Joseph Morelle

The right to vote in free and fair elections is the bedrock of our democracy. But time and time again we’ve seen that right come under attack, including during the dangerous January 6th riots at our nation's capital following the 2020 election. This underscores why we must come together to strengthen voting rights and ensure everyone has the opportunity to make their voices heard. 

Would implement sweeping anti-corruption measures to expand and protect Americans’ access to the ballot box, reduce the influence of big money in politics, and strengthen ethics rules across all three branches of government.

Would restore the protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and would eliminate states' ability to continue discriminatory practices that suppress voter turnout.

Would reverse Supreme Court Decisions like Citizens United by enshrining in the Constitution the right of the American people to enact state and federal laws that regulate spending in public elections.

Would strengthen campaign expenditure reporting requirements and would strengthen the foreign money ban.

Every young person deserves to have access to a high-quality education that equips them with the skills and knowledge they need to achieve their full potential. And our educators are owed our gratitude, respect, and most importantly, the resources and support they need to set our students down a path to success.

​In Congress, Joe has co-sponsored the following legislation:

Introduced legislation that would create a grant program to help align the school day with the traditional workday.

​HR 604 Rebuild America's Schools Act

Would invest $100 billion in public schools, improve educational equity, and better learning and working conditions for students and teachers in every state.

Would develop a stronger pipeline of primary education computer science teachers by promoting computer science education in colleges and universities.

​HR 4663 SUCCESS Act

Would ensure schools and librarians have access to resources to support distance learning.

​HR 1581 Build America’s Libraries Act

Would provide federal support for the construction of libraries ensuring long term support for these critical community resources. 

​H Res 29 Supporting the Teaching of Climate Change in School 

Would ensure the social and economic impacts of climate change are taught to our students.

​HR 3474 Keeping All Students Safe Act

Would eliminate discipline practices in schools that put children’s lives at risk.

Would help schools improve anti-bullying and anti-harassment initiatives as well as develop and implement programs to reduce student trauma.

Would establish a grant program to support new and expand voluntary community-driven strategies to increase diversity in schools.

​HR 5526 Improving Mental Health and Wellness in Schools Act

Would improve mental health and wellness access in schools and encourage development of local school wellness policy and mental health goals.

​H Res 923 The National Career and Technical Education Month Resolution

Expresses support for Career and Technical Education programs that equip students with the skills needed to obtain employment and close the skills gap.

​HR 5428 The School Shooting Safety and Preparedness Act

Would require the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Attorney General and Secretary of Health and Human Services, to publish an annual report on the indicators of school crime and safety that includes data on school shootings.

In Congress, Joe has been working tirelessly to fight the climate crisis by advancing laws that protect clean air and water, reduce carbon pollution, and create a more sustainable environment for future generations.

 Joe has taken action to ensure our environmental policies prioritize our families’ futures over the whims of profit-driven special interests. He knows that climate change is already causing devastating damage to our environment and impacting our economy, and that is why he is working every day to pass comprehensive legislation that tackles this crisis head-on.

​In Congress, Joe has co-sponsored the following legislation: 

Aims to reduce carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 and 90% by 2050 by putting a price on carbon. 100% of revenues collected from carbon pricing will be returned to the American people.

Would establish a Great Lakes Authority within the Federal Government to restore and protect the Great Lakes, promote sustainable power production in the region, and finance clean energy and green infrastructure projects.

​HR 2773 The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act 

Would provide $13 billion in funding for the conservation or restoration of wildlife and plant species.

​HR 2310 The Climate Change Education Act 

Would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a Climate Change Education Program to broaden the understanding of human-induced climate change across the country.

Would prohibit disparate climate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Affected individuals would be able to seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination.

Would provide incentives to reduce the production of single-use plastics in manufacturing.

Would help protect pollinator species by banning harmful pesticides and implementing a bee population monitoring system.

Closes a loophole for oil and gas companies within the Clean Air Act.

​HR 815 The Artic Refuge Protection Act 

Would eliminate the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil and gas program and designate hundreds of thousands of acres of land within Alaska in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

In Rochester, far too many families and individuals continue to struggle to get ahead. Wages are stagnant while the cost of living continues to skyrocket. Private corporations are achieving record-breaking profits while working families are living paycheck-to-paycheck and barely scraping by.

​In Congress, Joe has co-sponsored the following legislation:

Would increase the authorization level from $250,000 to $750,000 to better assist families navigating their options and provide hunger prevention education. 

Would increase by 50% the Affordable Housing Tax Credit (also known as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit) and increase the availability of affordable housing.

​HR 603 The Raise the Wage Act

Would set the federal minimum wage at $15 – increasing wages for over 30 million Americans and lifting 1.3 million people out of poverty, including 600,000 children.

