Press Releases
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
02.18.15
In Light of Last Week’s Bust of A Meth Lab in Local DeWitt Neighborhood— SCHUMER: FAMILIES ACROSS CNY 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; Dozens Of Home Meth Labs Have Been Busted Throughout CNY, Including One in DeWitt Last Week, But That Only Scratches The Surface - 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 … Continue Reading
02.18.15
SCHUMER LAUNCHES PUSH TO GET HALFMOON ITS OWN ZIP CODE; TOWN IS CURRENTLY DIVIDED AMONG FOUR ZIP CODES – LOCAL RESIDENTS & BUSINESSES MUST LIST OTHER TOWNS AS THEIR ADDRESS; RESULTS IN CONFUSION & LOST REVENUE, HINDERS EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Halfmoon Is One of the Fastest Growing Towns in Saratoga County, But Most of Its 22K Residents & Dozens of Businesses Are Forced To List Their Addresses as Clifton Park, Waterford, Mechanicville or Round Lake; Only a Few Can List Halfmoon As Their Address Schumer Push For Halfmoon Zip Code Clarity Would Put An End To The Ambiguity - Many Businesses Want To Use Halfmoon As Their Address, But Decide Against It Due to Potential Customer Confusion; Similar Street Names in Halfmoon & Neigh… Continue Reading
02.18.15
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $9 MILLION IN HEAD START GRANTS FOR BROOKLYN & STATEN ISLAND
Funding Provides Early Education for Low-Income Children U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced more than $9 million in grants for early childhood education programs in Brooklyn and Staten Island, which will serve children from low-income families. Community organizations from across the state applied for the funding, and the award to three programs in New York City will support Early Head Start and Head Start programs that provide critical education and develop… Continue Reading
02.17.15
SCHUMER: FINCH PAPER, ONE OF THE BIGGEST EMPLOYERS IN GLENS FALLS, IS UNDER THREAT BECAUSE PRODUCERS FROM CHINA & OTHER COUNTRIES ARE UNFAIRLY DUMPING HUGE AMOUNTS OF PAPER INTO U.S. – SENATOR JOINS WITH FINCH WORKERS TO CALL ON FEDS TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD, PROTECT FINCH FROM PREDATORY FOREIGN TACTICS
Finch Has Lost Millions of Dollars' Worth of Sales Over Last 18 Months Due to Unfairly Priced Imports - Evidence Indicates That Artificially Cheap Paper Imports From China, Indonesia, Australia, Brazil, and Portugal Are Flooding the U.S. Market, Making It Difficult For NY Paper Companies Like Finch To Compete; Feds Currently Considering Whether To Take Action As Fed Deadline Approaches, Schumer Urges Strong & Swift Action To Protect Finch and Its 600 Glens Falls Workers Against Potential … Continue Reading
02.17.15
SCHUMER: WAR ON HEROIN IS RAGING IN ONEIDA COUNTY AND THE FEDS NEED TO GET MORE INVOLVED – SENATOR LAUNCHES PUSH TO DESIGNATE COUNTY AS HIGH-INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING AREA, WHICH WILL MEAN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, INTELLIGENCE, AND COORDINATION TO HELP DISRUPT DRUG RINGS & BEAT BACK HEROIN EPIDEMIC
Schumer Calls on Fed. Office of Drug Control to Designate Oneida County A 'High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area,' Which Will Provide Much-Needed Resources to Help County Address Growing Heroin Problem Schumer: We Must Provide Money, Expertise & Intel To Help Oneida County Battle Heroin Scourge Today, at the Utica Police Department, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer urged the President's Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to designate Oneida County as a federal High Intensity D… Continue Reading
02.16.15
SCHUMER: FAMILIES ACROSS WNY 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 HOME SELLERS AND LANDLORDS TO ALERT BUYERS OR RENTERS THAT HOME WAS ONCE USED TO MAKE METH
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 & Create Civil Penalty for Those Who Do Not Comply; Proper Meth Lab Clean-up Can Cost Up to $10K Schumer: WNY Residents Have A Right To Know If Their Home Was Once A Meth Lab Today, in Jamestown, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced new federal legislation that would requir… Continue Reading
02.16.15
SCHUMER URGES FEDS TO BAN SALE OF NEW, DANGEROUS SYNTHETIC DRUGS SUCH AS ‘CLOUD 9’ THAT HAVE CROPPED UP IN BATAVIA SCHOOLS & RECENTLY SENT 4 LOCAL STUDENTS TO THE HOSPITAL – MANY SYNTHETIC DRUGS SHOCKINGLY ARE STILL LEGAL DESPITE SERIOUS HEALTH CONCERNS
Schumer Bill Passed in 2012 Gave DEA The Power To Investigate & Ban Many Synthetic Drug Combinations, But There Are Still Hundreds of Hazardous Substances Not On The Banned List - Schumer Urges DEA To Speed Up Investigation & Ban Synthetic Drugs That Are Making Kids Sick, Also Pushes To Pass Bill That Would Make Banning Synthetic Drugs Easier Schumer: Synthetic Drugs Continue To Put Batavia Kids In Danger & New Chemical Combinations Must Be Made Illegal Today, at Batavia… Continue Reading
02.16.15
SCHUMER PUSHES FOR FEDERAL ‘TRANSPORTATION SAFETY AUDIT’ AT SITE OF DEADLY ITHACA COMMONS TRUCK CRASH – FEDS SHOULD ANALYZE INTERSECTION, MAKE SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS & THEN IMPLEMENT THEM TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS LIKE THIS SUMMER’S FROM HAPPENING AGAIN
Schumer Urges Feds To Give Highest Priority for Funding to Recommended Remedies from Fed Safety Audit & Implement Them - Fed Safety Audit A Priority of Tompkins & Ithaca Officials; Will Augment The Excellent Work Done By Truck Safety Committee To Ensure Safety Schumer: Fed Safety Audit Would Identify How To Make Intersection As Safe As Possible Today, at Ithaca City Hall, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer called for a federal safety audit at the intersection of Route 96 B and… Continue Reading
02.15.15
IN LIGHT OF FATAL METRO-NORTH COLLISION, SCHUMER, BLUMENTHAL INTRODUCE NEW HIGHWAY-RAIL GRADE SAFETY CROSSING BILL; THERE ARE OVER 5,000 RAIL CROSSINGS IN NY & CT, WITH NEARLY 400 ACCIDENTS IN RECENT YEARS
Schumer, Blumenthal Unveiled New Legislation to Address Serious Dangers at Rail Grade Crossings in NY & CT - Including A Significant Boost in Federal Grant Funds for Safety Upgrades, Like New Lights & Signals, at Accident-Prone Rail Crossings, and More Education & Safety Awareness Campaigns Schumer, Blumenthal: In 2013, 2,096 Accidents at Grade Crossings Killed over 200 People Nationwide; Feds Should Provide More Funding for Improved Engineering, Education & Enforcement At R… Continue Reading
