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Press Releases 2008
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ELLIS ISLAND LIBRARY NAMED FOR BOB HOPE, U.S. POSTAGE STAMP HONORING HOPE IS UNVEILED
11/24/08In tribute to a great American who dedicated his life and his humor to the service of others, the research library on Ellis Island officially was renamed the Bob Hope Memorial Library, at ceremonies Monday (11/24) attended by Hope’s daughter, Linda, Congressman Eliot Engel, who sponsored the legislation renaming the library, and Norman Liss, Chairman of Development of Ellis Island Restoration Commission, who suggested the legislation to Rep. Engel.< read more > -
ENGEL MEETS WITH NYS LEADERS REGARDING FMAP INCREASE AND STIMULUS PACKAGE
11/20/08Congressman Eliot Engel joined his colleagues in the New York Congressional Delegation in meeting with Governor David Paterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, State Senator Malcolm Smith and other leaders from around New York State regarding support of a stimulus package that includes increased Medicaid assistance for the states.< read more > -
ENGEL ON ECONOMY: DON'T FORGET STATE, LOCAL NEEDS
11/18/08Congressman Eliot Engel, in Washington preparing for a Congressional session on the economy, said that the needs of states and localities must not be overlooked by focusing solely the national economy.< read more > -
REP. ENGEL DEMANDS RESCUE OF RESCUE PACKAGE
11/17/08Congressman Eliot Engel is appalled that the Bush administration has committed $290 billion of the $700 billion rescue package and has taken no formal action to fill the independent oversight posts that Congress mandated when it approved the rescue package.< read more > -
STATEMENT FROM REP. ENGEL ON VETERANS DAY
11/12/08Congressman Eliot L. Engel issued the following statement for Veterans Day 2008:< read more > -
OIL PRICES ARE DOWN, WHY NOT FOOD PRICES TOO, ASKS ENGEL
11/12/08Food prices have risen over the past few weeks, Congressman Eliot Engel said, with the increase blamed on transportation costs driven up by rising gasoline prices. Now he questions why food prices are not dropping since oil prices have more than halved recently.< read more > -
REP. ENGEL DEMANDS INVESTIGATION INTO AIG LAVISH RETREAT
10/27/08Congressman Eliot Engel signed onto a letter to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke demanding that AIG be held accountable for any misuse of taxpayer money as a result of their executive retreat.< read more > -
ENGEL NAMED TO VETERANS' 'A TEAM'
10/20/08Congressman Eliot Engel was named to the A Team by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America for his votes to help veterans in the past session of Congress.< read more > -
STATEMENT FROM REP. ENGEL ON FINANCIAL RESCUE PACKAGE
10/03/08“It was after great deliberation that I cast my vote today for H.R. 1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. That name of the legislation is important - Emergency and Stabilization. Our economy is in an emergency and it is up to Congress to stabilize it. This is far from a perfect bill, but it is one that must be passed for the short-and long-term health of our nation’s economy and our people.< read more > -
ENGEL INTRODUCES PRESERVING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE (PATH) ACT
10/03/08Congressman Eliot Engel, a senior member of the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, introduced the Preserving Access to Health Care (PATH) Act on Thursday (H.R. 7231). The bill delays rules which would strip funding from hospital and hospice providers.< read more > -
NEW CITY POST OFFICE TO BE NAMED FOR ASSEMBLYMAN KEN ZEBROWSKI SR.
10/03/08Congressman Eliot Engel and Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Charles E. Schumer hailed Senate passage of legislation they championed to rename the New City Post Office building at 245 North Main St. for the late State Assembly Member Kenneth Zebrowski Sr.< read more > -
STATEMENT FROM REP. ENGEL ON FINANCIAL RESCUE PACKAGE
09/29/08“It is with great disappointment that the rescue package failed this afternoon. This was a loss for all Americans. I voted for this measure because I believed it was in the best long and short term interest of the nation."< read more > -
ENGEL BILL TO FIGHT MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY PASSES IN HOUSE & SENATE, NOW GOES TO PRESIDENT
09/27/08Congressman Eliot Engel’s bipartisan legislation to expand and intensify research to cure muscular dystrophy passed the full House on Saturday by Unanimous Consent. The bill had passed the House of Representatives earlier in the week by an overwhelming vote of 411-2.< read more > -
ENGEL'S ALS REGISTRY ACT PASSES HOUSE
09/26/08Congressman Eliot Engel’s legislation to establish a national Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis registry to help find a cure for this fatal disease, passed the full House by an overwhelming vote of 415 to 2 Friday. It has already passed the U.S. Senate and now moves to the President who is expected to sign it into law.< read more > -
STATEMENT ON TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE
09/26/08 < read more > -
NEW CITY POST OFFICE TO BE NAMED FOR KEN ZEBROWSKI
09/25/08Congressman Eliot Engel’s legislation to rename the Post Office building at 245 North Main St. in New City for the late State Assembly Member Kenneth Zebrowski passed the House early Wednesday by a unanimous vote.< read more > -
REP. ENGEL’S CALLING CARD FRAUD BILL PASSES HOUSE
09/25/08Congressman Eliot Engel’s legislation to crack down on the multi-million dollar telephone calling card fraud epidemic was overwhelmingly passed by the full House on Thursday.< read more > -