Would guarantee child care assistance to low and middle-class families by ensuring that no family under 150 percent of state median income pays more than seven percent of their income on childcare – and families under 75 percent of the state median income will not have to pay anything at all.

Would create a new $300 per-month, per-child credit for children under 6 years of age and a $250 per-month, per-child credit for children under 17 years of age – lifting 4 million children out of poverty.

Would bolster the SNAP program and better support families who rely on this critical program.

Would improve the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast program (SBP)to increase access to school meals for students in need. 

Would provide free meals to all students, regardless of income level and ensure no student goes hungry. 

​HR 5129 The Community Services Block Grant Modernization Act

Would update and reauthorize the CSBG program, which is a critical program with a proven record of providing assistance to low-income communities across the country. 

Would ensure all Americans, regardless of where they live, have access to reliable broadband internet.

Our nation continues to be terrorized by the seemingly never-ending cycle of gun violence. Mass shootings affect our daily lives, instilling fear into our communities as we grocery shop, attend concerts, and simply go to school. Gun trafficking and violence at the hands of criminals with illegal weapons plague our streets and neighborhoods. That is why Joe has made passing and enacting common-sense gun reform laws that protect innocent Americans one of his top priorities.

Mandates background checks on the sale or transfer of every gun.

​HR 1446 Enhanced Background Checks Act

Closes the “Charleston Loophole” and affords the FBI adequate time to conduct thorough background checks.

Bans the sale, transfer, manufacture, and importation of military-style assault weapons. 

Bans the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines and limits magazines to no more than ten rounds.

Requires firearm dealers to fulfill minimum security standards and requires the ATF to regularly inspect dealers.

Raises the age to 21 to buy a semi-automatic rifle, bans high-capacity magazines, bans bump stocks, imposes safe firearm storage requirements and encourages use of best practices for safe storage, codifies an ATF rulemaking to better regulate ghost guns, and strengthens penalties for gun trafficking.

​HR 2377 Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act

Allows family and friends to request law enforcement to confiscate firearms from certain individuals deemed unsafe.

Amends the existing definition of “firearm” under federal law to include gun kits and partial receivers, ensuring that ghost guns don’t escape federal firearm regulations.

Removes existing immunity from liability for gun manufacturers, distributors, and dealers.

Requires liability insurance for all firearm owners and purchasers.

​HR 1752 Cool Off Act

Would mandate a three-day waiting period before an individual may receive a purchased handgun.

Would prevent the sale of firearms to individuals convicted of a hate crime.

​HR 3929 Gun Violence Prevention Research Act

Authorizes funding for research on firearms safety and gun violence prevention.

Joe believes access to healthcare is a fundamental human right. In Congress, he has been fighting to lower the cost of prescription drugs, and make quality, affordable healthcare accessible to every American.

 The bottom line is that we need to make it easier, not harder for Americans to obtain the health coverage they need and deserve. Joe has led efforts to end surprise medical billing by passing the No Surprises Act, which was passed into law in 2020. He has fought to lower the cost of prescription medication like Insulin, expand access to vital services like telehealth, and maintain critical protections for people with pre-existing conditions. And when Republicans sought to cut off access to care for millions of Americans and eliminate the protections for those with preexisting conditions, Joe fought tirelessly to protect the Affordable Care Act.

​In Congress, Joe has co-sponsored the following legislation: 

​H.R. 3, Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act 

Establishes several programs and requirements related to the prices of prescription drugs.

The bill lowers out-of-pocket costs for insulin, by requiring patients pay the lesser of $35 or 25 percent of the negotiated price each month for insulin.

 

Expands the eligibility of low-income taxpayers for premium assistance, and reduces the cost of health care premiums for individuals buying coverage through the ACA’s Federal and State Marketplaces.

 

Lowers the Medicare age to 60 to expand Medicare Access.

 

Establishes requirements and standards relating to prior authorization processes for Medicare Advantage Plans.

Requires health insurers to provide coverage for newborns of enrollees for the first 30-day period after birth and 60-day enrollment afterwards.

Allows dependent under the age of 26 to be covered without additional premiums.

 

Requires health plans to provider coverage of oral anticancer therapy at the same cost sharing as provider administered.

Requires CDC to establish a program to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities, including by awarding grants to address SDOH.

Joe believes that the American dream has always been rooted in the promise of educational opportunity for all. However, for too many young people, that dream remains out of reach due to rapidly rising tuition costs, fear of crippling debt, and lack of access to resources. 

​In Congress, Joe has co-sponsored and is working to advance the following legislation:

A comprehensive proposal to lower the cost of college, improve the quality of higher education through stronger accountability, and expand opportunity by providing students the support they need to succeed.

Introduced legislation that would ensure unanticipated financial emergencies do not prevent low-income students from pursuing and completing higher education. 

