Press Releases
With Storms Destroying Roads And Bridges, Schumer Urges State To Declare Counties Across Upstate Disaster Areas
In the wake of last weekend's severe thunderstorms and subsequent flooding, US Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged Governor George Pataki to declare Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Genesee, Greene, Madison, Orange, Schenectady, Schoharie, Sullivan, Tioga, and Ulster counties emergency areas and to apply for federal assistance. The damage to bridges, roads, and other infrastructure in Delaware County alone are estimated to be at least $3.4 million. Since the majority of the s… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer Pushes Feds To Fund Center Court In Niagara Falls
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today sent a letter today to US Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Alphonso Jackson, urging him to accept the Niagara Falls Housing Authoritys application to the Hope VI grant program, which seeks to revitalize severely distressed public housing. Schumer, who serves on the Senate Banking Committee, which oversees HUD, said that federal assistance could lead to commercial interest, jobs, and better homes in Niagara Falls. "The development could mean… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer, Hinchey Call For Widening Of Route 17 To Add Third Lane In Both Directions Using Revenue From Casinos And Other Sources
US Senator Charles E. Schumer and Congressman Maurice Hinchey today launched a new effort to widen Route 17 to three lanes in both directions. Schumer and Hinchey called on New York State to fully fund its existing sevenyearold project to upgrade Route 17 to Interstate I86 and also to expand the plans to include more lanes from Harriman in Orange County to Monticello. "The traffic on Route 17 is bad enough now, and casinos would only increase the bottlenecks," Schumer said. "The… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer Catalyst In Deal To Keep Nanodynamics In Buffalo; Expansion Will Create 325 New Jobs
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that NanoDynamics, a nanotechnology firm, has decided to stay in Buffalo and expand, creating 325 new jobs over the next five years. Schumer played a key role in arranging the deal between NanoDynamics, which was being lured by other states to relocate, and the New York State Economic Development Corporation (ESD). Schumer aggressively lobbied the ESD to sweeten their incentives package so NanoDynamics would remain in Buffalo and create new jobs. Nan… Continue Reading
08.02.06
To Bring Gas Prices Down, Schumer Demands FTC Block Newly Announced ChevronTexaco-Unocal Merger; Releases Survey Of Cheapest Gas In 5 Boroughs
With gas prices in New York City breaking every record in the book, as consumers pay 40 cents more now than they were paying last year at this time, and with summer just around the corner threatening to push gas prices even higher, today U.S Senator Charles E. Schumer called on the FTC to block the ChevronTexacoUnocal merger and to review the ExxonMobil merger and the ChevronTexaco mergers to see whether they can be undone. Schumer also released a survey of where to find the cheapest gas in each… Continue Reading
08.02.06
New Schumer Study: 41% Of Upstate Activated Reservist Families Suffer Economic Hardship Senator Unveils Plan To Fix Pay Gap, Address Latest Recruitment Problems
In light of recruitment shortages just announced by Defense Department Officials, US Senator Charles E. Schumer today unveiled new data showing nearly half of all New York activated reservist families are losing significant amounts of income while serving. Schumer also announced a new Standing With Our Troops Tax Credit plan to give up to $15,000 tax breaks to employers who pay the salaries of activated reservists while the reservists are abroad fighting the War on Terror which would cut the f… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer To Justice Department: Courts In Danger, Witnesses And Judges Are Unprotected
As new loopholes are being exposed in courthouse security, as most recently illustrated evinced in Atlanta, and major cuts to the federal witness protection system are revealed in an Inspector General report, Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on the Justice Department to thoroughly review staffing needs in the federal witness protection program and to study courthouse security and make immediate recommendations to ensure judges can carry out their duties without fearing for their lives. … Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer, Clinton: $37 Million Slated For Project At Fort Drum
US Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton announced today that Congress has given preliminary approval for $37 million for Aircraft Hanger and Site Preparation at Fort Drum. The bill is expected to be approved by the Senate when it reconvenes from recess next week. Ft. Drums 10th Mountain Division has been at the front line in our nations war on terror around the world, and the men and women stationed at Ft. Drum make a vital contribution to the community surrounding the base, … Continue Reading
08.02.06
Princeton Students Culminate Frist Filibuster With Speeches From Senators Jon Corzine And Chuck Schumer
fter more than 385 hours, Princeton University students culminated their mock filibuster of Bill Frist with speeches from Senators Jon Corzine and Chuck Schumer today. Students began their protests at Princeton University on April 26th and arrived at the Capitol at 9:00 am on Wednesday where they were joined by students from Georgetown, Howard, George Mason, and Trinity. In standing up for the filibuster, these students stand with precedent and they stand with history, Corzine said. The filibu… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer Announces $500,000 for Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced $500,000 in federal funds was awarded to Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The federal dollars come from the Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP) Grants. The funds will be used to help the airport promote its services to passengers and offer inducements to new carriers. Schumer aggressively lobbied the Transportation Secretary in several letters over the past few years, urging his s… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer Warns: Pediatric Vaccine Stockpile Nearly Empty Millions Of New York Kids Health At Risk
