Congressman Nick Langworthy announced the award for the organization that works to increase the number of skilled workers in manufacturing.

Since its inception in 2009, Dream It Do It Western New York has reached thousands of students in Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua Counties through a variety of programs including hands-on technology experiences, technology competitions, tours of manufacturing facilities and manufacturing technology-based presentations.

Dream It Do It Western New York President and CEO Todd Tranum said the “..program has fostered over 75,000 interactions with students, counselors and teachers through hands-on programming and experiences in a manufacturing setting. This federal grant support will enable Dream It Do It to build upon our successes, to take our efforts to the next level and to expand programming further in the region.”

Jamestown Local Development Corporation meeting (March 15, 2023)

The Jamestown Local Development Corporation has released American Rescue Plan funding it had been holding back for two businesses pending counsel on whether the appropriation of those funds had violated federal law.

The JLDC Board had approved a $64,000 Building Expansion & Business Acquisition program grant for It’s Your Day wedding planning service. The owner of that business is the wife of JLDC Board Member Jeff Russell, who also serves on Jamestown City Council.

The other grant is $15,000 from the Downtown Small Business Evolution program for Jamestown Skate Products. That business is owned by JLDC Board Member Pete Scheira.
In these instances, the board members in question either recused themselves or did not attend the voting session. However, the JLDC by-laws state that no funding will be awarded to any business where a board member owns a material interest.

There was a question of whether the awards violated State conflict of interest rules for municipal officers or federal rules.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist said his administration had reached out to the U.S. Treasury Department on the matter for guidance, but they had disbanded their Help Desk, so they then reached out to Congressman Nick Langworthy‘s office, “And (they) confirmed that the use of those funds is appropriate. You know, we did it in good faith in order to support these businesses, using funds that were technically not JLDC’s funds. They’re separate federal funds being given for a recovery purpose. And so those funds have been completed and have been given out. We’ve gotten the permission, or the consultation, from his office that those are appropriate uses of those funds.”

Prior to receiving that information, the JLDC board had declined to make any motion to revoke the funding in question.

Hotspot Cafe owner Hector Alverio recognized by Small Business Association and SBDC JCC (May 1, 2023)

Several local small businesses, including Hotspot Cafe, were recognized as part of Small Business Awareness Week by officials in Fredonia.

Congressman Nick Langworthy said small businesses should be celebrated every day, “More than half of Americans either work for or own a small business. Small businesses create about two out of every three new jobs in America. I mean, think of that. They aren’t the backbone, they’re the whole body. And our nation’s success is dependent upon new businesses. And it’s so incumbent upon us as leaders to create the landscape upon which small businesses can be conceived and thrive.”

According to a proclamation by Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel, there were 367 new start-ups and small business certificates issued in 2022 in the county.

At the ceremony Monday, DFT Communications was recognized for their 125 years of operation in the county. DFT President Kris Maytum said the company started in 1898 when a telephone was installed at the family’s grocery store. Arthur Maytum then created Dunkirk & Fredonia Telephone Company and became its first customer.

The Small Business Development Center at Jamestown Community College and the Small Business Association also presented an award to Hotspot Cafe owner Hector Alverio, who was recognized as Western New York District Minority Small Business Person of the Year.

The local SBDC Entrepreneur of the Year awards were presented to the owners of Portage Pie in Westfield and to Lumi Cafe in Chautauqua Insitution.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks on House Republican debt ceiling plan (April 26, 2023)

House Republicans passed a debt ceiling hike Wednesday.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy pushed his package to raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion through the House in a close vote. But the White House continues to say that it will not negotiate on the issue.

The federal government could default as soon as early June.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted the House’s Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023, calling it a “gut punch” and a “Default On America,” “This plan means fewer jobs, higher costs for the American people, particularly average middle class people, would leave police, first responders, border patrol, and our brave veterans all hanging out to dry. There are dramatic slashes with each of those very necessary functions.”

Schumer said a clean debt ceiling had been passed before in a bipartisan manner twice under President Trump and once under President Obama.

Congressman Nick Langworthy issued a statement on the plan, saying, “Today, I was proud to vote for the Limit Save Grow Act that is the first step to breaking Washington’s addiction to spending and getting our nation’s finances back on track. This plan is a responsible, reasonable framework for spending reforms that the American people are demanding. It’s time for President Biden to stop the games and come to the table to negotiate.”

Schumer said the cuts in the House’s plan are not abstract including the possibility that 2 million New York residents could lose Medicaid coverage, “It slashes federal heating assistance, LIHEAP, that upstate families and seniors use to stay safe. We lose close to a billion dollars in LIHEAP and would reduce the average benefit a household would receive by $400. New York does better with LIHEAP than any other state and it would hurt us dramatically.”

Schumer said there could be a $144 million cut in SNAP benefits for New Yorkers which would affect 53,000 residents in the state.

Moody’s analytics warned that “dramatic” cuts to government spending in the House Republican’s plan would spark a 2024 recession that costs the economy 2.6 million jobs and lifts the unemployment rate near 6%.

A nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office analysis released Tuesday showed the Republican plan would reduce federal deficits by $4.8 trillion over the decade if the proposed changes were enacted into law.

The Chautauqua Center

Congressman Nick Langworthy announced the grant from the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The funding is being distributed through the H80 – Health Center Cluster program and will aid in providing medical, dental, pharmaceutical, and behavioral services to the residents of Southern Tier.

Two health organizations in Langworthy’s districts receiving funds include The Chautauqua Center with a $3,179,348 award and the Southern Tier Community Health Center Network in Olean being awarded $2,477,540.

Nick Langworthy

Congressman Nick Langworthy has introduced legislation to prevent New York State from clawing back federal funds meant for counties.

