COST OF GUN VIOLENCE ‘STAGGERING’: Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12), vice chair of the US Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), called on members of the Senate to find “the courage to act” to address the nation’s gun violence epidemic. She spoke at a JEC hearing on September 18, which came shortly after the committee published a state-by-state analysis of gun violence that found the crisis imposes more than $200 billion in total annual costs on the country, which is about 1.4% of GDP. Maloney noted that Americans are “almost 40 times more likely (to die from gun-related causes) than someone in the UK, Australia or New Zealand.”
The following are some key excerpts from Maloney’s comments during the hearing:
“There is no way to estimate cost of a human life. The loss is incalculable,” Congresswoman Maloney said in her opening statement. “But there is also economic cost – a lost breadwinner’s income, astronomical medical costs, costs to employers, schools, police, hospitals and the criminal justice system.
“In the United States, there are more guns in civilian hands than any other country in the world. An American is nearly 7 times more likely than someone in Canada to die by a gun, 8 times more likely than someone in France, almost 20 times more likely than a person in Germany and almost 40 times more likely than someone in the UK, Australia or New Zealand.”
The Congresswoman noted the JEC report finds rural states have the highest costs of gun violence as a percent of GDP, and states with high rates of gun ownership have the highest rates of gun suicide. “In contrast, my state of New York, which has stricter gun laws, including an assault weapons ban, has one of the three lowest costs of gun violence as a share of its economy, along with Hawaii and Massachusetts.
“Let us honor the victims of gun violence and their families by working to prevent more victims,” Maloney said. “Let us – like other countries in the developed world – turn tragedy into bold action. And may all members of Congress, especially those in the Senate, find the courage to act.”
The following are excerpts from Democratic witnesses at the hearing:
Democratic witness Adam Skaggs, chief counsel and policy director of the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence said, ”Data compiled by Giffords Law Center has made clear for years that states with stronger gun laws have lower rates of gun deaths and spend less on gun violence than states with weaker laws. But our federal laws remain porous and ineffective and gun violence continues to be a tremendous public health and safety crisis that costs hundreds of billions of dollars each year.”
Tina Meins, whose father was killed in the San Bernardino, California shooting in 2015, said, “The House of Representatives has already passed bipartisan legislation to require background checks on all gun sales and is considering a strong Red Flag law. Now the Senate must act on background checks and pass a strong Red Flag bill.”
MENG DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM DHS: Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, announced on September 16 that she sent a letter to Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan to demand answers on the “appalling treatment of children at the border, including the deprivation of menstrual hygiene products for detained girls.” The letter comes in response to a lawsuit filed by 19 states and the District of Columbia about the Department of Homeland Security’s treatment of migrant children in its custody. The lawsuit found that migrant children were living in “appalling” conditions and included testimonials from girls who described the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products, and the unsanitary conditions they have had to endure.
“The Trump Administration’s daily injustices against migrant families and children seeking refuge is monstrous and must end,” said Congresswoman Meng. “Our system must be compassionate and humane. Children left in cages and in solitude, having food thrown at them, and girls with periods being left to bleed through their clothes and denied showers for days on end – such abhorrent treatment of children is morally reprehensible. I await the secretary’s answers to my questions and demand the administration to immediately offer the basic necessities children and families need, including menstrual hygiene products.”
Meng’s letter included signatures from 38 other members of Congress including House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY). Earlier this year, the congresswoman introduced the Menstrual Equity For All Act which would – among other things – ensure that all Department of Homeland Security-detained individuals have full and free access to menstrual products.
HOUSE FINANCIAL SVCS. VOTES TO CLOSE TRADING LOOPHOLE: The House Committee on Financial Services on September 20 passed Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney’s (D-NY) H.R. 4335, the 8-K Trading Gap Act, unanimously out of committee.
The 8-K Trading Gap Act would fix a loophole in our current law that allows corporate executives to trade on information before it’s disclosed to the public and to their own shareholders. Right now, when there’s a significant corporate event at a public company, the company has to disclose that significant event to the public by filing a Form 8-K within four days of the event occurring. During this four-day gap, executives at the company know about the significant event, but other investors don’t.
