As of today, I'll be informing leadership that I'm putting a hold on any en bloc nominations until I get a response. And in two weeks, if I don't get a response, I'm going to deny quorum and mark up in as many committees as I can until I get a response.
The city passed legislation nearly 18 months ago requiring property owners to retrofit their multi-story, wooden-frame buildings with at least three units constructed before 1990. It delayed implementation, however, when the federal government rolled back significant funding to facilitate the repairs. But after a court-granted injunction required the release of some of those federal funds, the city approved a $1.6 million pilot financing program in hopes of rolling out a larger critical life-safety initiative in the future.
On September 11, 2001, blocks away from this courthouse, nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in a devastating terrorist attack that destroyed the World Trade Center. In the decades since, New York City has remained a prime target for terrorist attacks, Kaplan wrote. Among the City's foremost targets are its bridges, tunnels, and subway and commuter rail systems. The subways alone have been the subject of at least eight terrorist plots since.