Press Releases
SCHUMER: NY'S HONEY INDUSTRY UNDER ASSAULT BY CHINESE 'HONEY LAUNDERING' - SENATOR SAYS CHINESE UNFAIR AND DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES COULD DEVASTATE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR NY HONEY INDUSTRY, HURT FARMERS, AND PUT CONSUMERS AT RISK
Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer called on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to crack down on "honey launderers" that are undermining New York's honey producers. Almost a decade ago, the United States started imposing duties on honey imported from China after it found that Chinese exporters were engaging in predatory trade practices. But in the subsequent years, Chinese companies be… Continue Reading
06.07.10
SCHUMER: LEGISLATION ALLOWING REMINGTON TO COMPETE FOR SMALL ARMS CONTRACTS INCLUDED IN VITAL SENATE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL
Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced he has successfully worked with his colleagues to include language in a must pass Senate bill that will open up competition for the Army's small arms contracts to other U.S. manufacturers. The legislation would open up the Army's small arms contracts to domestic producers across the country like the Ilion, New York based Remington. More competition for the Army's small arms contracts would likely spur innovation as more producers would have an inc… Continue Reading
06.03.10
SCHUMER REQUESTS COAST GUARD, ARMY CORPS BRIEF LOCALITIES ON HOW A FEDERAL RESPONSE WOULD BE COORDINATED IN THE EVENT BP OIL SPILL REACHES LONG ISLAND SHORES
United States Senator Charles E. Schumer requested that the United States Coast Guard and US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) begin early coordination plans with Long Island coastal communities to prepare for the potential of oil from the BP Gulf Oil spill ending up on local beaches. In his letter to Coast Guard Rear Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr. and Army Corps of Engineers Lieutenant General Van Antwerp, Schumer called for a field briefing with local municipalities and federal agencies that w… Continue Reading
06.03.10
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES EXPANSION AT HICKEY FREEMAN IN ROCHESTER
Today U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that Rochester's Hickey Freeman will be adding an additional 25 jobs over the next four weeks and aiming to employ as many as 550 people at the plant by the end of next year. Currently there are approximately 480 employees working at the facility. Schumer said that the plant was operating at capacity, and parent company Hartmarx Corporation will be aggressively marketing the American made Hickey Freeman brand in Europe and Asia. … Continue Reading
06.02.10
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES FEMA WILL GRANT SYRACUSE AND SURROUNDING AREA EXTRA TIME TO PROVIDE INPUT INTO FLOOD MAPS - WILL HELP AVOID TREMENDOUS FEES AND RED TAPE
Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has agreed to give Onondaga County and the city of Syracuse more time to provide input into FEMA's recent decision to require approximately 2,400 property owners to purchase flood insurance at an average cost of $800 per year. By law, FEMA is required to give adequate and substantial notice to local municipalities and residents if they intend to add additional properties to the county flood map … Continue Reading
05.27.10
SCHUMER, MADD CEO: DRUNK DRIVERS KILL HUNDREDS OF NY'ers EACH YEAR, AND ONLY TWO PERCENT ARE CAUGHT - SCHUMER LEGISLATION WILL HELP DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP DRINKERS OUT OF CARS AND OFF THE ROADS
Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that he is pushing legislation to foster research and development of incar technology to fight the scourge of drunk driving. This legislation will create a consortium to drastically curb drunk driving by funding a partnership between antidrunk driving advocates, large car companies and the federal government to design devices that prevent intoxicated people from getting behind the wheel. During a conference call, Schumer said that drunk driving ki… Continue Reading
05.19.10
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES FARMSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL RECEIVE OVER $28,000 IN A FEDERAL FIRE GRANT FOR OPERATIONS AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the Farmersville Volunteer Fire Department has received a federal grant totaling $28,297 as part of Round 16 of the FY09 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The funding will be used improve departmental operations and safety. "This essential grant ensures that the Farmersville Volunteer Fire Department will continue to have the basic resources required to do their jobs, imp… Continue Reading
05.18.10
SCHUMER, JOINED BY BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS, CALLS FOR CHINA TO STOP SUPPRESSING IMF REPORT THAT COULD BE SMOKING GUN ON CHINA'S CURRENCY MANIPULATION
WASHINGTON, DC-U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer (DNY)-joined by a bipartisan group of nine other senators-urged the Obama administration Tuesday to pressure the Chinese government to stop suppressing the release of an independent report that is said to conclude that China manipulates its currency to gain an unfair competitive advantage. An annual report issued last summer by the staff of the International Monetary Fund is believed to have found that China intentionally undervalues its curren… Continue Reading
05.14.10
SCHUMER TOURS FROST DAMAGED APPLE FARM; MEETS WITH FARMERS FROM DUTCHESS AND ULSTER COUNTY WHOSE CROPS HAVE BEEN HURT BY FROST, AND DISCUSSES POTENTIAL FEDERAL AID
Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer toured a frost damaged apple farm and met with farmers from Ulster and Dutchess counties. During an appearance at a Dutchess County apple orchard, Schumer said that a recent late frost has caused damage to a variety of crops, from apples to black dirt onions. Schumer met with farmers to see the extent of the damage and discuss potential responses. "Our farmers are the backbone of New York's rural economy and this late frost could potentially be a… Continue Reading
05.11.10
SCHUMER SECURES COMMITMENT FROM SECRETARY OF THE ARMY TO KEEP THE ARMY RESERVE'S "VIRTUAL INSTALLATION" FACILITY OPEN AND OPERATING IN ROCHESTER; 490TH QUARTERMASTER COMPANY WILL BE STATIONED IN ROCHESTER STARTING IN 2012
Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that he has secured a commitment from Army Secretary John McHugh that the Army would keep the Army Reserves "Virtual Installation" open and operating, and that the 490th Quartermaster Company is scheduled to activate in Rochester, New York on September 16 th, 2012. Schumer has been working with the Army for the last three months, urging them to keep the 98 th Reserve Division, currently stationed in Rochester, from moving to a base in Georg… Continue Reading
05.10.10
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES COMMITMENT TO FIGHT FOR CRITICAL FUNDS FOR KEY COMPONENT OF ROCHESTER'S MIDTOWN PLAZA REVITALIZATION PROJECT
Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that he is fighting to secure vital funding for the Midtown Plaza Revitalization project. During an appearance at the Midtown Plaza, Schumer said that the funds would provide for critical upgrades to roads and other pieces of infrastructure to allow employees and residents to reach the development - improvements that must be made in order for the project to be complete. The Midtown Revitalization project is expected to attract hundreds of million… Continue Reading
05.06.10
SCHUMER, IN PERSONAL CALL URGES GM CEO KEEP CRITICAL LEXINGTON AVENUE DELPHI PLANT OPEN AND OPERATING
Today U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, responding to troubling reports from local Delphi workers, personally called General Motors (GM) CEO Ed Whitacre, urging him to keep the plant open and operating. Schumer said that he had heard reports that unless workers agree to swallow yet another devastating pay cut, General Motors is threatening to shutter the facility when workers' contracts expire in September 2011. As a champion of GM's acquisition of Delphi and a supporter of the successfu… Continue Reading
05.03.10
SCHUMER: 8 MILLION UNSECURED TRUCKS GOING IN AND OUT OF NEW YORK CITY EVERY YEAR POSE SERIOUS TERRORIST THREAT
Schumer's new plan to protect New York City includes federal background checks for truck drivers, mandated tracking technology in trucks, and a database to monitor hazardous materials traveling along our highways US Senator Chuck Schumer today warned that unsecured trucks going in and out of New York City pose a major terrorist threat and left unaddressed leave New York vulnerable to significant attack. To counter the threats posed by trucks transporting hazardous chemicals and fuels to p… Continue Reading
05.03.10
SCHUMER, TOKASZ SEEK FEDERAL AID TO DEVELOP SAFER SEAT BELT SYSTEM FOR BUFFALO-AREA POLICE VEHICLES
Standing outside the Veridien Corporation in Cheektowaga, Senator Charles Schumer and NYS Assembly Majority Leader Paul Tokasz today asked the US Justice Department to fund a study into the feasability of developing a quickrelease seat belt device for police vehicles. Veridian is working to develop an automatic seat belt release that would allow officers to reach their weapons or exit the vehicle more quickly in an emergency. They were joined by Buffalo Police Commissioner Rocco Diina and Cheekt… Continue Reading
05.03.10
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES $75,000 POLICE GRANT FOR PERRY
Senator Charles E. Schumer, author of the 1994 Crime Bill, today announced that the Village of Perry has been awarded a $75,000 federal grant under the bill's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. The money will be used to hire one new community police officer as part of the bill's aim to add new cops to the beat. "As the author of the COPS program, I am proud to announce this grant," said Schumer. "In order to combat crime effectively, police departm… Continue Reading
05.03.10
SCHUMER: LOW MEDICARE PAYMENTS THREATEN SYRACUSE AMBULANCE SERVICE
With falling Medicare reimbursements threatening ambulance service throughout Syracuse and New York State, US Senator Charles E. Schumer today unveiled a plan that would boost payments to ambulance providers. Standing alongside some of the Syracuse Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and paramedics who responded to the World Trade Center attacks, Schumer stressed the urgent need to increase support for first responder emergency medical personnel. Currently, Medicare pays about $2.1 bil… Continue Reading
05.03.10
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES $37,500 POLICE GRANT FOR MONTGOMERY
Senator Charles E. Schumer, author of the 1994 Crime Bill, today announced that the Village of Montgomery has been awarded a $37,500 federal grant under the bill's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. The money will be used to hire one new parttime community police officer as part of the bill's aim to add new cops to the beat. "As the author of the COPS program, I am proud to announce this grant," said Schumer. "In order to combat crime effectively, p… Continue Reading
05.03.10
SCHUMER CALLS FOR "A BETTER NEW YORK STATE"
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today called upon business leaders to join him in forming an Upstate organization modeled on "Association for a Better New York" (ABNY), focused on the economic revival of the region. Schumer made his call during an address to ABNY this morning in New York City. "Twenty years ago, ABNY pulled New York City back from the brink of economic catastrophe," said Schumer. "But now we need an ABNY for Upstate, as well. Upstate has such tremen… Continue Reading
05.03.10
SCHUMER URGES FEDS TO REIMBURSE OSWEGO & FULTON FOR SNOW DAMAGE AND CLEANUP
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to reimburse the counties of Oswego, Lewis, Cayuga, and Oneida to help them recover from an onslaught of snow as soon as possible. With the localities exceeding their overtime budgets to remove the snow from its roads, Schumer wrote to FEMA today saying the federal government should provide relief immediately. "When you have enough snow to create a town full of ice tunnels where no one can drive and… Continue Reading
05.03.10
SCHUMER PLAN WOULD INJECT $165 MILLION INTO WESTERN NY TO RELIEVE LOCAL BUDGET WOES
Standing with Erie County Executive Joel Giambra, US Senator Charles Schumer today unveiled a plan that will go a long way toward fixing New York's budget deficit by providing $2.5 billion to the state and its localities in direct federal aid. With local governments facing the prospect of raising property or sales taxes or cutting essential services, Schumer estimates that his bill could send about $116 million to Erie County; $31.1 million to Niagara County, and $17.6 million to Chautauqua … Continue Reading