Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who represents New York’s 7th district in the U.S. Congress, posted a series of statements on August 1, 2025, addressing health care cuts, economic policy under the Trump administration, and federal innovation funding for U.S. territories.
In her first post at 17:38 UTC, Velázquez criticized former President Donald Trump’s approach to Medicaid and its impact on hospitals and communities. She wrote, “Trump promised not to touch Medicaid. He lied. Now our hospitals and our communities are bracing for the biggest health care cuts in US history. I gathered frontline workers and patients at Wyckoff to say: we won’t go down without a fight.”
Later that day at 19:03 UTC, Velázquez commented on actions taken within the Trump administration regarding the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). She stated, “Telling the truth seems to be the only fireable offense in the Trump administration. Firing the BLS Commissioner won’t cover up the wreckage Trump’s economic agenda is leaving behind. It just deepens the public’s mistrust in the economy and the numbers we rely on.”
At 20:50 UTC, Velázquez discussed efforts to increase federal innovation funding equity for Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories. She wrote, “I led a letter with Reps. Hernández and McCollum urging the U.S. Air Force to expand SBIR/STTR innovation grants to small businesses and universities in Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories. It’s time for equity in federal innovation funding. The territories must be included.”
Velázquez has served as a member of Congress since 1993 after succeeding Stephen Solarz as representative for New York’s 7th district.1 Born in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico in 1953 and currently residing in Brooklyn,3 she graduated from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras with a BA in 1974.4
