Press Releases
WITH COLLEGE COSTS SOARING, SCHUMER LAUNCHES PUSH TO INCREASE & EXPAND COLLEGE TUITION TAX CREDIT THAT PROVIDES MUCH-NEEDED RELIEF FOR UPSTATE NY MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES – NEW BILL WOULD MAKE MORE FAMILIES ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE TAX CREDIT & GROW SAVINGS TO UP TO $3K PER YEAR
Schumer-Authored Tax Credit Already Provides A Major Boost For Middle Class Families Across Upstate NY, But New Bill Would Grow Annual Savings to $3,000 Per Year & Extend Maximum Lifetime Credit to $15K - For Every $1 Spent on College Tuition, Families Could Get $1 Off On Taxes, Up To $3K A Year New Bill Would Also Make Families Earning Up to $200K Eligible; Current Credit Only Eligible For Families Making Less Than $180K - New York Families Save Over $1B Per Year With Tax Credit; New Versi… Continue Reading
02.24.15
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND, de BLASIO ANNOUNCE $116 MILLION IN FEDERAL SANDY RELIEF FUNDING FOR NYC’S RAPID REPAIRS PROGRAM
Immediately Following Sandy, NYC's Rapid Repairs Program Paid for Contractors to Help Sandy-Impacted Homeowners Make Emergency Repairs to Their Homes Before Permanent Repairs Could Take Place Schumer, Gillibrand, de Blasio Announce Millions in FEMA Funding to Reimburse the NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection Which Funded the Rapid Repairs Program U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced over $116 million in federal funding to reimburse… Continue Reading
02.24.15
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND, HIGGINS & COLLINS URGE AIR FORCE TO MAKE NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION HOST FOR NEW REFUEL TANKERS
Members of Congress Back Niagara Falls Air Force Reserve Station Candidacy to Host New KC-46A Tankers U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Representatives Brian Higgins and Chris Collins urged the Air Force to choose Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (NFARS) as a host station for the third main operating base (MOB 3) for the new KC-46A Pegasus tankers. The new tankers are used to refuel aircrafts and are vital to Air Force operations. Senators Schumer and Gillibrand … Continue Reading
02.24.15
SCHUMER CALLS ON USDA TO EXPEDITE REVIEW & APPROVAL OF NEW WYOMING COUNTY BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE CENTER THAT COULD BE MAJOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HUB FOR WARSAW AREA – USDA HAS YET TO SIGN OFF ON FINAL DESIGN PLANS & FED DELAY COULD THREATEN ENTIRE CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE; SCHUMER SAYS USDA SHOULD GET PROJECT UNDERWAY ASAP
Wyoming County Business and Agricultural Center is New Major Redevelopment Project That Can Be One-Stop-Shop For Region's Growing Dairy & Farming Industry - Project Will Renovate, Transform the 32,000 Square Foot Former Brown Knitting Company Textile Mill Site in Warsaw Into Leasable Space For Gov & Non-Profit Agencies Schumer Says Center Will Bring Agencies, Organizations Together to Share Local Resources, Promote Economic Opportunity & Development Within Dairy and Agriculture Indu… Continue Reading
02.24.15
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUCE NEARLY $700,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR NEW WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IN ORLEANS COUNTY
Improvements to Water Mains, Valves & Hydrants to Improve Water Quality U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $692,000 in funding for the Town of Barre in Orleans County to make new investments in local water infrastructure. The Town of Barre will receive a $384,000 loan, along with a grant of $308,000 to construct a new water main, valves and hydrants that will extend clean water access to residents on Eagle Harbor, Route 31A and Long Bridge roads who cur… Continue Reading
02.24.15
