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U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $1,700,000 in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) funding for the Plattsburgh International Airport.  The grant will be used to construct a parking lot.   "This is great news for the North Country residents and businesses who depend on Plattsburgh International for their travel needs," said Senator Schumer. "Plattsburgh International is an integral part of the region's economy and these federal dollars... Read More

On the heels of Pfizer Inc's announcement this week that it plans to buy Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which has a Clinton County plant in Rouses Point employing hundreds of local workers, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer personally lobbied the company to ensure the jobs at the plant are kept intact as the facility transitions to new ownership. A community mainstay in Rouses Point, the plant currently employs 650 local residents but Wyeth has sold the plant to Akrimax Pharmaceuticals.       In a... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced his push to make sure that the HickeyFreeman Co. plant in Rochester remains open after its parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Friday. Schumer said that while there are assurances from management that the plant will stay open and retain all employees during their financial reorganization, he wants to keep a vigilant eye on the process. Schumer immediately called Homi Patel, the CEO of Hartmarx - the parent company of Hickey... Read More

After pushing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reexamine homes in the Gates neighborhood of Rochester unjustifiably included in the newly established flood maps zone, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today intensified his push in a personal called to the new acting FEMA administrator Nancy Ward. In the call, Schumer pushed Ward to immediately revise the flood maps at no expense to the individual residents affected. Schumer also called on Ward to work with local officials on flood map... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks today announced a joint agreement for Renaissance Square project planners to move forward with the final design and construction of the Monroe Community College and Bus Terminal components of the threepart project. Even though $175 million has been secured for the project, there is still a $55 million funding shortfall for the theatre component. Schumer and Brooks signed a Memorandum of Understanding today that says the... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the Johnstown Fire Department will receive a $617,500 grant from the 2008 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This grant is designed to strengthen the response programs of fire departments throughout the country. This grant will be used towards the acquisition of a vehicle. "This federal money will help first responders in Johnstown get the resources they need to keep... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced today that 100 more New Yorkers have become winners of his statewide lottery for tickets to PresidentElect Barack Obama's historic inauguration. More than 150,000 New Yorkers entered the lottery. In December , Schumer's office selected 175 winners from across New York State, each of whom will receive two general admission tickets to the inauguration to be held on January 20 th, 2009. After receiving additional tickets from the Joint Congressional... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to reevaluate the population data for Fort Drum so that more local soldiers can qualify for affordable housing. Currently, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has denied Fort Drum's request to be added to a basic housing allowance exclusion list because the agency is using inaccurate data provided by the DOD. If the DOD updated their data to reflect Fort Drum's actual population data, it would be more likely that... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Allegany County as a Secretarial disaster area due to multiple disasters that occurred in 2008. All counties will now be eligible for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loan assistance to help cover losses in the area. "Farmers in Allegany County who have had a particularly difficult year due to severe weather conditions will benefit greatly from this funding," said Schumer.... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Yates and Ontario Counties as Secretarial disaster areas due to multiple disasters that occurred in 2008. All counties will now be eligible for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loan assistance to help cover losses in the area. "Farmers in Yates and Ontario who have had a particularly difficult year due to severe weather conditions will benefit greatly from this funding," said... Read More

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Joined by officials from the South Farmingdale Water District (SFWD), U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today revealed that, despite a long standing agreement, the United States Navy is refusing to cover the full cost of building a new water treatment facility needed to clean up potential contamination of water sources caused by the... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced the North Country area winners of his statewide lottery for tickets to PresidentElect Barack Obama's historic inauguration. Nearly 150,000 New Yorkers entered the lottery. Schumer's office selected 175 winners from across New York State, each of whom will receive two general admission tickets to the inauguration to be held on January 20 th, 2009.  Schumer announced his lottery a week after the November 4 th election and said that, because of the... Read More

In the wake of the current economic crisis, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today addressed members of the Rockland Business Association in a special meeting to discuss his push to aid small and large businesses, current national issues, and the implications of the recent election. At the meeting, Schumer discussed how the current economic crisis is affecting Rockland County and outlined the top five ways the second economic stimulus plan could help a weakening New York economy by providing aid... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that he has urged Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Administrator Thomas J. Madison to weigh in favorably with the final New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) truck routing regulations.  After Senator Schumer and Governor Paterson announced the new regulations in May, this past October FHWA took issue with NYSDOT's first draft of the truck regulations, citing the state agency did not properly demonstrate engineering and safety... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today warned Upstate New Yorkers they could be at risk of falling off the digital cliff even if they purchase a digital converter box for their analogonly set when digital television transition goes into effect in February.   Analogonly televisions will go dark on February 17, 2009 when all overtheair broadcast signals will be transmitted by a digital signal only, which analog televisions are not equipped to receive. Many residents already planning to purchase a... Read More

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 In a huge victory for the Capital Region, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and Congressman Michael McNulty today announced they had successfully won approval of an agreement from the United States Army to transform more than 60 acres of the Watervliet Arsenal into a hightech campus run by the Arsenal Business and Technology Partnership.... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the Westville Volunteer Fire Department in Franklin County will receive a $44,369 grant from the 2008 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This grant is designed to strengthen the response programs of fire departments throughout the country. This grant will be used towards the acquisition of muchneeded equipment.    "This funding will go a long way in supporting the... Read More

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 As the airline begins to expand its service in New York and explores service from LaGuardia, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged Southwest Airlines to add flights to Stewart International Airport (SWF), including a direct flight to BaltimoreWashington International Airport (BWI). In a personal call to Southwest Airlines CEO Gary... Read More

Joined by housing leaders and New York City seniors and working families whose apartments are at risk, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today revealed that dozens of major affordable housing complexes and tens of thousands of tenants in all five boroughs are in danger of being caught up in the next housing crisis, called "predatory equity". Schumer said that predatory equity is similar to subprime lending, which has caused millions of foreclosures nationwide, except it involves entire housing... Read More

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 In the wake of this month's historic election, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today discussed the ways in which an Obama Administration and a Democratic Congress will help Central New York families and the economy by renewing focus on major state issues that have been neglected for the last eight years. Schumer said that for the past... Read More