The “Protect Local Taxpayers Act” is in response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s Budget Proposal that would claw back $625 million in Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funds that have been designated to counties since 2011. Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) and Congressman Brandon Williams (NY-22) are co-sponsors of this bill.

The act will prevent state governments from further shifting state Medicaid expenses onto local county governments.

New York’s per capita spending on Medicaid is the highest in the U.S. and more than double the national average. The county share of Medicaid is currently $7.6 billion per year and, if Hochul’s plan moves forward, Langworthy said counties in the 23rd congressional district will face a budget shortfall in the tens of millions. The impact to Chautauqua County would be $4 million.

Langworthy said in a statement, “These federal funds are dedicated specifically to help cover local government’s costs, not to be used for Kathy Hochul’s slush fund.” He added, “We need to stand up in Congress and tell the Governor she can’t raid these federal funds.”

Congressman Nick Langworthy said in an announcement about the competition that the winner will have their work displayed at the Capitol in Washington D.C.

Art can be submitted to any of Rep. Langworthy’s office locations across the 23rd Congressional District including Clarence, Jamestown, Olean, or Corning. The submission deadline is Wednesday April 19, 2023.

The winning student will have their artwork displayed in Washington in an 11-month exhibit in the Cannon Tunnel and will also have an opportunity to travel to Washington for the Exhibition Opening Celebration of their artwork on June 20, 2023. In addition, one runner up and four student finalists will have their artwork displayed in the Congressman’s office.

Artwork entered in the contest may be up to 28 inches by 28 inches, may be up to 4 inches in depth, and not weigh more than 15 pounds.

For more competition guidelines, visit https://langworthy.house.gov/services/art-competition

Congressman Nick Langworthy and Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone (April 4, 2023)

Congressman Nick Langworthy met with Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone and toured public safety facilities in Mayville on a visit to the county.

Langworthy said it’s important for him to familiarize himself with the institutions he represents, like law enforcement, in the 23rd District, “I’ve know Sheriff Quattrone for many years. He’s an incredible Sheriff. He’s a great veteran of law enforcement. So, going through and meeting department by department with his team and seeing how it all works and how they handle dispatch and what some of the great challenges are department by department. I think it’s really helpful.”

Langworthy said he got to hear first hand accounts from Sheriff’s officers on the struggle of dealing with the fentanyl crisis, “It’s something that we face every day and we’re losing so many of our citizens to this horrible drug. And we have to do something about it. We have to stop it from coming into our country. We have to stop the Chinese from profiting off the death of Americans.”

Langworthy said the visit gives him more anecdotal information he can share in Washington.

He said one thing Sheriff Quattrone requested help with is the Unsolved Crimes Unit, “It is extremely concerning that we have an unsolved case load that is far greater than other communities. And they have requested some federal assistance in order to help bring some quick lab and DNA work to crack these cases. They’ve got some new personnel that’s taking on this department and I think there’s a lot of merit in it.”

Langworthy added that the families of missing or murdered victims deserve justice.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist meets with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in Washington D.C.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist discussed workforce development concerns with representatives in Washington D.C. on a recent trip.

Sundquist was in the nation’s capitol for the National League of Cities‘ lobby day where he was able to meet with Congressman Nick Langworthy and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

He said part of day was spent discussing the Infrastructure Act and the concern from the White House over there being enough people to do the work of building new roads, bridges, and more, “And there was a really great discussion from senior leadership officials in the administration on how can cities be the driving force for workforce development? And how can we create models that can replicate across this country to train people to work on those items, that infrastructure, rebuilding our infrastructure across this country.”

Sundquist said one workforce development model is being worked on with the construction trades here in Jamestown, “The City Council allocated over a million dollars in workforce development funding. Half of that going to construction trades and the other half going to workforce development in terms of manufacturers, and other builders, and things like that. So, we’re working through that process now and we’re hoping to make sure that our workforce is on the cutting edge for what’s to come.”

Sundquist also discussed the importance of SNAP benefits and the need for the return of Essential Air Service to the Jamestown Airport with representatives.

Hear his comments on those topics and more on tonight’s Community Matters at 5:00 p.m. on 107.9 FM and streaming online at wrfalp.com

Rep. Nick Langworthy, MAST Executive Director Todd Tranum, and Weber Knapp President Rhonda Johnson

Congressman Nick Langworthy discussed workforce development issues and manufacturing on a tour of Weber Knapp in Jamestown on Friday.

The Congressman from the 23rd District met with Weber Knapp President Rhonda Johnson and Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier Executive Director Todd Tranum.

Langworthy said when it comes to public policy and economic development, people always seem to be “chasing a grand slam,” “We should be hitting singles and doubles. And those are realistic goals. You see too often out of Albany this desire, and obviously every governor wants legacy projects, but it’s always gotta be something that’s pie in the sky.”

Langworthy said he’d rather see investments in proven companies as well new incentives to make products in the United States to avoid supply chain issues again that were made apparent by the Pandemic

Weber Knapp President Rhonda Johnson compared employment in manufacturing at the company to a “well-stocked mall,” “When you go into a manufacturing plant, if you don’t like to do this maybe you might like to do that. You like to help people, how about HR. You like to work in a group, on a team, we have that in manufacturing. You want to work individually, we’ve got that too. There’s something for everybody. And you can make a really good wage, raise your family, have good quality of life, so we need to get more people in to understand that.”

Johnson said while manufacturers want new technology, it doesn’t make sense to invest in multi-million dollar equipment if there are not employees who have the training or are willing to get the training, “We need to have the education in place. You have to have the people who are hungry to learn that skill. The more the minimum wage goes up, the less incentive there is for people to want to gain a skill and make more money because if they can live on what they’re making, there’s not a lot of incentives.”

Langworthy said he would do what he could with help with investments in workforce development.