NYC Gazette

Rep. Ritchie Torres, a member of the U.S. Congress representing New York's 15th district, has recently shared his views on various issues through social media posts. His statements touch upon educational policy, government transparency, and national security concerns.

On December 11, 2024, Rep. Torres addressed the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP), urging them to cease politicizing the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) and instead focus on systemic improvements across more than 1,500 schools under their oversight. He emphasized the need to move away from an "outsized obsession with eight of" these institutions. "I have a simple message for the Panel for Educational Policy: Stop politicizing the SHSAT, stop polarizing the People of New York, and start focusing on fundamentally improving the system as a whole."

The following day, December 12, 2024, he called for enhanced transparency in government contracting processes by advocating for a fully empowered comptroller to combat corruption. In his message directed at Governor Kathy Hochul, he stated that only "radical transparency would restore public confidence in the integrity of her administration." "A fully empowered comptroller is critical in combating corruption in contracting."

Later that same day, Rep. Torres highlighted efforts by himself and colleagues on the China Select Committee regarding U.S. dependency on critical minerals sourced from China. After months of evaluation and solution development concerning reliance on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), they released their final report outlining these findings and recommendations. "A collection of my colleagues and I on the China Select Committee have spent months evaluating the United States’ deep reliance on the CCP for critical minerals and developing solutions."