Congressman Mike Lawler, a Republican representing New York’s 17th congressional district, recently addressed healthcare policy and educational programs in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter).
On October 7, 2025, Lawler announced his support for extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. He stated, “I’m one of several Republicans who’ve signed onto legislation to extend the ACA subsidies for a year. Those subsidies were meant to be temporary, created during COVID when businesses were shut down and families lost coverage. The ACA has not done anything to make healthcare”. The post highlights Lawler’s position on maintaining temporary support measures originally introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Later that day, Lawler commented on the political process surrounding federal funding for healthcare. He wrote, “We don’t want people harmed by the phaseout, but holding up federal funding to score political points is not the answer.” This statement underscores his stance against using essential funding as leverage in political negotiations.
On October 8, 2025, Lawler shifted focus to education in New York State. He posted about Rockland BOCES, an educational cooperative serving school districts across New York: “Established in 1961, @rocklandboces is one of the 37 BOCES throughout New York supporting more than 700 public school districts from Long Island to Buffalo. Each day, Rockland BOCES delivers educational programs for students with exceptional needs, high school students”. Rockland BOCES is part of a statewide network that provides shared educational services and supports students with diverse needs.
The ACA subsidies referenced by Lawler were initially expanded as part of federal COVID-19 relief efforts to help individuals maintain health coverage during economic disruptions caused by the pandemic. These enhanced subsidies have been subject to ongoing legislative debate regarding their duration and long-term impact on healthcare affordability.
BOCES organizations like Rockland BOCES play a significant role in New York’s public education system by offering specialized programs and services that individual districts may not be able to provide independently.
