Fri, Dec 10th 2021 11:40 am
Congressman Brian Higgins announced the approval of the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act (H.R. 3537). Introduced by Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill) and cosponsored by Higgins, the bill provides funding for several initiatives aimed at advancing therapies for ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases.
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Thu, Dec 9th 2021 05:05 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday signed legislation that requires law enforcement and district attorney's offices to advise human trafficking victims of the availability of social and legal services.
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Thu, Dec 9th 2021 03:20 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation (S.02036/A.03237) into law to establish another method of tracking veteran suicides in order to compile more accurate data regarding those suicides to better inform prevention strategies.
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Wed, Dec 8th 2021 02:55 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced New York's annual statewide holiday donation drive to benefit families in need across New York will begin on Dec. 9. Donations of new unwrapped toys, coats and school supplies are being sought to assist community-based organizations during the holiday giving season.
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Wed, Dec 8th 2021 02:55 pm
Congressman Brian Higgins announced the latest milestone in an over 12-year fight to improve airline safety. Effective Dec. 7, pilot records must now be filed through the pilot records database available on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) website.
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Tue, Dec 7th 2021 04:10 pm
Congressman Brian Higgins announced the passage of S. 894 (the Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act of 2021) and H.R. 147 (the BRAVE Act). The pair of bills are intended to help connect veterans leaving active service to employment opportunities, including medical positions at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and apprenticeships nationwide.
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Tue, Dec 7th 2021 03:30 pm
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the awarding of more than $52 million in Indian Community Block Grant-American Rescue Plan (ICDBG-ARP) grants to 49 Tribal communities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement was made by HUD Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman during a speaking engagement at the National American Indian Housing Council's Legal Symposium.
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Tue, Dec 7th 2021 02:20 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced flags on state buildings will be flown at half-staff Dec. 7, from sunrise to sunset, in observation of the 80th anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
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Tue, Dec 7th 2021 02:20 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced New York is the first state in the nation to receive U.S. Department of the Treasury's approval to launch its Homeowner Assistance Fund, a program that will provide up to $539 million to help eligible homeowners avert mortgage delinquency, default, foreclosure, and displacement. Applications will be accepted beginning Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.
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Tue, Dec 7th 2021 02:20 pm
U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and Congressman Brian Higgins on Monday visited the site of a future Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority charging station in Buffalo, to discuss the opportunities the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ("bipartisan infrastructure law") can deliver to American communities and workers. The NFTA operates bus, light rail and airport transportation in Western New York, supporting 1,600 jobs in the Buffalo-Niagara Region.
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Mon, Dec 6th 2021 04:10 pm
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball encouraged New York state's agricultural industry to apply for the $800 million COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant program. Grants are available for eligible small businesses that have revenues up to $2.5 million and are experiencing hardship due to COVID-19. Additional information and the application are available here.
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Mon, Dec 6th 2021 04:00 pm
U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh joined Congressman Brian Higgins for a tour of the Northland Workforce Training Center during a visit to Western New York on Monday. Federal leaders met with students, teachers and administrators to discuss opportunities to prepare workers for the quality jobs of tomorrow.
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Mon, Dec 6th 2021 03:10 pm
The New York State Department of State announced $1 million is available for the Citizens Reorganization Empowerment Grant. The CREG program provides up to $100,000 to local governments to plan for and implement municipal restructuring.
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Mon, Dec 6th 2021 03:10 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday signed legislation (S.1560/A.1994) into law to protect seniors from fraudulent use of personal information by authorizing support services on identity theft through nonprofit agencies and law enforcement. The legislation allows the Office of the Aging and law enforcement to recognize identity theft as one of the many forms of elder abuse, and take appropriate action to help seniors.
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Mon, Dec 6th 2021 11:55 am
A new poll by John Zogby Strategies reveals that overwhelming numbers of New Yorkers are ready to support open primaries, ending a long tradition of "party only" voters in primaries.
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Fri, Dec 3rd 2021 09:55 am
On Thursday, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan announced funding that states, tribes and territories will receive in 2022 through the bipartisan infrastructure law. This funding, provided through EPA's State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs, will create jobs while upgrading America's aging water infrastructure and addressing key challenges like lead in drinking water and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination.
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Thu, Dec 2nd 2021 04:35 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a new initiative to build upon extensive efforts already underway by the New York State Department of Labor to connect job seekers to the record more than 220,000 available jobs, tools and training resources.
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Thu, Dec 2nd 2021 04:35 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a package of legislation to increase state agency support of small businesses in New York. Legislation S.033/A.3456 will create a small business liaison with the departments of Agriculture and Markets, Environmental Conservation, Labor, Transportation, and Taxation and Finance.
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Thu, Dec 2nd 2021 04:35 pm
The state Office of Mental Health (OMH) has received a $200,000 award to help people with mental illness gain access to healthy, fresh produce. The grant, from the state Health Foundation, will be used to expand the FreshConnect Checks program and bring mobile farmers markets to congregate housing sites for residents with serious mental illness. OMH will also develop a curriculum for residents focused on purchasing, preparing, and consuming healthy foods.
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Thu, Dec 2nd 2021 04:30 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed legislation requiring local social service districts to offer a direct deposit payment option for subsidized child care. Her team said this would modernize and streamline the system for social service payments to child care providers. The Office of Children and Family Services is required to issue these new regulations within one year of the signing of this legislation.
