Congressman cites labor as a key ally
In his nine years in office, Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney has developed a formula for introducing new legislation.
He arranges a press conference in a scenic location and invites guest speakers who will benefit from the topic of the day. On Nov. 8, Rep. Maloney announced the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. He was joined by several members of labor unions.
These were people he knew well. He shook hands with each one of them as he arrived at Unico Park at the Newburgh waterfront. He was almost punctual, arriving just a few minutes after the 11 o’clock scheduled start time.
“I’ve been waiting since seven o’clock,” one of the guests teased. The congressman responded good-naturedly. “You guys should be used to standing around,” he quipped. The crowd laughed and the congressman asked the union people to join him at the microphone. They stood behind him as he announced that “We’re here to celebrate jobs.”
Not everyone approves of the new act. But if there were any critics at the Monday morning press conference, they kept their objections to themselves.
A stand-up sign near the speaker explained how the new act would affect the Hudson Valley. Mr. Maloney highlighted some of the advantages. He started with $12 billion for bridges and emphasized that there were many defective bridges in the area.
Then he mentioned the revamping of Route 17, funding for airports, and billions for drinking water and public transportation. He commented that the jobs created by the act would go to organized labor and would not be outsourced to workers in China.
That was a cue to hand the microphone to Todd Diorio, who had not planned on speaking. “We can use the work,” the labor leader said. “There’s been a lull for the last six or seven months.”
Mr. Diorio had been skeptical about the passage of the act but Rep. Maloney had tried to bolster his confidence. “Be patient it’s going to happen,” the congressman assured him.
Alan Seidman, a former chairman of the county legislature, is now the executive director of the Construction Contractors Association of the Hudson Valley. He spoke briefly on Monday morning, complimenting Mr. Maloney and claiming that he works well with representatives on both sides of the aisle. Mr. Seidman identified himself as the token Republican.
Senator James Skoufis predicted that the money from the federal government would help the state pass a worthwhile capital plan for the Department of Transportation. And Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson referred to the streets in Newburgh that need repair. He said you can’t always choose the best route. You have to select a route that won’t destroy your car. Town Supervisor Mike Sweeton cited a bridge in Warwick that needed repairs that the community couldn’t afford.
The crowd behind the speakers was larger than the audience. When Mr. Maloney returned to the microphone, he advised the people in front of him and behind him that they were seeing democracy in action. “We did this in a bipartisan way,” he remarked.
Then he acknowledged the support of the people he greeted when he first arrived. “Organized labor was our key ally,” he said.
