Press Releases
Schumer Introduces Bill To Grant Supreme Court Expedited Review Of NSA Secret Spying Program
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today introduced legislation to allow the Supreme Court to rule on the National Security Agencys secret spying program. Schumer, who has been critical of the Administration for not consulting with Congress before enacting the program, said his legislation would put the controversial spying program on the fast track to Supreme Court consideration so the nations highest tribunal can definitively decide on the constitutionality and legality of the program. This is … Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer Sends White House List Of Unanswered Questions That Must Be Answered About The Dubai Ports Deal
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer sent the following letter President Bush with a list of unanswered questions that must be answered about the Dubai Ports World acquisition of six major U.S. ports on the East Coast, including New York and New Jersey. This $6.8 billion deal is scheduled to be closed on March 2 and was approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) last month, although the President wasnt aware of it until after the approval. Except for cargo screening funct… Continue Reading
07.25.06
Dems Call on A.G. Gonzales to Recuse Himself from Abramoff Case
Today, 31 Democrats led by Sen. Chuck Schumer sent the following letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales urging him to recuse himself from the Abramoff case. Below is the letter and signatories. Schumer stated, If there was ever a case that was both sensitive and rife with potential conflict it is this one. The Attorney General can avoid any appearance of impropriety by recusing himself. February 16, 2006 The Honorable Alberto Gonzales United States Department of Justice 950 Pennsy… Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer Presses Bush on Gov't Tracking of Journalists' Calls
Today, Sen. Chuck Schumer sent the following letter to President Bush regarding the latest revelations that the government may be tracking journalists phone calls. In light of the governments warrantless wiretapping program and database of all Americans phone calls, Schumer called on the President to answer a series of questions about the validity of this possible program. The letter is below: May 16, 2006 President George W. Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW … Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer Announces Senate Passes Sex Offender Legislation With New Federal Tracking System That Would End State-To-State Disparity In Registration And Notification Procedures
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced today that the Senate late last night unanimously passed the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (S. 1086), comprehensive national legislation specifically designed to protect children from sexual predators. Once enacted into law, the bill will create a national database and require convicted sex offenders to register their whereabouts regularly in person. Failure to comply would be a felony. Existing sexoffender sites are managed from state t… Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer, Clinton Announce Over $2 Million For Adirondack Regional Airport
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Clinton today announced $2,400,000 for the Adirondack Regional Airport from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) at the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This is great news for the Adirondack Regional Airport, said Senator Schumer. This airport welcome travelers to New York each year, and these improvements are important for local businesses and strengthening the local economy. I will continue to fight for fe… Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer, Clinton Announce Over $2 Million For Greater Binghamton Airport
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Clinton today announced $2,565,000 for the Greater Binghamton Airport from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) at the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This is great news for the Greater Binghamton Airport, said Senator Schumer. This airport welcome travelers to New York each year, and these improvements are important for local businesses and strengthening the local economy. I will continue to fight for fede… Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer Introduces Bipartisan Extension Of Historic Voting Rights Act
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, an original cosponsor of this bipartisan legislation, today announced the introduction of a bill that will extend key provisions of the historic Voting Right Act for the next 25 years. The legislation, named after 3 civil rights icons, Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 (VRARA), will extend the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which has been previously renewed four times. The Voting Rights … Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer To Delay Approval Of U.S. Trade Rep Nomination Over Concerns On Trade Reciprocity In China
Today, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer was joined by Sen. Lindsey Graham in writing a letter to President Bushs nominee to be the U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Susan Schwab. Schumer objected to the unanimous consent request to approve her nomination without a vote or debate. In particular, the senators are concerned with the Administrations willingness to press for reciprocity for financial firms that want to invest in China. Senator Schumer has said that he is reluctant to allow the nomine… Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer Blasts Cuts To CDBG Program In Administration Budget Fights To Restore Funding
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today launched an effort to restore funding for the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) Program for communities in New York State, which is slashed in the Administrations budget proposal for fiscal year 2007. The CDBG Program is one of the most important and effective programs for revitalizing distressed communities and funds housing rehabilitation, support services, public improvements, and economic development projects in communities across the nation. The… Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer Presses Feds For Straight Answers On Proposed Rail Garbage Project
