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Press release:

The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office new K9 obstacle course is located at the Genesee County Fire Training Center and is the result of a partnership with the Rochester Area Crime Stoppers.

All labor and materials from design, layout, construction, and completion were donated through a collaboration with local businesses that included several grants. No costs were incurred by taxpayers. We would like to thank the following partners for their hard work and dedication:

• Rochester Area Crime Stoppers, Joyce Palumbo, Board Member and K9 Initiative Chair
• CountryMax Stores, Brad Payne, Director of Sales
• Home Depot. Tim Mullen, Assistant Manager - Batavia Store
• KeyBank, Phil Muscato, Rochester Market President and Regional Commercial Executive, and Mark Krueger, Executive Assistant
• Genesee Valley BOCES Building Trades Program, Jon Sanfratello, Director of Instructional Programs, and Margaret Poray, Executive Principal - Batavia Campus
• Hoselton Auto Mall, Drew Hoselton, President, and Chris Cammarata, Leasing Manager with a special thank you to the Hoselton Auto Welding Team

The course will be utilized by law enforcement agencies for training purposes to simulate obstacles that K9 teams will most likely encounter in the field during

deployments. These obstacles include crawling under porches, jumping through house/building windows, climbing ladders, and walking on unstable surfaces. This training will provide handlers and their K9 partners the confidence to complete these tasks in the field. The course will primarily be used by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office K9 unit as well as other outside law enforcement K9 units upon request and availability.

“We are very fortunate to have a community that continuously supports our K9 program. Thank you to all the individuals that made this course a reality for our Office and other law enforcement agencies to utilize,” stated Undersheriff Bradley Mazur. 

Photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service

Press release:

Working with GO ART!, the Arts Council for Wyoming County (ACWC) and the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts (GVCA), ten local artists announced today they received an Artist Employment Program (AEP) grant from Creatives Rebuild New York (CRNY). Designed to support employment opportunities for artists, the program is funding 98 collaborations involving a dynamic group of 300 artists employed by community-based organizations, municipalities, and tribal governments across New York State. CRNY has awarded a total of $49.9M in funding to support artists’ salaries and benefits, with an additional $11.7M in funding provided to the organizations holding employment.

“If we are to truly rebuild our amazing state, we must celebrate artists’ contributions not only to the economy but to what makes us human,” says Creatives Rebuild New York's Executive Director Sarah Calderon. “The incredible work being funded through CRNY’s Artist Employment Program underscores the importance of direct support for both individual artists and the organizations that hold their employment.”

The artists will work with the three arts councils to provide arts programming throughout the region. The ten artists, listed below, are skilled in diverse visual and performing arts, including painting, sculpture, music, choreography, and theater. They will collaborate over a two-year period to create various exhibits, performances, classes and experiences. GO ART!, ACWC, and GVCA will collectively receive $1.5 million to support the collaboration, including artists’ salaries and benefits.

The ten artists included in this project are:

• Dan Butler, visual artist and muralist
• Ted Canning, musician and teaching artist
• Ruben Ornelas, choreographer and dancer
• Jill Pettigrew, visual artist and teaching artist
• Susan Ferrari Rowley, sculptor
• Rashaad Santiago, special effects artist and director
• Gaitrie Devi Subryan, choreographer and dancer
• Annette Daniels Taylor, poet, filmmaker and actress
• Paul Thomas, ceramicist
• Keith Walters, photographer and videographer

“The artists and staff of GO ART!, ACWC, and GVCA worked really hard on getting this grant. We are proud and beyond excited for this opportunity,” said Gregory Hallock, Executive Director for GO ART!. “This truly is an amazing, talented, and hard-working group of artists and art administrators. Look out Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties; we are going to be providing some amazing programming and art displays. Make sure to follow us on our social media pages and help us make art happen!"

