‘I Will Never Stop Fighting’, Says Jerry Nadler

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY – Congressman Jerry Nadler has repped Manhattan in the House of Representatives for more than thirty years. A longtime West Sider, Nadler’s district – New York’s 12th – has included the Upper East Side and the entirety of Midtown since 2022.

This year, Nadler faces Republican challenger Mike Zumbluskas.

Patch presented both candidates with the following questions. Nadler’s responses are below. They have been lightly edited for clarity.

What are the three most important issues facing the district, and how will you address them in Congress?

In a moment with so much at stake in Washington, I will never stop fighting for the priorities and causes that I’ve long championed and that drive Manhattan Democrats, from women’s rights and abortion rights, to commonsense gun safety, to civil liberties and full equality for the LGBTQIA+ community, to the urgent fight to address climate change.

As Ranking Democrat and former Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, I’ve been on the front lines of the most important battles at a moment when so much is at stake in Washington.

Whether it’s passing the most sweeping gun violence prevention measures in decades to keep us safe, championing abortion rights and marriage equality, or speaking out forcefully against the rise in antisemitic hate, I’ve been there leading the charge. And I pledge to continue to be a powerful voice for New Yorkers, whether it’s protecting 9/11 survivors and first responders [or] delivering federal funds to help keep our neighborhoods safe.

After an unprecedented surge of immigrants at the southern border in recent years, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is reportedly on track to record the lowest number of annual apprehensions along the southwestern border since 2020. That said, over 200,000 migrants have arrived in New York City in the past few years. What federal actions do you believe are necessary to ensure sustainable support for incoming migrants and the city’s budget?

As Judiciary Chair, I worked to create a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers, introduced legislation to overturn Trump’s hateful, racist Muslim Ban, and secured key funding in President Biden’s Build Back Better framework for priorities crucial to immigrants, including resources that would unclog the green card backlog.

Like most Americans, I am a descendant of immigrants: this issue is personal to me. When the news broke about Trump’s abhorrent family separation policy, I put my body in harm’s way while visiting an ICE facility – I literally placed my own foot in a door so that ICE officers could not hide their actions from the world – in an effort to reunite separated families.

I am committed to fighting for comprehensive immigration reform and equally committed to protecting immigrants from Republicans and their hateful, divisive rhetoric.

Is congestion pricing the best way to fund the MTA and reduce traffic? If not, what's your alternative?

The facts about Congestion Pricing are clear: 85% of commuters use transit to travel to the CBD, while only 8% of commuters from New Jersey and 3% of New Yorkers drive in. Over 1.3 million people rely on transit daily to enter the CBD for work, compared to 143,000 drivers. It’s evident that congestion pricing will significantly benefit the vast majority of commuters who rely on the MTA, rather than a small, vocal minority of drivers who don’t qualify for exemptions or discounts.

While the historic Biden-Harris Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will greatly rebuild and enhance our transit system [by] tackling urgent maintenance requirements, installing a modern signaling system, and bringing more stations into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and while the federal funding is vital, it is not enough.

We must have congestion pricing to move our city and region forward. After years of delays, we need congestion pricing now more than ever to reduce paralyzing vehicle traffic in the CBD, improve air quality in our city and region, and raise desperately needed funds for the MTA’s capital plan to enhance the public transit system that millions depend on. Without congestion pricing, the MTA will be forced to make systemwide cuts, including $10 billion in critical subway and bus projects in New York City, $800 million in critical cuts to Metro-North, and nearly $1 billion in cuts to the Long Island Railroad.

It is important to note that congestion pricing distributes the cost of these upgrades among all those traveling into the CBD. Any alternative revenue stream would place the financial burden directly on New York City’s economy.

When was the last time you took a bus or subway? Where did you go?

I just took the subway the other day from a meeting in Lower Manhattan to speak at the MTA’s open house on the Capital Plan at Grand Central Terminal. There is no faster way to get around the city than by the subway.

Recently released FBI data shows that crime is falling nationally, and crime also remains statistically low in New York City. Nevertheless, many New Yorkers say they feel unsafe in the city, concerns reflected in recent national polling. Why do you think that is, and what specific policy actions do you support to address their concerns?

