News and Notes from Rep Anthony Weiner (NY-9th)

Social Security Administration Targets Glendale Office for Closure

Weiner, Velazquez Call for Branch to Remain Open

On Tuesday, outside the Glendale Social Security office that is set to shut its doors on July 15^th, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D – Queens and Brooklyn), joined by concerned residents, senior citizens and representatives of local elected officials, called on the Social Security Administration to keep the Glendale office open, so that residents of Central Queens won’t be denied access to the vital services it provides

Today, with the Social Security office located in Glendale set to close its doors this summer, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D – Queens and Brooklyn) and Rep. Nydia Velazquez urged the agency to keep the Glendale office open, so that residents in large swaths of Central Queens won’t be denied access to the vital services it provides.

Two weeks ago, in what it described as an effort to save money, the Social Security Administration announced to local elected officials and community leaders that the Glendale office, located at 67-10 Myrtle Avenue, would be scheduled to shut its doors on July 15^th. In the process, thousands of residents who rely upon the office, including seniors and retired and disabled residents, would be left without access to many of the important services provided by the agency.

From assisting with claims for retirement benefits, to helping with Medicare enrollment and applying for Social Security, the Glendale office provides a vital service to those who rely upon it the most. The office ensures that thousands of residents in neighborhoods like Glendale, Ridgewood, Maspeth, Fresh Pond and Middle Village receive the benefits they not only deserve, but have earned over a lifetime of hard work.

Weiner is calling on the agency to forestall the closure of the Glendale office, so that the community’s large senior population as well as disabled residents will not be forced to travel all the way to Rego Park for another Social Security office.

Weiner is also committed to working with the agency to help find an alternative, easily-accessible location that would allow the agency to keep its presence in the Central Queens community and ensure that seniors and residents of Central Queens continue to have access to the essential services the office provides.

“My older neighbors rely on Social Security to be the impressive and successful program that it is, and accessibility to an office that provides information and help about their benefits is vital,” Weiner said in a letter to Beatrice Disman, Regional Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. “I urge you to keep the current office open or to find a new, easily-accessible location for an office in the area.”

“The Social Security office in Glendale is part of the community’s fabric. Closing it would increase the time it takes for citizens to resolve problems, have new claims processed and obtain approval for benefits,” said Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez.

As baby boomers continue to reach the retirement age, the number of seniors in neighborhoods like Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood and others who require assistance from the Social Security Administration, will invariably grow. Closing the Glendale Social Security office would only prevent the needs of thousands of residents throughout Central Queens from being met.

Full text of Rep. Weiner’s letter below:

May 12, 2011

Ms. Beatrice Disman

Regional Commissioner

Social Security Administration

26 Federal Plaza

New York, New York 10278-0004

Dear Ms. Disman,

I have been contacted by many of my constituents regarding the Social Security Administration's plan to close its office at 67-10 Myrtle Avenue in Glendale, which is the closest Social Security office to residents of Glendale, Ridgewood, Maspeth, Middle Village and Fresh Pond.

This office provides essential services to many members of these communities, including many of my retired and disabled constituents. Removing it would reduce access to Social Security for those who need it the most. My older neighbors rely on Social Security to be the impressive and successful program that it is, and accessibility to an office that provides information and help about their benefits is vital.

I urge you to keep the current office open or to find a new, easily-accessible location for an office in the area. If a new location is necessary, I would be happy to offer my assistance in finding one. Thank you in advance for your prompt attention and reply to this matter.

Sincerely,

ANTHONY D. WEINER

Member of Congress

On AIDS Walk Day, Weiner, Gottfried & Advocacy Groups Call on FDA

to Permit Sales of Over-the-Counter Rapid HIV Tests

Nearly 300,000 Infected Americans Unaware of Situation

Outside of Beth Israel Hospital on AIDS Walk Day, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D – Queens and Brooklyn), joined by Assembly Member Richard Gottfried (D – Manhattan), Chair of the Assembly Health Committee, and representatives from advocacy groups committed to advancing HIV/AIDS prevention, displayed an easy-to-use oral rapid HIV kit. Weiner and Gottfried called on the FDA to allow the kits to be sold over the counter to ease access to testing for the thousands of New Yorkers who are currently unaware they are infected.

Yesterday, on AIDS Walk Day, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D – Queens and Brooklyn), Assembly Member Richard Gottfried (D – Manhattan), Chair of the Assembly Health Committee, and representatives from advocacy groups committed to advancing HIV/AIDS prevention, including Tracy Welsh, Executive Director of HIV Law Project, and Peter Pavich, Executive Director of Queens Pride House, called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve the sale of over-the-counter rapid HIV tests, which would ease access to testing for the nearly 300,000 Americans and thousands of New Yorkers who currently are unaware they are infected.