ENGEL SPONSORED BILL PASSES HOUSE – PROTECTING THE LIVES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
09/25/08Congressman Eliot Engel voted in support of reauthorizing the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 2008 that provides grants to local communities to obtain bulletproof vests for police officers.< read more > -
ENGEL BILL TO FIGHT MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY PASSES IN HOUSE
09/24/08Congressman Eliot Engel’s bipartisan legislation to expand and intensify research to cure muscular dystrophy passed the full House Wednesday by an overwhelming vote of 418 to 2.< read more > -
ENGEL HONORED BY ALBANIAN COMMUNITY
09/23/08Congressman Eliot Engel was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Albanian American Council for his work with the Albanian American community and his dedication to securing the independence of Kosova.< read more > -
ENGEL TELLS STELLA D'ORO TO BARGAIN IN GOOD FAITH
09/23/08Congressman Eliot Engel said that he was alarmed by the offer made by Stella D’Oro to its striking workers and called on the company to bargain in good faith to end the six-week-old strike at the Kingsbridge plant.< read more > -
ENGEL TO HOLD HEARING ON HAITIAN RELIEF
09/19/08Congressman Eliot Engel is chairing a hearing of his Western Hemisphere Subcommittee on “The Hurricanes in Haiti: Disaster and Recovery” to help that poverty-stricken island recover from a series of hurricanes which rolled over the island in the past several weeks.< read more > -
ENGEL SUPPORTS GOVERNMENT COLLEGE WEB-SITE
09/19/08Congressman Eliot Engel praised the establishment of a federal web-site, www.college.gov, which will encourage students to go to college, guide them to a suitable college, and then help them find the funding to attend it.< read more > -
ENGEL PUSHES TO CURE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY WITH BILL FUNDING RESEARCH
09/17/08Congressman Eliot Engel, a senior member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee gave an update on the progress of the Paul D. Wellstone MD-CARE Act (H.R. 5265). His legislation would reauthorize research funding for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a fatal genetic disorder and the most common form of muscular dystrophy.< read more > -
ENGEL'S CALLING CARD FRAUD BILL PASSES SUBCOMMITTEE
09/17/08Congressman Eliot Engel’s legislation to crack down on multi-million dollar fraud by the telephone calling card industry, was unanimously passed by the Commerce Trade and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Tuesday. His bill, the Calling Card Consumer Protection Act (HR 3402) would require calling card companies to disclose in clear language all terms, conditions and fees in their advertisements.< read more > -
PEARL RIVER SCHOOL WINS BLUE RIBBON FOR EXCELLENCE
09/11/08The Franklin Avenue School in Pearl River was awarded a Blue Ribbon for Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education, one of only 320 nationwide to win the award, Congressman Eliot Engel announced.< read more > -
ENGEL BLASTS CALLING CARD FRAUD IN SENATE HEARING
09/10/08Congressman Eliot Engel called on his colleagues in testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Technology hearing to end calling card fraud by forcing companies to disclose all terms, conditions and fees in their advertisements.< read more > -
STATEMENT BY CONG. ELIOT ENGEL ON FAA HAVING NO FLIGHT REORGANIZATION PLAN
09/08/08The Federal Aviation Administration has shamed itself, again, by failing to have a comprehensive strategy for re-organizing the flight routes in the metropolitan area.< read more > -
ENGEL: CONGRESS ACTS TO EASE BUSH'S RECESSION
09/05/08With the unemployment rate rising and real income dropping, Congressman Eliot Engel said that the Democratic Congress has worked to ease the effects of the failing economy for New Yorkers and all Americans.< read more > -
ENGEL LAUDS BRONX 'POSSE' OF SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
09/05/08The Posse Foundation awarded full-tuition scholarships to 14 students of Bronx high schools including 10 from the Bronx High School of Science, three from DeWitt Clinton, and one from the High School of American Studies at Lehman College, Congressman Eliot Engel announced.< read more > -
ENGEL ANNOUNCES DRUG FIGHTING GRANT FOR MT VERNON
08/26/08Mount Vernon was awarded a grant of $125,000 by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Congressman Eliot Engel announced, to prevent and reduce alcohol and drub abuse among young people.< read more > -
ENGEL GETS 100% FOR SUPPORTING MIDDLE CLASS
08/21/08For the fifth consecutive year, Congressman Eliot Engel received a 100 percent rating from the non-partisan Drum Major Institute for Public Policy (DMI) for his votes on legislation supporting the middle class.< read more > -
ENGEL ON HELEN SIEGER ARREST
08/08/08I admire the steadfastness of the 220 workers of Local 1199 who are on strike for just wages and benefits for their work at the home. They have shown the spirit of unionism that elevated Americans workers out of poverty and dangerous working conditions to become participants of the prosperity that made our country the envy of the world. No workers, indeed no one at all, should be denied access to medical care because they lack insurance.< read more > -
SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE AT ENGEL OFFICE
08/07/08Representatives of the Social Security Administration will be at Congressman Eliot Engel’s Bronx office on Wednesday, August 27th to help people with questions and/or issues concerning Social Security.< read more > -
ENGEL APPLAUDS PORT AUTHORITY FOR REJECTING FAA AUCTION PLAN
