BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week

CANTON – The North Country’s congressional representative told the Board of Legislators that she wants to see the federal legislature’s priorities for this year include vaccine funding and distribution, and reopening the border Canadian border.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, briefly addressed the St. Lawrence County legislature during their Monday, Feb. 1 meeting.

A co-chair of the Northern Border Caucus, Stefanik said she wants to “avoid these 30-day arbitrary extensions” of the closure that have been continuously renewed since March of last year.

She said that plan should include “prioritizing vaccination distribution to our CBP (Customs and Border Protection) officers.”

Stefanik also said using federal funding for more COVID-19 vaccines continues to be a top concern that we hear from constituents.”

“We need to work with the state government ... to improve vaccine distribution,” Stefanik said.

She also praised the area’s hospitals, saying they’re doing “a really great job serving the community under the circumstances.”

There is also a new COVID-19 stimulus package in the works, but it’s “just an outline at this point.”

She said it includes “very concerning partisan provisions” of increasing the minimum wage and “stimulus payments for illegal immigrants,” but she didn’t go into any details.

Stefanik also said many businesses who benefitted from the Paycheck Protection Program may be eligible for more funding.

She said there are requirements, and her office is there for constituents “to provide additional support and answer questions” about the program.