Long Island's 4 House members spent nearly $1 million in federal money to reach constituents

WASHINGTON — Long Island’s four U.S. House members have spent nearly $1 million combined since the January 2025 start of this congressional session on taxpayer-funded mass communications to constituents.

More than $405,000 worth of this messaging occurred in the first three months of 2026, and it continues to gain steam this election year, the latest congressional filings show.

Over 100 such communications have been sent so far, including a New Year’s greeting-style postcard to constituents from Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi featuring a photo of him with GOP Speaker Mike Johnson and a promise to continue working across the political aisle.

Fellow Democratic Rep. Laura Gillen sent out a text message that she will "keep fighting" the Metropolitan Transportation Authority until Long Island Rail Road fares are reduced, and another asking how well President Donald Trump is doing his job. Republican Rep. Nick LaLota used his so-called franking privilege for a YouTube commercial in January with him talking about "the middle-class tax cuts I helped pass in Washington."

Often seen by critics as a big incumbent advantage, lawmakers justify the use of taxpayer dollars for these communications on the premise that it allows lawmakers to keep their constituents informed and updated on policy issues and what Congress is doing.

Political watchdog groups are skeptical. "A noble premise, indeed, but far from reality," said Craig Holman, a legislative representative for Public Citizen, a nonpartisan group that emphasizes government accountability. "The franking privilege is so widely abused as taxpayer funded campaign advertising for incumbents that it should be eliminated altogether."

The privilege, first authorized by the Continental Congress in 1775 and formalized in 1789, has always been a primary tool for congressional communication with constituents.

But it has evolved from simple mailers like form letters, leaflets, flyers and brochures to include texts, robocalls and ads — such as on the radio, YouTube, Facebook and X — and even use of streaming sites, often for a lower cost.

A special House commission pre-screens the communications to prevent solicitations of votes, donations or a focus on political parties or partisan campaigns. But in a recognition of potential unfair impacts, Congress itself imposes a 60-day blackout on sending out taxpayer-funded communications ahead of elections — meaning lawmakers must halt their use by early September ahead of this year’s Nov. 3 balloting.

It’s up to individual lawmakers to decide the topics and how much they want to spend on these communications from the taxpayer-funded budget they receive to run their offices.

There are no official rankings of where individual House members on Long Island or elsewhere stand among their 434 colleagues in the total number of franking materials or costs.

But the Long Island members have not been shy. They spent $909,958 on 110 such communications during the first 15 months of this congressional session, the latest disclosure filings through March 31 show.

Annelise Russell, an associate professor at the University of Kentucky’s Martin School of Public Policy, co-authored a study last year on patterns and usage of franked communications by House members from 2018 to 2024. She suggested some of the Island’s per-member totals could reach $300,000 for this two-year session.

Figures from the April 2025 paper published by Legislative Studies Quarterly showed that lawmakers during the 115th Congress, which covered 2017 and 2018, sought approval for fewer than 3,000 communications. But by the 118th Congress, 2023 and 2024, there were more than 24,000 submissions for franking approvals.

Still, Russell defended the practice. "Many have said it is an electoral handout," she said. "But I think anything that puts members in conversation with constituents is a good thing — even if members are figuring out ways to use this to their electoral advantage."

Here’s how Long Island’s four U.S. House members have been using some of these taxpayer-provided communications:

Rep. Tom Suozzi 

Among Suozzi’s franked communications is the glossy postcard-type note to constituents that features a photo of himself and family members with Johnson (R-La.), imagery that dovetails with his reelection messaging that he will work across the political aisle.

House records show Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) has spent $241,530 on that and other franking — $83,228 since January. 

Suozzi sought and received the required pre-approval for 12 separate constituent communications in 2025 from the self-regulating U.S. House franking commission, and another 16 communications so far in 2026 — adding up to 28.

Suozzi "is committed to keeping constituents informed about his work on their behalf in Washington while continually checking in with them to hear their concerns, priorities and ideas so he can better represent them in Congress," Suozzi spokesperson Lily Cohen said.

Rep. Andrew Garbarino 

Garbarino’s taxpayer-funded mailings, digital ads and other communications include a postcard-like message dated from May with mocked-up headlines of actual news reports from Newsday and other outlets reminding how he fought to get Long Island hospitals more than $2 billion in tardy COVID-19 reimbursements. Other communications include a "Stands With Israel" ad.

House records show Garbarino (R-Bayport) spent has spent $246,515 on such taxpayer funded communications — $104,590 since January.

Overall, he’s submitted 17 franking communications for content approval in 2025 and another 23 in 2026 — a total of 40.

"Keeping the people I represent informed is one of the most important parts of this job," Garbarino said in a statement. "Franked communications are a longstanding, highly regulated tool that allows members of Congress to provide updates on legislation and issues that directly affect our communities."

Garbarino added that House rules prohibit campaign or political content. "I believe Long Islanders deserve to know what their elected representative is doing on their behalf in Washington," he said, "and I'll continue using every appropriate tool to keep them informed."

Rep. Nick LaLota 

LaLota (R-Amityville) used taxpayer funds toward his January YouTube ad, in which he says paying taxes on Long Island "can feel like getting a root canal. ... But this tax season, it hurts a lot less — because of the middle-class tax cuts I helped pass in Washington."

In other franked messaging, LaLota has described how he’s delivered federal money for local needs, defended his views on wind energy and mentioned he’s seen as a leading congressional "centrist."

House records show LaLota has spent $140,699 on franking communications so far this two-year session. He sent out no such taxpayer-funded communications in 2025, then sought approval for the YouTube ad and six other communications through May 31, for a total of seven.

"As my wonderful wife rightly says, communication is the key to a good relationship," LaLota said, defending the use of such communications. "I owe my constituents the same openness, and franking is a carefully regulated tool that helps me keep them informed."

Rep. Laura Gillen 

Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) has used the congressional franking privilege for YouTube ads, standard outreach letters, robocalls promoting events and text messages. Those included texting constituents how she will "keep fighting" hikes to LIRR fares and asking them whether they approve of how Trump is handling his job.

Through March 31, Gillen’s franking costs — totaling $281,214 — are the highest of the four Long Islanders in the House this session.

House records show $77,468 of that amount is tied to communications since the start of 2026. Overall, she submitted 26 communications for approval in 2025, and another nine in 2026 so far, for a total of 35.

A statement from her office said Gillen, as Hempstead Town supervisor, "reined-in the outrageous use of taxpayer funds for campaign mailers with no governmental purpose."

Now, as a congresswoman, "she communicates with constituents about her work as their representative, the issues impacting their lives and how her office can continue to best serve their needs."