For too long, Congress has ignored the epidemic of gun violence that plagues this country. We must pass sensible gun safety legislation that protects New Yorkers and addresses the iron pipeline that floods our streets with illegal guns from states with less strict gun laws.

New York City is historically unaffordable. Are there any federal actions you’d support to address this affordability crisis, and do you support the spirit of Mayor Adam's "City of Yes" proposal?

I am [a] longtime advocate for affordable housing, from my time in the New York State Assembly.

In Congress, I have fought to protect and enhance federal funding for affordable housing and public housing. Today, our city is facing an unprecedented housing crisis and we must do everything we can to increase the overall housing supply – and the “City of Yes” proposal is an important proposal that must be carefully considered to increase our housing supply. But it must be done in a manner that is appropriate and contextual, and carefully crafted to the different neighborhoods of our city.

Eviction proceedings brought by private managers running New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments have reportedly outpaced the number of evictions filed against residents of developments still run by the housing authority. Approximately 1 in 17 New Yorkers is a resident of NYCHA. What specific measures would you support to protect NYCHA residents from increased eviction rates and ensure fair treatment by private management companies?

Public housing in New York City and across the nation is in a crisis and it is far past time for the federal government to step up to the plate. Tenants in NYCHA face immoral conditions – collapsing ceilings, years-long leaks, and broken elevators – that would have resulted in any private landlord having their property seized. After years of disinvestment, public housing authorities nationwide are facing the terrible choice of either selling people's homes and getting out of the housing business, or standing by as the harm continues to mount to our communities because they do not have the funding necessary to maintain these buildings. This is why I support and have sponsored legislation that invests $70 billion in federal funds into the Public Housing Capital Fund at HUD to save NYCHA and public housing across the country. This will enable NYCHA to make repairs and allow our public housing residents to thrive.

New York State – and City – are weighing prohibitions on cell phone use in schools. Do you support banning cell phone use in schools?

Many experts agree about the potential harmful effects of social media and other online platforms on youth mental health. And it is obvious that smartphones should not be used in the classroom. But this is an issue that has no easy solutions.

Many parents rightfully believe that having a cell phone is [an] important connection to their kids in case of emergency. How best to proceed and balance all of these concerns warrants further discussion by City and State legislators.

What’s the latest on the helicopters that have been terrorizing Manhattan residents for years? Will it ever end?

The swarm of nonessential helicopters that fill New York’s airspace doesn’t just produce noxious noise and environmental pollution – they put New Yorkers lives in danger. With 30 fatal helicopter crashes since 1982 resulting in 25 fatalities, it’s clear that New York’s crowded skies are placing both those in the air and on the ground at risk. It is why I have introduced a number of different bills to deal with this problem, from the Improving Helicopter Safety Act, which would ban non-essential helicopters from using New York City airspace, to the Protecting Communities from Helicopter Noise Act. This bill would direct the FAA to study helicopter noise within a 15-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and examine potential solutions for diverting helicopters away from residential and recreational areas.

New Yorkers for too long have been burdened with the costs of these packed skies every day. My constituents, from the East Side to the West Side, are forced to endure helicopter noise that drowns out Shakespeare performances in the park and pollution that makes it difficult to breathe.

For years, we have called on the FAA to impose additional regulations – they have failed to act to protect New Yorkers [and] that’s why it’s up to Congress to take action. We must prioritize residents over tourists and put an end to these noisy and dangerously low flights over New York City.

Some New Yorkers feel that the federal charges against Mayor Eric Adams involve what is more or less business as usual in the city. What are the implications of these charges for public trust in local leadership, and how can Congress work to promote greater transparency and accountability in government at all levels, and particularly in New York City?

My belief is that the Mayor has lost the ability to effectively lead the City of New York, and therefore, he must resign. I have long been a defender of civil rights and civil liberties, and I strongly believe that every individual, no matter who they are, is guaranteed due process under the law and the Mayor should be treated as presumed innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately, with the investigations and charges against the Mayor, he has lost the ability to govern New York City. We need a mayor who is fully focused on delivering for the millions of residents who call New York City home.

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