Artist Employment Program recipients were selected through a two-stage process by a group of twenty external peer reviewers alongside CRNY staff. From an initial pool of over 2,700 written applications, 167 were shortlisted for interviews with reviewers. To view the list of 98 Artist Employment Program participants, visit https://www.creativesrebuildny.org/participants/.

For more information about Creatives Rebuild New York’s Artist Employment Program, please visit creativesrebuildny.org. 

Photo: File photo of Rashaad Santiago from 2017. Photo by Howard Owens

Press Release

Work on the federally funded project identified as Richmond Avenue (Oak Street to State Street) and Harvester Avenue Preventive Maintenance Project is expected to begin on July 6, 2022.

Construction will begin with the replacement of damaged sections of sidewalk on the north side of Richmond Avenue from Oak Street to New York Place then full replacement to State Street, followed by replacement of damaged sections of sidewalks on the south side of Richmond Avenue from Oak Street to Ellicott Avenue.

Sidewalk replacement on Richmond Avenue will be done simultaneously with the milling and paving of Richmond from Oak Street to State Street.

Construction on Harvester Avenue is expected to begin at the end of July.

Traffic delays should be expected; however, no street closures are anticipated at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience, and thank the public for their patience.

Press release:

Notre Dame is pleased to announce the following teaching and staff positions for the 2022-2023 school year.

We are pleased to announce that Kristen Gomez will have an enhanced role on our Administrative Team. In addition to her role as the Director of Academic Advisement and Learning Center teacher, Mrs. Gomez will become our Registrar and take on responsibilities specific to administrative leadership.

Amanda Coggiola has accepted the position of Administrative Assistant to the Office of Academic Advisement. Mrs. Coggiola comes to us with enthusiasm and we are pleased to welcome her to this position at ND. We thank Karen Rapone for her many years of service and wish her well upon her retirement.

Karina Treleaven has accepted the position of part-time Spanish teacher for our Junior High. In addition to her teaching duties, she is a proud parent of an upcoming senior and freshman at Notre Dame. We look forward to having her share her skills with our students and staff.

Press release:

Genesee County Office for the Aging does not yet have the Farmers Market Coupons, due to a delay with the shipment.

At this time we will not be able to distribute coupons until after July 5.  We will post updates as we get them.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Press Release

Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia has received a $60,000 grant from the Muriel H. Marshall Fund for the Aging of Rochester Area Community Foundation for continued operation of the Library Visits Program (LVP).

Since 1997, The Library Visits Program (formerly SAGE) has delivered library services to Genesee County residents 60+ years old who are unable to visit the library due to long or short term illness, disability, or lack of transportation.

Through personalized visits, LVP staff and volunteers bring the library to caregivers and older adults to increase social interaction and improve their access to needed resources. Visits can include any materials that may be checked out of the library in addition to technology assistance for home computers and mobile devices.

Library Visits Program staff also deliver rotating mini-library collections to 15 elder care and senior resident facilities in Genesee County. Overall, the program serves around 500 older adults in our community.

The Rochester Area Community Foundation engages philanthropists and community partners to improve our eight-county region by promoting philanthropy that helps to create an equitable community and strengthen our region’s vitality. Since 1972, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $590 million in grants and scholarships.

For more information, visit www.racf.org.

To apply for services or volunteer for The Library Visits Program, please call Richmond Memorial Library staff at 343-9550 Ext. 6 or email LibraryVisits@nioga.org. For additional information, go to https://www.batavialibrary.org/libraryvisits

Press release:

STOP-DWI Coordinator announced today that Genesee County law enforcement agencies, including the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and the Village of LeRoy Police Department will be participating in a coordinated effort with the STOP-DWI program to bring awareness to the dangers of impaired driving.

The statewide STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign will start Friday, July 1, 2022 continuing thru Tuesday, July 5, 2022.  Americans love to celebrate the Fourth of July with family, friends, food and fireworks, but all too often the festivities turn tragic on the nation's roads. The fact is this iconic American holiday is also one of the deadliest holidays of the year due to impaired-driving crashes.