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES U.S. POSTAL SERVICE HAS HEEDED HIS CALL & AGREED TO UNDERTAKE REVIEW PROCESS THAT COULD GIVE HALFMOON ITS OWN ZIP CODE; TOWN IS CURRENTLY SPLIT AMONG FOUR DIFFERENT TOWNS’ ZIP CODES – REVIEW IS CRITICAL FIRST STEP TOWARD PREVENTING CONFUSION THAT HINDERS EMERGENCY RESPONSE & HURTS LOCAL BUSINESSES
Halfmoon Is One of the Fastest Growing Towns in Saratoga County, But Most of Its 22K Residents & Dozens of Businesses Are Divided Among 4 Zip Codes & Forced To List Their Addresses as Clifton Park, Waterford, Mechanicville or Round Lake; Only a Few Can List Halfmoon As Their Address Schumer Came to Halfmoon Last Week to Push For Town to Have its Own Zip Code, Which Would Provide Much-Needed Clarity & Put An End To Ambiguity - Many Businesses Want To Use Halfmoon As Their Address, … Continue Reading
02.23.15
WITH DEVASTATINGLY DANGEROUS HEROIN, LIKE ‘CHINA WHITE’, NOW BEING WIDELY PEDDLED IN NEW YORK & OVERDOSES RAPIDLY RISING, SCHUMER MOVES TO REVERSE PRESIDENT’S CUT IN CRITICAL DRUG TRAFFICKING PROGRAM; URGES SENATE TO REJECT PRESIDENT’S BUDGET REQUEST & RAISE HIDTA FUNDING BY $100M
NYC Has Become East Coast Hub for Heroin Trade & Branded Forms of Heroin, Like "China White," Are Being Found in NY-Metro Area; Heroin Laced With Potent Fentanyl is Already on NY Streets & Now Is Not the Time To Cut Back Federal Funding to Combat Heroin Trafficking & Abuse Schumer Opposes President Obama's Plan to Cut Funding for the Fed. High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program & Calls on Senate to Instead Boost HIDTA by $100M - HIDTA Provides Unique Intelligence, Surv… Continue Reading
02.23.15
SCHUMER: FORMERLY HOMELESS VETERANS AT LI’s LIBERTY VILLAGE ARE CAUGHT IN CATCH-22 THAT COULD MEAN LOSS OF LEGAL, JOB-TRAINING & OTHER CRITICAL SERVICES; URGES THE FEDERAL DEPT. OF HOUSING TO REVERSE DENIAL OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN RENTAL ASSISTANCE THAT LIBERTY VILLAGE NEEDS TO COVER COST OF RENT & SUPPORT SERVICES
Liberty Village's Housing Complex Provides Sixty Apartments to Previously Homeless LI Veterans & Their Families and Organization Needs Special Housing & Urban Development (HUD)Vouchers In Order to Fully Serve Veterans With Top-Rate Services & Coverage of Rent, Utility Costs Liberty Village Applied Last Year for 30 HUD Rental Assistance Vouchers & After Slow Review and Initial Denial of Liberty Village's Application, the Organization Rightly Brought Vets in Off the Street; HUD… Continue Reading
02.20.15
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES $32+ MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR NEW YORK STATE’S EBOLA EXPENSES; SENATOR FOUGHT FOR EBOLA FUNDS TO REIMBURSE DEDICATED EBOLA TREATMENT HOSPITALS FOR BUILDING CONTAINMENT ROOMS, HAZMAT SUITS, TRAINING & OTHER EXPENSES
Once Called to Action, Hospitals Throughout NYS Meticulously Trained Health Workers, Purchased New Equipment & Created Isolation Units in Preparation for an Ebola Patient; Schumer Led Charge to Ensure that NY Ebola Treatment Centers Not Be Overlooked & Left Without Any Reimbursement for Expenses - Which Was a Real Possibility Schumer Announces Major Victory in Securing $21.7 Million for NYC's Treatment Centers, Full Reimbursement for Bellevue & $7.5 Million for Long Island & … Continue Reading
02.20.15
SCHUMER PUSHES FEDS TO PRESERVE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES 16 MILLION SENIORS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES WITH HIGH-QUALITY HEALTH PLAN CHOICES AND BENEFITS
Schumer Leads Group of 53 Senators in His Push to Protect Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries From Disruptive Changes in 2016; Over 1 Million Enrollees in New York Regulatory Changes That Affect the Program's Funding Year After Year Create Confusion, Disruption Among Beneficiaries who are Looking for Consistency and Predictability Schumer: We Can Protect Seniors Who Rely on Quality Medicare Advantage Plans by Maintaining Current Payment Levels & Keeping Medicare Advantage Program Strong … Continue Reading
