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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... Read More

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... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that $500,000 will be awarded to Cayuga County from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development program as a Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Grant. The federal funds will be used to assist in the creation of a renewable energy system, and to make energyefficient improvements to existing operations. "This is a winwin for Cayuga County," Schumer said. "Not only will the... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced $10,000 for Jazz Forum Arts, Inc., and $15,000 for Westchester Arts Council, Inc. The groups received the grants through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Access to Artistic Excellence program. This program aims to foster and preserve excellence in the arts and increase access to the arts. "This is a great day for Westchester County,@ Schumer said. An investment in the arts is an investment in Westchester Countys future as a tourist... Read More

Over one million taxpayers across New York could see an average tax increase of $3,589 if a recommendation from the Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform is made to the tax code, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer explained today. Next week, the Panel will formally recommend eliminating the federal deduction for state and local taxes as a way to pay for broader tax reforms. This idea is an absolute killer for New York, Schumer said. Repealing the deduction would devastate people at all levels of... Read More

As Thanksgiving approaches, and New Yorkers prepare for the busiest travel season of the year, today U.S. Senator Charles E .Schumer released a study confirming many travelers worst suspicions, New York City area airports are, for the first time, the worst airports in the country in on time performance, and the problem has gotten markedly worse in the past few years. With nearly 100 million travelers passing through NYC area airports and growing, Schumer called on the FAA, the Administration and... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged the recently merged U.S. AirwaysAmerica West to serve Pepsi Products. Pepsi is headquartered in New York and employs 6,443 new Yorkers. U.S. Airways currently serves CocaCola products and America West serves Pepsi products, and executives for the airlines say they intend to make a final decision on drinks by the end of this year. There is no better way to show a commitment to New York, then to serve New Yorks products on these flights, Schumer said.... Read More

Joint Statement from Senators Chuck Schumer and Lindsey Graham on Yesterday's Meeting with Treasury Secretary Snow and Fed Chairman Greenspan: We had a very productive meeting. We are hopeful we will make progress in the near future." Read More

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Washington, DC U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced that the Joint House and Senate Conference Committee approved $19.1 million in the FY06 Defense Appropriations bill for projects to benefit Western New York. The House has approved the bill. The Senate is expected to work on the Defense Appropriations bill this week. If the bill is passed, it will be sent to the President for his signature. Projects to be funded under the bill include, $8 million for... Read More

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... Read More

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... Read More

U. S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced $647,615 for the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Inc. by the U.S. Department of Justices Office on Violence Against Women. The federal funds will be used to provide legal services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Domestic violence is an awful problem in our communities, Schumer said. Battered women should never have to think twice about whether or not to report their abusers, and creating comprehensive... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt has approved former Linde Ceramics workers for access to the Nuclear Worker Benefit Program via an administrative action known as a Special Exposure Cohort. Last month, in a letter to Secretary Leavitt, Schumer stressed his support of the Linde Ceramics case, and also urged Leavitt to support Bethlehem Steel workers entry to the benefits program under the same clause. The... Read More

In light of high gas prices in Dutchess County, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called for temporary windfall profit levy on oil companies. Schumer released a survey that shows the range of gas prices throughout Dutchess County, and expressed serious concern that people could be profiting in the wake of the devastation caused by recent hurricanes. Schumers bill would impose a levy on big oil windfall profits and get revenue to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita relief efforts, forcing... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today testified via telephone at a meeting with officials from the U.S. Department of State who are in Plattsburgh to discuss the options for required documentation for travel at the U.S.Canada border. Alcy Frelick, Senior Advisor for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) heard directly from North Country business and community leaders as they brainstorm options for secure documentation when crossing the border. Since September, Schumer and his staff had... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced today he has secured a meeting from officials at the U.S. Department of State who will travel to Plattsburgh on October 19th to discuss the options for required documentation for travel at the U.S.Canada border. Alcy Frelick, Senior Advisor for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will hear directly from North Country business and community leaders as they brainstorm options for secure documentation when crossing the border. Schumer has been... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today sent a letter to the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee in support of the bill introduced by Vito Fossella on July 14, 2005. Fossellas bill, H.R.2183 will designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 567 Tompkins Avenue in Staten Island, New York, as the "Vincent Palladino Post Office." The bill will rename the Rosebank Post Office in memory of Vincent Palladino. Its only fitting that the institution where... Read More

Today, in wake of the severe flooding that has damaged myriad homes in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, U.S Senator Charles E. Schumer called on Governor George Pataki to formally ask FEMA for emergency assistance for Long Island counties to help them recover from last weeks rainstorms. The process for receiving disaster assistance mandates that the state must formally request help from FEMA to receive disaster assistance funding. Pataki has not yet ordered preliminary damage assessments (PDAs) to... Read More

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton announced that the Joint House Senate Appropriations Conference Committee has approved the FY 2006 Military Construction Appropriations Bill, which includes $9.2 million in funding for the Visiting Airmens Quarters at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. Now that weve been successful in the fight to save Niagara during BRAC, we have to move forward to make sure it remains one of our best run, best equipped bases. Now we can use this... Read More