While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have made great strides in reducing the number of alcohol and drug related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers.

You can make a difference by having a sober plan to get a safe ride because impaired driving is completely preventable – all it takes is a little planning.  Visit www.stopdwi.org for more information. 

Press release from the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce:

Today we helped celebrate the newest addition to Batavia, The House of Bounce!

Justina and Pat Rapone are local parents who saw a need for a children's indoor play space and birthday party center here in Genesee County. They were both born and raised in the Batavia area and are currently raising four children of their own. They wanted to provide an interactive space for children twelve and under to play, climb, jump, and explore!

They are located on the corner of The Harvester Center in Batavia and are now officially open for business! They can host private events, and birthday parties, and are also making the space available for open-play sessions.

Inside the facility, they have multiple bounce houses, ball pits, sandboxes, a rock wall and all sorts of other interactive equipment available for use. For parents, they have a private party room with tables and chairs that can be used for different kinds of events.

Welcome to Batavia, House of Bounce!

Find more information and how to book your experience at www.houseofbouncebatavia.com

Photos courtesy of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

Press release:

GLOW With Your Hands is on the search for volunteers to help support the day-long, hands-on career exploration event for GLOW Region students on September 27, 2022.

Launched in 2019, GLOW with Your Hands is an annual hands-on career exploration event in which over 800 middle and high school students from 25 school districts in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties learn about high-growth and high-demand career opportunities in agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and the skilled trades among others.

Volunteers are needed in all aspects of the event including hard hat and student bag assembly, post-event clean-up, table and chair setup, and guiding students throughout the day. Volunteers ensure the event runs smoothly in a timely manner. 

“The success of GLOW With Your Hands would not be possible without the help and hard work of our volunteers,” said GLOW Workforce Development Board Executive Director, Jay Lazarony. “Volunteers make the student experience worthwhile, educational, and enjoyable! There are many moving parts to the event, the more people helping us out, the better this day will be for our future generation.”

Annually, the event averages roughly 100 volunteers, with 50 – 75 individuals working directly with the students. Some volunteers will be paired with students individually for assistance. There are several vendors that rely on volunteers to facilitate a positive learning environment to make sure students are having fun and staying safe.

“Volunteers play an important role to encourage students to participate in hands-on career demonstrations and ask employers questions that can help them understand job opportunities in their own backyard,” said GLOW With Your Hands Volunteer Committee leader Karyn Winters. “We are a volunteer-based event, the people involved are invested in the future of GLOW region students and want them to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Volunteers must be at least 18 years or older. Additional information and volunteer applications are available here:https://www.glowwithyourhands.com/volunteer.

Additionally, GLOW With Your Hands leaders encourage community members to consider joining the program’s organizing committee and sub-committees.

“Our initial volunteers enabled GLOW With Your Hands to become a reality, and we welcome new leaders to support the continued growth of these opportunities,” Lazarony said. “Our organizing committee and sub-committees are always in need of new energy and new ideas as we build the best experience for our youth.”

Press Release

The City of Batavia announces the appointment of Erik Fix to the position of Assistant City Manager for the City of Batavia.  Fix was selected following an extensive search for candidates and active recruitment campaign.  Erik will assume his new role on Monday July 25th, 2022.

A Batavia native and life-long Genesee County resident, Fix holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Roberts Wesleyan College in Organizational Management.  He is currently serving as the President of the Chamber of Commerce for Genesee County.

Fix has served the City during the Police Reform Stakeholder meetings as a moderator guiding the City management, police department and residents through a comprehensive review of the departments current policies, training and procedures. He currently serves as a board member of the Genesee County Youth Bureau, the United Memorial Medical Centre Foundation, Genesee County Business Education Alliance, a member of the Batavia Rotary Club, and GLOW YMCA G-Force New Facility Planning Group. 

