Press Releases
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $460K FOR IN FED FUNDS FOR TWO ROCHESTER FIRE DEPARTMENTS
City of Rochester & Town of Gates Fire Depts. Will Use Funding to Provide Rescue Training & Purchase Life-Saving Equipment in Order to Keep Firefighters Safe U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced a total of $461,938 in federal funding for two Rochester area fire departments. Specifically, the City of Rochester will receive $115,249 in federal funding and the Town of Gates Fire District will receive $346,689. These federal funds were allocated through t… Continue Reading
04.23.15
SCHUMER URGES FEDS TO REVERSE COURSE ON TRANSIT PROPOSAL THAT COULD PUT HUNDREDS OF LOCAL JOBS AT RISK & CRIPPLE NORTH COUNTRY BUS AND TRAIN MANUFACTURERS
Proposed Federal Local Hiring Pilot Program and Rule Would Allow Transit Agencies Across The Country Receiving Fed Funds to Require All Buses and Trains Be Produced Locally, Meaning All Manufacturers & Workers Must Be Located in That Specific City to Bid on a Contract - Schumer Says This Rule Could Have Disastrous, Unintended Consequences For Jobs in the North Country Under New Rule, Rural-Based Companies Like Bombardier & Nova Bus and & Prevost in Plattsburgh - Which Produce Bus… Continue Reading
04.23.15
SCHUMER URGES FEDS TO REVERSE COURSE ON TRANSIT PROPOSAL THAT COULD PUT HUNDREDS OF LOCAL JOBS AT RISK & CRIPPLE SOUTHERN TIER BUS AND TRAIN MANUFACTURERS
Proposed Federal Local Hiring Pilot Program and Rule Would Allow Transit Agencies Across The Country Receiving Fed Funds to Require All Buses and Trains Be Produced Locally, Meaning All Manufacturers & Workers Must Be Located in That Specific City to Bid on a Contract - Schumer Says This Rule Could Have Disastrous, Unintended Consequences For Jobs in the Southern Tier Under New Rule, Rural-Based Companies Like Alstom & CAF USA in the Southern Tier - Which Produce Buses and Trains fo… Continue Reading
04.23.15
SCHUMER URGES FEDS TO REVERSE COURSE ON TRANSIT PROPOSAL THAT COULD PUT HUNDREDS OF LOCAL JOBS AT RISK & CRIPPLE ROCHESTER FINGER LAKES AREA BUS AND TRAIN MANUFACTURERS
Proposed Federal Local Hiring Pilot Program and Rule Would Allow Transit Agencies Across The Country Receiving Fed Funds to Require All Buses and Trains Be Produced Locally, Meaning All Manufacturers & Workers Must Be Located in That Specific City to Bid on a Contract - Schumer Says This Rule Could Have Disastrous, Unintended Consequences For Jobs in Rochester Finger Lakes Area Under New Rule, Companies Like Alstom in Rochester And Coach & Equipment in Penn Yan - Which Produce Buses an… Continue Reading
04.22.15
SCHUMER: WITH TURBULENT MILK PRICES, UPSTATE DAIRY FARMERS ARE GETTING SQUEEZED ON ALL SIDES, INCLUDING LARGE, LUMP-SUM MILK INSURANCE PAYMENTS – SCHUMER URGES USDA TO IMPLEMENT NEW PROGRAM TO EASE THE BURDEN OF CASH-STRAPPED DAIRY FARMS
Upstate NY Dairy Farmers Are Saddled With Lump-Sum Insurance Payments Through Turbulent Milk Prices -Schumer Pushes USDA To Create New Payment Program Where Coops and Farmers Could Work Together to Spread Out Milk Insurance Payments Through Deduction System NY Dairy Farmers & Upstate NY Co-Ops, Which Buy & Market Milk, Have Expressed Need to Spread Out Payments Through New Kind of Payment Program; Co-Ops or Private Companies Would Pay Costs Up Front For Farmers & Farmers Then Wou… Continue Reading
04.21.15
SCHUMER: FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, GREEK YOGURT WILL BE AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE IN SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMS THROUGH THE USDA SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM; SENATOR ANNOUNCES, STARTING IN FALL 2015, USDA WILL OFFICIALLY EXPAND NATIONWIDE THE GREEK-YOGURT PILOT PROGRAM HE HELPED LAUNCH
