Dear Friends

It has been my greatest privilege to represent you in Congress and be your voice in Washington.

In my time as your Representative I have worked tirelessly to create the change you voted for. Though no legislation is perfect, we have accomplished real substantive progress on a number of critical issues.

With your support, we finally put an end to the abusive practices of health insurance companies and created a system that provides all Americans with access to affordable, quality health care. True to my word, I voted for a program that I will be in: All members of Congress are required to buy their health insurance through the new exchange created by the bill.

We passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that requires women to get equal pay to men for doing the same job. It provides women with a legal recourse to correct this longstanding inequity.

The House also passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which would finally set a new direction for our energy policy and create millions of American jobs that cannot be outsourced. It will invest heavily in wind, solar, and other forms of renewable energy. We will finally reward efficiency and conservation, and begin to end our addiction to oil.

We also passed the Wall Street Reform & Consumer Protection Act. This common sense financial regulatory reform will end taxpayer-funded bailouts and 'too big to fail' financial institutions, and protect consumers from predatory lending.

Under President Obama's leadership we are already winding down our military's presence in Iraq. But as our service men and women return home it is our responsibility to make sure veterans and their families receive the care, counseling and support they deserve. I am proud to serve as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, which is working to reduce the backlog of veterans' disability claims.

With your support we have accomplished much in the last few years but we are not out of the woods yet. I will continue working to create jobs in the Hudson Valley, to fight for lower taxes for the middle class and small businesses, and to be your voice in Washington.

Though the challenges we face are grave, but what defines our nation's character is a willingness to put what divides us aside and work together. I cannot thank you enough for your support and together we will continue the work of rebuilding America.


John Hall