As Cable Dispute Disrupts Service for New Yorkers, Governor Hochul Directs Department of Public Service to Secure Refunds for Consumers

 

New York Consumers Are Missing Some of the Biggest Sporting Events of the Year – Including The U.S. Open and Jets-Bills on Monday Night Football – Due To Ongoing Corporate Dispute

Governor Directs the Department of Public Service to Hold Charter Spectrum Accountable to Swiftly Deliver Refunds to New York Customers

Governor Hochul Urges Spectrum and Disney to Resolve Dispute As Soon As Possible

 Governor Kathy Hochul today directed the Department of Public Service to hold Spectrum Northeast, LLC and Spectrum New York Metro, LLC (collectively “Charter”) accountable and ensure the company delivers refunds for New York consumers who have experienced disrupted service amid the ongoing cable dispute between Charter and The Walt Disney Company (Disney), two of the largest entertainment companies in the United States. Nearly 15 million cable viewers nationwide – more than 1.5 million in New York State – lost access to ESPN and other Disney-owned channels on August 31 when Disney and Charter were unable to renew a distribution deal. Governor Hochul has directed the Department of Public Service to ensure Charter is providing customers with appropriate refunds for any period that customers cannot access Disney-owned channels during the dispute.

“It's simple: if you pay your cable bill, you deserve to get the services you pay for,” Governor Hochul said. “An ongoing corporate dispute is forcing customers to miss some of the highest profile televised events of the year – the least these companies can do is provide a refund. Disney and Charter must continue negotiating in good faith to ensure affordability and consumer choice. I also urge Disney to continue providing its programming under the terms of the prior agreement while negotiations continue. My Administration is committed to consumer protections for all New Yorkers."

Governor Hochul is urging the companies to resolve this dispute as soon as possible. As the contract negotiations continue, more customers are becoming aware of the lapse in certain programming and understandably have questions about refunds. New Yorkers have lost access to channels that broadcast a variety of different programming, including some of the highest-profile televised events of the year: the U.S. Open, the Bills playing the Jets on Monday Night Football, and family-friendly shows. The Governor’s directive to the Department of Public Service (DPS) is to reduce confusion and ensure that all customers are refunded. DPS sent a letter to Charter today as part of their efforts to hold the company accountable and swiftly deliver refunds to customers who have been affected by the lapse in Disney-owned programming.

Department of Public Service CEO and Public Service Commission Chair Rory M. Christian said, “Governor Hochul is giving voice to millions of New Yorkers who are frustrated that they cannot view all of their cable channels, and who have a right to be refunded for services that they are unable to access. The Department of Public Service will work diligently to ensure Charter provides customers appropriate bill credits in a timely manner.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - Newsletter: Pre-K, SNAP, South America and Immigration

 

Newsletter: Pre-K, SNAP, South America and Immigration

To our neighbors in NY-14,

Congratulations on the start of a new school year! I was at the New York Hall of Science on Thursday, welcoming their new pre-k students. I worked with their program, last year, to secure a $750,000 grant to strengthen STEM learning in Queens (learn more). I’m excited to see these young learners take advantage of their new science and math programs.

Before the summer wrapped up, I visited the community garden at NYCHA's Castle Hill Houses. The garden is one of more than 200 community gardens organized across the City by GrowNYC, with the goal of making it easier for NYCHA residents to afford healthy foods.  I used the visit to talk publicly about the recent cut in SNAP benefits. When we return to Congress next week, I will fight against any additional cuts to food stamps in the Farm Bill, which we expect will pass later this month (learn more). Through the Farm Bill, I will also work to increase halal and kosher food at our food pantries. We recently met with the Parkchester Islamic Center and Met Council, the largest Jewish community social safety net in America, to learn more about the rising food insecurity facing their communities (learn more). 

In August, I also led a trip of Latino Members of Congress to Chile, Colombia and Brazil.  We met with several leaders there, including Presidents Gabriel Boric and Gustavo Petro. Our goal was to grow trust between Latin America and the United States, given our country’s history of harmful interventions in the region. We also discussed with these foreign leaders how we can better handle common challenges, including the climate crisis, migration, and threats to democracy (learn more).

We also are working on immigration issues in New York. I’ve visited three different shelters for migrants, most recently in Astoria. The immigrants I spoke with were all eager to get to work and get their own housing, but most of them faced a minimum of a six-month waiting period to gain the proper work authorization. I am pushing the Biden administration to speed up the process for migrants to receive legal work papers (learn more). We have also secured $100 million in federal funding to support the City's and State’s efforts to house migrants. 

