Alexandria Ocasio Cortez Newsletters [Messages From AOC]

Newsletter: Global Human Rights, Capitol Updates, & More – 17JUN2021

Newsletter: Infrastructure, Child Tax Credit, Community Safety, & More

A Message from Rep. AOC Dear Community Members of NY-14,As negotiations for the infrastructure package continue, it is becoming increasingly clear that many conservatives have no interest in serving communities that need the most support. House Democrats are committed to making sure that we pass a reconciliation bill and a families plan that expands childcare, that lowers the cost of Medicare, and that supports families in the economy. Democrats welcome Republican collaboration where there is agreement, but this doesn’t mean that President Biden should be limited by Republican policies, particularly when we have a House majority, 50 Democratic senators, and the White House. I’m hopeful that the White House and Senate and House leadership will move forward with a package of bills that will meet the moment we’re in. I also wanted to share a big win with you all: thanks to the continued advocacy of community members, the Federal Aviation Administration recently announced that it has paused the LGA AirTrain project. This wouldn’t have been possible without the efforts of several local groups, and is a welcome reminder to us all about the collective power of community.In other welcome news, the IRS will begin issuing Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments of up to $300/month on July 15th! Ninety-percent of children in our district will qualify. Most families don’t need to take any action to receive the Advanced Child Tax Credit payments, as long as they have submitted their 2019 or 2020 tax return. However, if you don’t usually file a tax return, you can submit your information to receive the payment here. Children must have a Social Security Number (SSN) to be eligible for the Child Tax Credit. Parents are not required to have a SSN, but they must have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number to claim the CTC for their eligible children. DACA recipients are eligible for the CTC so long as the children being claimed in the household have a valid SSN. DACA recipients who are dependents of ITIN filers can also be claimed for the CTC because they have valid SSNs. For frequently asked questions about the Child Tax Credit, click here. This June, we’re also holding space for Gun Violence Awareness Month. Last week, we held our monthly town hall with Representative Jamaal Bowman to discuss public health approaches to community safety. Considering that gun violence continues to persist, we highlighted some programs that effectively reduce such violence in our communities, like Jacobi Hospital’s Stand Up to Violence (SUV) program. SUV addresses youth violence in the Bronx by deploying outreach workers to respond to shootings to prevent retaliation and to assist family members of those who have been injured or killed. Representative Jamaal Bowman and I have requested an additional $400k for the program that would allow them to expand their mental health facilities. You can watch the town hall to learn more in English here (and in Spanish, Bangla, Mandarin, and Nepali).Next week, I’ll be back in the district for some exciting events in the community. More soon.In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact our office if you have any questions or if we can be of any other assistance. You can reach our office by sending a message HERE or by calling 718-662-5970. We’ve included below what we hope are some relevant updates. In service,Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezimage widget

A Message from Rep. AOC

Dear Community Members of NY-14,

As negotiations for the infrastructure package continue, it is becoming increasingly clear that many conservatives have no interest in serving communities that need the most support. House Democrats are committed to making sure that we pass a reconciliation bill and a families plan that expands childcare, that lowers the cost of Medicare, and that supports families in the economy. Democrats welcome Republican collaboration where there is agreement, but this doesn’t mean that President Biden should be limited by Republican policies, particularly when we have a House majority, 50 Democratic senators, and the White House. I’m hopeful that the White House and Senate and House leadership will move forward with a package of bills that will meet the moment we’re in.

I also wanted to share a big win with you all: thanks to the continued advocacy of community members, the Federal Aviation Administration recently announced that it has paused the LGA AirTrain project. This wouldn’t have been possible without the efforts of several local groups, and is a welcome reminder to us all about the collective power of community.

In other welcome news, the IRS will begin issuing Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments of up to $300/month on July 15th! Ninety-percent of children in our district will qualify. Most families don’t need to take any action to receive the Advanced Child Tax Credit payments, as long as they have submitted their 2019 or 2020 tax return. However, if you don’t usually file a tax return, you can submit your information to receive the payment here. Children must have a Social Security Number (SSN) to be eligible for the Child Tax Credit. Parents are not required to have a SSN, but they must have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number to claim the CTC for their eligible children. DACA recipients are eligible for the CTC so long as the children being claimed in the household have a valid SSN. DACA recipients who are dependents of ITIN filers can also be claimed for the CTC because they have valid SSNs. For frequently asked questions about the Child Tax Credit, click here.

This June, we’re also holding space for Gun Violence Awareness Month. Last week, we held our monthly town hall with Representative Jamaal Bowman to discuss public health approaches to community safety. Considering that gun violence continues to persist, we highlighted some programs that effectively reduce such violence in our communities, like Jacobi Hospital’s Stand Up to Violence (SUV) program. SUV addresses youth violence in the Bronx by deploying outreach workers to respond to shootings to prevent retaliation and to assist family members of those who have been injured or killed. Representative Jamaal Bowman and I have requested an additional $400k for the program that would allow them to expand their mental health facilities. You can watch the town hall to learn more in English here (and in Spanish, Bangla, Mandarin, and Nepali).

Next week, I’ll be back in the district for some exciting events in the community. More soon.

In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact our office if you have any questions or if we can be of any other assistance. You can reach our office by sending a message HERE or by calling 718-662-5970. We’ve included below what we hope are some relevant updates.

In service,

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Fall Internship Applications Now Open!

The Office of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is seeking interns for this fall. Applications are due on July 11th, and can be found here. Women, people of color, and other members of traditionally underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply. Constituents from NY-14 and Spanish-speakers are preferred. The internship is paid at $15/hr.

What’s Happening at the Capitol?

We have several legislative updates for you from the past couple of weeks. You can read more about what’s happening at the Capitol below.

Public Discussion of the Civilian Climate Corps

Last week, Representative Ocasio-Cortez joined Senator Ed Markey and the Senate Climate Change Task Force during a bicameral public discussion on the benefits and public support for establishing a Civilian Climate Corps. Watch the full video here.

Oversight Committee Hearing on Paid Leave

The Committee on Oversight and Reform held a hearing on Family and Medical Leave for Federal Workers. During the hearing, Representative Ocasio-Cortez highlighted the need and importance of paid leave for all babies, parents, and families. Watch the full video here.

Passage of Joint Resolution to Restore Methane Pollution Standards

Up until last week, there were no protections in place to limit dangerous methane pollution from the oil and gas sector thanks to Trump’s dangerous policy action to gut protections. That changed late last week as the House restored robust Obama-era standards. Setting reasonable standards to address this pollution is a critical step in protecting our communities and combating climate change.

Political Appointments Inclusion and Diversity Act

Representative Ocasio-Cortez introduced a bill to make a summary of demographic information on political appointees publicly available. By publicly reporting on the demographics of appointees, we will see where efforts need to be improved to ensure that our policymakers are not only talented, but diverse and representative of everyone in our country. Read more here.

Update on Increasing Congressional Staff Pay

Earlier this month, Representative Ocasio-Cortez led over half of House Democrats in asking for a 21% increase in congressional office budgets in order to raise staff salaries. Last week, the House Appropriations Committee unveiled a bill that meets that request of a 21% increase. Currently, entry level staffers typically earn between $20k and $30k a year, and most interns are unpaid — all in one of the most expensive cities in the country. We’re one step closer to giving staffers and interns the pay they deserve.