In Brief – Hudson Valley Representative Antonio Delgado was honored Tuesday for working with Republicans as one of the most bipartisan members of Congress.

Delgado and 19 other representatives were awarded the Jefferson-Hamilton Award for Bipartisanship by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The accolade recognizes representatives who reach across the aisle, with the honor going to those who co-sponsor the most bills introduced by the opposing party.

The freshman democrat represents the northern half of the Hudson Valley and the Catskills, a purple district led by Republicans until Delgado’s election during the “blue wave” of 2018. He has since worked with both democrats and republicans on apolitical issues such as broadband connectivity and veterans’ services.

“As our small businesses manage through a deeply difficult time during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever that our elected officials seek common ground and work on a bipartisan basis to support the engines of our local economies,” Delgado said after receiving the award. “…I will continue to do all I can to take a solutions-oriented approach grounded in building consensus across party lines.”

As well as co-sponsoring legislation introduced by Republicans, Delgado has penned bills that have garnered support from both parties. These include the Stamp Out Lyme Disease Act and the End the Limo Loophole Act, introduced by Delgado after the 2018 crash of a stretch limousine in Schoharie County that killed all 18 people in the limo and two pedestrians.

He also introduced the Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019, which eases the process of small and mid-sized farms reorganizing their debt through Chapter 12 bankruptcy rules. The bill was signed into law by President Trump on August 23 of last year.

Five of New York’s 23 representatives were given the award, more than any other state. They include Republican Elise Stefanik, who represents the North County, and Democrat Anthony Brindisi, who represents parts of central New York and the Southern Tier.