“Corporate executives shouldn’t be allowed to trade on significant information before it’s disclosed to the public and to investors, but that’s exactly what they do because of a legal loophole,” said Rep. Maloney. “My bill has a very simple solution to this problem; prohibiting executives from trading during the four-day gap between when an event happens and when the company publicly files a Form 8-K to alert the public and shareholders of the event. Given the unanimous, bipartisan support for this bill in our committee, I hope the bill will pass the full House and Senate quickly with bipartisan support. It’s just common sense.”
The Senate companion to H.R. 4335 has been introduced by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
“When a corporation faces a big change – like a data breach, merger, or acquisition – public transparency is necessary to prevent insider trading and protect retail investors. Once corporate insiders recognize they have a duty to inform the public about a material event they should be immediately barred from selling their stock. Giving them four days to cash in on inside information is a total abuse of the public trust,” said Senator Van Hollen.
SCHUMER TWEETS RE NYC CLIMATE STRIKE: US Senator Charles Schumer tweeted the following statement regarding the climate strike in NYC and his climate change story:
“This is my climate change story.
“This is how I think about it.
“This is for our planet, our kids, our grandkids.
“This is for my grandson Noah.
“The energy in New York’s streets today as students stand up to demand action on climate change is incredible. We must act now,” said US Senator Charles Schumer.
HOUSE PASSES FAIR ACT TO END FORCED ARBITRATION: The House passed the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal (FAIR) Act, H.R.1423, with a vote of 225-186. Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), one of those who voted to pass the repeal, released the following statement:
“Forced arbitration is a trap. Binding someone subjected to harassment or discrimination to arbitration is plain wrong and denies survivors a fair shot at justice. Making matters worse, employees and consumers often do not know that they have entered into such an agreement until an incident occurs. So not only has a person been harassed or had their rights violated, but now the employer or company gets to dictate how the matter is settled.
“Many businesses claim that forced arbitration is more efficient and streamlined than a court case, but what they don’t tell you is that the process is hidden from public view. And we all know that underreporting and secretive settlements have roles in creating and cementing a culture of harassment.
“Passing the FAIR Act today is an important step toward empowering all employees and consumers to retain the choice to seek a resolution to a dispute with a corporation in the way that is right for them. I urge the Senate to act quickly and pass this bill.”
CONSTANTINIDES TO MTA: ELEVATOR ‘PLAN’ IS LATE: The MTA announced this week that an elevator will be installed at the Broadway N/W and Steinway Street M/R stations under its new capital plan. Councilman Costa Constantinides, District 22, issued the following statement on the MTA’s announcement that Astoria would get elevators at only two subway stations under its new capital plan:
“The train is pulling into the station too late here. While I’ll say yes to the new elevators coming to Broadway and Steinway Street, there are several heavily trafficked stops in Astoria where the elderly, the disabled, and parents with strollers will be stranded as the subway rolls by. Why was this work not done at Broadway when the station was stripped down to beams for mostly cosmetic improvements? Commuters and small businesses along this corridor were just forced to languish for eight months, and are now likely to be subject to more neighborhood disruption during this installation. This just seems like poor planning, more wastefulness, and more disregard by the MTA. It’s time we explore returning the subway system to municipal control as Speaker Corey Johnson has rightly suggested.”
Constantinides, in February 2018, rallied for elevator access along the N/W line ahead of planned construction to the Broadway, 30th Avenue, and Ditmars Boulevard Stations.
The Broadway station, which was closed from July 2018 to this January, handled an average 4.2 million annual riders between 2013 and 2017; the Steinway Street station averaged 4.8 million riders each year between 2013 and 2018.
