After New York City\u2019s new mayor was inaugurated on January 1, should federal funds still go to the Big Apple?<\/p>\n
What the bill does<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>The MAMDANI Act<\/a> would ban federal funds from New York City while newly elected Zohran Mamdani is mayor.<\/p>\n The bill\u2019s acronym, MAMDANI, stands for Moving American Money Distant from Anti-National Interests.<\/p>\n Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA1)<\/a> introduced a House version on November 7, three days after<\/a> Mamdani won the general election on November 4.<\/p>\n Notably, the bill only appears to apply to Mamdani himself \u2013 not even a potential mayor who would share similar beliefs. If Mamdani were ever to resign or take another political position, his spot would be filled by the city\u2019s Public Advocate<\/a>: currently Jumaane Williams<\/a>, who himself endorsed Mamdani<\/a>.<\/p>\n Context: Who is Mamdani?<\/strong><\/p>\n In June 2025, Mamdani shocked the political establishment by winning New York City\u2019s Democratic mayoral primary<\/a>. The 34-year-old defeated former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, a more centrist moderate candidate who was projected to win.<\/p>\n Mamdani began his campaign with far less name recognition, as a representative in New York\u2019s State Assembly, representing a part of the borough Queens. But almost overnight, Mamdani became \u201cone of the five most recognizable names in the party,\u201d<\/a> according to political analyst Nate Silver. For example, Mamdani now has 11 million Instagram followers<\/a>, compared to Cuomo with less than 1 million<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mamdani has proven controversial, for multiple reasons. Here are five:<\/p>\n Mamdani proved controversial even within his own party. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is also a Democrat from New York, but wouldn\u2019t endorse Mamdani for the general election<\/a>.<\/p>\n What supporters say<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>Supporters of the MAMDANI Act argue that cities and states, which are supposedly better-run than New York City, shouldn\u2019t bail it out or financially support policies they oppose.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the United States of America, a nation built on freedom, taxpayer dollars should not be used to fund communism and antisemitism,\u201d Rep. Carter said in a press release<\/a>. \u201cGeorgians want nothing to do with Mamdani\u2019s radical beliefs, and their hard-earned money should not be wasted on programs that will bankrupt the financial capital of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAny New Yorker with common sense is welcome to move to the great, FREE state of Georgia.\u201d<\/p>\n What opponents say<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>Mamdani disputes characterizations of himself as either an antisemite or a communist.<\/p>\n \u201cAs mayor, I will always stand steadfast with our Jewish neighbors to root the scourge of antisemitism out of our city,\u201d he posted on X (formerly Twitter)<\/a>. Also: \u201cNo, I am not,\u201d he responded<\/a> when asked by Kristen Welker on NBC\u2019s Meet the Press if he was a communist.<\/p>\n Communism is a political system, while socialism is an economic system. Though the two have often been incorporated together in world history, most famously in the Soviet Union during the Cold War, they don\u2019t necessarily have to be. Mamdani calls himself a \u201cdemocratic socialist\u201d to clarify that he prefers socialism as an economic system but democracy as a political system.<\/p>\n What has Trump said?<\/strong><\/p>\n The day before November\u2019s election, President Donald Trump suggested that he might withhold federal money from New York City unilaterally from the White House.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is highly unlikely that I will be contributing federal funds, other than the very minimum as required,\u201d Trump posted on Truth Social<\/a>. \u201cIt can only get worse with a communist at the helm, and I don\u2019t want to send, as president, good money after bad. It is my obligation to run the nation, and it is my strong conviction that New York City will be a complete and total economic and social disaster should Mamdani win.”<\/p>\n Mamdani responded that he didn\u2019t take the ultimatum seriously.<\/p>\n \u201cI will address that threat for what it is: it is a threat. It is not the law,\u201d Mamdani said the day before his election<\/a>. \u201cToo often, we treat everything that comes out of Donald Trump\u2019s mouth as if it is already legal, just by virtue of who is saying it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis funding is not something that Donald Trump is giving us here in New York City,\u201d Mamdani continued. \u201cThis is something that we are, in fact, owed in New York.\u201d<\/p>\n A few weeks after the election, Trump and Mamdani met for the first time at the White House<\/a>, in a meeting described as \u201csurprisingly cordial,\u201d<\/a> with Trump adding, \u201cI\u2019ll be cheering for him.\u201d<\/p>\n What happens now<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>The bill has not yet attracted any cosponsors<\/a>, not even any fellow Republicans.<\/p>\n It awaits a potential vote in either the House Appropriations or Oversight and Government Reform Committees.<\/p>\n Similar legislation<\/strong><\/p>\n At least three similar pieces of legislation have been introduced by congressional Republicans in response to Mamdani.<\/p>\n A different MAMDANI Act<\/strong><\/p>\n Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY17)<\/a> introduced an unrelated bill also called the MAMDANI Act<\/a> in July.