08/07/08Congressman Eliot Engel applauded the NY and NJ Port Authority rejection of the Bush Administration’s plan to reduce air congestion by auctioning landing and departure slots at Metropolitan area airports.< read more > -
ENGEL CO-SPONSORS AND VOTES FOR PAYCHECK FAIRNESS
08/04/08With Congressman Eliot Engel as a co-sponsor, the House passed legislation to make it easier for women paid less than their male counterparts to bring suits against their employers and be compensated in the courts.< read more > -
FIRST MAJOR OVERHAUL OF STUDENT AID IN 10 YEARS
08/04/08Congressman Engel voted to pass the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, the first major overhaul of the nation’s student aid for higher education system in a decade. The bill passed Thursday by a vote of 380 - 49.< read more > -
ENGEL STATEMENT ON BLASTING AT JEROME PARK
08/01/08It is outrageous for the Department of Environmental Protection to again mislead the community about their plans for the water filtration plant. Their estimate of the cost of the plant was less than one-third of the estimated final cost of $3 billion. The agency was also dramatically wrong on the number of Bronx residents who would get work on the project.< read more > -
ENGEL VOTES TO PROTECT FAMILIES FROM UNSAFE PRODUCTS
08/01/08Congressman Engel voted to pass H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Commission Modernization Act, of which he is a cosponsor. The bill was approved by a vote of 424-1. This legislation now goes to the Senate where it is expected to pass and then to the President who is expected to sign the legislation. The full House originally approved the legislation last December.< read more > -
LEGISLATION TO FIGHT THREE MASS KILLERS PASSES HOUSE
07/28/08The House passed America’s largest commitment ever to fighting the epidemics of tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. These diseases kill millions of people annually. Included in the bill was Congressman Eliot Engel’s Stop Tuberculosis Now bill.< read more > -
ENGEL SUPPORTS HOUSING RESCUE BILL
07/28/08Congressman Eliot Engel voted to pass legislation that will help families facing foreclosure keep their homes, help other families avoid foreclosures in the future, and help the recovery of communities harmed by empty homes caught in the foreclosure process.< read more > -
STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN ELIOT ENGEL ON MTA FARE INCREASES
07/24/08Raising mass transit fares in the middle of an economic downturn, fueled by rising oil prices is folly. We need to encourage greater use of mass transit and get people out of their cars. We cannot raise the cost of living for people who are already facing harder times.< read more > -
LEGISLATION WOULD REQUIRE HALF OF ALL CARS TO BE FLEX FUEL BY 2012
07/23/08A bipartisan team of legislators – consisting of Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY), Congressmen Jack Kingston (R-GA), Steve Israel (D-NY), and Bob Inglis (R-SC) – introduced legislation Tuesday that would help break our addiction to foreign oil. Their Open Fuel Standards Act would require half of all cars made in America by 2012, and 80% by 2015, to be flexible fuel vehicles, able to run on gasoline or alcohol (including methanol or ethanol) or a combination of both.< read more > -
CONGRESSMAN ENGEL STATEMENT ON ENTERGY NUCLEAR EVADING TAXES
07/21/08Entergy Nuclear, the owner of the Indian Point nuclear facility, is trying to spin its way out of its legitimate state taxes while leaving state taxpayers holding a potential multi-billion dollar bag to clean up their mess when they leave.< read more > -
CLARKSTOWN NAMED ONE OF AMERICA'S BEST PLACES TO LIVE
07/16/08Congressman Eliot Engel congratulated Clarkstown for being named one of the best places to live in the United States by Money magazine.< read more > -
DOBBS FERRY NOW PART OF NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL
07/11/08With Congressman Eliot Engel as a co-sponsor, the House passed legislation designating the route taken by George Washington and Count Rochambeau from Westchester County to victory at Yorktown in the Revolutionary War as the "Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail."< read more > -
ENGEL SUPPORTS ADDING FUNDS TO DTV CONVERSION PROGRAM
07/11/08Congressman Engel supported legislation adding up to $10 million in funding to a consumer education program on the coming digital TV transition.< read more > -
JAFFEE AND ENGEL ANNOUNCE $600,000 GRANT TO IMPROVE ROCKLAND'S SAFETY SYSTEMS
07/08/08Congressman Eliot Engel and Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee announced the awarding of $600,000 in federal funds to Rockland County to improve emergency communications between first responders.< read more > -
SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE AT ENGEL OFFICE
07/03/08Representatives of the Social Security Administration will be at Congressman Eliot Engel’s Bronx office on Wednesday, July 30th to assist people with questions and/or issues concerning Social Security.< read more > -
ENGEL VOTES FOR ANTI-CRIME GRANTS PROGRAM
06/26/08Congressman Eliot Engel voted to reauthorize the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (HR 3546) at $1.1 billion annually through fiscal 2012, rejecting the Bush Administration’s attempt to eliminate the Byrne-JAG grants.< read more > -
ENGEL VOTES TO AID MORE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES
06/26/08Congressman Eliot Engel voted to expand the definition of “disability” under the Americans with Disabilities Act to pass to include any mental or physical disability that restricts major life activities. The legislation passed the full House Thursday by a vote of 402 – 17 and now goes to the Senate.< read more > -