OFFICIALS RESPOND TO DEATH OF TEEN CYCLIST: Following the death of a 14-year-old bicyclist who was killed in a collision with a private sanitation truck in Long Island City on September 21, elected officials released the following statements:
Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris: “Too many cyclists have lost their lives in our city and not enough is being done to keep them safe. Mario Valenzuela is already the 21st cycling death this year. I am in contact with NYPD to learn more about what went wrong in this case, but one thing is clear: we must do more to keep our streets safe.”
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer: “I am sad but also angry to learn that a 14-year-old cyclist from Astoria was killed by a truck earlier today on Borden Avenue in LIC. I had contacted NYC DOT before Robert Spencer was killed on Borden Avenue in March and then again afterward to plead for action. Now a very young man is dead. When will NYC DOT start treating this like the emergency it is? This is the 21st cyclist killed this year in NYC and the second in this area of LIC. It demands radical action!”
NYS VS PROPOSED FEDERAL ANTI-LGBTQ WORKERS RULE: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on September 19 opposition to the federal government’s proposed rule change that would broadly expand the definition of religious exemptions for federal contractors and make it easier for those entities to discriminate on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression. The US Department of Labor’s proposed rule would have devastating consequences for LGBTQ and other workers by depriving them of vitally important workplace protections. The New York Division of Human Rights and the New York Department of Labor joined together in submitting public comment in opposition to the proposed rule change. The public comment also makes clear that no matter what happens at the federal level, employers in New York state cannot discriminate against a person for being LGBTQ or for any other category protected under the State’s Human Rights Law.
“Time and again the Trump administration has gone out of its way to curtail the hard-earned rights and protections of the LGBTQ community,” Governor Cuomo said. “This proposed rule would give federal contractors license to discriminate – plain and simple – and it is repugnant to our values of equal protection for every New Yorker, and we will fight it.”
“As the birthplace of the LGBTQ rights movement, we stand together with the LGBTQ community against discrimination and hate,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul.
On August 15, the US Department of Labor announced a proposed change to the rules governing equal employment opportunity in federal government contracting. The proposed change would greatly expand the narrow exemptions for religious organizations receiving federal government contracts and make it easier for a wide array of federal contractors to condition terms of employment on adherence to certain religious beliefs or tenets, even if those federal contractors are not operated or supervised by a religious institution. The proposed rule would roll back protections that the Obama administration had put into place to prohibit federal contractors from discriminating against LGBTQ workers, and it would place millions of LGBTQ, women, religious minorities, and people of color at risk of discrimination. The proposed rule would also cause confusion among employers that are contractors with both the federal government and New York state, since the religious exemptions in the proposed rule are clearly inconsistent with New York’s anti-discrimination laws.
New York State Division of Human Rights Commissioner Angela Fernandez said, “Regardless of what the federal government does, the Division will continue to enforce the Human Rights Law against any employer that unlawfully denies employment or otherwise discriminates against an individual covered by a protected class.”
Today’s action is the latest step in Governor Cuomo’s commitment to further protections and equality for New York’s LGBTQ community. This past August, the Governor announced multi-agency opposition to the federal government’s proposed rollback of healthcare protections for transgender and gender nonconforming individuals, with the New York State Department of Financial Services, Division of Human Rights and the Office of Children and Family Services calling on the federal government to abandon the US Department of Health and Human Services proposal that would undermine discrimination protections for transgender and gender nonconforming individuals and limit the types of insurance that must comply with the Affordable Care Act’s nondiscrimination protections. In June, the Governor signed legislation banning the use of the “gay and trans panic” defense in criminal proceedings. In January, Governor Cuomo signed the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, landmark legislation that prohibits employers, educational institutions, landlords, creditors, and others from discrimination against individuals on the basis of gender identity or expression.
NEW LAW PROTECTS SAME-SEX AND PARENTS VIA SURROGACY: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on September 16 that he signed legislation (S.3999/A.460) prohibiting New York state courts from denying child adoptions to petitioners who are already legally recognized parents, but whose names were not on the birth certificate: same-sex couples, and parents who had a child through surrogacy. The law will protect them from being denied an adoption when the parent petitioning is already recognized as the child’s parent.