He also served as a member of the Local Planning Committee for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and continues to support tourism and economic development in the City of Batavia. 

“Erik and I have known each other on a professional level for over a decade and I am thrilled that he wants to work for the City of Batavia and focus on housing and neighborhood issues in his new role as Assistant City Manager.  He will be responsible for creating and implementing a new Neighborhood and Housing Transformation Initiative, community development, assisting with flood plain management, risk management, cultivating organizational values, public relations and information technology,” said Rachael J. Tabelski, City of Batavia City Manager.

Fix is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Genesee where the class choose him and Tabelski to be the designated speaker at the graduation ceremony. 

Erik’s current position with the Chamber of Commerce has given him knowledge in the principals and practices of local municipalities.  He has the ability to lead teams, execute on high-impact projects, and recognize the global impact of decisions on the community and region as a whole. 

Erik, a graduate of Alexander High School, is currently the Assistant Swimming and Diving Coach of the Byron-Bergen Central School and lives with his family in the Village of LeRoy.  He lives with his wife, Susan and his three sons Brady, Jackson, and Carter.

Photo: File photo from 2017

Press release:

Scout Dimick was happy to add a new microlite fishing pole with a 6 to 1 ratio reel and cork grip to his outdoor gear. This is the third pole in his collection. He started his collection after earning his Fishing Merit Badge at an Iroquois Trail Council Camp Dittmer Merit Badge weekend where he caught three fish in one, a fish inside a fish, inside a fish.

This year's Polaris Fishing Derby took place at Ellicott Creek Park in Tonawanda. The event took advantage of a DEC free fishing weekend. Scouts and guests were welcome, hosted by Greater Niagara Frontier Council's Troop 824 out of Sanborn, NY. The event provided lunch, bait and had BSA Merit Badge Counselors available to answer fishing questions and assist participants.

The Polaris Fishing Derby was scheduled on a DEC free fishing weekend so parents, grandparents and siblings age 16 and older could participate with youth competitors without purchasing a fishing license. The Derby provided seven competitor prizes consisting of fishing poles, reels and a 4th edition copy of Trout Salmon Steelhead Fishing in Western New York. A non-Scout (guest) won the door prize of a brand new bicycle. First place went to a Cub from Pack 193 for a 17" Rudd.

The Trout Salmon Steelhead Fishing in WNY book was donated by a local Cheektowaga chapter of Trout Unlimited. The book is a compilation of almost thirty fishing enthusiasts, detailing several WNY waterways maps, mayfly hatchings, water depth contour maps, twenty fishing flies, and a slew of fishing and conservation information. Trout Unlimited works to maintain the health of our waterways to protect the future of WNY fishing. The organization conducts presentations and classes about fishing to groups, including Scouts.

Scout Dimick was able to identify his catch using the free annual NYS Freshwater Fishing Guide booklet that is available at many outdoor equipment sales counters, local municipalities or directly from the DEC at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html. Sept. 24th & Nov.11th are the two remaining NYS DEC 2022 free fishing days.

National BSA awards require additional Scout accomplishments beyond earning specific merit badges. Participating in the Polaris Fishing Derby meets Scout Dimick's award requirement for the prestigious BSA Angler Award. The award also requires completing the Fishing, Fly Fishing and Fish & Wildlife Management Merit Badges.

Camp Dittmer will be offering the Fishing Merit Badge this summer at Merit Badge Weekends. Information can be obtained by calling the Iroquois Trail Council at (585) 343-0307. Camp Dittmer offers family camping throughout the year.

Submitted photos.

Press release:

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced the bipartisan Keep Kids Fed Act has officially been signed into law. The bill extends child nutrition waivers that give essential funding and flexibility to schools, daycares, nonprofits and other meal providers enabling them to continue providing free meals to students this summer. Schumer explained Congress originally authorized the child nutrition waivers at the height of the pandemic to give school food programs the flexibility needed to feed as many students as possible, but the waivers were set to expire on June 30^th, putting many school districts’ summer meal programs at risk at a time when kids often face the greatest food insecurity. Now thanks to this new legislation the waivers will be able to continue, ensuring an estimated 800,000 New York students receive healthy nutritious meals throughout the summer. 