HOUSE DEMOCRATS PASS ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX RELIEF
06/26/08Congressman Eliot Engel and his fellow Democrats approved legislation Wednesday providing for a one-year "patch" to prevent more than 21 million additional taxpayers, including 38,000 in his district, from being subject to the alternative minimum tax, and saving them an average of $2,400 each.< read more > -
ENGEL VOTES FOR MEDICAID SAFETY NET
06/20/08The House Thursday passed legislation to stop Administration imposed regulations that would significantly cut funding for Medicaid programs for the next five years. The legislation, passed by the full House, approved a one-year moratorium on the proposed cuts. The bill (HR 2642) passed by a vote of 416 to 12.< read more > -
ENGEL SHARPLY CRITICIZES FAA ON FLIGHT PLAN
06/18/08Congressman Eliot Engel accused the Federal Aviation Administration of being less than forthcoming with information about the effects of its air traffic redesign plan that would fly hundreds of planes over Rockland County on a daily basis.< read more > -
ENGEL PUSHES FOR PUBLIC HOUSING FUNDS
06/16/08Congressman Eliot Engel urged his colleagues in Congress to ignore President Bush’s budget proposal to cut public housing funds, and instead allocate $5.3 billion for the Public Housing Operating Fund and $3.5 billion for the Public Housing Capital Fund.< read more > -
JOINT STATEMENT FROM U.S. SENATOR TOM HARKIN, REPRESENTATIVE ELIOT ENGEL AND THE CHOCOLATE AND COCOA INDUSTRY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HARKEN-ENGEL PROTOCOL
06/16/08In September 2001, industry representatives signed an agreement, today known as the “Harkin-Engel Protocol,” developed in partnership with U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and U.S. Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY). The agreement laid out a series of steps aimed at eliminating the worst forms of child labor and forced adult labor from cocoa growing in West Africa.< read more > -
ENGEL SUPPORTS EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION
06/13/08In the past five months the American economy has lost 324,000 jobs and 1.5 million workers are now considered long-term unemployed, therefore Congressman Eliot Engel voted a resounding yes to extend unemployment insurance benefits to help them through this economic downturn.< read more > -
CONGRESSMAN ELIOT ENGEL ON THE SUPREME COURT OVERRULING PRESIDENT BUSH ON GUANTANAMO PRISONERS
06/13/08The U.S. Supreme Court Thursday, in a 5-4 decision, declared Section 7 of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 unconstitutional. The Court did so because the Act purported to abolish the writ of habeas corpus for people the President designates – with nearly unreviewable discretion – as unlawful enemy combatants. It allowed our government to continue to hold people indefinitely, without charges, and with no end in sight.< read more > -
ENGEL ALERTS FIRE DEPARTMENT TO GRANTS
06/11/08Congressman Eliot Engel Tuesday wrote to fire departments across his district to advise them the Department of Homeland Security is taking applications for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants until June 27th.< read more > -
ENGEL CO-SPONSORS LEGISLATION TO REBUILD SCHOOLS
06/06/08With Congressman Eliot Engel as a co-sponsor, the House voted to modernize, renovate, or repair public school buildings to make them safe, healthy, high-performing, and technologically up-to-date. The bill passed Wednesday with a bi-partisan vote of 223 to 193.< read more > -
ENGEL CHARTER MEMBER OF LGBT CAUCUS
06/06/08Congressman Eliot Engel joined the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Congressional Caucus as a charter member, a group formed to act a resource in Congress promoting equality for that community.< read more > -
ENGEL SUPPORTS TAX RELIEF FOR FAMILIES
06/04/08Congressman Eliot Engel voted to pass the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008 (HR 6049) to extend much-needed tax relief to millions of working families, strengthen investment opportunities for American businesses, and encourage the production and use of renewable energy.< read more > -
SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE AT ENGEL OFFICE
06/04/08Representatives of the Social Security Administration will be at Congressman Eliot Engel’s Bronx office on Wednesday, June 25th to assist people with questions and/or issues concerning Social Security.< read more > -
ENGEL VOTES FOR VETERANS LEGISLATION
05/27/08Congressman Eliot Engel joined his Congressional colleagues in unanimously passing three pieces of legislation that helps veterans with medical care, cost of living adjustments, and improving Veterans Affairs facilities.< read more > -
ENGEL FIGHTS RISING GAS PRICES
05/27/08Congressman Eliot Engel voted for a wide ranging bill designed to fight rising gas prices by cracking down on possible anti-competitive practices. The bill would allow the United States to sue foreign oil cartels for anti-competitive price discrimination; and authorize the Department of Justice to aggressively investigate both gas price gouging and market manipulation.< read more > -
ENGEL LAUDS ADMINISTRATION'S BACKING OFF CUTS IN HOSPITAL FUNDING
05/23/08Congressman Eliot Engel praised the Administration for backing off two proposed Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations which would have cut billions of dollars of Medicaid funding for public and teaching hospitals, threatening their ability to deliver vital medical services.< read more > -
ENGEL CONGRATULATES DISTRICT SCHOOLS FOR EXCELLENCE