Rapid HIV tests are both simple and effective. Using a mouth swab or a finger prick, individuals can know their preliminary HIV status within minutes – with greater than 99% sensitivity. Currently, there are four FDA-approved low complexity rapid HIV tests commercially available in the United States; however, they all require a laboratory license in order to purchase them.

Weiner is calling on the FDA to make rapid HIV tests available to everyday Americans by allowing both over-the-counter sales and free distribution of tests directly to individuals. Rapid HIV tests would provide Americans the ability to conduct tests in the comfort of their home and encourage testing by offering privacy and reducing perceived stigma.

Even on the 30^th anniversary of the AIDS epidemic, the need for increased HIV testing has never been greater. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that up to 1.2 million people in the U.S. currently have HIV, and nearly 1 in 4 do not know they are even infected. In fact, two-thirds of new HIV infections are caused by people who are unaware they are infected.

In New York City alone, more than 107,000 New Yorkers are living with HIV – and thousands more don't know they are infected. According to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the AIDS case rate in the City is almost 3 times the national average, and HIV is the 3rd leading cause of death for New York City residents aged 35 to 54.

In a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Weiner said “Many medical professionals and HIV/AIDS groups support the approval of OTC rapid HIV tests, including the AIDS Institute, the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, and the National Minority AIDS Council. Given the critical need for increased HIV testing, it simply doesn’t make sense to keep OTC rapid HIV tests off the market.”

"It's vital for people who are HIV-positive to know their status as soon as possible, so they can begin treatment and avoid infecting others," said Assembly Health Committee chair Richard N. Gottfried.

While the Center for Disease Control claims that self-testing is not currently recommended because of counseling concerns, HIV/AIDS advocates and test manufacturers say that easy-to-read inserts in home test kits can educate users about HIV transmission, prevention, and the possibility of false positives and negatives. Additionally, a 24-hour 800 hotline can provide psychological and medical counseling to self-testers who receive HIV positive results.

Full text of Rep. Weiner’s letter below:

May 15, 2011

Dr. Margaret Hamburg

Commissioner

Food and Drug Administration

10903 New Hampshire Ave
Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002

Dear Dr. Hamburg,

I write to urge you to accelerate the approval process for over-the-counter (OTC) rapid HIV tests. There is a critical need to expand HIV testing in order to reduce the number of people who are unaware of their HIV status. Approving OTC rapid HIV tests would tear down unnecessary barriers that currently keep people from getting tested.

Rapid HIV tests are simple and effective. Using a mouth swab or a finger prick, individuals can know their preliminary HIV status within minutes. Currently, there are four FDA-approved low-complexity rapid HIV tests commercially available in the US. All are simple to use, show results in under 20 minutes, and have greater than 99.3% sensitivity. However, these tests can currently only be administered by a licensed organization or individual, creating an unfortunate roadblock to the goal of wider HIV testing. Even the sole FDA-approved “at home” HIV test requires individuals to wait several days before calling a laboratory to receive their results.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly two-thirds of new HIV infections may have been unknowingly caused by individuals who were unaware of their HIV status. The requirement that individuals must be tested by a licensed third party acts as a barrier to testing, even where anonymity is assured. Especially in smaller communities, anonymity does not necessarily ensure privacy. There is good reason to believe that some individuals who would otherwise test themselves for HIV avoid clinics and outreach centers because of the perceived stigma involved.

Studies have shown that individuals can both administer rapid HIV tests and interpret their results appropriately. Concerns about user education can be addressed by easy-to-read informational inserts in the test kits that inform about false negatives, false positives, and the need for confirmatory testing. Counseling concerns can be addressed by providing a 24-hour toll free hotline for psychological and medical referrals.

Many medical professionals and HIV/AIDS groups support the approval of OTC rapid HIV tests, including the AIDS Institute, the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, and the National Minority AIDS Council. Given the critical need for increased HIV testing, it simply doesn’t make sense to keep OTC rapid HIV tests off the market. I therefore urge you to accelerate the FDA’s approval process for OTC rapid HIV tests and set a firm deadline by which these tests will be available to the public.

Thank you for considering this critical issue.