“No child should ever go hungry, and now schools will have the funding and flexibility needed to ensure kids stay healthy and fed this summer. Over 800,000 New York students and millions of children across the country depend on these waivers for daily meals, and this bill gives our schools the support they need to continue to provide free nutritious meals and the flexibility they need to operate amidst the ongoing supply chain challenges,” said Senator Schumer. “Summer is often the time of year when food insecurity is highest for children and this support comes just in the nick of time. I am proud to have led the Senate to ensure these waivers could continue curbing childhood hunger and giving our families the peace of mind they need to not worry about where their kids’ next meal is coming from this summer.”

Schumer explained that in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Congress authorized the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to waive various school meal program requirements for school districts and increase reimbursement rates so that schools and meal program operators could continue to feed children. This allowed school districts across New York to make sure students got meals all year long, including during the summer and bolster food programs for those who need it most without having to worry about additional hits to their already strained school district budgets.

These critical child nutrition waivers, however, were set to expire this week on June 30, 2022. A recent USDA survey showed that 90% of school districts food programs are depending on these waivers to offer free meals, with 92% experiencing supply chain issues and a quarter experiencing staffing challenges for their nutrition programs.

The fully paid for Keep Kids Fed Act, which has now passed the Senate and has been signed into law by President Biden was first introduced by Senator Stabenow (D-MI) and Senator Boozman (R-AR) and will now extend many of the flexibilities enacted during COVID over the summer, enabling schools to continue to feed students and provide schools increased support to address food insecurity and the ongoing supply chain disruptions facing nutrition programs.

Specifically, Schumer said the bill will:

·       Extend flexibilities for summer meals in 2022 which will make it easier to feed all students, especially students in rural areas, during the summer months through options like meal delivery and grab-and-go.

·       Increase the reimbursement rate for school lunch and school breakfast to help offset the increased cost of food and operating expenses. Schools will receive an additional 40 cents for each lunch and 15 cents for each breakfast served.   

·       Help daycares and home providers in the Child and Adult Care Food Program offset increased costs by providing an additional 10 cents per meal or snack.

·       Extend some of the administrative and paperwork flexibilities for schools through the 2022-23 school year to help schools streamline their meal operations and operate amidst supply chain disruptions

Press release:

Genesee County Office for the Aging will be handing out Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Coupons throughout the county, beginning July 1, 2022. 

The first location will be the Genesee Country Farmers Market, Alva Place, Batavia, every Friday in July from 10 a.m. to noon.

Next at the LeRoy Farmers Market, Trigon Park, LeRoy, Saturday, July 2, 23, and 30 during market hours.

We will also be handing them out at the Genesee County Office for the Aging, 2 Bank St., Batavia, every Tuesday in July from 10 a.m. to noon at our outside patio and in our Community Room if it is raining.

If you live in senior housing, a flyer will be posted in your building announcing when our staff will be there with coupons.

Press release from the Automobile Association of America:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $4.90, down 8 cents from last Monday. One year ago, the price was $3.10. The New York State average is $4.96, down 5 cents since last Monday. A year ago, the NYS average was $3.15. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $4.88 (down 1 cent from last Monday)
• Buffalo - $4.86 (down 3 cents from last Monday)
• Elmira - $4.93 (down 4 cents from last Monday)
• Ithaca - $4.95 (down 3 cents from last Monday)
• Rochester - $4.95 (down 2 cents from last Monday)
• Rome - $4.97 (down 1 cent from last Monday)
• Syracuse - $4.93 (down 3 cents from last Monday)
• Watertown - $4.97 (down 1 cent from last Monday)

Lower oil prices have brought some relief to the pump. Crude prices have dropped amid broad market concern regarding the potential for economic growth to slow or stall due to rising interest rates and inflation. A lower economic growth rate than expected could cause crude demand to decline, leading prices to follow suit. This morning oil prices are at about $108 to $113 per barrel.