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today questioned the Surface Transportation Board (STB) on its plans with regard to Chartwell Internationals purchase of the Middletown & New Jersey Railway, a 15mile stretch of track in Middletown, NY and its possible use. There have been varied reports with respect to Chartwells plans for its acquisition, and their Chief Financial Officer has said that the development of a solid waste transfer station would be exempt from state and local laws because the rai… Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer, Feingold Call On Specter To Urge Ashcroft, Comey, Others To Testify At Hearings On Secret Domestic Spying Program
Today U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Russ Feingold sent a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter urging him to call on more current and former high level Bush Administration officials including former Attorney General John Ashcroft, Deputy Attorneys General Jim Comey and Larry Thompson, and White House Chief of Staff Andy Card. They also said that no witnesses from the Administration should invoke executive privilege. The letter to Specter follows: January 25, 2006 … Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer Urges Feds To Relocate Social Seurity Administration Office To Downtown Ogdensburg
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged the Federal Government to relocate the Social Security Administration (SSA) Office to downtown Ogdensburg when their current lease expires in midApril. Schumer pointed to two reasons that the move downtown will be beneficial to the community: first, due to the central location and proximity of many senior citizens, Social Security services will be much more accessible to the New Yorkers it serves; second the SSA, as a major main street tenant, will con… Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer Visits Putnam Hospital Center, Pushes New Proposal For Health Care For Small Businesses
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today joined President and CEO Michael Webber to tour the Putnam Hospital Center. Schumer met with Webber and other health care executives to discuss plans for the hospital's growth and expansion, including construction of a new facility to begin later this year. We are in the middle of a health care crisis in the country, and getting relief for small businesses would be a huge step in the right direction, Schumer said. Small businesses are the backbone of P… Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer Reveals: Feds Have Reneged On Their Commitment To Provide Adequate Tamiflu Stockpiles
Today U.S. Senator Charles Schumer revealed that the federal government has reneged on its commitment to provide enough Tamiflu stockpiles to safeguard Americans from a potential bird flu pandemic. Schumer sent a letter to Michael Leavitt, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), urging him to dramatically increase stockpiles for Tamiflu, the only antiviral currently available to treat Bird Flu. Schumer has been a leader in getting Roche Pharmaceuticals, the manufactu… Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer: 19,000 Cap Region Single-Parent Families At Risk Because Of Closed-Door Legislative Maneuver That Cuts Child Support Collection For Those That Desperately Need It
With 18,800 capital region families depending on child support payments, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called for restored funding for the Child Support Enforcement Program. Congress Budget Reconciliation Bill cut this critical program by $1.5 billion, which would impact 17.3 million children nationwide and could translate into a $334 million drop in New York child support. These cuts hurt us where we feel it the most: with our families, Schumer said. This is one of the most efficient … Continue Reading
07.25.06
11 Cabinet Heads Respond To Senate Democrats Request To Disclose All Abramoff Meetings, Memos, Favors And Ties
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer joined by Democratic Leader Harry Reid, Assistant Leader Dick Durbin, and Senator Debbie Stabenow sent a followup letter today to highlevel Bush Administration officials asking them to fully disclose their dealings with indicted Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The Senate Democratic leaders first urged toplevel Bush Administration officials to disclose all their meetings, memos, favors and ties with Jack Abramoff in January. A number of Administration officials respo… Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer Calls On Feds For Funding To Help Market Greater Binghamton Airport
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged the Department of Transportation to award federal funds to the Greater Binghamton Airport to help promote itself to passengers and induce another carrier to the area. Schumer said the funding will enable the Greater Binghamton Airport to create an aggressive media campaign for its current service and offer incentives for new service to added destinations. "The Binghamton area is ideal for this air service program," Senator Schumer said. &qu… Continue Reading
07.25.06
Schumer Announces Additional LIHEAP Funding Passes Senate
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that an additional $1 billion of Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding has passed the U.S. Senate. As a result, New York State could see an estimated increase of $66 million, bringing its grand total to approximately $314 million. New York is close to exhausting their program funds for the regular winter heating season and the high energy burden facing lowincome households and cold weather in the state have led to more applications… Continue Reading
09.30.04
Schumer, Senators Launch New Plan To Bring Down Remittance Costs- NY Immigrants Pay Millions In Fees To Send Money Home
US Senators Charles E. Schumer joined a coalition of Senators lead by Paul Sarbanes of Maryland to unveil a new plan to require the companies that provide international money wire transfer services to disclose the hidden costs they charge for those transactions. Immigrants living in the United States send an estimated $30 billion home every year via wire transfer and up to $4 billion of that money is syphoned off in fees and transaction costs. Many money wire companies charge high fees for their… Continue Reading