“All parents deserve the same rights and the same recognition under the law, period, and it’s unconscionable that this isn’t the case in every corner of this nation,” Governor Cuomo said. “These new protections will help ensure that all families are treated with fairness and equality and that no parent encounters unreasonable barriers in a court of law.”
Senator Brad Hoylman said, “While New York’s laws provide strong legal protections for LGBTQ families like my own, sadly that’s not the case everywhere. With the passage of this law, we are reaffirming that non-biological parents have access to adoption proceedings in every New York court, regardless of whether state law already recognizes them as the legal parent of their children. By allowing these adoptions, we give parents traveling or moving outside New York state the opportunity to keep their families legally secure.”
Assembly Member Amy Paulin said, “Despite the fact that judges already have the ability to grant adoption petitions and routinely have done so, there have been times where these petitions have been denied, causing surprise and stressful uncertainty for same-sex couples. With this law, we provide a guarantee and security that parents’ rights are recognized, both in New York and in other jurisdictions.”
While the spouse of a woman who gives birth to a child is presumed to be the child’s parent, same-sex couples find themselves in a legally precarious position when traveling beyond New York state, in places that do not fully respect the rights of non-biological parents. Under the new law, a New York adoption would be honored in another jurisdiction. This gives children the security that both their parents will be legally recognized wherever family members may be.
This bill codifies existing law to explicitly state that a petition to adopt shall not be denied solely on the basis that the petitioner’s status as parent is already legally-recognized, ensuring that couples’ access to such adoptions will not be fettered by future court decisions.
REFORMING TAX LAWS FOR AMERICANS LIVING OVERSEAS: Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Americans Abroad Caucus co-chair, introduced on September 17 two pieces of legislation: the Commission on Americans Living Overseas Act of 2019 and the Overseas Americans Financial Access Act. These bills will help American citizens living abroad who are unfairly and disproportionately burdened by existing tax laws.
“Americans who live and work abroad are forced to contend with unsustainable tax burdens as an unintended consequence of US law, but we can change that by passing my Overseas Americans Financial Access Act of 2019,” said Rep. Maloney. “This community represents our nation as informal ambassadors all around the world, promoting American influence and goodwill worldwide. They are also full citizens who pay taxes, vote, and are affected by American laws. Which is why we need to look at how all our laws – not just the tax code – are affecting these Americans just as we would study how laws affect our constituents living in the United States. So today, I am also once again introducing the Commission on Americans Living Abroad Act to create a commission tasked with studying the specific impacts of American legislation on overseas Americans. These changes are long past due.”
The Overseas Americans Financial Access Act directs the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to exclude from Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) reporting financial accounts held by American citizens in countries where they are bona fide residents. This bill eliminates the unintended and excessive reporting burden imposed on overseas Americans by FATCA, enabling them to more easily open and maintain private bank accounts with foreign financial institutions (FFI’s).
The Commission on Americans Living Abroad Act of 2019 creates an Executive Commission comprised of a 10-member bipartisan panel to examine the concerns of US citizens living and working abroad. The Commission would analyze, report on, and make appropriate recommendations to address the effects of activities, laws, and policies of the federal government on Americans citizens living overseas.
ADDABBO: MOBILE SPORTS BETTING CAN BRING FANS BACK TO STADIUMS: With attendance dropping at stadiums across Major League Baseball (MLB) over the past few seasons, NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. believes that implementing mobile sports betting could help drive more fans to the games, at least here in New York.
Sen. Addabbo noted that according to a Daily News article, (“What’s driving MLB’s attendance woes? Let’s count the ways,” August 24) teams throughout MLB have been losing fans in recent years, and baseball-reference.com confirms this report, showing that attendance at MLB games dropped by three million in one year’s time (in 2018 as compared to 2017). And the Mets saw over 200,000 less fans in that span.
Instead of looking at why fans haven’t been showing up to games, Addabbo wants to look at ways to bring fans into the stadiums, and he believes having mobile sports betting in New York could help attendance numbers rise.
