Elise Stefanik speaks at Thursday's Massena Chamber of Commerce annual dinner. NorthCountryNow.com photo by Andy Gardner.

By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- Making her first public appearance in Massena since November’s elections, Rep. Elise Stefanik spoke to a room of nearly 200 people at the Greater Massena Chamber of Commerce annual dinner on Thursday, which also included several local representatives and scores of area businesspeople.

Stefanik, a Republican, vowed to fight for the future of Alcoa, which last year closed one of its two Massena plans and announced earlier this year that more plants would close.

“I will fight to make sure Alcoa’s future here is strong and protected,” she said.

In addition to that, she says she is hopeful Congress will pass a bill to give rural broadband access nationwide.

“We need to bring and expand access to rural broadband,” she said.

Stefanik highlighted a newly approved pre-clearance agreement between the U.S. and Canada, which she said will aid international trade in northern border communities.

She says she wants to launch a mobile district office by the end of spring which would traverse the 21st Congressional District year-round.

She also spoke highly of the chamber and others throughout the country.

“Chambers of commerce are important and lifeblood to the economy,” she said.