Meanwhile, the Energy Information Administration did not release gasoline demand/supply and domestic oil inventory levels data last week due to “systems issues,” but demand is expected to pick up this week as travelers head out for the Independence Day holiday. AAA predicts 47.9 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home over the holiday weekend (June 30 – July 4). This is an increase of 3.7% over 2021, bringing travel volumes just shy of those seen in 2019. The biggest surprise – car travel – will set a new record despite historically high gas prices with 42 million people hitting the road. AAA reminds road trippers and air travelers to pack their patience and plan ahead to avoid hassles.

From Gas Buddy:

"With Independence Day a week away, gas prices have continued to fall for the second straight week as the price of oil has faltered, ushering in the drop we're seeing. The good news is we could also see a third straight week of decline," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "While prices will be at their highest July 4th level ever, they'll have fallen close to 20 cents since our peak in early June. Motorists should be wary that while the decline could continue for the week ahead, any sudden jolts to supply could quickly cause a turnaround, and risk remains that when the peak of hurricane season arrives, we could see a super spike at the pump."

Press release:

Spots are still open for Environmental Science Camp at the Genesee County Park & Forest! This hands-on outdoor camp is for students entering 7th – 10th grade. Camp meets Monday through Friday, July 18th – 22nd from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Interpretive Nature Center at the Genesee County Park & Forest. This week-long adventure includes survival skills, wildlife and stream studies, outdoor recreation, a field trip and more! Cost is $95/camper for the entire week. All materials and a camp T-shirt are provided. Transportation is provided from Batavia High School to and from camp each day.

To register, download the registration form (pdf).

Return completed forms with payment to:

Main Office
Genesee County Park & Forest Interpretive Nature Center 153 Cedar St.
Batavia, NY 14020

For more information visit our website at http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/parks/, or contact Shannon Lyaski at Shannon.Lyaski@co.genesee.ny.us or (585) 344-1122. 

Press release:

Friday, Mario Fratto made the following statement:

Friday's Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade was a massive victory for the sanctity of life. President Trump promised to appoint justices that to the Court that would overturn Roe, and he did it.

This decision shows us just how important elections are. It’s imperative that we fight to protect the most vulnerable in our society, and nobody is more vulnerable than our unborn children. It isn’t enough to be pro-life just when it’s easy; we need representatives that will be pro-life when it’s hard.

Claudia Tenney voted to send millions to Planned Parenthood, knowing that they’re responsible for aborting more children than any organization in the country. Republicans promise to defund Planned Parenthood, but establishment politicians like Tenney send them millions of taxpayer dollars. Congressman Jim Jordan said that the bill Claudia Tenney voted for “is the worst bill I've seen in my time in Congress by far.”

I promise to never vote for such an abomination and to always fight for our conservative principles, with life being the most important of all.

Mario Fratto’s family has been in the district for five generations. He is an attorney and runs his family’s granite construction business. He is the only true America First conservative in the race and more information can be found at marioforcongress.com. 

Fact Check: We wanted to confirm the claim by Fratto's campaign that Claudia Tenney voted to "send millions to Planned Parenthood."  We invited both Tenney's campaign and Fratto's campaign to provide documentation supporting or refuting this claim.  Only Fratto's campaign responded and provided links to two omnibus bills (bills that contain numerous legislative initiatives and are not single-subject).  The first one passed on March 22, 2018, during the 115th Congress.  It was supported by 145 Republicans and passed with a total of 256 yeas votes (77 Democrats voted no).  The yes votes included Rep. Chris Collins, the first Republican in Congress to endorse Trump for president, along with seven other Republicans from New York.  The second one passed on March 9, 2022, during the 117th Congress. For that omnibus bill, 155 Republicans voted yes and there were a total of 361 yeas. Eight Republicans from New York voted yes.