With news that the Federal governments stockpile of vaccines for common childrens sicknesses is dwindling to an all time low, with drug makers unwilling to make more to fill the stockpile because of a grudge match over federal bookkeeping rule, today Senator Charles E. Schumer called on the Securities Exchange Commission and the Department of Health and Human Services to come up with an exemption for vaccine makers when it comes to counting revenue. The stockpile, which is supposed to contain ov… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer Reveals: Safety Gap On Inter-City Chinatown Buses; Rated Dangerously Low On Safety By Feds
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today revealed that cheap Chinatown bus services and a number of other bus tour providers are sorely lacking in passenger safety. According to Federal criteria, Chinatown buses do much worse than other companies in several Safety Evaluation Areas (SEA), which rate a bus services drivers, vehicles, and overall safety management. Recent accidents on a few of these Chinatown buses have raised serious questions about the safety of passengers riding to and from New Yor… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer: Over $670,000 Coming To Southern Tier Fire Organizations
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced over $930,000 in federal funds for eleven fire departments in the Southern Tier to pay for fire operations and fire safety. The funds are being awarded through the Assistance to Firefighters program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). "This is a great day for Southern Tier fire departments," said Schumer. "In the brave new post9/11 world, our first responders must be well trained and well equipped to deal … Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer: Federal Dollars Coming To Town Of Gaines
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that a $183,700 grant and a $115,000 loan was awarded to the Town of Gaines to assist in extending the public water supply. The funds are being awarded through the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development program as a Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant. "This is great news for the Town of Gaines," Schumer said. "The water system is critical to the livelihood of the community and the health of local … Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer Calls Rumsfeld To Lobby For Lockheed Martin's Bid For Marine One Contract
US Senator Charles E. Schumer in a phone call late Wednesday personally pushed Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to use his influence to help award Lockheed Martins Owego plant a massive multimillion dollar presidential helicopter contract. Schumer, who has been aggressively lobbying the Pentagon, said that Lockheeds US 101 is unsurpassed in exceeding all safety and security requirements. Schumer spoke with Rumsfeld, who was receptive to Schumers request that this decision be made on the meri… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer: White House Meeting Today A Good First Step, But Consultation Must Be Real On Supreme Court Nomination
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Courts, spoke on the floor today calling for real consultation in the Supreme Court nomination process. He repeated his call for the President convene a summit on the nomination and also pointed to an important statement from President Bush today in which he agreed that a nominees philosophy matters. Schumer has suggested numerous times that a Supreme Court nominees philosophy is a key factor in decidin… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer Unveils New Bipartisan Legislation With Senator Santorum Establishing $500 Investment Accounts For Every Newborn Child In Upstate New York
As New Yorkers savings rates hit alltime lows, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today unveiled new legislation aimed to help families and young people save through individual investment accounts. Under the America Saving for Personal Investment, Retirement, and Education (ASPIRE) Act of 2005, just introduced by a bipartisan coalition of Senators, every newborn child would have a savings account called a KIDS Account and given a onetime $500 contribution to be eventually paid back to the government. … Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer Launches Campaign To Save Amtrak In Capital Region - New Administration Budget Proposal Would Shut It Down, Devastate Economy
Standing inside one of Amtraks busiest stations in the country, US Senator Charles E. Schumer today joined local community and business leaders to launch an allout push to stop the Bush Administration from shutting down Amtrak. The Presidents budget which was recently sent to Congress includes no money for Amtraks operating expenses and would effectively shut Amtrak down on October 1, the first day of the US Governments fiscal year. The more you learn about the new Budget, the more you feel li… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer: Gonzales Genuinely Good Man, Lacks Independence And Openness To Be Good Attorney General
US Senator Charles E. Schumer delivered the following statement at today's Judiciary Committee vote on the nomination of the Honorable Alberto Gonzales to be Attorney General of the United States: Mr. Chairman, I have to be honest with you, this has been one of the most difficult votes on a nominee I've had to make since coming to the Senate. I like Judge Gonzales. I respect him. I think he's a gentleman and a genuinely good man. We've worked well together, especially when it… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer: Dramatic Setback for Presiden't Social Security Privatization Plan
It has been reported today that economist and Bush Social Security Committee member, Bob Pozen, criticized Bush's Social Security privatization proposal. He said the president's insistence that individual accounts come out of Social Security is a bad idea that Democrats wont support and he advised the president to say they arent a required part of his Social Security plan. In reaction, Sen. Chuck Schumer, a member of the Senate Finance Committee and point person on Social Security for th… Continue Reading