05/22/08Congressman Eliot Engel congratulated the eight public high schools in his Congressional district that were named in the top five percent of high schools nationwide in a study by Newsweek magazine.< read more > -
ENGEL CO-SPONSORS BILL FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH
05/22/08Congressman Eliot Engel, a co-sponsor of the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act, urged a Health Subcommittee hearing on the legislation to approve a bill which would provide necessary funding to develop and operate centers for research on environmental factors that may cause breast cancer.< read more > -
ENGEL LAUDS ANIMAL PROTECTION PROVISIONS IN BILL
05/22/08Congressman Eliot Engel said he supported the Food Conservation and Energy Act in part because it has some of the most important animal protection reforms ever passed.< read more > -
ENERGY DEPARTMENT STOPS FILLING STRATEGIC RESERVE
05/19/08Congressman Eliot Engel called the Department of Energy’s decision to stop buying oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, as he advised them to do last November better late than never, and said it will help arrest the rising price of gasoline.< read more > -
ENGEL VOTES TO CUT OFF WAR FUNDING
05/19/08For the second time in six months, Congressman Eliot Engel voted to cut off funding for the war in Iraq. The 10-term Congressman was one of 147 Democrats and two Republicans who voted Thursday against the $162.5 billion funding for the war, sending it to defeat by a 149-141 vote.< read more > -
ENGEL PRAISES U.S. EMERGENCY FOOD AID FOR HAITI
05/19/08Rep. Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Friday praised the newly-announced $15 million U.S. emergency food assistance program for Haiti.< read more > -
ENGEL SUPPORTS GROUNDBREAKING FOOD AND ENERGY ACT
05/16/08A groundbreaking bill that invests in improved nutrition, conservation, renewable energy, and farm programs passed in the House Wednesday with the support of Congressman Eliot Engel and more than 550 farm, conservation, nutrition, consumer, and religious organizations.< read more > -
ENGEL SPONSORS BILL TO GET BULLETPROOF VESTS FOR POLICE
05/16/08Congressman Eliot Engel is co-sponsoring legislation – the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 2008 – to reauthorize a grants program providing bulletproof vests for police officers. The bill, introduced Tuesday (5/13) will renew the program for another three years, and was introduced in conjunction with National Police Week, May 11-17.< read more > -
ENGEL ON RENT INCREASE: TOO HIGH AND UNDERSERVED
05/13/08The proposed rent increases for rent stabilized apartments threaten to put lower income people out in the street, Congressman Eliot Engel said, and he blamed the Bush Administration’s lack of a national oil policy for creating the problem. “Landlords,” he said, “blame the rising price of oil, and this Administration’s unwillingness to create a realistic oil policy is leading us down a road to ruin.”< read more > -
ENGEL CASTIGATES TRAFFIC AGENTS FOR UNSAFE PRACTICES
05/13/08Congressman Eliot Engel wants traffic agents to be retrained in safety issues after learning of three incidents in which he was told traffic agents’ driving tactics endangered people.< read more > -
ENGEL CHAIRS HEARING ON CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE MERIDA INITIATIVE
05/08/08Congressman Eliot Engel, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, is chairing a hearing today on Central America and the Merida Initiative. The hearing also looks at the Appropriations Committee’s supplemental war spending bill that includes funding for both the Mexico and Central America portions of the Merida Initiative.< read more > -
WITH ENGEL SUPPORT, STUDENT LOAN BILL PASSES THE HOUSE
05/05/08Congressman Eliot Engel said that the House overwhelmingly approved legislation to ensure that the turmoil in the U.S. credit markets does not prevent students or parents from the financial aid they need to pay for college. The legislation passed Thursday by a vote of 383-27. It had been passed by the Senate, and now goes to President Bush for signature who has said he will sign it into law.< read more > -
BILL BANNING GENETIC DISCRIMINATION BY MEDICAL INSURANCE PASSES CONGRESS
05/02/08Congressman Eliot Engel said that after 13 years of hard work and with his strong support, Congress passed legislation Thursday prohibiting insurance companies from discriminating on the basis of genetic information. President Bush expected to sign the bill into law.< read more > -
SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE AT ENGEL OFFICE
05/02/08Representatives of the Social Security Administration will be at Congressman Eliot Engel’s Bronx office on Wednesday, May 28th to assist people with questions and/or issues concerning Social Security.< read more > -
ENGEL OBSERVES WORKERS MEMORIAL DAY
04/28/08April 28th marks the 20th anniversary of the first observance of Workers Memorial Day, a day dedicated to workers killed, injured, or who suffered illness on the job. The observance underscores the importance of ensuring a safe workplace for every worker and specifically, the necessity of enhancing current worker safety and health protections.< read more > -
ENGEL ON LOWERING GAS PRICES
04/28/08Congressman Eliot Engel called on the Bush Administration to halt buying oil to fill the strategic petroleum reserve, as a means of lowering the price of gasoline before the summer travel season.< read more > -
ENGEL VOTES FOR MEDICAID SAFETY NET
04/25/08The House passed legislation placing a one-year moratorium on seven Administration-imposed Medicaid regulations that would significantly cut the program over the next five years. The bill passed Wednesday by a veto-proof majority of 349-62.< read more > -