Schumer Says Greek Yogurt Will Be Added To The List Of Available Items In The School Lunch Program; After The Last Successful Pilot Program, Which Schumer Helped Make a Reality Across Twelve States, Feds Concluded That There Is Nutritional Value and High Demand For Greek Yogurt Schumer Previously Urged the USDA to Expand Successful Greek Yogurt Pilot Program, With Idea Of Providing High-Nutrition Protein Option For Kids And Increase Demand For Greek Yogurt Nationwide - NY's Own Chobani & Up… Continue Reading
04.21.15
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND URGE FEDS TO EXTEND DEADLINE FOR COMPLETION OF BUFFALO HOUSING PROJECTS; UNFORSEEN CHALLENGES AND NEW HUD RULES HAVE DELAYED CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE – FAILURE TO GRANT EXTENSION PUTS VITAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS IN JEOPARDY
Schumer, Gillibrand Say the City of Buffalo Needs an 8-Month Extension From HUD To Complete Vital Community Housing Projects; City Could Lose Millions in Funding if Program Expenditure Period is Not Extended City is Making Solid Progress on Projects, But Delays, Including the Loss of 2013 Construction Season Due to Bureaucratic Changes Mandated By HUD, Require an Extended Timeline Schumer, Gillibrand to HUD: Grant This Extension And Let Buffalo Finish The Job On Important Community Housi… Continue Reading
04.20.15
NATIONWIDE RASH OF ‘SWATTING’ ATTACKS NOW THREATENING LOCAL ROCHESTER RESIDENTS, COSTING LAW ENFORCEMENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WHEN WRONGDOERS CALL IN FALSE THREATS; SCHUMER INTRODUCES NEW BILL TO CRACK DOWN ON SWATTING AND DETER ALARMING NEW CRIME TREND; OVER 12 SWATTING ATTACKS IN ROCHESTER HAVE TRIGGERED POLICE SWAT TEAMS TO RESPOND TO HOMES
Deliberately False Alerts In Rochester Are Causing The Deployment Of Armed SWAT Teams, Bomb Squads, And Other Police Units, to Unsuspecting Area Residents & Causing the Closure of Streets, Businesses; Resulting In A Terrifying Experience For Victims & Puts Communities At Great Risk Schumer Introduces Legislation To Increase Penalties For Swatting Perpetrators From a Max of 5 Years In Prison To 8 Years, Make Criminals Pay Restitution to Police -Also Pushes to Closes Loophole to Make it … Continue Reading
04.20.15
SCHUMER: FEDS MUST FUND $64M MODERNIZATION PROJECT FOR THE US PLAZA AT THE LEWISTON-QUEENSTON BRIDGE TO HELP ALLEVIATE CRIPPLING DELAYS; WOULD CREATE AND SUSTAIN OVER 1,500 CONSTRUCTION JOBS & CUT DOWN ON EGREGIOUS WAIT TIMES – SCHUMER LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO HAVE FEDS APPROVE FUNDS ASAP
Schumer: During The Busiest 50-70 Days Per Year, Wait Times At Lewiston-Queenstown Bridge Regularly Exceed One Hour - and Have Peaked at Nearly Three Hours, Which has Detrimental Impact on the Regional Economy; Canadian Shoppers and Businesses Spend $1.7 Billion Per Year in New York State Schumer Urges CBP & GSA to Fund Desperately Needed Plaza Expansion To Improve Traffic Flow, Bolster the Regional Economy, & Create and Protect Jobs in WNY Schumer: Lewiston Plaza Expansion is Vi… Continue Reading
04.20.15
SCHUMER, BLUMENTHAL: DESPITE RECENT RAIL CRASHES, LIKE SPUYTEN DUYVIL & DERAILMENT OF DANGEROUS OIL CARS, POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL, BEST WAY TO PREVENT DANGEROUS CRASHES, HAS NOT YET BEEN IMPLEMENTED; SENATORS INTRODUCE LEGISLATION REQUIRING PTC BY 2018, FOR BOTH PASSENGER & FREIGHT TRAINS CARRYING HAZARDOUS OIL CARS
Schumer, Blumenthal Announce Legislation That Will Require Railroads to Implement PTC by 2018 & Require Status Reports on Progress; 'Positive Train Control Safety Act' Also Requires Trains Carrying Crude Oil To Run On Tracks With PTC, Aiming to Avoid Future Explosive Crashes Schumer, Blumenthal Legislation Stands in Contrast to Other Efforts in Congress to Give Railroads an Additional 5 Years to Implement Life-Saving PTC Technology; Senators Say 5 Years is Far Too Long to Wait for T… Continue Reading
04.17.15