02.20.15
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND, MEEKS, de BLASIO ANNOUNCE OVER $1.2 MILLION IN FEDERAL SANDY-RELIEF FUNDING FOR EIGHT HARD-HIT PARKS IN ROCKAWAY & FAR ROCKAWAY
In the Aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, Parks & Playgrounds Throughout the Rockaway Peninsula Were Damaged; Playground Safety Surface, Fencing, Benches & Storm Drains Needed to be Repaired & Replaced Schumer, Gillibrand, Meeks, de Blasio Announce Over $1 Million in FEMA Funding for the NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation to Help Rebuild Damaged Parks Federal Funding Will Go Towards Permanent Repairs at Rockaway Beach 30th Street, Rockaway Beach 59th Street, Rockaway Be… Continue Reading
02.19.15
IN LIGHT OF RECENT ELECTROCUTION OF HIKER ON FDR ESTATE, SCHUMER CALLS ON AMTRAK TO AUDIT ALL OF ITS POWER LINES IN DUTCHESS COUNTY & ENSURE THEY ARE NOT PUTTING LIVES AT RISK – AMTRAK TRAINS RUN ALONGSIDE MANY PARKS & HIKING TRAILS IN DUTCHESS COUNTY
Schumer Says Amtrak Must Do Everything It Can To Ensure A Similar Tragedy Does Not Occur Again - Proposes Amtrak Conduct Review of All of Its Power Lines & Ensure Proper Protections Are In Place; If Lines Are Hanging Too Close to The Ground, They Should Be Raised Schumer: Dutchess County Residents Should Not Have To Worry About Being Electrocuted By Power Lines In Their Own Backyard Today, at the Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer urged Amtrak to conduct an … Continue Reading
02.19.15
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES HE WILL CONVENE ORANGE COUNTY TOURISM SUMMIT TO ENSURE LOCAL BUSINESSES GET THE MOST OUT OF NEW SULLIVAN CASINO – SCHUMER JOINS WITH HUDSON VALLEY TOURISM, HVEDC & VOWS TO BRING FED ENTITIES TO TABLE TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY
Tourism in Hudson Valley, Orange County Set To Rise As A Result of New Casino in Sullivan - Important to Take Full Advantage of What Could Be Major Boon For Local Restaurants, Hotels, Shops & Other Tourist Attractions Schumer, In Conjunction With Hudson Valley Tourism & HVEDC, Will Bring Fed Tourism & Economic Development Experts to Orange County, Convene Meeting With Local Officials & Businesses To Develop Strategy - Fed Agencies Offer Expertise & Funding Opportunities To… Continue Reading
02.19.15
SCHUMER: WITH DISTURBING GROWTH OF ANTI-SEMITISM IN EUROPE; CALLS ON EUROPEAN LEADERS TO GO TO EXTRA LENGTHS TO PROTECT JEWISH POPULATION
In Light of Recent Tragedies in Copenhagen & Paris, Schumer Says There is an 'Evil Stew' Right Now in Europe Schumer: Jewish People, No Matter Where They Call Home, Should Not Live in Fear U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today released a statement on the growing acts of anti-Semitism in Western Europe. Most recently, a Jewish man was killed while guarding a Jewish synagogue during a bat-mitzvah service in Copenhagen. In January, a kosher supermarket in France was the target of a … Continue Reading
02.19.15
SCHUMER: FAA’S PROPOSED RULES ON DRONES ARE GOOD FIRST STEP TOWARDS AIRSPACE SAFETY, BUT FINAL RULES MUST INCLUDE THREE KEY CHANGES; URGES FEDS TO FIX FLAWED ‘LINE OF SIGHT’ RULE, REQUIRE MANUFACTURERS TO USE GPS GEO-FENCING TECHNOLOGY & DEVELOP STRINGENT PRIVACY PROTECTIONS
FAA's Newly Proposed Drone Regulations Smartly Require Drones to Fly Below 500 Feet & Far Away From Airports & Other High-Risk Airspace - Key for Safety of Air Travelers In Particular While FAA's New Rules Are a Good First Step, FAA’s Proposal States That Drones Can’t Be Used Out of Sight of Operator, Neglects to Include Use of Much-Needed Geo-Fencing Technology That is a Built-In Limitation on Where Drone’s Fly; Privacy Protections Also Must be Developed ASAP Sc… Continue Reading
02.19.15
