Opinion Pieces

By U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice Just before noon on June 22, I finished a meeting in my office and turned on the TV to see the breaking news that would soon reach millions of people across the country: a group of my House Democratic colleagues, led by civil rights hero Rep. John Lewis, were staging a sit-in on the House floor, demanding a vote on legislation to help prevent gun violence in America. Ten days earlier, a man claiming allegiance to radical terrorists had carried out a horrific mass shoo... Read more

By U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice and MADD Executive Director Richard Mallow When you look at data on drunken driving over the past 30-plus years, it’s clear that we’re making real progress. Drunken driving-related deaths have been cut in half since 1980, down to just under 10,000 in 2014. But it’s equally clear that bringing that number down to zero will require a lot of hard work, creative thinking and new ideas. New York has been a leader in the fight against drunken driving. We were the first stat... Read more

By U.S. Representatives Kathleen Rice (D-NY) and Will Hurd (R-TX) After the Paris and Brussels attacks, Americans are rightfully worried about ISIS operatives infiltrating the United States to plot attacks. Since 2014, more than 80 ISIS-linked individuals have been arrested in 24 states. ISIS is remotely recruiting people within our communities—online and across borders—and encouraging them to carry out attacks. They are also providing “hit lists” of military, law enforcement, and government off... Read more

By Representative Kathleen Rice (NY-04) Ahora que los candidatos presidenciales republicanos están en plena campaña en sus elecciones primarias, hemos escuchado mucho sobre cómo ellos supuestamente arreglarían nuestro sistema migratorio roto. Escuchamos promesas para gastar cientos de miles de millones de dólares para deportaciones, miles de millones de dólares para construir un muro en la frontera y hasta revocar la ciudadanía de niños que nacieron aquí en los Estados Unidos. Y ahora han inici... Read more

By U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice (NY-04) The recent mass shooting at a community college in Oregon has sparked a renewed debate about whether Congress can and should take action to help prevent gun violence. It’s a debate we’re all familiar with, one that has raged on for years, gaining heightened attention in the aftermath of particularly horrific shootings like those at Umpqua Community College in Oregon, Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, and so many o... Read more

By U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice In the nearly three years since superstorm Sandy, life has changed for all of us on Long Island. Sandy destroyed many of our homes and small businesses, wreaked havoc on our infrastructure, and robbed us of millions of dollars in economic activity. And as we continue to recover, it should be clear to anyone that climate change is a real and destructive threat to our communities. This week President Barack Obama and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (E... Read more

IRAN DEAL IS A RISK I CAN'T SUPPORT By Representative Kathleen Rice (NY-04) Three weeks ago, President Obama announced that American and international negotiators reached a final agreement with Iranian leaders restricting Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. I’ve since taken time to study the text of the proposed deal, and I’ve consulted with negotiators, nuclear experts, and my constituents. President Obama entered into negotiations with Iran because he is a p... Read more

5 Towns Jewish Times As American and Iranian negotiators work to finalize an agreement seeking to restrict Iran’s nuclear capabilities, many questions remain unanswered. We don’t know what is on the table in this final round of negotiations, what concessions have been made or considered by either side, or what exactly the final deal might look like. That said, there are a few basic elements this deal must include to have any chance of permanently preventing a nuclear-armed Iran. First and forem... Read more

The President is right on trade By Representative Kathleen Rice In January, I was asked to sign a letter to President Barack Obama expressing deep concern with the prospect of fast-track trade authority. Allowing the President to strike sweeping trade deals outside of the congressional amendment process is an almost unfettered power that in too many instances has led to the exploitation of the American worker. In signing the letter, I stood as an opponent of a fast-tracked, up-or-down House vot... Read more

By Representative Kathleen Rice As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, as a former federal and state prosecutor, and as a New Yorker, my top priority is to protect our country and do all that I can to make sure we never see another day like September 11. Keeping Americans safe demands diligence here at home, but it also demands that we protect our people and interests abroad and work alongside leaders far beyond our borders who are fighting every day against enemies that threa... Read more