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Audio Feature: WGXC Congressional Report 20190129

Jan 25, 2019 9:45 am
Here's the week in the news for Rep. Antonio Delgado (D-Rhinebeck). The Fivethirtyeight.com website reports that, so far, Delgado votes with Donald Trump's positions zero percent of the time. Click here to download or play an audio version of this report (16:44).

• This week Delgado voted on these issues:
• Jan. 23 Voted for funding most of the federal government through Sept. 30, without money for a border wall, which passed 234-180.
• Jan. 23 Voted for funding the federal government through Feb. 28, without money for a border wall, which passed 229-184.
• Jan. 24 Voted for funding the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 28, without money for a border wall, which passed 231-180.

Wendy Liberatore reports in the Albany Times Union that Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program payments are still supposed to arrive this month despite the government shutdown, but there are reports of problems with the food stamp program. Rep. Antonio Delgado (D-Rhinebeck) says some stores are no longer accepting the Electronic Benefits Transfer cards because vendors cannot renew their SNAP licenses because of the government shutdown. "Families and seniors rely on SNAP benefits to get by. But if they technically have the benefits and are unable to use them, they are utterly useless," Delgado said. "I urge the Department of Agriculture to immediately extend expired EBT licenses for the duration of the shutdown so that no American will go hungry." On January 8 the USDA promised that February's SNAP benefits will be sent out, though whether March benefits arrive remains uncertain. Read the full story in the Albany Times Union.

• Women marched, for various reasons, in Hudson, Albany, Woodstock, and hundreds of others towns around the country Sat., Jan. 19. In Hudson, Rep. Antonio Delgado spoke in the cold, after hundreds marched down Warren Street from the town's Public Square to Promenade near the Amtrak station and Hudson River waterfront.

MidHudson News [dot] com is reporting the US Supreme Court issued a ruling Jan. 22, that allows President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender troopers to go into effect. Asked by WGXC-FM for his reaction to the court's decision, U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado said, "No one should be barred from serving in our military because of their gender identity.” In a statement to MidHudsonNews [dot] com, U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney called the ruling “an incredibly disappointing decision that will create chaos for transgender people in the military as we await a final decision by the courts.” Gov. Andrew Cuomo criticized the decision, saying the ruling gave "an abhorrent policy" the green light. “President Trump’s disgraceful ban on most transgender troops serving in the military repays service and sacrifice with hate and it takes our military backwards to undercutting this nation’s commitment to ensuring equal rights for all,” Cuomo said. Read the full story at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.



• Rep. Antonio Delgado (D-Rhinebeck) spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives Jan. 23 about the government shutdown. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OR PLAY BRIEF CLIP.

Dan Freedman is reporting for the Times Union U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado has signed on to a new congressional task force focused on addressing the chemical contamination of drinking water in places such as Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh. At the same time, the Rhinebeck Democrat acknowledged it will be difficult to prompt the federal government to act as long as the shutdown continues, thereby impacting the Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees water pollution detection and mitigation. “One of the things I’ve heard from a lot of folks back home is ‘I’m all for your priorities — health care, water contamination — but none of that is going to matter if you don’t get the government  open,’” Delgado said after a news conference to launch the bipartisan House PFAS Task Force. “So that’s priority number one.” Delgado is one of 20 House members from both major parties whose districts have been impacted by PFAS contamination. Delgado also announced he is co-sponsoring the bipartisan PFAS Action Act. That measure would designate all PFAS chemicals as risks to human health and the environment and thus make them eligible for the federal Superfund clean-up program. Read the full story in the Times Union.

• Delgado held his first town hall meeting, Jan. 21 in Rensselaer County, and WGXC broadcast the event live.