Press Releases
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
08.02.06
Schumer Meets With NARS Commander; Pledges To Fight To Support Base In 2005
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today met with the Commander of the Niagara Air Reserve Station (NARS), Colonel Jim Roberts, to discuss ongoing operations at NARS as well as efforts to enhance the station and support its personnel. NARS is home to the 914th Airlift Wing and the 107th Air Refueling wing, both of which have served as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Niagara Air Reserve Station is critically important to the local economy and to our military. The men and women of the 914th Airl… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Senators Feinstein, Warner, Schumer, DeWine Introduce Legislation to Reestablish Assault Weapons Ban
ix months following the expiration of the federal assault weapons ban, U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (DCA), John W. Warner (RVA), Charles Schumer (DNY), and Mike DeWine (ROH) today introduced legislation that would reestablish the ban in federal law. Since the assault weapons ban was allowed to expire, it has been open season for criminals who want the most dangerous types of militarystyle assault weapons, Senator Feinstein said. Let there be no doubt, these weapons are the weapons of choice … Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer Reveals: Egregious Loophole Makes Millions Of New Yorkers Soc. Sec. Numbers Accessible At Touch Of Computer Button; Potential For Identity Theft Is Enormous
Millions of New Yorkers are at risk for identity theft, Senator Charles E. Schumer revealed today as he exposed a giant flaw in an information database that allows almost anybody's personal information to get into the wrong hands. Schumer sent a letter to the head of Westlaw, a data search company based in Minnesota, asking that an egregious loophole in their Internetbased PeopleFind be disabled for use by its clients. The program allows subscribers to log in, type in the name of the person … Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer Secures Key Provision In Senate Energy Bill That Would Create New Markets For Plug Power In Latham
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that he has secured a major provision in the Senate Energy Bill that would offer tax credits for telecom businesses purchasing stationary fuel cells, a move that could open up new markets for Plug Power. Schumer, a member of the Senate Finance Committee lobbied aggressively for the provision and said that telecom companies would be encouraged to purchase from Plug Power because of a 30percent business energy credit for the purchase of qualified fuel … Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer: Federal Dollars Coming To Village Of Laurens
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that a $220,000 grant and a $980,000 loan was awarded to the Village of Laurens to assist in replacing the water distribution system. 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 Village of Laurens," Schumer said. "The water system is critical to the livelihood of the community and the he… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer: Rochester/Finger Lakes Region Faces Severe Shortage Of Volunteer Firefighters Senator Unveils New Plan To Boost Recruitment
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today unveiled a new proposal to support volunteer firefighters and emergency medical service (EMS) providers in Rochester/Finger Lakes region. Joined by volunteer firefighters who shared their recruitment struggles, Schumer announced his legislation, the Supporting Emergency Responders Volunteer Efforts (SERVE) Act to offer a $1,000 tax credit for active members of volunteer firefighting and EMS organizations. Schumer specifically addressed the recruitment and rete… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer: Over $1.86 Million Coming To North Country Fire Departments For Fire Operations And Safety
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced over $1.86 million in federal funds for North County fire departments and organizations 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. This is a great day for fire departments in the North Country, said Schumer. Firefighters and emergency professionals put their lives on the line every day and it is imperative that we do… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer-Levin: Presidents Social Security Proposals In Trouble, Privatization Plus Deep Benefit Cuts Worse Than Privatization Alone
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and Rep. Sander Levin (DMI) held a joint conference call to respond to President Bushs announcement last night that he wanted to not only privatize Social Security, but also include a plan that would deeply cut benefits to lower and middle class families. Schumer, a member of the Senate Finance Committee and Chairman of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, and Levin, the senior Democrat on the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security have both bee… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Modesty And Stability On The Bench: How John Roberts Can Convince Democrats To Vote For Him
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Courts, spoke to the National Press Club at a luncheon today to discuss the nomination of Judge John G. Roberts to the U.S. Supreme Court. In particular, Schumer addressed how Judge Roberts can convince Democrats to vote for his nomination in the coming weeks and months. Below is the text of the speech: MODESTY AND STABILITY ON THE BENCH: HOW JOHN ROBERTS CAN CONVINCE DEMOCRATS TO VOTE FOR HIM I want to… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer Lobbies For 2007 USA Hockey National Championships In Amherst
As the Youth Council deliberates on a location for the 2007 USA National Hockey Championships, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today wrote to the Director of Youth Ice Hockey at USA Hockey Inc. to urge the organization to choose Amherst, New York as the host of the 2007 USA Hockey National Championships. Amherst is the ideal location for host of the championship, as Western New York has long been a hotbed of hockey enthusiasm. Amherst is the perfect place to host this event, Schumer said. They… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer, Clinton, Slaughter, Reynolds And Higgins Call On Department Of Labor To Look Harder For Bethlehem Steel Records
enators Chuck Schumer (DNY) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (DNY) were joined by Representatives Louise Slaughter (DNY), Tom Reynolds (RNY) and Brian Higgins (DNY) in writing to the Department of Labor (DOL) to request an immediate search for additional records about uranium rollings conducted at the Bethlehem Steel plant in Lackawanna, NY during the 1950s. Under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Act (EEOICPA), DOL has the responsibility to set eligibility dates for former Beth… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer: DOJ Exported Prison Contractors With Checkered Pasts To Rebuild Iraqi Prisons
In June of 2004, Senator Charles E. Schumer asked the Department of Justice to investigate and report on how the Department hired at least three individuals to oversee the reconstitution of Iraqs prison system, despite credible allegations of serious misconduct when those individuals previously served as prison officials in the United States. The Justice Department referred the matter to its Inspector General and today Schumer received the Inspector Generals report on this matter. During the I… Continue Reading
08.02.06
Schumer Announces Key Senate Panel Backs Increased Funding For Brookhaven National Laboratory
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $18 million for the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and $36.5 million for the Center for Functional Nanomaterials at Brookhaven National Laboratory in the FY06 Energy and Water Appropriations Committee Report. The bill must now be approved by the full Senate before being sent to a House and Senate Conference Committee and eventually being signed into law. Schumer had aggressively lobbied member… Continue Reading
08.01.06
Schumer Meets With Canadian Ambassador To Urge DHS To Treat Fast Ferry As Land Crossing Under Any Passport Proposal
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer met late Wednesday with the Canadian Ambassador to the United States, Frank McKenna, and announced they would urge the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to treat the Fast Ferry, which provides service from Rochester to Toronto, as a land crossing under The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). In its current form, WHTI proposes two implementation dates: December 31, 2006 for air and sea crossings; and December 31, 2007 for land crossings. Schumer and Mc… Continue Reading
08.01.06
Schumer Announces Over $13,000 for Washington County Crime Control and Prevention Programs
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that $13,730 has been awarded to Washington County by the U.S. Department of Justices Office of Justice Programs (OJP) under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. The federal funds will be used for crime control and prevention programs. When it comes to protecting our citizens, we need to be tough on crime and smart on prevention," Schumer said. These much needed funds will help to bring the quality people and firstrate… Continue Reading
