Press Releases
SCHUMER URGES FEDS TO APPROVE MAJOR FUNDING TO RESTORE & REVITALIZE HISTORIC ULSTER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER – THEATER IS PILLAR IN LOCAL COMMUNITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY; RENOVATING WOULD HELP IMPROVE CENTER’S FACILITIES & BRING NEW BUSINESSES TO AREA
Federal Economic Development Funding Would Enable Ulster Performing Arts Center To Make Major Renovations To Facilities, Including Adding Public Safety Upgrades & Public Restrooms, Improving Building Energy Efficiency, And Installing A New AC System So Theater Can Stay Open During Summer Months Bardavon 1869 Opera House, Inc. Has Applied For $3 Million In Fed Funds For UPAC Restoration - Schumer Says Economic Benefits Could Mean Major Boost For County & Could Bring New Businesses &… Continue Reading
06.30.15
SCHUMER REVEALS: 50,000+ LONG ISLAND SENIORS COULD BE HOMEBOUND BECAUSE CRITICAL AGING IN PLACE PROGRAM IS IN DANGER OF EXPIRING; SENATOR PUSHES FEDS TO CONTINUE ‘PROJECT INDEPENDENCE’ ACROSS NORTH HEMPSTEAD; IF PROGRAM EXPIRES, THOUSANDS OF SENIORS WOULD BE FORCED INTO COSTLY CARE, DIMINISHING QUALITY OF LIFE & COSTING FEDS MILLIONS
'Project Independence' Has Just Been Forced To Take On Over 2,000 New Seniors With Closure Of FEGS But Now PI Future Is On The Line, Too; Program Already Serves Nearly A Quarter Of North Hempstead's Entire Population With Transportation & Home Care Needs; Schumer Secured Initial Grant Creating Nassau Program For Seniors, Allowing Them To Remain In Their Homes As They Grow Older; Program Coordinates Essential Transportation To Doctor’s Office, Grocery Shopping, Nurse Visits & Case… Continue Reading
06.30.15
SCHUMER URGES FEDS TO IMMEDIATELY REVIEW AND STRONGLY SUPPORT LOCAL & STATE PLAN TO INCREASE AND ENHANCE ACCESS FOR BOATING AND RECREATIONAL ACCESS ON THE HUDSON RIVER; NEW RIVER ENTRY POINTS WOULD INCREASE ACCESS FOR BOATERS, ANGLERS AND NATURE LOVERS; WOULD ALSO BRING THOUSANDS OF NEW TOURISTS PER YEAR & PROVIDE MAJOR BOOST TO LOCAL ECONOMY
Senator Says Locals And State Are Working Together To Submit Proposal, So Feds Can Promptly Review Request And Approve Comprehensive Restoration Plan, River Access Improvement Projects In Orange County Schumer: Feds Should Get Ready To Review, Approve and Help Fund New Hudson River Access For Boaters, Fishers, And Recreation Use Across The Hudson Valley Schumer To Feds: Hudson River Project Needs To Make River More Accessible For Boaters, Fishers, Nature Lovers & Tourists … Continue Reading
06.29.15
SCHUMER: BECAUSE OF FEDERAL RED TAPE, DISTILLERIES LIKE COOPERSTOWN DISTILLERY IN OTSEGO COUNTY ARE FORCED TO WAIT OVER 200 DAYS TO GET BASIC APPROVALS TO EXPAND; DISTILLERIES & CRAFT INDUSTRY HAVE EXPANDED BY OVER 50%, YET FEDERAL DISTILLERY INSPECTORS—WHO APPROVE REQUESTS—HAVE BEEN CUT BY 10%; SENATOR CALLS FOR MORE INSPECTORS TO REDUCE BACKLOG THAT IS COSTING DISTILLERY INDUSTRY MILLIONS
Schumer Says Cuts In Federal Alcohol Inspectors Put Cooperstown & Other NY Distilleries Directly At Risk; Delays Cause Losses To Producers Trying To Get Off The Ground Or Expand; Inspector Is Responsible For Auditing And Reviewing All Requests Like Bond Approvals, New Product Labels, Recipes And Operating Licenses; It Is Very Common For Some Approvals To Be Delayed Up To Hundreds Of Days Schumer Says Increasing The Amount Of Federal Alcohol Inspectors Should Be A M… Continue Reading
06.29.15
SCHUMER, GOLDFEDER, RICHARDS URGE U.S. COAST GUARD & MTA TO CONSIDER EXTENDING RIGHT-OF-WAY PEAK HOURS FOR TRAINS ALONG ROCKAWAY’S CHANNEL RAIL BRIDGE; WOULD HELP PREVENT DELAYS ALONG ‘A’ TRAIN BY LIMITING BRIDGE LIFT TIMES THAT OFTEN DISRUPT RUSH HOUR COMMUTES FOR PASSENGERS
Rockaway's Beach Channel Rail Bridge Frequently Gives Right-Of-Way To Passing Water Crafts, As Bridge Must Lift to Allow Boats Through; While Train Traffic Has Right of Way Between 6:45am-8:20 am & 5pm-6:45pm, Many Commuters Have Said This Does Not Satisfy Their Needs & Train Traffic Right-of-Ways Should Be Further Extended During Rush Hours Schumer, Goldfeder, Richards Urge MTA And Coast Guard To Consider Extending Right-Of-Way Hours for Train Traffic Along Channel Brid… Continue Reading