Sincerely,

ANTHONY D. WEINER

Member of Congress

Weiner Addresses Roll Call of 112^th Precinct

On Monday at the NYPD’s 112^th Precinct in Queens, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D – Queens and Brooklyn) addressed officers during roll call, where he thanked them for their ongoing commitment to fighting crime and helping the community

Weiner, Nadler Introduce Legislation to Re-route Osama Bin Laden Reward Money to 9/11 First Responders, Families & Survivors

If Bounty Isn't Paid, Bin Laden Victims Should Get It

Outside of World Trade Center 7 on Sunday, Reps. Anthony Weiner (D – Queens and Brooklyn) and Jerrold Nadler (D – Manhattan and Queens), joined by family members of 9/11 victims, announced legislation to redirect the $50 million bounty for the capture of Osama bin Laden, which the White House declared will likely never be paid, to organizations that help 9/11 survivors, families and first responders.

On Sunday, Reps. Anthony Weiner (D – Queens and Brooklyn) and Jerrold Nadler (D – Manhattan and Brooklyn) announced legislation that would award the bounty of up to $50 million approved by Congress for the capture of Osama Bin Laden, which many news reports indicate may never be distributed, to be instead distributed amongst organizations that provide service or aid to 9/11 first responders, families and survivors.

The Rewards for Justice Program, established in 1984 and administered by the State Department, established a bounty of up to $25 million in 2001 to help bring Bin Laden to justice. In 2004, Congress passed legislation providing the Secretary of State up to $50 million to award at his or her discretion to those who provided information leading to the capture of Bin Laden.

Now, following his death, U.S. officials are unsure whether the bounty of up to $50 million will be paid because his whereabouts were pieced together from various bits of information, leaving no single person responsible for putting investigators on his trail.

Weiner and Nadler’s legislation would redirect the funds to organizations that assist first responders, families, and survivors who were affected by the tragedy at Ground Zero.

“If the bounty isn’t paid, Osama Bin Laden’s victims should get it,” Weiner said. “I can think of no better recipient than those organizations which have committed themselves to helping first responders, their families and survivors whose lives have been forever affected by Bin Laden’s actions.”

"Because there is likely no awardee for the $50 million bounty for Osama bin Laden’s capture, those funds should now be used in support of the thousands of 9/11 families, responders and survivors," said Nadler. "I urge the State Department to distribute the reward money to established organizations and institutions which provide services and programs to the 9/11 community."

NYS Assembly Subcommittee on Workplace Safety and NYS Department of Labor Announce Immigrant Workers' Rights Awareness Weekend

Statewide Outreach Events Happening This Weekend

Today Assembly Members and the NYS Department of Labor teamed up with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, New York City Comptroller John C. Liu and federal safety representatives to kick-off the first annual New York State Immigrant Workers' Rights Awareness Weekend, happening this Saturday and Sunday (May 14-15) across New York state.

This weekend, participating elected officials, city, state and federal agencies, community based organizations and activists will join together across the state to spread awareness in multiple languages about workers' rights on-the-job regardless of immigration status. These organizations will also inform immigrant workers about the services (both government and non-profit) that are available to them.

According to the Department of Labor Bureau of Immigrant Workers Rights (DoL) immigrant workers are less likely to approach government agencies for many reasons, including language barriers, not knowing what agencies can do for them, fear of government, and trouble getting to government agencies during office hours.

"This weekend is about letting immigrant workers know that they have the same rights to a safe workplace as every other worker," said Assemblyman Rory Lancman, Chair of the Subcommittee on Workplace Safety and co-sponsor of New York State Immigrant Workers' Rights Awareness Weekend.

“It is critical that our immigrant workers, who are the backbone of so many industries here in New York, are fully informed of their rights and have the resources they need to fight workplace violations," said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. "I applaud the state’s enormous efforts to bring city, state, and federal resources to communities throughout New York.”

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“The best way to protect workers on the job is to empower them with information. By educating and informing New York’s immigrant workers, these forums will lead to safer workplaces,” said Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-New York).

"Many times innocent employees report to work and perform their duties as expected but are not fully compensated. It is important for immigrant workers to know their rights and not be afraid to speak out. My office will continue to fight for those who have been shortchanged on the jobsite," said New York City Comptroller John C. Liu.

“New York has been greatly enriched by the many contributions made by immigrant workers to the economic and social fabric of our state. The Division of Human Rights joins the Department of Labor, elected officials and community-based organizations in this effort to educate them about their rights under our law so they can continue to lead healthy and productive lives while gainfully employed," said Commissioner Galen D. Kirkland, New York State Division of Human Rights.

