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NEW YORK, NY — Harlem's representative in Washington, D.C. is demanding that the stimulus bill currently being debated in Congress include federal aid for public transit agencies around the country such as New York City's Metropolitan Transit Authority. Adriano Espaillat wrote a letter to congressional leaders of both parties including Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Chairman Kevin McCarthy on Sunday urging the lawmakers to "consider critical support for public transit agencies and include provisions that will allow them to return to normal operations while continuing their important, stimulating capital projects." The Harlem representative, a Democrat first elected in 2016, wrote that public transit agencies around the country are facing "immediate, enormous funding gaps due to sharp declines in ridership." In some cities, public transit ridership has plummeted as much as 90% as people are being told to stay at home.

High school students from Upper Manhattan's Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood are being encouraged by their local representative in Congress to apply for a national arts competition. High school artists who submit winning works to the annual Congressional Institute competition have the chance to see their works displayed for a year in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C., Congressman Adriano Espaillat said in a press release."High school students from my district are encouraged to submit entries to my office, and a panel of district artists will select the winning entries. Once selected, winners will be recognized both in my district and during an annual awards ceremony in Washington D.C.," Espaillat said in a statement.