<\/p>\n Though it wouldn\u2019t actually change public policy, it would require the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) to conduct a study on government-owned grocery stores. Mamdani wants to create a pilot program, establishing five such taxpayer-funded grocery stores, one in each New York City borough<\/a>.<\/p>\n The acronym MAMDANI in this bill stands for Measuring Adverse Market Disruption And National Impact.<\/strong><\/p>\n The bill\u2019s supporters argue that Mamdani\u2019s plan would establish too much government control and potentially raise prices.<\/p>\n \u201cGovernment-run grocery stores raise serious questions about market fairness and taxpayer accountability,\u201d Rep. Lawler said in a press release<\/a>. \u201cThe [bill] ensures we carefully assess the potential impacts of such proposals before public funds are committed, or they risk undermining local businesses and disrupting supply chains, ultimately leaving consumers worse off.\u201d<\/p>\n Opponents counter: the plan is \u201ca public option for produce, an understanding that for far too many New Yorkers, groceries are out of reach, and the importance in city government of reasonable policy experimentation,” Mamdani said<\/a>.<\/p>\n The bill has attracted one cosponsor,<\/a> fellow New York Republican Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY2)<\/a>. It awaits a potential vote in the House Judiciary Committee.<\/p>\n Sovereign Enforcement Integrity Act<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n The Sovereign Enforcement Integrity Act would ban Mamdani from ordering Netanyahu\u2019s arrest if the Israeli leader comes to New York City.<\/p>\n Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY21)<\/a> introduced the House version<\/a> on September 16. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL)<\/a> introduced the Senate version<\/a> two weeks later, on September 29.<\/p>\n Technically, the legislation would ban any government or law enforcement officer working for a state, territory, or municipality \u2013 such as a mayor or a police officer working for a mayor \u2013 from arresting anyone based on an ICC (International Criminal Court) warrant. The ICC issued such an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024<\/a>, contending his government committed war crimes during its invasion of Gaza.<\/p>\n The bill\u2019s supporters argue the U.S. shouldn\u2019t carry out arrests on behalf of an international institution for which they\u2019re not even a member.<\/p>\n \u201cThe United States is not part of the International Criminal Court,” Rep. Stefanik said in a press release<\/a>. “That is why I introduced the [bill] to protect American sovereignty and prohibit radicals like Mamdani from illegally arresting the leader of our democratic ally Israel.”<\/p>\n Opponents counter that if Trump won\u2019t arrest Netanyahu, then Mamdani should.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is my desire to ensure that this be a city that stands up for international law,\u201d Mamdani told the New York Times<\/a>. \u201cThis is a moment where we cannot look to the federal government for leadership. This is a moment when cities and states will have to demonstrate what it actually looks like to stand up for our own values, our own people.\u201d<\/p>\n The legislation has attracted two House cosponsors<\/a>, one Republican and one Democratic: Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY17)<\/a> and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ5)<\/a>. However, no Senate cosponsors<\/a> have yet signed on.<\/p>\n It awaits a potential vote in either the House or Senate Judiciary Committees.<\/p>\n A resolution about socialism<\/strong><\/p>\n In November, the House voted 285-98<\/a> on a symbolic concurrent resolution from Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL27)<\/a> to \u201cdenounce the horrors of socialism.\u201d 86 Democrats voted in favor, while no Republicans opposed it.<\/p>\n While the concurrent resolution was ostensibly about socialism in general, the House vote was intentionally scheduled the same day as Trump\u2019s meeting with Mamdani<\/a>.<\/p>\n The resolution\u2019s supporters argue that socialism has produced terrible results, in both the past and present.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has never delivered justice or equality, only fear, censorship, poverty, and broken nations. I represent thousands of families who fled their homelands because socialist regimes promised paradise and delivered prisons,\u201d Rep. Salazar said in a press release<\/a>. \u201cToday, the House is making it clear: we will not allow socialism\u2019s failed ideology to take root in the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n Opponents counter that the resolution is a scare tactic to demonize some of America\u2019s most popular and successful institutions and policies.<\/p>\n \u201cThis very resolution goes further by using the specter of socialism to undermine some of the most important government programs in our country like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare,\u201d Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA43)<\/a> said in a House floor speech<\/a>. \u201cThese are programs that help everyday Americans put food on their plate and care for their children.\u201d<\/p>\n Jesse Rifkin<\/strong> is a freelance journalist with The Fulcrum. Don\u2019t miss his report, Congress Bill Spotlight, on The Fulcrum. Rifkin\u2019s writings about politics and Congress have been published in the Washington Post, Politico, Roll Call, Los Angeles Times, CNN Opinion, GovTrack, and USA Today.<\/p>\n SUGGESTIONS:<\/p>\n Congress Votes With Only One House or Senate Dissenter, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Vice President J.D. Vance\u2019s Tiebreaking Senate Votes, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Congress Bill Spotlight: $2.50 for America\u2019s 250th Act<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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