Press Releases
Schumer: Boa/Fleet Should Continue To Have An Upstate New Yorker On New Board Of Directors
The proposed company that would result from a Bank of America/Fleet merger should have a representative of Upstate New York on its Board of Directors, US Senator Charles E. Schumer said today. Schumer said that the region should be represented in company deliberations to ensure that Fleet's strong presence in the area is maintained and that decisions affecting jobs and other major concerns include input from someone knowledgeable in and protective of the area. "I've spoken with th… Continue Reading
10.31.06
Schumer Unveils New Plan To Give Newburgh Tough New Tools To Fight Gangs
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today unveiled sweeping bipartisan legislation that would give prosecutors tough new tools to go after gang activity in Newburgh, where hundreds of gang members have been identified by local law enforcement. Schumer said that in light of the occurrence of gang activity in the area it is vital that law enforcement be beefed up with more personnel, stronger punishments for criminals, and more money to fund special toughoncrime programs. "It's not something … Continue Reading
10.31.06
Schumer Reveals: Skyrocketing Gas Prices Will Cancel Out Bush $400 Tax Cut By This Summer
Armed with a new study showing that the average New York family with 2 cars will be forced to spend their entire $400 federal tax rebate on increased gas prices, US Senator Charles E. Schumer today asked President Bush to immediately to stop filling and instead tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR), to increase supplies and reduce the cost of driving for New Yorkers. "The $400 tax cut was passed to put extra money in the taxpayers' hands, but instead it slipped right through thei… Continue Reading
10.31.06
Schumer: Madrid Attacks Should Be Wake-Up Call To Upgrade Rail And Subway Security
Standing outside an East Side IRT subway station, US Senator Charles E. Schumer today said that the tragic terrorist bombings in Madrid this week should serve as a wakeup call to the United States to finally get serious about improving rail security. In light of this week's events, Schumer proposed a 3point plan to speed up the development of bombdetecting sensors for subway and rail stations, provide more federal funds to help cashstrapped cities and transit systems pay for additional polic… Continue Reading
10.31.06
Schumer Invites President Of Ivory Coast To Come To Fulton To Tour Chocolate Plant
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today invited the President of the Ivory Coast, S.E.M. Laurent Gbagbo, to come to Fulton to tour the New York Chocolate plant and meet with its developers. Schumer said that having the top official from the Ivory Coast see firsthand the plans for what will be one of his nation's top economic enterprises for its cocoa producers, will give the project further credibility and could encourage the consortium to get even more active at Fulton. "What's happe… Continue Reading
10.31.06
Schumer: 105th Military Police Unit Will Leave Iraq In Early May & Be Officially Demobilized June 17
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that he has received assurances from the Army that the 105th Military Police unit currently in Iraq will leave Iraq in early May and that its service will be complete June 17. The unit, based at the Masten Avenue Armory in Buffalo, was to return home in April but was told this week that its stay has been extended. With their families concerned that the stay had been extended indefinitely, Schumer today called the Army and demanded a firm date for whi… Continue Reading
10.31.06
Senators: Skyrocketing Gas Prices Will Practically Cancel Out Bush $400 Tax Cut By This Summer
Armed with a new study showing that the average American family with two cars will be forced to spend most of their federal tax rebate on increased gas prices, US Senators Charles Schumer, Barbara Boxer, and Harry Reid today asked President Bush to immediately to stop filling and instead tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) to increase supplies and reduce the cost of driving for American families. "The $400 tax cut was passed to put extra money in the taxpayers' hands, but inste… Continue Reading
10.31.06
Schumer Secures Visas So Slain Yonkers Soldier's Family Can Enter United States For Funeral
US Senator Charles E. Schumer announced today that his office has secured visas from the US State Department so that family members of US Army Staff Sgt. Anthony S. Lagman, the Yonkers native who was killed in Afghanistan on Thursday, will be able to travel to the United States for his funeral at Calverton National Cemetery. "After he sacrificed his life defending our Nation, Sergeant Lagman's family ought to be able to see their nephew and cousin be buried at Calverton National Cemet… Continue Reading
10.31.06
Schumer Announces $150,000 Cops Grant For Newburgh
US Senator Charles E. Schumer author of the 1994 Crime Bill today announced that the Town of Newburgh Police Department has received a $150,000 federal grant from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. The money will be used to hire two new fulltime officers as part of the bills goal to add new cops to the beat. As we fight the war on terrorism, its vital that we ensure that our day to day crime fighting efforts continue, Schumer said. These grants will help local police depa… Continue Reading
10.31.06
Schumer Says He Supports Application To Allow Ansar Mahmood To Remain In The Us
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today said that he supports onetime Hudson resident Ansar Mahmood's application for a supervised release and deferred deportation that would enable him to stay in the country. Mahmood, who was cleared of wrongful suspicions of terrorist connections, has served time in the Batavia Detention Center since February, 2002 for a nonviolent felony and has been threatened with deportation. "As I've said before, I'm sympathetic to Ansar Mahmood," Schu… Continue Reading
