Speaker Heastie Statement

Today I had the opportunity to sit down with fellow legislative speakers from around the country and members of the Biden administration to discuss policy priorities facing our country and our states.

The federal government has been generous helping states throughout the pandemic, but state’s needs are not one size fits all. We were able to discuss issues that New York is currently facing and how the federal government can continue to help, from supporting our small businesses by forgiving $8 billion in COVID unemployment insurance debt, to aid with the 40,0000 asylum seekers that have come to New York City in the last year, to dealing with the housing crisis and funding for public housing repairs, to funding for the MTA, and the need to address the mental health crisis when it comes to criminal justice reform and gun crimes.

Thanks to the Biden administration, particularly Director of Domestic Policy Council Susan Rice and Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Julie Chavez Rodriguez for sitting down with us today, and to my fellow speakers Chris Welch, Rachel Talbot Ross, Adrienne Jones and Joe Tate.

It was, as always, enlightening to hear what issues other states are facing and how my friends and fellow speakers are meeting those challenges.