On May 22, Congressman Mike Lawler welcomed President Donald J. Trump to Rockland County, where the President delivered remarks at Rockland Community College’s Eugene Levy Fieldhouse focused on affordability, tax relief, and strengthening opportunities for working families across New York’s Hudson Valley.
The event marked the first public visit by a sitting President to Rockland County in nearly 50 years.
“It was an honor to welcome President Trump to the Hudson Valley today. If you want to get things done, you have to be in the arena. You have to have a seat at the table and fight for your community. That’s exactly how I approached the fight for Hudson Valley families. I made a promise that I would not support a tax package that left New Yorkers behind, and I fought every step of the way to deliver real relief. Together, we secured the largest tax cut in the package and put thousands of dollars back into the pockets of hardworking families,” said Congressman Lawler.
During the event, President Trump recognized Congressman Lawler’s leadership in expanding the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap as part of last year’s tax package. Lawler led the effort to quadruple the cap from $10,000 to $40,000, delivering significant relief for middle-class families, homeowners, seniors, and small businesses across New York’s 17th District.
“From SALT to tens of millions in community projects funding for law enforcement, clean drinking water, infrastructure, and healthcare. To passing dozens of bills and having the best constituent services in the country. We are getting things done for Rockland County and the Hudson Valley. And the best is yet to come,” said Congressman Lawler.
President Trump announced that Welles Crowther, the Nyack native remembered for his extraordinary courage and sacrifice on September 11, 2001, will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Crowther became known as “The Man in the Red Bandana” after helping save numerous lives inside the South Tower of the World Trade Center before ultimately sacrificing his own.
“As we are approaching the 25th anniversary of September 11th, 2001, a dark day that will live in infamy, we are posthumously awarding Welles the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest award, outside of the Congressional Medal of Honor. I want to congratulate his great mother on doing a phenomenal job in raising that young man. Boy, what bravery. He saved those people and became a legend… doing what no one else would have done, what he did… Right here from Rockland, they grow ‘em heroic, don’t they? We know that,” said President Trump.
The family of Sheridan Gorman, who was tragically gunned down and murdered by an illegal immigrant in Chicago earlier this year, was also recognized at the event. Sheridan was a beloved member of the Yorktown community whose kindness, leadership, and compassion left a lasting impact on everyone who knew her.
“No mother should ever have to wonder if her child called out for her in her final moments. No mother should ever have to imagine her baby lying alone and bleeding on the cold pavement. And, no family should ever have to bury a child because public officials failed to put innocent American lives first,” said Jessica Gorman, mother of Sheridan Gorman.
“This is what failed policies have done to our family. We did not just lose Sheridan; we lost our peace, we lost our future, we lost the life that we knew. And no family should have to become experts in immigration failures, release policies, warrants, sanctuary laws, and enforcement breakdowns because their daughter was killed by someone who should not have been here,” said Thomas Gorman, father of Sheridan Gorman.
Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.