Economy

Worker

Today, there is a shamefully large gap between the rich and the poor in America. Working families should not have to live in poverty in a country of our wealth. Congresswoman Velázquez is focused on fostering principled investments that will eliminate the technological divide that exists and improve the quality of life for everyone in our communities.

The Congresswoman strongly supports efforts to establish a living wage, strengthening one of America’s most important anti-poverty measures—the Earned Income Tax Credit—and providing workers with the leverage they need to negotiate fair wages, health insurance and safe workplace conditions. These programs will help to improve the lives of all laborers in the 7th District and their families.

The federal government must join together with local communities to reclaim and restore environmentally-damaged areas so that residents can enjoy the use of safe and vibrant locations throughout their communities. She recognizes that revitalizing our neighborhoods is a key component to improving the local economy, and is committed to making New York’s 7th Congressional District a better place for all its residents.

More on Economy

Velazquez on State of the Union
February 5, 2020
Press Release
Washington, D.C. –Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) released the following statement regarding the President's State of the Union Address:
"The President offered little new tonight. He spent significant time distorting economic figures in an attempt to burnish his record. In particular, the President's lies about rising incomes and manufacturing expansion painted a rosy and wholly nonfactual picture.
Issues: Climate Change and Environment Economy Healthcare Housing Puerto Rico Small Business
Velázquez on Appropriations Legislation
December 17, 2019
Press Release

Washington, DC – Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) commented today on two pieces of appropriations legislation that were voted on in the House of Representatives:

"The domestic spending bill that the House approved today contained a number of Democratic priorities important to the working people of New York and to our nation overall.

Issues: Economy Housing Puerto Rico
House Passes Velázquez Export Proposal
November 15, 2019
Press Release

Washington, DC –The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation authored by Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) that would help companies operating in Puerto Rico and the other U.S. territories to export their products abroad. Velázquez's legislation, the Office of Territorial Exporting Act, passed as part of H.R. 4863, House Democrats' larger bill to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank.

Issues: Economy Puerto Rico Small Business
Committee Advances Velázquez Bill to Stop Predatory Small Business Loans
November 14, 2019
Press Release

Washington, DC –The House Financial Services Committee has approved legislation authored by Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) that would end a predatory commercial lending practice. The bill, H.R. 3490, the "Small Business Lending Fairness Act," would amend the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) to restrict the use of predatory contract clauses called "confessions of judgment," which are often used in small business loans.

Issues: Economy Small Business
Committee Advances Velazquez Bill to Stop Predatory Small Business Loans
November 14, 2019
Press Release

Small Business Lending Fairness Act Would End "Confessions of Judgment" in Commercial Lending

Unfair Loan Terms Have Been Linked to Taxi Medallion Crisis

Issues: Economy Small Business
Committee Approves Velázquez Export Proposal
October 31, 2019
Press Release

Washington, DC –The House Financial Services Committee has approved legislation authored by Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) that would help companies operating in Puerto Rico and the other U.S. territories to export their products abroad. Passed as part of a larger bill reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank, her measure would establish a new office aimed at conducing outreach and education to exporting businesses, helping ensure they can access financial assistance offered by the Bank.

Issues: Economy Puerto Rico
September 2019: Nydia's End of District Work Period Update
October 8, 2019
Newsletter

In this issue:

  • A Note from Congresswoman Velázquez
  • Addressing Gun Violence
  • Announcing Resources for Local Healthcare, Education
  • Championing Our Veterans
  • Seeking Financial Relief for NY Cabbies
  • Fighting for our Immigrants
  • Protecting the Environment from Unsafe Pesticides


A Note from Congresswoman Velázquez

Issues: Climate Change and Environment Economy Healthcare
Financial Services Committee Advances Velázquez Bill on CEO Pay
September 20, 2019
Press Release

Washington, DC – The House Financial Services Committee has passed legislation authored by Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) aimed at addressing growing income discrepancy between company CEOs, other senior staff and median-pay employees. Velázquez's bill, the Greater Accountability in Pay, H.R. 4242, would require public companies to disclose the pay raise percentage of its executives and median-pay employees, as well as compare each to the rate of inflation.

Issues: Economy
Velazquez Bill Would Help Renewable Energy Research, Disaster Prediction
September 16, 2019
Press Release

Washington, DC – Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) has introduced H.R. 4299, the Data Preservation Act of 2019, which would promote the discovery and use of the Nation's geoscience collections by reauthorizing the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program within the United States Geological Survey through 2024.

Issues: Climate Change and Environment Economy
Velazquez on Trump Plan to Steal DOD Funds from Puerto Rico to Pay for Border Wall
September 4, 2019
Press Release

Washington, DC – Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) released the following statement opposing the Trump Administration's plan to take more than $402 million of Department of Defense money from Puerto Rico to help fund the building of a border wall with Mexico:

"It is tragically ironic that as we approach the two-year anniversary of Maria and our fellow citizens continue struggling to recover, the President of the United States is effectively pulling the rug out from under them to pay for an unpopular, hateful and ineffective border wall.

Issues: Economy Puerto Rico