WATERTOWN — In running for Congress to represent the majority of the North, Rep. He said he was confident he would win a majority nationwide. parliament.
In an extensive interview with the Editorial Board of the Watertown Daily Times on Wednesday, Rep. Stefanik of R-Schuylerville reiterated the core tenets of the Republican Commitment to America platform. of the House Republican Conference.
“People understand all the problems created by the one-party Democratic government, they know about the border crisis and the inflation crisis,” she said. “I think it is important to present an agenda. The theme is a strong economy, a secure nation, a future based on freedom, and a government that is accountable to the nation.”
Rep. Stephanik started by focusing on the economy. This is much the same way the National Republican Party focused on the economy in this year’s campaign message. Rep. Stephanik is key to many of the unity in the party’s message, and is tasked with unifying the party’s message.
“Inflation is the number one concern, and it’s true nationwide, but it’s definitely true in every county in this district,” she said.
She supports bills like the “REIN IN Inflation Act,” which would require the Biden administration to include inflation impact statements in administrative actions, and has supported government spending such as billions of dollars in infrastructure and COVID-19 recovery packages. Spending has been the main driver of inflation that Americans are currently seeing over the past three years.
Experts generally disagree that inflation is largely driven by government spending, but rather spikes in global inflation, much worse elsewhere, war in Ukraine, energy and fuel lack of cash is the driving force behind inflation.
Rep. Stefanik said he would no longer support COVID-19-related spending packages like the $22 billion request that the Biden administration presented to Congress.
“There are hundreds of millions of dollars left that have already passed through. They need to use those dollars for their current needs,” she said.
Locally, she said New York State has not been very friendly to business and development within the state, which has hit the country particularly hard in the north. It is a drag on the economy seen in losses.
“What I have tried to do, first and foremost, is to protect federal investment funds, and then reduce the regulatory burden, reduce the tax burden, reduce energy prices, and help the United States and Canada. Advocating for policies to use the country’s borders as an asset, that’s really one strength, and looking for key improvements needed, such as rural broadband and mobile coverage.”
Rep. Stefanik voted against funding packages like the infrastructure bill that set aside millions of dollars from the Biden administration for broadband development in the north country, and touted the money as a voter win. It has been criticized for continuing.
She said that if there are funds available, she will advocate coming to districts through the Congressional appropriations process, where funds are allocated to various causes through appropriation bills.
“Not advocating for funds in the budget allocation process is unacceptable to me,” she said. “Unfortunately, the appropriations bill you’re talking about is riddled with very partisan priorities.”
She said there was nothing other lawmakers wouldn’t do.
“I know how the process works,” she added. “I will advertise the results that I have provided.”
She also advocated opposing New York State’s decision to give farm workers overtime after 40 hours from the current 60 hours. She said she doesn’t support the move. She said she would support any action to prevent that from happening.
Rep. Stephanik said immigration reform is needed, but only in certain areas such as visa programs. She talked about the H-2A temporary agricultural worker visa and other agricultural visas, as well as the J-1 exchange visitor visa, which gives foreign workers the means to train and work in the United States for a limited period of time. However, she insists on a strict border and continues to support a physical wall on the southern border.
She said the legal process that currently exists is a years-long line for other types of permanent or long-term immigration, a process that all immigrants should seek to enter.
“We are taking legal proceedings. There are many people who have been waiting in line for years. They see this open border at the southern border,” she said. “Without borders, there is no country.”
She said she opposes most of the Biden administration’s policies on the southern border, which she said have distinct implications for the northern border.
As the number of immigrants surges at the southern border, border patrol officers will be redeployed, making it easier to cross the U.S.-Canada border undetected, she said. Border Patrol officers in the country are suffering like their families and more Border Patrol officers need to be hired, she said.
The proposed Border Patrol base at Blind Bay on the St. Lawrence River is almost universally opposed by local officials, residents, conservationists and even Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer. Rep. Claudia L. Tenney, R-New Hartford’s Stefanik, said she doesn’t believe her role is to tell U.S. Customs and Border Protection where to place Border Patrol posts. I was.
“I think there are a variety of stakeholders involved. CBP needs to ensure they have the resources they need, but we need to consider local concerns,” she said. “This is not an issue that I intend to press down on as having to be resolved here because I do not consider it my role. I think we need a discussion.”
Internationally, Rep. Stephanik said he supports further funding for the war in Ukraine, but it will be under the oversight of an inspector general who can oversee where it goes and what it is used for. She said the current “blank check” that Congress authorizes billions of dollars of aid to be sent directly to Ukraine for use is unacceptable.
When it comes to the election to represent this year’s 21st congressional district, Rep. Stefanik faces Democrat Matt Castelli, who once again holds the “Moderate” line of the third party.
Rep. Stefanik and Mr. Castelli have been highly critical of each other, making personal attacks and inappropriate allegations since the day Castelli ran for office.
Mr. Castelli’s campaign claims that this is the responsibility of Rep. Stefanik. They said they agreed to his three debates with his three television stations across the district and later added Albany’s radio station. According to news outlets, attempts to reach out to Stefanik for an election campaign date were declined and ignored.
On Wednesday, the lawmaker said her campaign was continuing to hold conversations with the media to host the debate, accusing Castelli of trying to dominate the debate for her own ends.
She said he agreed to a debate on a date Rep. Stephanik has already promised to speak to Herkimer County Republicans.
“It is unacceptable to pick a date where I am confirmed as a keynote speaker in another county that is open,” she said.
When asked why her campaign didn’t offer another date to the TV station that offered the debate as a way of giving voice to the debate, she continues the debate with the as-yet-unnamed media outlet. I just said
“We are in talks with the media, which covers most of the district, and we are hopeful,” said Rep. Stefanik.
She also criticized Castelli for not participating in the primary debate against Matthew F. Putorti when he challenged him in the June primary.
“My opponent is the only person I’ve ever had to zero candidate forums, debates, county communities where major opponents have appeared, and I’ve had dozens of debates.
Rep. Stefanik said despite many accusations from Castelli and Democrats across the 21st congressional district that she had fostered a divisive national political climate through her high-profile attacks on Democrats, Stefanik voted to run the House. The lawmaker said she continued to emphasize bipartisanship as an important part of her legislative branch. record.
“I am in the top 25% of the most bipartisan members of Congress, and I serve as Speaker of the House GOP meeting. she said.
She said she is not afraid to criticize the failures of the Democratic Party and is only enhancing what she hears from voters every day.
“The reality is Republicans are going to win the majority and they will win it with a message of inflation, a message of crime, a message of borders. That’s my message when I become Speaker of the House Republican Conference.” , strategy, approach,” she said. “And it didn’t come from me, it came from the people, because I listened to their concerns.”
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