Assemblyman Scott Gray (R-Watertown) sat down with Assembly Radio-TV Producer Ted Flint for this month’s Assembly Update, where he tackled pressing issues affecting the North Country. From a multi-billion-dollar trade relationship with Canada and new border security measures to the critical need for federal representation in the 21st Congressional District, Gray broke down what these developments mean for North Country residents.

Gray highlighted a major trade and border security agreement between the U.S. and Canada, a crucial development for both national security and economic stability. He detailed Canada’s $1.3 billion investment in border security, which includes deploying drones, Black Hawk helicopters and strike teams to combat illegal crossings, drug trafficking and human smuggling. With Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties exporting more than $300 million in goods and services to Canada annually, Gray stressed the importance of balancing security with economic interests.

He also addressed the upcoming special election for New York’s 21st Congressional District, pushing back against efforts to delay it. He emphasized the urgent need for federal representation, particularly for Fort Drum—the state’s largest single-site employer, with a $2 billion economic impact. Gray dismissed the cost-saving justification as a ‘straw man,’ arguing that with a record-high $252 billion state budget proposal this year, delaying the election over costs is indefensible.