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Audio Feature: WGXC Congressional Report 20190918
Sep 16, 2019 12:01 am
This is WGXC's Congressional Report, tracking the votes, words, and actions of Rep. Antonio Delgado, a Democrat from Rhinebeck representing the 19th Congressional District, and Paul Tonko, a Democrat from Amsterdam from the 20th Congressional District. The Fivethirtyeight.com website reports that, so far, the first-term Congressperson Delgado votes with Donald Trump's positions 4.4 percent of the time. Since Democrats took over the House of Representatives Tonko also votes with Trump's positions 2.2 percent of the time. In the previous Congressional session, Tonko voted with Trump 22.6 percent of the time. Click here to download or play an audio version of this report (5:51).
• Patricia R. Doxsey reports for the Daily Freeman that the message from Rep. Antonio Delgado on a conference call with reporters Sept. 10, was that the federal government should do more for adequate affordable housing opportunities. Delgado called for more investment by the government in affordable housing programs, and more, or stricter, regulations for how private developers can use federal funds. Delgado has been on something of an affordable housing listening tour, with a town hall-style meeting Sept. 4 at Bliss Towers in Hudson. Putting restrictions on short-term rentals would be a first step for Delgado. "When it comes to things like Airbnb, there are currently no federal restrictions," he said. "That drives the cost of the housing up in the surrounding area and it takes housing away from people who live in the community.... The federal government hasn’t made any meaningful, robust investment in affordable housing in about 30 years.” The larger problem, Delgado said, was that the government has its interests backwards. "We have a severe imbalance in the interest of private capital and the interest of public good," he said. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.
• Patricia R. Doxsey reports in the Daily Freeman that Rep. Antonio Delgado blames Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Donald Trump for the lack of action on gun control issues, after so many deaths in mass shootings recently. "It's naked corruption," Delgado said during a Sept. 10 conference call with reporters. "This feels like money and special interests and gun companies being able to dictate to Mitch McConnell how to proceed," Delgado said. The president originally voiced support for background checks after recent mass shootings in Texas and Ohio. "Then he got a phone call" and changed his position, Delgado said. Now McConnell is saying he will only allow votes on bills the president will sign, and Trump is mum about what legislation he approves. Delgado has voted for a couple of gun control measures this year that have not received votes in the Senate. He met members of Hudson Valley chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America Sept. 9 in Rhinebeck, and he applauded their efforts to pass gun control legislation. "I told them their work is effective, that work is happening," Delgado said. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.
• Congress returned to Washington D.C. after their summer break last week. Delgado and Tonko both voted for the Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act, which passed 225-193, with only four Republicans voting for the bill, and only five Democrats voting against it. Most of that is also true of the Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act, which passed with Tonko and Delgado's support, and 12 Republicans joining Democrats for a 238-189 vote. And 22 Republicans joined Delgado and Tonko and other Democrats to pass the Protecting and Securing Florida’s Coastline Act of 2019. The Homebuyer Assistance Act also passed last week, with only four Republicans and one independent voting against the bill. Delgado and Tonko also supported the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, which passed 295-114, and the Energy Efficient Government Technology Act, which passed 384-23.
• Paul Tonko does list any public events this week on his website. Antonio Delgado does not have any public events listed on his website this week.
• Patricia R. Doxsey reports for the Daily Freeman that the message from Rep. Antonio Delgado on a conference call with reporters Sept. 10, was that the federal government should do more for adequate affordable housing opportunities. Delgado called for more investment by the government in affordable housing programs, and more, or stricter, regulations for how private developers can use federal funds. Delgado has been on something of an affordable housing listening tour, with a town hall-style meeting Sept. 4 at Bliss Towers in Hudson. Putting restrictions on short-term rentals would be a first step for Delgado. "When it comes to things like Airbnb, there are currently no federal restrictions," he said. "That drives the cost of the housing up in the surrounding area and it takes housing away from people who live in the community.... The federal government hasn’t made any meaningful, robust investment in affordable housing in about 30 years.” The larger problem, Delgado said, was that the government has its interests backwards. "We have a severe imbalance in the interest of private capital and the interest of public good," he said. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.
• Patricia R. Doxsey reports in the Daily Freeman that Rep. Antonio Delgado blames Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Donald Trump for the lack of action on gun control issues, after so many deaths in mass shootings recently. "It's naked corruption," Delgado said during a Sept. 10 conference call with reporters. "This feels like money and special interests and gun companies being able to dictate to Mitch McConnell how to proceed," Delgado said. The president originally voiced support for background checks after recent mass shootings in Texas and Ohio. "Then he got a phone call" and changed his position, Delgado said. Now McConnell is saying he will only allow votes on bills the president will sign, and Trump is mum about what legislation he approves. Delgado has voted for a couple of gun control measures this year that have not received votes in the Senate. He met members of Hudson Valley chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America Sept. 9 in Rhinebeck, and he applauded their efforts to pass gun control legislation. "I told them their work is effective, that work is happening," Delgado said. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.
• Congress returned to Washington D.C. after their summer break last week. Delgado and Tonko both voted for the Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act, which passed 225-193, with only four Republicans voting for the bill, and only five Democrats voting against it. Most of that is also true of the Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act, which passed with Tonko and Delgado's support, and 12 Republicans joining Democrats for a 238-189 vote. And 22 Republicans joined Delgado and Tonko and other Democrats to pass the Protecting and Securing Florida’s Coastline Act of 2019. The Homebuyer Assistance Act also passed last week, with only four Republicans and one independent voting against the bill. Delgado and Tonko also supported the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, which passed 295-114, and the Energy Efficient Government Technology Act, which passed 384-23.
• Paul Tonko does list any public events this week on his website. Antonio Delgado does not have any public events listed on his website this week.