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES CRITICAL LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE VITAL FUNDING FOR UPSTATE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS HAS CLEARED CONGRESS – SCHUMER INTRODUCED BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO AVOID CUTS IN FUNDING, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS FOR QUALITY OF CARE ACROSS THE STATE
Schumer Led Legislation to Extend Key Support Programs for Rural Emergency Medical Services Providers for New Yorkers - Rural EMS Agencies Get an Extension Through 2018 With Passage of Bipartisan Deal Without This Extension, $19.8 Million in Funding for over 450 Ambulance Service Providers That Treat High Number of Medicare Patients Across NY State Would be Lost Schumer: Upstate Ambulance Providers Can Rest Easy That Critical Medicare Funding Will Last until 2018 U.S. Senator Charles E.… Continue Reading
04.17.15
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES CRITICAL LEGISLATION – TO FUND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS AROUND NYS –HAS CLEARED LAST HURDLE IN CONGRESS & BEEN SIGNED INTO LAW; SCHUMER PUSHED BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO AVOID A CUT IN FUNDING, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS FOR QUALITY OF CARE ACROSS NY STATE
Funds Will Allow Community Health Centers to Continue Improving Access to Critical Health and Primary Care Services for Residents Across NY State Schumer Previously Pushed Legislation to Be Included in Must-Pass Legislation to Avoid 'Primary Care Funding Cliff' That Faced These Community Health Centers if Funding Were to Expire Schumer: Funding Extension Means NY Can Keep an Essential Piece of Our Health Care in Place Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that critica… Continue Reading
04.16.15
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES OVER 270,000 NEW YORK KIDS WILL KEEP THEIR LOW-COST HEALTH INSURANCE, AFTER RISK OF LOSING IT THIS SUMMER; SENATOR LED MAJOR EFFORT TO PASS CRITICAL LEGISLATION EXTENDING FED FUNDING WILL NOW HELPS MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES CONTINUE TO AFFORD THEIR KIDS’ HEALTH CARE
Children's Health Insurance Program Is A Critical Lifeline for Low- To Moderate-Income Families and Pregnant Women, And Will Now Be Extended Through 2017 - CHIP Supports Comprehensive Care & Is Critical For Families Whose Income Is Too High to Qualify For Medicaid; A Family of 4 Can Make Up To $100K & Qualify for CHIP In March, Schumer Pushed Bill To Extend Program; More Than 116,000 Upstate NY Families Would Have Lost Out on $414 Million in Fed Funds if Critical CHIP Legislation Was… Continue Reading
04.16.15
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES CRITICAL LEGISLATION CLEARS CONGRESS THAT PROVIDES $16 MILLION PER YEAR IN MEDICARE PAYMENTS TO RURAL UPSTATE NY HOSPITALS – SCHUMER INTRODUCED BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO AVOID CRIPPLING CUTS IN FUNDING, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS FOR JOBS, HOSPITALS, QUALITY OF CARE ACROSS THE STATE
Schumer Led Legislation to Extend Key Rural Hospital Support Programs for Hospitals That Treat New Yorkers Who Rely Heavily on Medicare & Other Critical-Care Programs; Low Volume Hospital (LVH) and Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) Programs will provide a total of 20 hospitals across New York State With Over $34 Million Over the Next 2.5 Years Rural Hospitals Count on This Funding Each Year; Additional Funding Stream Would Have Expired if Congress Failed to Act - These Hospitals Tre… Continue Reading
04.16.15
SCHUMER, HIGGINS URGE FEDS TO EXPEDITE APPROVALS FOR LIFE-SAVING HELICOPTER LANDING PAD AT NEW JOHN R. OISHEI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL ON THE BUFFALO NIAGARA MEDICAL CAMPUS – HELIPAD WILL BE CRUCIAL FOR PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY CREWS TRANSPORTING CRITICALLY ILL & INJURED PATIENTS
