457-7362. If you have any questions or need help finding the right resources, call my office at the numbers below.

Join me and my team for our virtual School Safety Town Hall on October 12 at 6:30pm. We’ll be discussing school safety, emergency preparedness, and fostering student social emotional health. You can register and submit a question in advance here or find the English dial-in at (833) 408-1991 and the Spanish dial-in at (833) 380-0698. We can’t wait to hear from you.

My office held mobile constituent services throughout NY-16 this month. Stay tuned – we’ll be coming to your neighborhood soon! If you need assistance with any federal agency, you can find us at an upcoming mobile constituent services, email Bowman.Casework@mail.house.gov, or call our office at the numbers below. 

Peace and Love,

Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D.