ENGEL CALLS FOR SECURITY MONEY FOR ROCKLAND
04/18/08Congressman Eliot Engel said it’s long past time for Rockland County to be included in the security net of the Metropolitan area by being part of the Urban Area Securities Initiative.< read more > -
STATEMENT (THURSDAY) BY CONGRESSMAN ENGEL IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON PRESIDENT CARTER MEETING WITH HAMAS
04/18/08Mr. Speaker, I rise to condemn the fact that former President Jimmy Carter on Friday is going to Damascus to meet with the senior Hamas leader. This is really a disgrace, and, frankly, I think that Jimmy Carter embarrasses himself by doing so.< read more > -
ENGEL VOTES FOR TAX REFORM
04/16/08Congressman Eliot Engel voted to abolish the Internal Revenue Service’s use of private collection agencies to collect overdue taxes. The bill passed the House by a vote of 238-179 on Tuesday and now goes to the Senate.< read more > -
REP. ELIOT ENGEL OUTRAGED AT PLANNED CARTER MEETING WITH HAMAS' LEADER
04/11/08“I am totally outraged that Jimmy Carter would meet a terrorist leader with blood on his hands. When one thinks Jimmy Carter has reached a new low, he outdoes himself again. This is just another in a range of disturbing actions by the former President.”< read more > -
ENGEL WORKS TO ENSURE THAT SENIORS IN NURSING HOMES CAN CONTINUE TO WATCH TELEVISION NEXT YEAR
04/10/08Congressman Eliot Engel recently announced that seniors in nursing homes are in danger of not being able to receive coupons to purchase digital television converter boxes.< read more > -
CONGRESSMAN ENGEL ANNOUNCES "WE THE PEOPLE" BOOKSHELF AWARD TO 20 LIBRARIES IN THE 17TH DISTRICT
04/10/08Rep. Eliot L. Engel today announced the awarding of 17 classic books on the theme of “Created Equal” to 26 libraries in the 17th District.< read more > -
TAX STIMULUS HELP AT ENGEL'S OFFICE
04/02/08Help in getting the tax stimulus for those who do not normally file a return will be available at Congressman Eliot Engel’s Riverdale office on Thursday and Friday, April 17th and 18th between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.< read more > -
ENGEL'S "STOP TB NOW" LEGISLATION PASSES HOUSE AS PART OF BILL TO FIGHT MALARIA, HIV/AIDS
04/02/08The House of Representatives passed legislation Wednesday to fight the spread of tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and malaria, three diseases that have killed, and continue to kill, millions throughout the world.< read more > -
ENGEL CO-SPONSORS WOMEN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE BILL
04/02/08Congressman Eliot Engel signed on as a co-sponsor of the Freedom of Choice Act, legislation that would bar government from interfering with a woman’s right to bear a child or to terminate a pregnancy as guaranteed under the Constitution by the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision of 1973.< read more > -
SUPER SATURDAY FOR FREE MONEY
03/28/08Congressman Eliot Engel announced that the Internal Revenue Service will depart from its usual tax collector mode on Saturday, March 29th and open its offices in an effort to reach those Americans eligible for the economic stimulus payment but who normally are not required to file an income tax return.< read more > -
ENGEL GETS PERFECT SCORE ON POVERTY AGENDA
03/28/08Rep. Eliot L. Engel received an A+ grade on the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law’s annual Poverty Scorecard, which measures how Congress members voted on the most significant poverty-related legislative proposals of 2007.< read more > -
ENGEL STATEMENT ON BUILDING WORKERS, APARTMENT OWNERS SETTLEMENT
03/21/08“The settlement reached by Local 32BJ and the Bronx Real Estate Advisory Board is good news for the union members, the building owners, and Bronx residents.< read more > -
ENGEL VOTES FOR LEGISLATION SAFEGUARDING SECURITY AND PRIVACY RIGHTS
03/18/08The House of Representatives voted to adopt revisions to federal surveillance laws. This legislation will ensure that our intelligence professionals have all the tools they need to protect the American people, without infringing our precious civil liberties. The bill (the FISA Amendments Act, HR 3773) passed Friday by a vote of 213-197.< read more > -
DESPITE RISING OIL PRICES, BUSH THREATENS TO VETO HOUSE BILL TO DECREASE AMERICAN DEPENDENCY
03/13/08As the price of oil continues to skyrocket, President Bush still threatens to veto a House-passed bill that would cut American dependency on foreign oil Congressman Eliot Engel said.< read more > -
ENGEL STATEMENT ON THE RESIGNATION OF GOV. SPITZER
03/12/08"This is a sad day for Governor Spitzer and his family, and I wish them well."< read more > -
ENGEL VOTES FOR MENTAL HEALTH PARITY IN INSURANCE
03/11/08Congressman Eliot Engel announced that the House of Representatives passed legislation to provide for equity in the coverage of mental health and substance-related disorders compared to medical and surgical disorders. With the Congressman’s Yes vote, the final tally was 268-148.< read more > -
ENGEL ANNOUNCES YONKERS SCHOOL MENTORING GRANT
03/07/08Yonkers public schools have been selected to receive a $573,270 three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant is to be used for a mentoring program for children in grades 4 through 8 who reside in high crime areas or troubled environments.< read more > -
ENGEL CO-SPONSORS CREDIT CARD BILL OF RIGHTS
03/07/08Congressman Eliot Engel is co-sponsoring the Credit Card Holders Bill of Rights, comprehensive legislation to abolish major credit card abuses and level the field between companies and credit card holders.< read more > -
ENGEL CONDEMNS ROCKET ATTACKS ON ISRAEL