10.31.06
Schumer Urges Full Funding For Amtrak To Avert Service Shutdown
With an Amtrak fiscal crisis threatening to shut down the company's rail service this year, US Senator Charles E. Schumer today unveiled a proposal to inject Amtrak with the $1.8 billion the company needs to maintain and improve its service in New York State. Schumer's proposal comes on the heels of proposed cuts to the Amtrak budget that would shut down Amtrak completely this year and President David Gunn's visit to the area Saturday to detail the dire situation. "If you shut… Continue Reading
10.31.06
Schumer: Federal Budget Proposal Stiffs Ny Fire Departments By $18 Million Next Year
Schumer details cuts each NY county faces; Capital Region fire departments could lose $2.5 million; Central NY $1.5 m; Rochester/Finger Lakes $2 m; Hudson Valley $2.9 m; North Country $2.2 m; Southern Tier $2.6 m; Western NY $3.9 m New York fire departments could lose out on over $18 million for equipment, training, and fire trucks next year under the Administration's new federal budget proposal, US Senator Charles E. Schumer warned today. Schumer released a new report showing that the Adm… Continue Reading
10.31.06
Kraft Tells Schumer That Cool Whip Plant In Avon Is Unlikely To Close
US Senator Charles E. Schumer announced today that he has received assurances from Kraft Senior Vice President and General Counsel Mark Firestone that the Cool Whip plant in Avon is not a priority for closure. After Kraft announced last week that it will be making significant unspecified cuts to its workforce, there were concerns that the Livingston County plant was in jeopardy, leading Schumer to lobby the company to keep them. "The good news is that the Cool Whip plant is not likely to … Continue Reading
10.30.06
Schumer: Vital Tool In War On Terror Languishing, Awaiting Push From Bush
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on President Bush to use his clout with the House of Representatives to secure passage of urgentlyneeded legislation in the war on terror. The bill, which is sponsored by Senators Schumer and John Kyl (RAZ) and passed the Senate 904 nearly a year ago, would give the FBI the power to get foreign intelligence surveillance warrants on lone wolf terrorists who cannot be linked to existing terror groups. The hearings before the 9/11 Commission have made it… Continue Reading
10.30.06
Schumer To Delta: Don't Give Up On Elmira-Corning, Bring Service To Southern Tier
In an attempt to reassure the financially struggling airline, US Senator Charles Schumer today urged Delta Air Lines to bring its air service to the ElmiraCorning Regional Airport in New York. Schumer, who successfully brought JetBlue to upstate New York, said adding the flights would not only offer residents greater travel options and provide businesses incentives to locate in the Southern Tier, but it could provide Delta with potential for new growth. "Bringing Delta's service to El… Continue Reading
10.30.06
Schumer Visits Oswegatchie River & Discusses New Federal Funds He Helped Obtain To Fix Collapsed Retaining Wall
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today visited the Oswegatchie River to see firsthand the collapsed retaining wall that he helped obtain federal funds to repair. Part of the retaining wall has fallen into the river and the wall threatens to damage the state Route 812 bridge. Schumer and Rep. McHugh spent the last two weeks successfully urging the US Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDANRCS) State Conservationist Joseph DelVecchio to approve St. Lawrence Count… Continue Reading
10.30.06
Schumer: Ashcroft & Fbi Falling Way Short In War On Terrorism; Failed To Take Adequate Corrective Action Even After 9/11
In the war on terrorism, John Ashcroft has frequently gone overboard when dealing with liberties, but hasnt even gotten the ship out of port when it comes to administration, coordination, technology, and funding, Schumer said. Thirtyone months after 9/11, the FBIs computer system is still an unmitigated disaster, were woefully short on appropriately trained analysts and translators, and the Administration steadfastly refuses to adequately fund the war on terror. Its simply indefensible that th… Continue Reading
10.30.06
Schumer Asks Aol To Stop Treating 9/11 Victim Families Mailing Lists Like Spam
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today asked America Online to find a solution to ensure that a Staten Island 9/11 father can continue to use his AOL account to send emails to other 9/11 families. Because he was sending emails to so many 9/11 families that have asked to be placed on his distribution lists, AOL computers automatically flagged him as a spammer. Schumer, the leading antispam advocate in Congress, said that AOL should be commended for their strong policies and procedures to fight spam,… Continue Reading
10.30.06
New Schumer Analysis: Proposed Federal Budget In Special Ed Shortchanges Central New York Schools By $43 Million
With New York State education funds mired in uncertainty, US Senator Charles E. Schumer today called for the federal government to deliver on its commitment to fully fund its education budget for the Syracuse/Central New York area. Schumer today released a new analysis showing that under the Administration's proposed federal budget, schools in Central New York would be shortchanged approximately $43 million for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that funds special educati… Continue Reading
10.30.06
Schumer Outlines New Plan To Bolster Law Enforcement In Plattsburgh
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today detailed a comprehensive plan to bolster law enforcement efforts in Plattsburgh. The Senator outlined plans to locate a new law enforcement center at the former Air Force base that will house federal, local, and state agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). In addition, Schumer announced a commitment from the DEA to bring three additional agents to Plattsburgh for better defense against a potential in… Continue Reading