"The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor appreciates the opportunity to participate at the State-wide events this weekend to increase awareness of workers' rights with regard to the laws that we enforce. We are committed to ensuring that all workers are paid at least the proper minimum wage and overtime," said Maria L. Rosado, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division.

"Every worker, without exception, has the right to a safe and healthful workplace," said Robert Kulick, Occupational Safety Health Administration's regional administrator in New York. "Through outreach and education, we strive to inform workers of this right and their right to a voice in the workplace when it comes to their safety and health. We want all workers to return home healthy and whole at the end of each work day."

"Federal, state, and local labor laws are meant to protect all workers regardless of whether they are recent immigrants or whether their ancestors came over on the Mayflower," said Assemblyman Joseph Lentol (D-Brooklyn). "This weekend's events will help to remind us of that fact."

"America is built on hopes, dreams, and honest labor of immigrants. It is important that we continue to recognize our heritage and guarantee justice in all phases," said Assembly Member Jack McEneny (D-Albany).

“Our economy and our country have enjoyed the contributions of immigrants through their hard work, perseverance, dignity and the dream that living with these values will lead to a better life for them and their children,” said Assembly Member Carl Heastie (D/WFP, Bronx). “We should do all we can to ensure that they know their rights and that they are protected.”

"There is a large population of immigrant workers in Western New York," said Assemblymember Sam Hoyt (D-Buffalo, Grand Island). "Many of them may be fearful of the authorities or confused by the process of getting their paperwork in order. I want to communicate to them that they have rights, too, and to help them work legally and safely in New York State."

"As Chairman of the Task Force on New American's it is a real privilege to be asked to participate in this important statewide event. As an immigrant myself, I know first hand how hard it is experience the obstacles many of these people are facing on a daily basis, it can be extremely frustrating and discouraging. Every worker needs to know we are there to protect their rights," said Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny (D-Brooklyn).

“Immigrants are an essential part of our communities, our workforce, and our economy, contributing over $200 billion in economic activity in New York City alone,” said Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh who serves on the Assembly Labor Committee. “It is our duty to make sure that workplaces are safe and that immigrants have the information and legal protections they need. I am proud to be joining Assemblymember Rory Lancman in sponsoring an Immigrant Workers’ Rights Awareness event in my district and I applaud him for his tremendous work on this and the many other initiatives he has undertaken to promote worker safety.”

"I am proud to be co-sponsoring the Staten Island event for this statewide initiative with Councilmember Debi Rose. We should never forget that we are a country of immigrants and that workplace safety is a right for all of our residents, regardless of their immigration status. This event gives us the opportunity to educate Staten Islanders about their rights and the services available to them,” said Assembly Member Matthew Titone (D-Staten Island).

Assemembly Member Michael DenDekker (D/WFP- Jackson Heights) "urges the community to come and hear about Labor Law protections, Workers' Compensation, your health and safety at work plus various other kinds of information on different community services. I feel this is a great opportunity for everyone to know and benefit from all the rights, services and protections allowed by law."

"As a daughter of immigrants and the only Asian-American in the New York State Legislature, I believe this weekend will serve well to ensure that our community fully understands their rights as employees and are rightfully protected. My office which assists a vast majority of new immigrants from all of New York State will also be on site that day to help coordinate the services offered by all the different agencies," said Assembly Member Grace Meng (D-Queens).

"Through the experiences of parents who came to Corona, Queens from Ecuador, I have seen first hand the obstacles that immigrants face: whether it's from hiring discrimination, intimidation, or even the simple struggle to have documents in your native language. It is a top priority of mine to protect immigrants, the people who have made New York and Queens their home just like my parents did many years ago, from abusive and dangerous environments--and that's why I'm thrilled to be a part of this statewide effort to bring resources and activists together to help raise awareness for immigrant workers’ rights," said Assembly Member Francisco Moya (D-Queens).

"We can no longer accept immigrant workers filling jobs critical to our economy without receiving fair wages and benefits. This weekend's event is a step towards making sure that they are aware of all the rights they are entitled to as employees. We will continue to work with the immigrants rights community as well as the different federal and state agencies to assure this goal is accomplished," said Assembly Member Sam Roberts (D-Syracuse).

"I'm elated to be involved in the inaugural New York State Immigrant Workers' Rights Awareness weekend. We must ensure fairness of workers' rights regardless of origin or status throughout the state all while promoting the need to treat one another with dignity and respect. This weekend's event will provide us the platform to both raise awareness and stand united with our immigrant brothers and sisters," said Council Member Debi Rose (D/WFP-Staten Island).