New Children's Hospital at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Will Be Completed in 2017 & Replace Current Women & Children's Hospital in Buffalo, as the Only Emergency Pediatric Care Facility in Western NY Schumer, Higgins Say it is Critical the New John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital Has a Helipad for Transporting Patients in Life-Threatening Situations - But Feds Must First Approve the Project Before Landing Pad Construction Can Begin Schumer, Higgins: New Helipad Co… Continue Reading
04.15.15
SCHUMER: AS ONLINE TAX FILING BECOMES MORE PREVALENT, MORE AND MORE NYers ARE LOSING THEIR TAX REBATES TO IDENTITY THEIVES & FRAUDSTERS; OVER 70,000 NYers WERE VICTIMS LAST YEAR– SENATOR LAUNCHES PUSH FOR LEGISLATION TO STREAMLINE PROCESS TO RECOVER STOLEN RETURNS & IMPOSE NEW TAX FRAUD PROTECTIONS
Schumer Bill Would Give Greater Recourse to NYers Who Have Returns Stolen: Victims Would Have a Single Designated Contact at IRS and the IRS Would be Required to Pay Refunds to Victims Within An Average of 90 Days - Currently, Taxpayers Wait On Average Over 300 Days To Have Cases Resolved Tax-Refund Fraud has Increased In Recent Years Since Online Filing Became Popular, Over 2.3 million Victims Nationally in 2014 and Likely to Increase this Year; Schumer Legislation Would Also Create Identit… Continue Reading
04.14.15
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $12K IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR NORTH COUNTRY HOUSING ORGANIZATION
Federal Funds Will Help Provide Financial Counseling Services to New Homebuyers, Homeowners, Renters U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will provide $12,359 in federal funding for the Franklin County Community Housing Council. This money will be provided through HUD's Housing Counseling Program to help these organizations improve financial literacy, expand homeownership opportunities, improve… Continue Reading
04.14.15
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $10K IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR CENTRAL NY HOUSING ORGANIZATION IN OSWEGO COUNTY
Federal Funds Will Help City of Fulton Community Development Agency Provide Financial Counseling Services to New Homebuyers, Homeowners, Renters U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will provide $10,533 in federal funding to the City of Fulton Community Development Agency, located in Oswego County. This money will be provided through HUD's Housing Counseling Program to help this organization impro… Continue Reading
04.14.15
BIPARTISAN GROUP OF U.S. SENATE AND HOUSE LAWMAKERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY INTRODUCE CRITICAL REAUTHORIZATION OF JAMES ZADROGA 9/11 HEALTH AND COMPENSATION ACT
Health and Compensation Programs Passed Into Law After Almost Decade Long Fight Set to Expire This Year - Participants in 9/11 Health Program Living in All 50 States and 429 of 435 Congressional Districts ndash; After nearly a decade long fight to stand by our first responders who answered the call of duty on September 11th, Congress finally fulfilled its moral obligation in late 2010 and provided our 9/11 heroes with the health care and financial compensation they deserved by passing the James… Continue Reading
04.14.15
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES $2.1 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR CATHOLIC CHARITIES’ DISASTER CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM; FEMA FUNDING, WHICH SENATOR HELPED SECURE, WILL HELP ENSURE PROGRAM CONTINUES THROUGH OCTOBER IN ORDER TO ASSIST 3,000 SANDY VICTIMS WITH OPEN CASES
Catholic Charities Operates the NYS Disaster Case Management Program for Sandy Victims & Provides 120 Caseworkers Who Help Victims Navigate the Recovery Process; With Approx. 3,000 Cases Still Pending, Program Was Set to Run Out of Funding Schumer Announces, After His Push, FEMA Has Approved Over $2 Million to Help Disaster Case Management Program Continue Through October 2015 Schumer: This FEMA Funding Will Help Approx. 3,000 Sandy Victims Who Are Still In Need of Case Management Assist… Continue Reading
