Erie County Dems Endorse Tim Kennedy for NY26

Erie County Democrats Thursday unanimously endorsed state Senator Tim Kennedy for the 26th  Congressional District seat soon to be vacated by Congressman Brian Higgins.  

Today’s endorsement is for the June primary and November general election cycles. It will also  guide Democratic Chairman Jeremy J. Zellner when nominating a candidate for the special  election that will follow Higgins’ resignation. 

“I’m humbled and honored to receive the endorsement from the Erie County Democratic Party  tonight, and I remain deeply committed to delivering for the people and the families of Western  New York who believe in building a more vibrant, inclusive and prosperous future together,”  said Senator Tim Kennedy. “This campaign isn’t about me – it’s about the shared vision we have  for our state and our nation, and the values we continue to uphold even in the face of radical  attempts to dismantle our democracy. I thank Chairman Zellner and the entire Democratic  Committee for joining me as I take my fight to Washington and prioritize the voices of our  greater community.” 

“Over nearly 20 years, from the County Legislature to the state Senate, Tim Kennedy has been  an outstanding leader devoted to serving and standing up for Western New York,” Chairman  Zellner said.  

“Whether bringing home millions for vital transportation projects, building a local workforce for  the future, protecting children from domestic violence, ensuring the civil liberties of every New  Yorker, or breaking down barriers between voters and the ballot, Senator Kennedy is one of our  region’s most effective voices in Albany. 

“And he has been an invaluable partner in making the Erie County Democratic Party the strong  and united organization it has become,” Zellner said. “Tonight, we’re proud to endorse Tim  Kennedy in the 26th Congressional District, and we know he will continue to make us proud  when he arrives in Washington, DC, and that he will be a defender of our democracy at a time  when it is threatened by Republican extremism.” 

Congressman Higgins will step down in early February to become President of Shea’s  Performing Arts Center. Gov. Kathy Hochul will then call for a special election that will occur

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FEMA pauses job cuts with winter storm bearing down on half the country: report



The Federal Emergency Management Agency is backing off plans to terminate disaster relief workers as a major winter storm bears down on much of the country.

Bloomberg News reviewed an internal email sent this week to some FEMA officials instructing them to “cease offboarding” some of FEMA’s Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees (CORE) and promised updated guidance would follow, but the message did not explain the reasoning for the revised order.

"The pause comes as a winter storm is expected to bring heavy snow, ice and extreme cold across a wide swath of the U.S.," the outlet reported. "FEMA lost more than 3,700 employees — or about 14 percent of the agency — between January and November last year, according to newly released federal workforce data."

The Trump administration has cut into the federal workforce by culling temporary and probationary workers and encouraging veteran employees to leave with incentive packages.

The House passed a Homeland Security appropriations bill last week that urged FEMA to maintain sufficient staffing, including reservists and CORE workers, and Senate Democrats sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem asking her to pause the terminations while the full Senate considers the measure.

FEMA said in a statement that officials were following standard protocol and activating its national response center and dismissed reports of staffing cuts as “manufactured drama.”