06.29.15
SCHUMER: FARMERS COULD EXPERIENCE ECONOMIC PERIL & AVERAGE PRICE OF VEGETABLES COULD RISE, UNLESS ORLEANS COUNTY FARMERS GET MUCH NEEDED WORKERS TO TEND CROPS; SHORTAGE OF WORKERS PUTS FARMERS & CONSUMERS IN JEOPARDY; SENATOR URGES FEDS TO IMMEDIATELY FIX BACKLOG OF WORKERS CAUSED BY JUNE 9TH COMPUTER GLITCH
Already-Struggling Family Farms In Orleans County Do Not Have Enough Workers To Harvest Their Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Cucumbers and More This Season - If Legal Temp Ag-Worker Backlog Isn't Fixed, Apple Farms Could Be Hit Next; Farms Could Be Left Stranded While Crops Are Rotting In The Fields and Consumers Face Higher Prices Schumer Says A State Department Computer Failure Has Prevented The U.S. From Issuing Thousands Of Temporary Working Visas For Workers to Pick the Crops, Leaving Upstate N… Continue Reading
06.29.15
SCHUMER: ‘SWATTING’ ATTACKS ON DRAMATIC RISE ACROSS CENTRAL NY—RECENT ATTACK CAUSED EVACUATION OF OVER 1100 WORKERS AT JOHN H. MULROY CIVIC CENTER, EDWARD KOCHIAN COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING AND JOBSPLUS!; INCIDENTS ARE COSTING POLICE DEPTS. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, TERRIFYING INNOCENT VICTIMS & EVEN ENDANGERING LIVES – SCHUMER INTRODUCES NEW FEDERAL BILL TO CRACK DOWN ON ‘SWATTING’ & DETER ALARMING NEW CRIME TREND THREATENING RESIDENTS & LAW ENFORCEMENT
Deliberately False Alerts In Central New York Are Spurring Costly & Unnecessary Deployment Of Armed Swat Teams, Bomb Squads & Other Police Units, Causing The Evacuation Of Buildings, Closure Of Streets, Businesses & Putting Communities At 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 Illegal For Perpetrators To Evade L… Continue Reading
06.29.15
IN CALL TO DOD BRASS, SCHUMER URGES FEDS TO LET SMALL BUSINESSES, LIKE BINGHAMTON’S VMR, COMPETE FOR MAJOR DEFENSE CONTRACT; $35 MILLION DOD CONTRACT COULD JUMP START LOCAL MANUFACTURING & PAVE WAY FOR INCREASING PRODUCTION, CREATING & SUPPORTING HUNDREDS OF NEW JOBS AT VMR IN BINGHAMTON
Federal Approval Needed to Allow Small Businesses, Including NY-Based VMR Electronics Corp. in Binghamton, to Compete for Major Defense Contract; Defense Officials Are Currently Reviewing Contract to Decide Eligibility of Small Businesses to Compete Schumer Says Small, Local Companies Like VMR Are Often Squeezed Out of Bidding Process Because of Size, But Can Compete in The Big Leagues If Afforded The Opportunity - Schumer Makes Personal Call to DISA Director & Urges DOD to Give Small Busi… Continue Reading
06.29.15
AFTER SOUTH CAROLINA TRAGEDY, SCHUMER LAUNCHES NEW EFFORT TO PASS SIGNIFICANT BACKGROUND CHECK, COMMON SENSE GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION; WEAK LAWS ALLOW PEOPLE WHO SHOULDN’T OBTAIN GUNS TO GET THEM & USE THEM IN MASSACRE AFTER MASSACRE; SENATOR WILL INVOKE 1993 BRADY BILL PASSAGE AS MODEL TO EMULATE, TAKE ACTION AMERICANS ARE CALLING FOR
Schumer, Author Of Brady Law & Crime Bill, Says Better Background Checks Would Help Stop Dangerous People Who Now Get Guns With Ease Schumer Vows To Revive Stalled Efforts To Expand Background Checks-Current Federal Law Allows For Felons & Abusers & Even Those on Terror Watch List To Buy Guns On The Internet, At Gun Shows, & Other Places With No Questions Asked Schumer to Congress: It Was Tough To Pass The Brady Law in '93, We Should Muster The Same Courage Today To Protect T… Continue Reading
06.29.15
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES FEMA HAS APPROVED ADDITIONAL $563K FOR BINGHAMTON-JOHNSON CITY JOINT SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT – FACILITY WILL FINALLY RECEIVE FEMA FUNDS TO REPAIR DAMAGES TO THE FACILITY FROM ’06 FLOODS