“It is no secret that MLB, and our Mets in particular, have been losing fans over the last couple of seasons, which isn’t good for the franchise or baseball as a whole,” said Addabbo, chair of the Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering. “I believe that if fans have another reason to go to a stadium and watch a game – because they have a bet placed on which team will win or an in-game situation – it has the potential to bring in more fans. With the technology of mobile sports betting, fans can make up-to-the-minute bets during the game, which can lead to increased interest.”
The senator highlighted the language in his mobile sports betting bill, which soundly passed the Senate this session but was not voted on in the Assembly, which included mobile sports betting inside stadiums and arenas throughout the state.
“We have seen fans flock to our upstate casinos with the start of football season, but I believe our state is still losing out on significant revenue and educational funding because we do not have mobile sports betting,” Addabbo added. “Many New York residents still find it easier to go over to New Jersey to place bets, rather than going to one of the four upstate casinos that have sports betting lounges. With the MLB playoffs starting soon, football season starting, and the hockey and basketball seasons right around the corner, money that could be going into our state’s educational fund is going to New Jersey. I hope we can seriously address mobile sports betting in New York when session begins again in January 2020.”
Addabbo points to Rivers Casino and Resort in upstate New York, which has seen an increase in the number of visitors they have had since sports betting was allowed in their casino, as a success story on how sports betting can bring new fans to the games. According to a Times Union report, (www.timesunion.com/news/article/NFL-opening-week-brings-gamblers-to-Rivers-Casino-14423310.php) Rivers Casino has seen new people coming to the resort since football season kicked off, and Addabbo believes with a mobile sports betting component, fans will have another reason to watch sports, either at a casino or in person at the stadium.
LOCAL HS STUDENT SEEKS TO EXPAND HIS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM: A local high school student from Howard Beach has founded his own 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization aimed at getting high school students to mentor middle schoolers on the high school application process and help with test prep, and is looking to expand.
Michael N. Manta, co-founder and CEO – and the program’s original mentor – of NYCMentors.org, created the program in 2018 as a way to help his younger brother, Jonathan, navigate the high school admission process and expand his search outside the local high schools. After mentoring his brother, Jonathan was accepted to the McCallie School. With his brother’s success, Manta is now looking to grow his organization and has reached out to NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. for help.
Manta’s NYCMentors.org partners high-achieving under-served middle school students with high school students who are looking to give back. “I really wanted to do something to give back,” Manta said. “There’s not really a program in New York City that has this type of mentorship. Having high school students working directly with middle school students, gives them an older brother or older sister to get advice from. You don’t get that from just tutoring and test prep.”
“When Michael came to me with his program and told me he is looking to expand the number of students he would be able to reach, I knew I had to help,” Addabbo, a member of the Senate Education Committee, said. “I have a daughter in high school and another in middle school, and I know how much of a resource my oldest will be for when my youngest daughter makes that jump into high school. I would love to be able to help students who may not have anyone to help them figure out the complex application process, and what other things a student may need to get into the high school they want – like joining clubs and extracurricular activities.”
Currently, NYCMentors.org can pair only 25 middle school students with high school mentors. They are looking for grants that will help them expand the student pool, but also keep the quality of mentorship. Manta is also looking to sign up additional mentors and mentees.
Anyone who is interested in learning more about the program or who may want to volunteer to be a mentor or mentee can find more information at nycmentors.org, or can reach out via email at info@nycmentors.org.
SCHUMER MARKS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH: Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) released a video message on Twitter to mark the start of Hispanic Heritage Month. Each year, from September 15 to October 15, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month with the aim of celebrating the contributions of our fellow Americans of Hispanic ancestry.
Senator Chuck Schumer said, “This month we celebrate the immense contributions that Latinos and Hispanic-Americans have made to our country. And we celebrate the contributions they make each and every day, whether it’s in health care, science or education. Starting so many small businesses, serving in the military or in public service, the accomplishments of Latinos, who are so patriotic, enrich our nation, keep alive its values and its principles.
