Newsroom

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today reintroduced legislation that will make it a federal crime to tamper with the unique identification number of a cell phone by imposing a five year criminal penalty. Last year, Schumer, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a new effort along with major cell phone carriers that would create a stolen cell phone registry to track unique cell phone identification numbers. The International Mobile... Read More

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that Samuelsohn, a highend Canadian suit maker, is in negotiations to purchase Hickey Freeman, with plans to bring new lines of business to the Rochester facility, preserving jobs, and potentially adding new ones, in Rochester. Schumer has spoken with Stephen Granovsky coowner and CEO of Montrealbased Samuelsohn, and after investigating their plans highlighted that this highlysuccessful and rapidlygrowing company could bring more stability and... Read More

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) has officially awarded $4,718,000 in federal disaster funding for the Chenango Industrial Development Agency (IDA) to move forward with the Utica Main Rail Line Revitalization project. Schumer noted that this EDA grant is a huge step in the right direction for economic development in the Southern Tier. In September 2012, Schumer called on the EDA to expedite funding for this vital rail project... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today met with the Ambassador of Poland to the United States of America, Ryszard Schnepf, about his support for making Poland eligible for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) in the pending comprehensive immigration reform bill. Schumer announced this effort in April at the Dyngus Day parade in Buffalo, New York.   "Despite the fact that Poland is a stalwart ally, whose troops fought alongside ours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Poland is one of the only European countries... Read More

Today, on a conference call with reporters, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer launched his fight to stave off an interest rate increase for student loans that could raise the cost of attending college for tens of thousands of Upstate New York students and their families. Unless Congress takes action quickly, the interest rates on federallysubsidized Stafford loans will double on July 1 st from 3.4% to 6.8%, which could add thousands of dollars in interest payments to the cost of attending college.... Read More

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer took a stand against potential plans to offset a student loan bill in a way that could risk hundreds of jobs in Pioneer Credit Recovery's three Western New York facilities in Arcade and Warsaw in Wyoming County and its General Revenue Corporation site in Horseheads, NY in Chemung County. Specifically, Schumer explained that Congress is working on plans to keep the federal Stafford student loan rate from doubling to 6.8% on July 1 st, and is considering... Read More

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that he has helped Hanford Pharmaceuticals, located in downtown Syracuse since 1846, receive a longdelayed FDA rebate, which will now allow them to begin construction on a proposed expansion of their Syracuse facility. This $176,000 Animal Drug User (ADUFA) rebate for Fiscal Year 2012 comes after Senator Schumer urged the FDA to expedite Hanford's request for a waiver, which they requested in June 2012. Hanford could not consider expansion without... Read More

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand today announced Garden City was awarded over $4.5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance funding to reimburse them for cost of debris removal in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.   "Superstorm Sandy wreaked significant damage inandaround Garden City, creating a massive cleanup effort that, in turn, threatened to place a burden on local taxpayers," said Schumer. "This reimbursement for debris cleanup is... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) will receive an additional $1 million from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In April, Schumer announced over $2 million in federal reimbursements from CMS and today's announcement will mean a total of over $3 million for RUMC. Schumer has been working as an intermediary to ensure that these reimbursements due to RUMC were processed in an accelerated manner, thereby averting an... Read More

New York, NY - U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Nydia Velázquez announced today that they will introduce legislation in both chambers of Congress that would expand the Lower East Side Tenement Museum's National Park Service (NPS) designation by including its second historic site at 103 Orchard Street. The Museum's first historic building at 97 Orchard Street has already been declared a "National Park Service Affiliate Site" in 1998.   The Museum plans to... Read More

Today, in an effort to help combat prescription drug abuse and toooften related heroin use on Long Island, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer launched a campaign to keep painkillers that contain hydrocodone out of the wrong hands. Studies have shown that there is a significant subset of heroin users who become addicted first to hydrocodone and opioids. In efforts to obtain a less expensive alternative to illicit prescription bills, too many hydrocodone users switch over to heroin.   Long Island has... Read More

Today, U.S. Senator Schumer pushed a plan to bring critical funding to the new Middletown Community Health Center, Inc. (MCHC), which would enhance and improve access to vital health services in Middletown by expanding primary care services and bringing their internal medicine, OB/GYN, pediatrics, dentistry and other services under one roof. Recently, the U.S. Treasury allocated $55 million from the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program to the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF)-whose mission is... Read More

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced the Dolgeville Volunteer Fire Department is set to receive $115,173 in Round 24 of the FY12 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. AFG awards are administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and are designed to help firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources... Read More

Today, at Capital Region BOCES, in an effort to help combat an unprecedented spike in prescription drug abuse and toooften related heroin use in the Capital Region, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer launched a campaign to keep painkillers that contain hydrocodone out of the wrong hands. Studies have shown that there is a significant subset of heroin users who become addicted first to hydrocodone and opioids. In efforts to obtain a less expensive alternative to illicit prescription pills, too many... Read More

Today, U.S. Senator Schumer announced that the National Development Council (NDC) has received $65 million in New Markets Tax Credits, and urged that they join other awardees in delivering a critical piece of that funding to longblighted Hudson Valley landmark known as the Glenwood Power Plant. Schumer helped deliver this allocation of tax credits to National Development Council from the U.S. Treasury Department, which clears a key hurdle in getting Yonkers developers the approximately $20... Read More

New York, NY - U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today warned about a dangerous proposal that would override New York's tough conceal and carry restrictions which will be considered by the United States Senate as early as this week. The legislation would force communities across the nation to permit individuals from other states to carry hidden and loaded handguns in public. The amendment is particularly dangerous to New York, which applies some of the most thorough background screenings on... Read More

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand announced that the Pleasantdale Fire District will receive $52,868 in federal grants in Round 21 of the FY12 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. AFG awards are administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and are designed to help firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and... Read More

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced over $5 million in federal funding for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The funding will be provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Public Assistance Program and will reimburse the City for the Superstorm Sandy's damage to 16 pump stations in Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens.   "Superstorm Sandy seriously damaged sixteen pumping stations all throughout New... Read More

Today, during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on the nomination of Marilyn Tavenner to be the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer highlighted several top priorities, including the unfair situation facing Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown because of a 2011 misclassification of its medical residency program. Samaritan Medical is the primary hospital in the area serving over 120,000 New Yorkers, has 246 acute care beds, and... Read More

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors in Owego has received a Navy contract award totaling $13,516,318 to extend a previously awarded contract for the upgrade of data and software systems of MH60R helicopters. This award will improve the ability of the helicopter to transmit data from its sensors, providing more information and a better understanding of the battle space to military commanders. The work will take place at the Owego... Read More