03/06/08Congressman Eliot Engel, saying he was proud to be the lead Democrat sponsor of a House resolution condemning rockets attacks on Israel, called the attacks “a serious escalation in Hamas’s terror war on Israel.”< read more > -
ENGEL SUPPORTS ANTI-CRIME GRANTS
03/05/08Congressman Eliot Engel is co-sponsoring legislation to provide $490 million in emergency federal funds to the Byrne-JAG grant program, which assists state and local governments in criminal justice and illegal drug problems.< read more > -
REP ENGEL GETS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO MEET ON 911 RESPONDERS ILLNESSES
03/05/08By persistently asking him at a budget hearing, Congressman Eliot Engel convinced Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt to agree to meet with the New York City Congressional delegation on the lack of health benefits for 911 responders.< read more > -
SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE AT ENGEL OFFICE
03/03/08Representatives of the Social Security Administration will be at Congressman Eliot Engel’s Bronx office on Wednesday, March 26th to assist people with questions and/or issues concerning Social Security.< read more > -
ENGEL GETS FEMA MONEY FOR PIERMONT
03/03/08Congressman Eliot Engel announced that the Village of Piermont is getting an extra $31,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for repair and replacement of a drain pipe which burst during last year’s Nor’easter.< read more > -
ENGEL LEADS CONDEMNATION OF PALESTINIAN ROCKET ATTACKS
02/28/08Congressman Eliot Engel’s resolution condemning Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel was approved unanimously Wednesday by the House Foreign Affairs Committee and soon will be taken up by the full House of Representatives.< read more > -
REP ENGEL MEETS WITH 911 RESPONDERS
02/26/08Congressman Eliot Engel today (2/26) met with 9/11 First Responders in his Washington office, assuring them of his determined support for Federal health benefits for the thousand of people injured in the terrorist attacks of September 11th.< read more > -
ENGEL BLASTS ATTACKS ON EMBASSIES IN BELGRADE
02/22/08Rep. Engel said, "The attacks on the U.S. and other embassies by a mob in Belgrade were a disgrace for Serbia. I hope the world grasps the irony of Prime Minister Kostunica alleging thinly-supported legalisms against Kosovar independence while his police were not even present to protect foreign embassies from violent thugs. This severe violation of international law shows the moral bankruptcy and hypocritical nature of Serbia's rejection of the independence of Kosova."< read more > -
CONGRESSMAN ELIOT ENGEL ON THE RESIGNATION OF FIDEL CASTRO
02/19/08The resignation of Fidel Castro is another step in the transition to a free and democratic Cuba. I have stood with the Cuban people as they have faced the difficulties of the Castro regime which has been in power since 1959, and I will continue to advocate for their liberty.< read more > -
CONGRESSMAN ELIOT ENGEL ON KOSOVA INDEPENDENCE
02/19/08“Since I entered Congress almost 20 years ago, the rights of the people of Kosova have been of paramount importance to me. From the dark days of Milosevic to the celebration of today, I have and always will stand with Kosova in its struggle for freedom. I know personally so many people who have dreamed of this day for so many years. I couldn't be happier for them and look forward to joining them in Pristina in a few short weeks to celebrate independence.”< read more > -
ENGEL VIGOROUSLY SUPPORTS CONGRESSIONAL CONTEMPT CITATION
02/14/08Congressman Eliot Engel Thursday supported a resolution holding former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten in contempt of Congress for refusing to appear for congressional testimony, and for withholding documents from Congress and the American public – both in defiance of Congressional subpoenas.< read more > -
ENGEL DESCRIBES DEMOCRATIC ACTIONS TO FIGHT SUBPRIME CRISIS
02/13/08Congressman Eliot Engel said that Americans in general, and New Yorkers in particular, are showing anxiety as the value of homes falls while foreclosures are rising, and experts predicting more foreclosures ahead. He called the situation devastating “to affected families, our communities, and our financial institutions alike.”< read more > -
ENGEL SUPPORTS CREDIT CARD HOLDER BILL OF RIGHTS
02/12/08Congressman Eliot Engel announced he is a co-sponsor of legislation designed to give rights back to credit card holders and reduce some of the abuses that have been plaguing consumers.< read more > -
STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN ELIOT ENGEL ON THE DEATH OF CONGRESSMAN TOM LANTOS
02/11/08This passing of Tom Lantos is a sad day for the United States and the world. I am especially saddened by the loss of my good friend and mentor. Tom guided me from my first days in Congress 20 years ago and, lately, in my capacity as Chair of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee.< read more > -
ENGEL KNOCKS BUSH OPPOSITION TO CAP AND TRADE AND WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM
02/08/08Congressman Eliot Engel criticized Bush Administration opposition to a cap and trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, telling Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman it would reduce such emissions to 80% below the 1990 emissions levels.< read more > -
ENGEL: BUSH BUDGET FAILS MIDDLE AND WORKING CLASSES WHILE HE FIGHTS FOR THE RICH; ANOTHER MASSIVE DEFICIT
02/05/08Congressman Eliot Engel said that President Bush’s proposed budget once again hurts students, the Medicare and Medicaid programs, fights to keep tax cuts for the rich while running up near record deficits over the nest two years.< read more > -
