Every year, Chuck commits to traveling to all62 counties in New York to meet with constituents.
Standing at Thousand Islands Winery in Jefferson County on March 21,2019, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer launched a major push to level the playing field for North Country wine producers, who are currently operating at a competitive disadvantage due to restrictive Canadian wine taxation policies. Specifically, as the Congress will soon review the renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Schumer called on United States Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer to seek commitments that would eliminate these unfair wine trade barriers with Ontario, Canada, and provide a significant boost to North Country wineries like Thousand Islands Winery. Schumer explained that the North Country is home to a burgeoning wine industry – thanks to top-notch producers on the popular Thousand Islands Seaway Wine Trail – that is significantly constricted by these unfair trade practices that tax Canadians up to 130% on wines purchased in New York for personal use.