UPDATE 11:17 p.m., June 27:  Claudia Tenney's campaign responded after seeing this post.  A spokesman said he had not received our initial request.  Here is the campaign's response:

• As an important point of clarification: Congresswoman Tenney did NOT support the March 9, 2022, non-defense funding bill - she only supported a narrower funding provision that was related to defense and security spending. This included a 2.7% pay raise for our troops and additional funding for border security. It's worth asking Mr. Fratto if he would have opposed a pay increase for our troops while they and their families struggle with record-high inflation, among other security-related funding provisions that were in the bill? Importantly, this bill had absolutely nothing to do with social spending or Planned Parenthood in any way, shape, or form. Tenney voted “No” on the portion of the funding bill that included non-defense/social spending for a variety of reasons, which she laid out on her website: https://tenney.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-tenneys-statement-passage-government-funding-bill-fiscal-year
• The second point is with regard to the March 22, 2018, spending bill Mario references. I’ll note first that this was supported and signed into law by President Trump. This bill did NOT earmark any federal spending directly to Planned Parenthood, as Mario implies, and most importantly, it maintained the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits taxpayer funding for abortion or taxpayer dollars from being used by providers like Planned Parenthood to fund abortions.
• Finally, unlike Mario, Claudia actually has a record to stand on and it is proudly one of supporting life and defending the unborn. Claudia has always supported prohibitions banning any and all taxpayer funding for abortions and she has never voted to send funds directly to Planned Parenthood. This is among the reasons she’s been consistently endorsed by pro-life groups, including Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List), and was quick to release a statement applauding the Supreme Court’s recent decision overturning Roe and Casey, which you can read here: https://tenney.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-tenneys-statement-supreme-courts-decision-dobbs-v-jackson-womens

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement after voting to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – a comprehensive gun safety package developed by a bipartisan team of U.S. Senators. With Jacobs’ support, the legislation now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. 

“Today is a historic day. For the first time in nearly three decades, the United States Senate and House of Representatives have reached a meaningful and bipartisan compromise to address the rising tide of gun violence plaguing our nation. Recently, we witnessed the racist massacre of 10 individuals in Buffalo and the senseless deaths of 19 children in Uvalde. Sadly, these events are not isolated. Gun violence has touched every state in our nation and too many families have been destroyed by it. The American people have rightfully demanded action and today Congress delivered. 

“For too long, Congress has suffered from gridlock on this issue while both sides of the aisle faced intense backlash for even suggesting they were open to a compromise. We can honor our Constitution while also protecting our children and communities. We can protect the Second Amendment rights of every law-abiding American while also ensuring dangerous individuals do not access firearms. This legislation upholds these principles. 

“The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act represents meaningful reforms that I believe will decrease gun violence and save lives. That is why the legislation is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police and other law enforcement organizations. Some of the significant measures are
enhanced background checks for those under 21, funding for states who want to implement extreme risk protection order laws, closing the ‘boyfriend loophole’ which will help keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous domestic abusers, and greater preventions against ‘straw purchases’ which is a major source of illegal firearms on our streets. Aside from gun safety, this package also provides significant funding for more mental health resources and school safety – major Republican priorities to keep our children safe. 

“This legislation may not be perfect, and both sides may not have gotten everything they wanted, but it represents a major step forward in working across the aisle to accomplish meaningful and impactful change on the significant issues our country faces. It will save lives. I am proud to have supported this legislation and to be an advocate for action to decrease gun violence. I will continue to work to improve the quality of life and safety of every American in any way that I can. 

This week, Rep. Jacobs also voted in favor of H.R. 7666 the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act. This bipartisan legislation authorizes numerous grant programs to address several areas of mental health, including substance abuse and services for children, to help communities confront the root causes of all violence.