Press Releases
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.) was elected by her peers in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) to lead the group for the 111th Congress. As Chair of the CHC, the Congresswoman is committed to working in a bipartisan manner to increase opportunities for the nation’s 47 million Hispanics.
New York – Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.) testified this morning at the New York City Council’s Public Hearing on Term Limits Legislation. She urged Council members to refrain from acting without first allowing the public to vote on the issue. The Congresswoman, who in 1984 became the first Hispanic woman to serve on the New York City Council, is also concerned that extending term limits may infringe upon protections for minority voters.
Below is the text of Congresswoman Velázquez’s prepared remarks:
“Preserving affordable housing and providing opportunities to Latino families is a fight about priorities. In Congress, I have worked to protect and bolster our scarce housing resources. Only through a collaborated effort can we raise urban housing needs to the top of the national agenda,” she said.
“Arbitron clearly doesn’t understand our community, and their faulty data now jeopardizes the diversity of our airwaves,” Congresswoman Velázquez said. “It is putting at risk free speech for each and every member of New York City’s minority population.”
Washington, DC – The U.S. House of Representatives today approved the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 by a vote of 263-171, providing much needed relief to the U.S. economy. In particular, the legislation includes a number of crucial provisions designed to keep New Yorkers in their homes and assist small business owners.
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.) today urged the U.S. Department of Labor to work with New York officials to devise a plan for maintaining employment and retraining workers displaced during the financial crisis. With as many as 120,000 workers expected to lose their jobs as a direct result of the Wall Street decline, she called on the Department to approve New York’s request for $150 million in federal grants for programs to bolster employment.
WASHINGTON, DC— Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez introduced legislation to strengthen the food stamp program for unemployed workers, providing needed assistance to hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers in need. The Food Security Act of 2008 would extend the eligibility for workers without dependants to receive food stamps from 3 months to 12 months per three-year period.
NEW YORK, NY – Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.) today joined leaders from the Grand Street Settlement at the 2nd Annual Lower East Side Youth Day. She announced federal support for an initiative aimed at providing at-risk teens with access to computers and technology. The U.S. Department of Justice will make funding available to ensure the continued success of the program, which serves nearly 2,000 youth and families each year.
New York, NY –Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) today tested the waters of the East River and joined New York City youth as they learned about marine ecology, habitat and the history of the Brooklyn waterfront. The Congresswoman participated in the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy’s Cove Camp, an educational initiative targeting at-risk and underserved kids. She has supported the group’s youth programming and helped secure resources through the Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Programs, enabling the Conservancy to expand its educational programming.
New York, NY – As the Hamilton-Madison House rolls out its Community Improvement Project, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) applauds the group for bringing valuable social services to Lower Manhattan’s immigrant populations. The organization has received a federal grant for $95,000 from the Department of Health and Human Services to assist in the implementation of this new program assisting seniors and working families.