I expect to have more updates to share on migrant housing and other issues after we return to Congress next week. Thank you, as always, for the opportunity to serve you, and I look forward to seeing many of you in person soon. 

In service, 

Rep. AOC

Updates and Resources Student Loan Borrowers: Payments Resume on October 1.  The federal student loan pause is ending, with the first payments due on October 1. It is important to start preparing now.  Lenders are expected to be short-staffed with more than 40 million borrowers all resuming payments in the next several weeks. Your lender may have also changed during the pause, and it is extremely important to verify that your lender is correctly charging you. Additionally, the Biden administration has created several new programs that may reduce your payments or even eliminate your debt - but it can take several weeks to enroll in these programs. To learn more, visit the Department of Education’s website.  Renew Your Passport 6-9 months Before it Expires. Check your passport before you book international travel. Many countries require six months of passport validity to enter, so we recommend applying 6-9 months ahead of expiration date or travel. Learn more about your destination at travel.state.gov/destination. Families: Save on Your Internet Bills. For families enrolled in WIC, Medicaid, SNAP or other qualifying programs, there is a new program to help you save $30/month on your internet bill. Learn more at the FCC’s website.  Gig Workers: Enter to Win $100 from the Astoria Workers Project. Do you drive for Lyft or Uber? Deliver for DoorDash? Or work another gig job? If so, the Astoria Worker Projects wants you to complete this survey, so they can improve working conditions for gig workers across the City.  By completing this survey, you also have a chance to win a $100 gift card.  Students: Service Academy Applications Due November 1.  Students interested in applying to any of the military service academies must receive a letter of recommendation from their Member of Congress or Senator.  If you would like to be considered for a nomination to a service academy, please complete the nomination form.  Students: Congressional App Challenge Due November 1. Every year, middle and high school students are invited to create a software application as part of the Congressional App Competition. Each Member of Congress then selects a winner from their district, and all of the winners from across the country are invited to D.C. to celebrate. Learn more about the challenge on our website.  Veterans & Families: Get Healthcare and Benefits under the PACT Act. The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. The PACT Act adds to the list of health conditions that we assume are caused by exposure to these substances. This law helps us provide generations of Veterans—and their survivors—with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve. Learn more here.

The Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Friday Extra - Gala Edition

 

Friday Extra - 2023 Gala Edition A Salute to Our Honorees

The Board of Directors and leadership team of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce are pleased to announce the 2023 Gala - The Bronx is Building Honorees. Madeline Marquez, Ponce Bank - The Joseph P. Kelleher Award of Excellence Sentry Management Solutions - Business of the Year MDB Housing - Community Organization of the Year Galaxy Contracting Corporation - Developer of the Year Tickets are almost sold out! Join us in celebrating their contributions and commitment to the Bronx on Thursday, September 21, 2023 at 6:30pm at Marina Del Rey, 1 Marina Drive Bronx, NY. The evening is the Bronx's #1 business networking event of the year and features a two-hour cocktail reception, dinner, live entertainment, dancing, and so much more. All while raising critical funds to support our borough's small businesses, economic recovery and development.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Business to Business - Financial Education & Networking September 14 from 6:00pm-8:00pm The Living Room 2883 Dill Place Bronx, NY Join the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and Councilmember Marjorie Velazquez for an evening of business to business networking and financial education in the Throggs Neck section of Council District 13. Reserve Your Spot

2023 Gala - The Bronx is Building September 21 from 6:30pm - 10:30pm Marina Del Rey 1 Marina Drive Bronx, NY Join The Bronx Chamber of Commerce for our flagship event of the year the 2023 Gala! Join over 600 attendees for an evening of entertainment, great food, dancing, and networking. Reserve Your Spot

Business to Business Networking - City Island October 26 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm Scavellos of City Island 101 City Island Avenue Bronx, NY Join the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and Councilmember Marjorie Velazquez for an evening of business to business networking and coalition building in the City Island section of Council District 13. Reserve Your Spot

For the complete Bronx Chamber Events Calendar, featuring educational workshops, networking events and other opportunities hosted by the Chamber, its members, & partners, please visit and bookmark our website events calendar link in your browser - new events are added weekly!