Written by Alex Gault for the Watertown Daily Times on July 5, 2020
Congresswoman Elise M. Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, sponsored three pieces of legislation and voted on a number of bills in the House of Representatives this past week.
During Monday’s House session, Rep. Stefanik participated in five roll-call votes relating to three topics.
Rep. Stefanik voted to amend the Protecting Your Credit Score Act of 2019, a measure which failed, and then voted no on the unamended legislation, which passed the House.
She voted to amend the Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act of 2020, a measure which failed, and then voted no on the unamended legislation, which passed the House.
Rep. Stefanik also voted no on a resolution that would nullify a rule from the Department of the Treasury that would revise the implementation of the Community Reinvestment Act. The resolution was passed.
On Monday, Rep. Stefanik introduced the Growing Climate Solutions Act, a piece of bipartisan legislation that would establish programs within the USDA to set standards for carbon-sequestration, and help agriculturists in the sustainable farming industry participate in the voluntary carbon market. The carbon market allows for businesses, governments and other organizations to buy and sell carbon offsets, which are credits that permit the holder to emit one ton of CO2 or a comparable greenhouse gas.
Also on Monday, Rep. Stefanik was included in a White House briefing for Republican members of Congress regarding the recent allegations that the GRU, a Russian intelligence agency, offered Taliban militants cash rewards for confirmed kills of NATO soldiers in Afghanistan.
On Tuesday, Rep. Stefanik cosponsored legislation alongside Rep. Donald Norcross of New Jersey that would allow the spouses of active-service military members to defer their student loan payments for 90 days during a permanent change of station move. According to a news release from Rep. Stefanik, military service members must move every two to three years to meet the needs of their branch.
On Wednesday, Rep. Stefanik was part of a letter from the New York House delegation, joined by Rep. John Katko and Rep. Anthony Brindisi, sent to U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer. The letter asks Mr. Lighthizer to ensure that Canada does not distribute tariff-rate quotas that would undermine the access that the American dairy industry has to the Canadian market.
The letter also asks that Mr. Lighthizer ensure that Canada eliminates two milk price classification levels, in line with the terms United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade that went into effect July 1.
Also on Wednesday, Rep. Stefanik was included in a number of roll-call votes regarding the INVEST In America Act, legislation that would address climate change and the environmental impact of the nation’s surface transportation infrastructure, including highways. Rep. Stefanik voted no on the legislation, which passed the House.
Rep. Stefanik participated in the House Armed Forces Committee markup of the annual National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday as well.
On Thursday, Rep. Stefanik cosponsored the Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act, which would streamline the process of seeking refugee status in the U.S. for Hong Kong residents by assigning them a higher priority status.
Thursday afternoon, Rep. Stefanik attended an in-person meeting of the House Intelligence Committee briefing on the allegations about the GRU placing bounties on American soldiers.
The next meeting of the House is scheduled for today.
You can read the full article at https://www.nny360.com/