“Growing up in New York I witnessed how individual families of Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Central America, and South America have formed the backbone of strong communities. They are the future of New York and our country, ‘el futuro.’
“I could not be prouder that they are part of the fabric of my home city of New York and of all of these great United States. So celebrating Hispanic Heritage is a strong reminder that our nation is enriched by our diverse histories and our common bonds. Especially in these divisive and difficult times, we must remember we are one people united by a common dream to make our country better. I wish everyone a happy and wonderful Hispanic Heritage Month! ¡Felicitaciones!”
HUNTERS POINT LIBRARY NOW OPEN: Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer shared that The New York Times said the new Hunters Point Library is “among the finest and most uplifting public buildings New York has produced so far this century.”
Van Bramer said, “I am thrilled to share that the reviews are in and our new Hunters Point Library is being called ‘one of the finest public buildings New York has produced this century.’ This fight was not easy. I have allocated over $10 million toward this project and it took a village to get it done. But our relentless advocacy paid off. This new library is a magnificent addition to our Long Island City community, our Queens Public Library system, and our iconic skyline.
“This library is a testament to what can happen when we fight hard for what our community needs most and it will serve as a source of civic pride in Hunters Point forever. I want to thank all who made this moment possible, including those like Fausta Ippolito, who are no longer with us, but whose love for this library sustained me, even in the darkest of times.” The grand opening of the new Hunters Point Library was held on Tuesday, September 24.
The Times also wrote, “Compact, at 22,000 square feet and 82 feet high, the library is among the finest and most uplifting public buildings New York has produced so far this century. For a growing, diverse community, the whole project is an instant boon and a locus of neighborhood pride for Long Island City. Credit goes to the local City Council member, Jimmy Van Bramer, a former library official, who helped keep the project alive when City Hall seemed ready to let it die.”
Van Bramer said, “Our state-of-the-art community library will improve lives from day one with over 50,000 books and materials, a community room that can hold 200, a cyber-center, a quiet room, a spectacular childrenʼs room and a programmable rooftop area with stadium seating. Iʼve worked on this project since I was a staffer at the Queens Public Library. And we never gave up or settled for second best. While there have been moments of great frustration with delays, I know that generations of children and families will benefit because we stayed the course, invested the money, and saw this project to its completion. You can never shortchange good design.”
CONSTANTINIDES ANNOUNCES $4.6M RENOVATION TO GORMAN PARK: Councilman Costa Constantinides joined with the Parks Department on September 18 to announce a $4.6 million renovation to the play area at Gorman Playground – a full-block New York City park in Jackson Heights. ”Gorman Playground, like so many parks in our district, is a lynchpin of the Jackson Heights community,” said Constantinides (District 22), “I want to thank Speaker Corey Johnson for his vision, partnership, and support to renovate the play area, so our children have a constructive place to grow and learn. This will be a state-of-the-art playground that will serve Jackson Heights for generations.”
“Earlier this year, we declared 2020 as Year of the Parks because of the Council’s historic investment in our City’s parks, and that extends to the playgrounds. Playgrounds are backyards for our children and the venue for the kids and their parents to celebrate major milestones,” said City Council Speaker Corey Johnson.
Funding for the play area overhaul was secured by Johnson in partnership with Constantinides under the Fiscal Year 2020 budget, which took effect earlier this summer. Parks also announced on September 18 it will host a scoping hearing on the evening of October 3 at the Lexington School for the Deaf, where officials will collect community feedback on what they envision for the new Gorman Playground.
Gorman Playground runs from 25th to 30th Avenue, north to south, and from 84th to 85th Streets, west to east. It was officially renamed after Denis P. Gorman shortly after his passing in August 1963, in honor of his work to secure the land as a park. Gorman was a dedicated civic leader who ran the Elmjack Little League for a decade, brought franchised bus service to Jackson Heights, and was active in several local organizations.
—With contributions by Annette Hanze Alberts
This column was originated by John A. Toscano
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