Against a backdrop of a military action in the Middle East and a domestic economy that rises and dips as the price of oil escalates, Long Island’s Congressional delegation took part in a spirited but congenial debate of ideas and issues during the Long Island Association’s annual “What’s New In Washington” panel.
Reps. Andrew Garbarino, Laura Gillen, Nick LaLota and Tom Suozzi spoke on an assortment of issues from the economy to immigration to energy with LIA Acting President and CEO Stacey Sikes moderated the March 16 discussion.
“The thing that’s so brilliant about the system, I think, is today we’re going to have [four] Congressional representatives —two Democrats, two Republicans — ,” Lawrence Waldman, the LIA’s board chairman said. “They’re going to sit in the interview with Acting President Stacey Sikes, and I’m sure they’ll agree on some of these issues and disagree on some.”
Andrew Garbarino
All the legislators noted progress on the State and Local Tax deduction, a measure critical to Long Island homeowners facing some of the nation’s highest property taxes, and a $1.5 billion infrastructure package for transportation, water quality, and storm resilience.
“We have worked together on a bipartisan infrastructure bill, one of the best things we did,” said Garbarino, as the former assemblyman noted frustrations with Albany over implementation.
His 2nd Congressional District stretches from Massapequa in Nassau County east to Shirley, in Suffolk County.
The quartet of lawmakers had differing perspectives on what the military is calling “Operation Epic Fury,” the battles against Iran.
Suozzi and Gillen praised its objectives but criticized Congress’s lack of oversight and a clear long-term strategy.
“There does not seem to be a plan, and shouldn’t that have been thought of ahead of time?” Suozzi asked.
Garbarino countered, noting that congressional committees are briefed regularly and that prior administrations have taken similar actions. All agreed that any escalation involving ground troops would require Congressional approval.
Laura Gillen
Speaking on her proposed Dignity Act that aims to give illegal immigrants what Gillen called “a pathway to legal status,” she said: “If you’re going to do transformative legislation, it’s better to tap in with both sides,” noting that it began with 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans. “And that’s the way can get a law like across the finish line, by working together.”
Representing the 4th Congressional District that covers nearly the entire South Shore of Nassau County, Gillen noted that the Republican administration’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” Act is adding to the national debt.
“It caused the average American to have $1,600 in extra cost,” she said. “We’re not going in the right direction, we can fix that, but there has to be political will.”
Gillen noted the impact of the federal illegal immigrant crackdown on local businesses.
“People are afraid to patronize businesses,” saying new business in Hempstead is, “ going to go out of business already, because people, there's an ICE car parked in an apartment lot across from Main Street, and even if no one's in there, people see it, and they're afraid to go out.”
Nick LaLota
LaLota said that one party doesn’t have a monopoly, “to this nation’s most major issues and we do work together on certain big things.”
With the cost energy on the minds of consumers, he noted that the prior administration changed “the rules in the middle of the game,” and added that the analysis on some of these projects might not be accurate and if they are halted, then goal is denied.
“The economy is growing, we have more demand, more power here on the Island and across the nation,” LaLota said, adding that there’s “a ton of natural gas,” in New York’ Southern Tier. “If we do things the way that Pennsylvania does them in that same part of the world,” he noted, jobs will be created and prices would be lower.
LaLota’s district stretches from Melville in western Suffolk County to Montauk.
Tom Suozzi
Suozzi highlighted his work with the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. The group includes 46 members of Congress, evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.
“We have committees that work together on issues, on everything from affordability,” Suozzi said, noting the caucus also addresses immigration and national security.
Despite those efforts, Suozzi described Washington as increasingly difficult to navigate.
“The problem is the environment is so toxic in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “And the leadership on both sides really is only focused on winning the majority.” He added that the political climate is likely to worsen as the next midterm elections approach.
Suozzi also pointed to several economic concerns facing many Americans, including tariffs, artificial intelligence data centers, and rising healthcare costs tied in part to the elimination of the premium tax credit.
“The economy is in trouble,” he said, “everybody knows the economy is in trouble,” arguing that strong stock market performance does not reflect the experience of most households.
His 3rd Congressional District predominantly includes Glen Cove and Oyster Bay, a portion of Queens and east to Huntington.
