AS HUDSON VALLEY STUDENTS RETURN TO SCHOOL, CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN UNVEILS YOUTH AGENDA TO BOLSTER STUDENTS' EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, MENTAL HEALTH, AND SAFETY
As Hudson Valley Students Return to School, Congressman Pat Ryan Unveils Youth Agenda to Bolster Students’ Educational Opportunities, Mental Health, and Safety
Ryan’s Youth Agenda focuses on access to career and technical training, mental health and social media safety, food security, safety from gun violence, and additional support for children in military families
Ryan’s announcement follows visit from Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, listening sessions and roundtables with local leaders in education, and direct outreach to gather input from Hudson Valley parents
KINGSTON, NY. – Today, Congressman Pat Ryan unveiled his Youth Agenda, a series of bills that will expand opportunities for career and technical education for students and increase resources to address student mental health and safety. Specific provisions included in the legislative package range from increasing mental health professionals on staff in schools to bolstering afterschool and mentorship programs to tackling youth vaping and tobacco use. The announcement of the Youth Agenda follows concerted outreach by Congressman Ryan to garner input from local leaders in education and Hudson Valley parents. In recent months, Ryan brought the Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to NY-18, hosted multiple roundtable conversations with local teachers, school administrators and students, and conducted direct outreach to Hudson Valley families for their input on what issues are facing NY-18 youths and students.
“Our Hudson Valley kids are facing so many challenges – from the student mental health crisis to preparing to enter an increasingly competitive workforce. We’ve got to make sure we’re fully supporting them. Both as a dad and a Representative, this is deeply personal to me,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “I’ve spent months working with students, parents, and teachers from across the region to outline how we can tackle these issues head-on – this agenda is all about giving our kids the same opportunities their parents and grandparents had before them. I’m fighting for the resources they need and deserve, whether it’s increased workforce training options, accessible mental healthcare, or mentoring that helps keep them on the right track. Investing in Hudson Valley kids is a direct investment in the future of our communities and our country – when our kids thrive, America is at its best.”
Congressman Ryan’s Youth Agenda is broken down into five specific areas of focus and includes the following bills that he cosponsors:
MENTAL HEALTH, DRUG ADDICTION, AND SOCIAL MEDIA:
- The Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act
- The Preventing Opportunities for Teen E-Cigarette and Tobacco Addiction (PROTECT) Act
- The Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act
- The Protecting Kids on Social Media Act
- The BAD APPS Act
- The Doxing Threat Assessment Act
- The Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2023
ACCESS TO CAREER AND TECHNICAL TRAINING:
- The Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2023
- The Youth Workforce Readiness Act of 2023
- The Preserving JROTC Programs Act
FOOD SECURITY:
- The Military Food Security Act of 2023
- The Military Family Nutrition Act of 2023
- The Lower Grocery Prices Act
SAFETY FROM GUN VIOLENCE:
- Ethan's Law
- The Keep Americans Safe Act
- The Assault Weapons Ban of 2023
- The Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2023
- The Stopping the Fraudulent Sales of Firearms Act
- The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2023
- The Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2023
- The Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act of 2023
- The Destroy Zombie Guns Act
SUPPORTING CHILDREN OF MILITARY FAMILIES:
- The Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act of 2023
- The Military Food Security Act of 2023
- The Military Family Nutrition Act of 2023
- H.Res.1151 - Recognizing the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children and expressing support for the designation of April 2024 as the "Month of the Military Child"
In June, Congressman Ryan brought Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to join with local leaders in the groundbreaking of the new career and technical education center for Ulster BOCES, SUNY Ulster, and SUNY New Paltz at iPark 87. Ryan and Secretary Cardona then joined with local leaders in education, including teachers’ unions representatives and university and school district staff, and local students for discussions on what issues are facing Hudson Valley students and what resources can be ushered in to fully support students and teachers. Ryan has been a steadfast advocate for the BOCES program.
Ryan also toured the career and technical education (CTE) program at Arlington High School in June and joined with teachers, administrators, and teachers’ union representatives about bolstering CTE and workforce preparation in Hudson Valley schools.
Ryan conducted direct outreach to Hudson Valley families, including distributing a survey for input about the issues facing Hudson Valley youth to guide his Youth Agenda.
Congressman Ryan has long championed investments in Hudson Valley youth. He fought for and secured fiscal year 2024 federal Community Project Funding for Family Services’ Family Partnership Center, the Boys & Girls Club of Newburgh, and the Dutchess Youth Opportunity Union (YOU).
Earlier this year, he joined for the ribbon-cutting on the Family Partnership Center’s newest round of renovations and secured an additional nearly $5 million in federal funding for continued renovations at the Center. The Family Partnership Center houses 19 community organizations that offer assistance ranging from healthcare to education for Poughkeepsie families.
Ryan also secured $2.5 million in federal funding for new early education and afterschool enrichment programs at Poughkeepsie schools in November of 2023 and $1.27 Million for AmeriCorps to expand the Student Conservation Association’s Hudson Valley Corps in Poughkeepsie earlier this year. Last summer, he delivered $1 million in federal funds for Port Jervis to create a Youth Tree Corps employing local students and $125,000 for the Warwick Valley Prevention Coalition to combat youth drug use in the Warwick Valley Central School District.
Congressman Ryan has repeatedly fought against cuts to programs that service young children and families, including voting against 20% cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and WIC for women, infants, and children. Ryan has made repeated calls for full funding of WIC. Congressman Ryan long fought for an expanded Child Tax Credit that was included in the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 and cosponsors the American Family Act.
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