WASHINGTON – Congressmen Antonio Delgado (D, NY-19) and Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), have joined forces with Democratic Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand to introduce the Direct Support for Communities Act, which would provide local governments with direct federal relief that could be used to pay for essential services and offset lost revenues and increased costs from the COVID-19 emergency.
At the same time, they are pursuing aid for states.
The lawmakers said they are concerned about the layoffs of public health care workers, firefighters, police, sanitation workers, teachers, and other vital public servants in New York and they are advocating for financial aid for all counties, cities, towns, and villages regardless of size.
“Upstate New York is facing an urgent, immediate funding crisis,” said Delgado. “Our counties and municipalities are laying off employees and the lack of funding going directly into local communities is jeopardizing the livelihood of our first responders, our emergency medical services, cops, teachers and more. We need to provide local government with funding expediently and I am glad to introduce a bipartisan, bicameral solution.”
“Local governments are hamstrung trying to deal with lost revenue and mounting costs in the face of the pandemic,” said Schumer. “Local governments deserve nothing less than our strongest federal support, and I am doing everything I can to get significant and flexible federal aid to our states and local governments included in the next legislative package Congress considers.”