ENGEL TO HONOR NY GIANTS WIN IN CONGRESS
02/04/08Congressman Eliot Engel signed on to a Congressional resolution honoring the New York Giant, their fans, and the Mara and Tisch families who own the team for their superb accomplishment in beating the previously unbeaten New England Patriots and winning the Super Bowl.< read more > -
ENGEL CONGRATULATES YONKERS ON SOBER ASSESSMENT
01/31/08Congressman Eliot Engel congratulated Yonkers on placing eighth across the country in the ‘Least Dangerously Drunk’ ratings by Men’s Health magazine. Yonkers got an A- minus rating to New York City’s B+ which placed it in 10th place.< read more > -
STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN ELIOT ENGEL ON CONGESTION PRICING HEARING
01/28/08Nibbling at the edges of the proposed congestion pricing plan does not solve the many issues it poses for non-Manhattan residents. The plan, and its proposed amendments, has people from the Bronx, and other boroughs, as well as those from Rockland and Westchester (and the other counties) paying to make Manhattan a better place to live.< read more > -
STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN ELIOT ENGEL ON THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION AND THE INDIAN POINT SIRENS
01/24/08The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s issuance of this substantial fine – ten times the amount normally considered for this type of violation – highlights the severity of Entergy’s unwillingness or inability to properly implement a new emergency notification system for the Indian Point nuclear power plant.< read more > -
CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE VETO OVERRIDE FAILS IN HOUSE
01/24/08Congressman Eliot Engel again voted to override the President’s veto of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Wednesday (1/23) calling the veto a callous act condemning millions of children to a lack of health care. He called the veto even more egregious now because the country faces an economic downturn that can only add more children to the rolls of those who cannot afford health insurance.< read more > -
CONGESSMEN ENGEL AND HALL DELIVER FEDERLA FUNDS TO FIGHT GANGS IN ROCKLAND COUNTY
01/24/08Federal funding secured by U.S. Representatives John Hall (D-NY19) and Eliot Engel (D-NY17) is coming for the Rockland County Youth Bureau Gang Prevention Program. The $352,500 that Congress passed last month will help fund further programs to offer alternatives to gang life for young people.< read more > -
REP. ENGEL BACKS PLAN TO SUPPORT OUR TROOPS
01/23/08Congressman Eliot Engel said he voted for the Defense Authorization bill to give our troops the pay raise they deserve, and have earned, and to also give them better, more protective equipment to reduce or eliminate the dangers they face in battle.< read more > -
ENGEL ANNOUNCES HEATING MONEY IS COMING
01/23/08Congressman Eliot Engel applauded the release by the Bush Administration of $450 million in energy assistance, including $82.5 million for New York State, to help seniors and working families keep the warm in their homes this winter.< read more > -
ENGEL ASKS FOR JOB GROWTH, ENERGY SAVINGS IN STIMULUS PROPOSAL
01/23/08Congressman Eliot Engel asked that job growth and energy savings for consumers be included in any economic stimulus package brought before Congress.< read more > -
ENGEL: IRS MAY GIVE YOU MONEY! Remember EITC When Doing Your Taxes
01/18/08Congressman Eliot Engel reminded taxpayers that if they are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit, it could mean money from Uncle Sam. This is something you don’t usually expect.< read more > -
ENGEL ANNOUNCES LARGEST INCREASE EVER IN VETERANS HEALTH CARE
01/18/08Congressman Eliot Engel Thursday hailed the release of the $3.7 billion in additional veterans funding voted by Congress – creating the largest single funding increase in the 77-year history of the Department of Veterans Affairs.< read more > -
CONGRESSMEN ELIOT ENGEL ON EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT MONEY FOR SPRING VALLEY
01/15/08“I thank Governor Spitzer and the Empire State Development Corp. for the grant of $2.5 million for the restoration of the Village of Spring Valley. This is a significant amount of money and will do much good for the village. Last summer I was pleased to announce a subsidy of almost $800,000 to build residences for low-income senior citizens. These are great examples of federal, state and local governments working together to better a local community.”< read more > -
ENGEL POWERS EAST RIVER TURBINE PROJECT
01/11/08Congressman Eliot Engel Thursday announced that he helped secure $3.2 million to generate environmentally friendly and renewable hydrokinetic energy using the tides of the East River.< read more > -
SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE AT ENGEL OFFICE
01/08/08Representatives of the Social Security Administration will be at Congressman Eliot Engel’s Bronx office on Wednesday, January 30th to assist people with questions and/or issues concerning Social Security.< read more > -
COUPONS FOR DIGITAL CONVERTERS AVAILABLE
01/03/08On Feb. 18, 2009, anyone who does not own a digital television set will no longer get the picture. That’s the day television signals begin broadcasting digitally, and anyone with an analog set will need a converter box to receive the broadcast signal.< read more > -
MT. VERNON TO GET NIGHT VISION EQUIPMENT
01/03/08The Department of Homeland Security is giving the Mount Vernon Police Department a night vision security kit, valued at $3,717, for nighttime/low light search and rescue, surveillance and tactical applications, Congressman Eliot Engel announced Thursday.< read more >