Binghamton-Johnson City Joint Sewage Treatment Plant Was Badly Damaged Following Extensive Floods in June 2006; FEMA Analyzed Cost of Repairs, But Administrative Error Led to Incorrect Deduction of $563K Joint Sewage then Appealed Decision, Citing Additional Costs of Repairs and Requesting FEMA Approve Additional Funds to Bring Total Cost of Project to $1.6M Schumer: Successful Appeal Means Financial Burden of Vital Project Will Not Fall On the Backs of Broome County Taxpayers U.S. S… Continue Reading
06.26.15
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES, FOLLOWING HIS PUSH, RIT HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN FED FUNDING TO CONTINUE MODERNIZING MLITARY EQUIPMENT FOR U.S. TROOPS; INVESTMENT IS PART OF GROUNDBREAKING PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN RIT AND DEPT. OF DEFENSE
In July 2014, Schumer Announced RIT Would Receive Up To $2.1 Million for Work Rehabbing & Upgrading Navy Equipment - Grant Kept 10-Year Public-Private Partnership Between RIT & DOD Now, RIT Will Receive More Than $1 Million in 2015 Additional Funding to Continue Equipment Modernizing Program - Schumer Led the Effort to Partner RIT, a Leading Global Research Facility, With Navy to Upgrade Military Equipment for Troops Schumer: Grant Ensures RIT Can Continue Groundbreaking Defense Depa… Continue Reading
06.26.15
CONGRESSMAN SERRANO, SENATOR SCHUMER WELCOME EXTENSION OF TPS REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR INDIVIDUALS FROM EBOLA-AFFECTED NATIONS
Rep. Serrano, Sen. Schumer Advocated for this Extension in a Letter sent to the Secretary of Homeland Jeh Johnson Congressman José E. Serrano applauded today the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's decision to extend the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) registration deadline for eligible individuals from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone - the three ebola-affected nations. In a letter sent in May this year, Congressman Serrano and Senator Schumer, along with 9 other Members of the N… Continue Reading
06.26.15
SCHUMER: FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION SHOULD STAY OUT OF AIRCRAFT NOISE LAWSUIT BETWEEN TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON & AVIATION INDUSTRY
Town Of East Hampton, Which Operates Local Airport, Recently Established Aircraft Noise Restrictions to Improve Quality Of Life For Tens Of Thousands Of Residents-To Alleviate Community Concerns Caused By Incessant Aircraft Noise During Summer Months Senator Urges FAA to Stop Intervening in Lawsuit And Honor Prior Commitment, As East Hampton Airport No Longer Receives FAA Funding Schumer: The East End Already Has Enough Aircraft Noise; It Doesn't Need Backgrou… Continue Reading
06.25.15
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $760K IN FED FUNDING FOR SYRACUSE HANCOCK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN ONONDAGA COUNTY
Federal Transportation Funding Will Allow Airport to Purchase Critical Equipment & Improve Runway Safety U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $762,300 in federal funding for the Syracuse Hancock International Airport in Onondaga County. This funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This funding will allow the airport to purchase vital equipment needed for snow removal during the wint… Continue Reading
06.25.15
SCHUMER: PRIVATE SALE & FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF PLUM ISLAND WOULD DESTROY KEY ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES & NEGATIVELY IMPACT ENDANGERED SPECIES IN THE LONG ISLAND REGION; ANNOUNCES LEGISLATION TO PREVENT PLUM ISLAND FROM BEING SOLD TO HIGHEST BIDDER & ENSURE LAND IS PRESERVED & PROTECTED