SCHUMER PUSHES COAST GUARD TO KEEP HAVERSTRAW-OSSINING FERRY RUNNING MORE FREQUENTLY IN WINTER – FERRY SERVICE LINKING 150K RIDERS PER YEAR TO METRO-NORTH’S HUDSON LINE HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN 17 DAYS THIS WINTER DUE TO ICE LEVELS
The Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry Provides A Key Connection To The Metro-North's Hudson Line for Many Rockland County Residents, But Service Is Spotty During Winter Months; Ferry Closes 18 Weekdays Per Winter on Average - When Ferry Is Closed, Riders Are Forced to Take Buses To Tarrytown Instead, Making Commute Considerably Longer Schumer Urges Coast Guard to Work With Metro-North & Develop a Plan That Will Help Ferry Continue To Run Safely Even When There is Ice on the Hudson - Coast Guard C… Continue Reading
02.19.15
SCHUMER: RAIL CARS INVOLVED IN WEST VIRGINIA CRUDE OIL EXPLOSION WOULD NOT HAVE MET PROPOSED FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS – SENATOR CALLS WVA DERAILMENT A SHOT ACROSS THE BOW AND CALLS FOR FEDERAL DOT & OMB TO FINALIZE TOUGHEST POSSIBLE RAIL CAR RULES ASAP
Schumer Notes That the Rail Cars that Just Exploded in West Virginia - CPC-1232s - Would Likely Not Be Strong Enough to Meet Proposed Dept. of Transportation Standards Schumer Says CPC-1232s Are Yet Another Weak Model of Rail Cars Barreling Through NYS With Volatile Crude Oil - New Regs Are Needed To Toughen Standards Schumer: West Virginia Crash Should Be Shot Across the Bow – Strongest Regulations Possible Must Be Put in Place As Soon As Possible Today, U.S. Senator Char… Continue Reading
02.19.15
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND: SUPERSTORM SANDY VICTIMS SHOULD NOT BE BLINDSIDED BY FEMA RECOUPMENT LETTERS ASKING TO RETURN THOUSANDS IN MUCH-NEEDED SANDY RELIEF DOLLARS; SENATORS ANNOUNCE LEGISLATION TO REQUIRE FEMA TO WAIVE DEBTS FOR VICTIMS OF DISASTERS SINCE 2012
Many Superstorm Sandy Victims, Including Some in New York City & Long Island, Have Been Told by FEMA to Retroactively Pay Back Thousands of Dollars in Already-Spent Sandy Aid; FEMA is Demanding Money Be Returned Due to Technicalities, Bureaucratic Mistakes & More Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Federal Legislation - The Disaster Assistance Recoupment Fairness Act of 2015 - to Help Sandy Victims Who Are Still Feeling Financial Impact of Storm; Sixty Percent of New Yorkers Who Received Re… Continue Reading
02.18.15
SCHUMER: FAMILIES ACROSS BINGHAMTON & S. TIER ARE MOVING INTO HOMES ONCE USED AS METH LABS & DO NOT EVEN KNOW IT; REMNANTS OF CHEMICALS MAKE HOMES POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH – SCHUMER ANNOUNCES FIRST-EVER FED LAW REQUIRING HOMEOWNERS TO ALERT BUYERS OR RENTERS THAT HOME WAS ONCE USED TO MAKE METH
Only 5% of Homes Used to Make Meth Are Ever Disclosed; S. Tier is Meth Epicenter, So Number of Homes Could Be Huge - Chemicals from Meth-making Process Seep Undetected Into Carpet & Walls; Can Cause Dry Mouth, Headaches, Nosebleeds & Breathing Problems, Especially in Children Shockingly, Unlike Other Hazards Like Lead, There is No Fed Law Requiring Disclosure By Sellers that Know A Home Was Once Used As Meth Lab; 23 States Have Laws, But Not NY - Schumer Bill Would Require Disclosure … Continue Reading
02.18.15
SCHUMER, MINER ANNOUNCE FEMA HEEDS THEIR CALL TO AMEND DRAFT FLOOD ZONE MAP USING UPDATED DATA – DECISION PREVENTS UP TO 150 PROPERTY OWNERS FROM BEING ADDED TO MAPS, INCURRING HIGH & UNNECESSARILY ONEROUS FLOOD INSURANCE COSTS
Following A Study by NYSDEC, Incorrect Data Was Identified in FEMA Flood Zone Proposals and 150 Properties Were To Be Included in FEMA's Preliminary Flood Zone Map That Did Not Need To Be - Incorporating These Properties Could Have Forced Residents To Pay Up to $1,200 More Per Year in Flood Insurance Premiums Schumer & Miner Brought New Information to Attention of FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, Who Will Delay the Release of the Maps By a Couple of Months And Incorporate the New Data; N… Continue Reading