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Wed, Dec 1st 2021 06:05 pm
On Giving Tuesday, the League of Women Voters of NYS (LWVNYS) announced it has received an anonymous $1 million donation to expand and strengthen its "fight to defend democracy and voting rights for all."
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Wed, Dec 1st 2021 03:15 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday announced an additional $5.7 million in federal funding is available from New York's Marine Fisheries Relief Program, established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, to provide financial relief for New York's marine fishing industry.
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Wed, Dec 1st 2021 03:10 pm
Congressman Brian Higgins announced $2.2 million over three years in federal monies for Evergreen Health. Funding in the amount of $731,362 will be provided to Evergreen annually through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Early Intervention Services Program.
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Wed, Dec 1st 2021 12:40 pm
The New York State Gaming Commission, together with the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) and the New York Council on Problem Gambling (the Council) - who collectively comprise New York's Responsible Play Partnership (RPP) - have introduced a new public service campaign that asks consumers to take greater responsibility for their Lottery gift-giving decisions.
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Wed, Dec 1st 2021 09:15 am
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced New York's sixth annual "Ending the Epidemic (ETE) Summit" will be held virtually Nov. 30 through Dec. 2, to coincide with World AIDS Day on Dec. 1.
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Tue, Nov 30th 2021 03:20 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation (S.05675/A.4522) into law to protect New Yorkers from lead exposure from Christmas lights and other holiday decorations by requiring a warning label for certain products that use lead-based electrical cord casings. The legislation defines seasonal and decorative lighting products, requires a proper warning label, and mandates a fine for any manufacturer who violates this legislation.
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Mon, Nov 29th 2021 01:35 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced changes aimed at encouraging more food-insecure older adults and disabled individuals to enroll in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The changes include simplifying the SNAP application, extending the duration these households can receive benefits before needing to recertify, and eliminating the need for them to complete an interview during the recertification process.
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Tue, Nov 23rd 2021 12:45 pm
Closed sales have continued to drop across the Empire State while home prices have risen for 18 consecutive months, according to the housing report released by the New York State Association of REALTORS.
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Tue, Nov 23rd 2021 12:25 pm
Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. (ECHDC) announced the Longshed Building was awarded the Community Award at the 2021 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Buffalo/WNY Design Awards.
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Mon, Nov 22nd 2021 12:00 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul recently signed legislation S.4892-A/A.5781-A enshrining the Nourish New York program permanently in state law. Her team said, "The signing of this legislation comes just before the Thanksgiving holiday, reaffirming New York's commitment to providing support to those facing food insecurity across the state."
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Mon, Nov 22nd 2021 11:25 am
Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced more than $6 million is available to support critical upgrades at New York's animal shelters. This is the fourth round of funding for New York's Companion Animal Capital Fund, which helps eligible organizations to make major improvements to their facilities to enhance animal care and health.
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Sat, Nov 20th 2021 12:00 pm
New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli has released a report tracking New York's local demographic changes based on 2020 census data; and an interactive online map that breaks down population statistics by age, race and ethnicity, along with housing trends, in New York's cities, counties, towns and villages. DiNapoli's report provides a snapshot of New York state's population, which totaled more than 20.2 million in 2020, up 4.1% since 2010.
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Fri, Nov 19th 2021 05:40 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced New York has secured $2 million in federal funding through the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant program to aid addiction service providers in the fight against the opioid crisis. The funding will be used to establish mobile medication units (MMUs) to dispense medications to treat substance use disorder, including methadone and buprenorphine.
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Fri, Nov 19th 2021 05:05 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the New York Office for People with Developmental Disabilities will provide over $1.5 billion in one-time American Rescue Plan Act Funding to support recruitment efforts, retention incentives and vaccination bonuses for direct support professionals who provide support for people with developmental disabilities in an effort to address workforce shortages in this field.
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Fri, Nov 19th 2021 05:05 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul has launched a new digital media campaign designed to raise awareness of the various state programs available to help struggling New Yorkers pay heating and utility expenses to avoid potential service interruptions during the cold weather months ahead. With utility prices expected to spike this season, the campaign will also provide tips and best practices to help contend with higher-than-average home heating costs.
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Fri, Nov 19th 2021 04:45 pm
During meetings between North American leaders, Congressman Brian Higgins met with Canada Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino to discuss topics of binational interest. The conversation included the need for binational coordination to allow for expedited cross-border passenger rail service.
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Wed, Nov 17th 2021 04:50 pm
Congressman Brian Higgins announced the approval of the Protecting Moms Who Served Act of 2021 (S.796). The bipartisan bill, originally introduced by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), an Iraq War veteran, supports funding for maternity care for women who served in the military.
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Wed, Nov 17th 2021 04:50 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a new, $25 million package in grants and loans to improve housing conditions for farmworkers and to protect the health and safety of this critical workforce.
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Tue, Nov 16th 2021 04:40 pm
The Police Benevolent Association of New York State (PBANYS) extended its deepest appreciation to Gov. Kathy Hochul for "her leadership in adding firearms made to look like toys to the definition of 'disguised guns,' which are illegal in the state of New York."
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Mon, Nov 15th 2021 03:45 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced the legal service providers who will be awarded portions of the $25 million in federal funding to offer free legal assistance and comprehensive housing stability services.
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