Would modernize the college reporting system for postsecondary data by ensuring accurate reporting on student outcomes such as enrollment, completion, and post-college success across colleges and majors, while ensuring the privacy of individual students is securely protected.

Introduced legislation that would ensure students with disabilities have greater access to Pell Grants and provide the support necessary to earn their degree at the pace that works for them. 

​H.R. 4371 The Strengthen CTE in Higher Education Act

To invest $200 million in postsecondary Career and Technical Education opportunities.

2022 marks the eleventh year since the legalization of marriage equality in New York State, which Joe helped pass during his time as Majority Leader of the State Assembly. Sadly, far too many people across our nation still live their lives in fear of prejudice and discrimination. That fear is even greater now that the Supreme Court has threatened the future of marriage equality.

​In Congress, Joe has co-sponsored the following legislation: 

Would provide explicit, consistent protections for sexual orientation and gender identity in education, employment, federal funding, housing, jury service, and public accommodations.

Would require that the State Department prevent and respond to discrimination and violence against the LGBTQ+ community, devise a global strategy to address discrimination, and promote international LGBTQ+ human rights.

To amend the Child Abuse Prevention Act to ensure protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth and their families.

Seeks to end the practice of conversion therapy by classifying commercial conversion therapy and advertising that claims to change sexual orientation and gender identity as fraud.

Would improve federal population surveys by requiring the collection of voluntary, self-disclosed Sexual orientation and gender identity for the purpose of better understanding the problems that LGBTQ people experience and developing effective policies and programs to address them.

Would require institutions of higher education to establish policies to prohibit harassment based on actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), disability, or religion.

Would prohibit discrimination against children, teens, and parents on the basis of religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and marital status by child welfare agencies receiving Federal funds.

Years ago, our nation struck a basic bargain with all Americans. We promised that after putting in a lifetime of hard work, after decades of paying into the system, there would be a lifeline available that guaranteed income security and access to healthcare during one's later years in life. 

 

Joe firmly believes we must honor the commitment and protect the promise of Medicare and Social Security, no matter what. In addition, Joe believes we must do more to ensure Americans can age with the dignity, respect, and high quality of life they deserve. In his first term in Congress, Joe’s legislation to allow older Americans to age comfortably in their own homes was passed into law through the Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020. Joe continues to fight tirelessly to expand access to vital safety-net programs and advance legislation that protect the benefits aging adults are owed.

 In Congress, Joe has co-sponsored the following legislation: 

​H.R. 5723 Social Security 2100 Act

To increase benefits and ensure Social Security is financially stable through the year 2100 and beyond.

 

Would empower the federal government to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs, reversing years of unfair price hikes and capping seniors' out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs at $2,000 per year.

 H.R. 5165, Improving Medicare Coverage Act 

Expands access to Medicare by lowering the age of eligibility to 60.

 

Expands eligibility for low-income subsidies under Medicare Part D.

 H.R. 82, Social Security Fairness Act 

Repeals provisions that reduce Social Security Benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government.

 

Authorizes grants to expand training and support services for families and caregivers of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia.

 

Establishes programs and provides funds for state Medicaid programs to improve HCBS, home health care, personal care, case management, and rehab services.

 

Establishes relief for multiemployer pension plans - passed into law in America Rescue Plan.

 

The bill would allow older adults to use funds from their health savings accounts for homecare.

As the son of a Korean War veteran, Joe grew up understanding that the many freedoms we enjoy in this country have been made possible by the brave patriots who chose to put on the uniform and defend our nation. When our servicemen and women are ready to re-enter civilian life, Joe believes the least we can do is ensure that they have access to the essential support programs and long-term care they need and deserve.

​In Congress, Joe has co-sponsored the following legislation: 

A comprehensive package of bills that would improve healthcare services for veterans who have been exposed to dangerous toxins in the line of duty.

Will improve breast imaging services for military veterans. The legislation was signed into law on June 7, 2022. 

Would update the mission statement of the VA to be more inclusive of women veterans and today’s veteran population.

​HR 4601 Commitment to Veterans Support and Outreach Act

Would authorize the VA to provide grant programs to improve outreach and assistance to veterans and their families to inform them of the resources they have available.

Would improve and expand home and community-based services for disabled and elderly veterans. The bill would ensure elderly veterans are able to remain in their homes and receive much needed care. 

Would update the mission statement of the VA to be more inclusive of women veterans and today’s veteran population.

Would provide overdue relief to US Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange while serving during the Vietnam War.

Would add to the VA’s list of covered illnesses nine medical conditions, which are already recognized by the National Academy of Medicine as having evidence of being linked to exposure to Agent Orange.

Would expand eligibility for dental care to all veterans enrolled in the VA healthcare system.

Would create an SBA-styled grant program to address the needs of Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs).

Would increase transparency and accountability at the VA for veterans who report concerns they experience with VA health care services.