Plum Island-Home to a Federal Laboratory-Will Soon Be Put Up for Sale & Be Sold to the Highest Bidder, Regardless of the Private Entity's Plans for the Site; The 840-Acre Property is a Wildlife Sanctuary & Therefore, Development of the Land Could Threaten the Lives of Endangered Species & Environmental Resources on Long Island Schumer Announces Legislation to Change Existing Law That Currently Precludes NPS or U.S. Fish & Wildlife From Obtaining the Property By Mandating Plum … Continue Reading
06.25.15
SCHUMER: PRIVATE SALE & FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF PLUM ISLAND WOULD DESTROY KEY ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES & NEGATIVELY IMPACT ENDANGERED SPECIES IN THE LONG ISLAND REGION; ANNOUNCES LEGISLATION TO PREVENT PLUM ISLAND FROM BEING SOLD TO HIGHEST BIDDER & ENSURE LAND IS PRESERVED & PROTECTED
Plum Island-Home to a Federal Laboratory-Will Soon Be Put Up for Sale & Be Sold to the Highest Bidder, Regardless of the Private Entity's Plans for the Site; The 840-Acre Property is a Wildlife Sanctuary & Therefore, Development of the Land Could Threaten the Lives of Endangered Species & Environmental Resources on Long Island Schumer Announces Legislation to Change Existing Law That Currently Precludes NPS or U.S. Fish & Wildlife From Obtaining the Property By Mandating Plum … Continue Reading
06.25.15
SCHUMER LAUNCHES PUSH TO SECURE MAJOR FED FUNDING FOR CORNELL UNIVERSITY TO DEVELOP NEW, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES THAT COULD GROW PRODUCTION AND REVOLUTIONIZE NEW YORK’S GRAPE & WINE INDUSTRIES
Cornell University's Lake Erie Cornell Cooperative Extension Program Has Applied For Approximately $5 Million In Fed USDA Funds - Grant Funding Would Enable Dedicated Researchers At The Laboratory To Research New And Innovative Methods For Growing WNY's Grape & Wine Industries Proposal Would Allow Project Team To Develop New Technologies That Could Increase Production - Schumer Says Climate Change Means Top Researchers, Like Those At Cornell Lab, Must Innovate Agricultural Technologies To … Continue Reading
06.25.15
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE $315K IN FED FUNDING FOR WESTCHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT
Federal Transportation Funding Will Be Used to Make Critical Upgrades to Airport Infrastructure U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that Westchester County Airport in White Plains will receive $315,000 in federal funding. This funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and will allow the airport to make critical upgrades to its infrastructure. Specifically, it will allow for the installat… Continue Reading
06.24.15
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND & TONKO ANNOUNCE OVER $554,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ALBANY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Department of Transportation Funding Will Be Used for Safety Measure Upgrades At Airport U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Paul Tonko today announced that Albany International Airport will receive $554,850 in funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for airport upgrades. This project will fund the replacement of 134 airfield guidance signs to enhance aircraft visibility and enhance safety of aircraft movements. "Making sure our runways are… Continue Reading
06.24.15
SCHUMER: CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING CASES COULD INCREASE OR GO UNTREATED IN NEW YORK STATE IF SIGNIFICANT CUTS ARE MADE TO HOUSING SAFETY PROGRAMS; SENATOR SAYS CRITICAL PROGRAMS MEANT TO IDENTIFY AND REMEDIATE DANGEROUS LEAD-BASED PAINTS SHOULD NOT BE CUT
U.S. Department Of Housing And Urban Development's Office Of Healthy Homes And Lead Hazard Control Program Provides Vital Funding To Rid Homes Of Lead Hazards, But House Republicans Have Proposed Slashing $35 Million In Fed Funding For Key Program Childhood Lead Poisoning Can Cause Permanent Health & Developmental Disabilities - Severe Cuts Would Make It Harder For Communities To Access Fed Dollars For Anti-Poisoning Efforts; Could Result In Estimated 3,400 Additional Cases Of Lead Poisoni… Continue Reading
