Jan 6

Jan 6 NY-22 Minute: Brindisi accentuates his legislative record heading into election year By Luke Perry

Anthony Brindisi accentuated his constituent service and legislative accomplishments in concluding his first year in office and beginning the 2020 election year.

NY-22 is among the most competitive House seats this cycle, ranking third for Politico and fourth for The Washington Post.

Reflecting on his first year in Congress, Brindisi said that as a moderate, what surprised him the most was taking criticism from the left and right. “But I always say,” Brindisi explained, “if you’re getting his from both sides you’re probably somewhere in the middle, which is where I believe the majority of the country is.”

NY-22 Republican candidates, four in all, have criticized Brindisi’s perceived moderate status with particular vigor following his vote to impeach President Trump.

“Anthony Brindisi promised voters in NY-22 he would work with our president, he promised to work with Republicans, he promised not to be a partisan hack,” said Republican challenger Claudia Tenney. “Instead, he has gone to Washington and fallen right in line with the extreme, do-nothing democrats.”

Brindisi has sponsored several bills that became law, including the SPOONSS Act, The Fentanyl Sanctions Act, and The Support for Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act.

The SPOONSS Act (Support for Procurement of our Nation’s Stainless Steel) requires the Department of Defense to buy American-made flatware, a boon for Sherrill Manufacturing in NY-22, the only flatware producer in the country.

CEO Greg Owens is hopeful the legislation “will double or triple the volume we’re doing.” The bill was originally proposed by former Congresswoman Tenney, and ultimately passed through the efforts of Rep. Brindisi and Sen. Chuck Schumer.

The Fentanyl Act seeks to limit the importation of fentanyl by assisting and expanding efforts to thwart drug trafficking from countries such as China and Mexico.

“The opioid epidemic has torn apart too many Oneida County families, and we must take action,” Brindisi said. “We must fight back against illegal drugs and provide treatment to those addicted to them.”

The SPOONNS Act and Fentanyl Act were amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act signed in December of 2019. Schumer’s powerful role as Senate Minority Leader has been helpful to promoting New York interests, and priorities of its representatives, particularly in negotiations with Senate Majority Leader McConnell and President Trump.

The Support for Suicide Prevention Act emerged from Brindisi’s work on the House Veterans Affairs Committee. The bill, cosponsored with Reps. Jim Banks (R, IN-3) and Mike Bost (R, IL-12), was signed into law on January 2, 2020. The legislation provides more resources for the Veteran Affairs’ Suicide Prevention Coordinators. Nearly twenty veterans a day commit suicide.

“One Veteran life lost to suicide is too many,” Brindisi said. “I hear from Veterans across New York who are struggling and as a nation we need to do right by our Veterans. This bill will help bring down the suicide rate and give the VA the tools they need to succeed.” Brindisi was “honored” the signed the legislation.

The House is back in session this week Foreign policy toward Iran has become an unexpected new focus following the recent U.S. drone strike that killed Iran’s top military leader, Oassim Suleimani. The Senate is expected to begin President Trump’s impeachment trial in the coming weeks.

Luke Perry (@PolSciLukePerry) is Professor of Government at Utica College

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