Newsroom

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... Read More

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... Read More

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... Read More

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 nominee... Read More

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... Read More

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... Read More

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... Read More

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... Read More

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,... Read More

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... Read More

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... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged the National Park Service (NPS) to make its final conclusion on a pending report and designate Niagara Falls a National Heritage Area. Schumer also called for a federal commission to oversee the park. In November, a resource feasibility study was released, which outlines options the management of the Heritage area. The National Heritage Area designation for the area would enable the National Park Service to assist local efforts to protect the Niagara... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced a grant of $83,537 to the Family Enrichment Network Infant / Toddler Center awarded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The federal funds will provide quality daycare to children and their families. This is great news for Greater Binghamton, Schumer said. This grant for the Family Enrichment Network will not only help to teach our children earlier in life, but will also provide a safe environment with quality professionals while their... Read More

In two weeks control of the Port of New York and New Jersey will be handed over to Dubai Ports World, a Dubai Company that is owned and operated by the United Arab Emirates. This $6.8 billion deal is scheduled to be closed on March 2nd and was approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) last month. The approval allows the UAE company to take control of significant operations at six ports on the East Coast, including: New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans,... Read More

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.... Read More

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... Read More

New York fire departments could lose out on $31 million for equipment, training, and vehicles under a new federal budget proposal, US Senator Charles E. Schumer announced today. Schumer unveiled his plan to restore full funding for Assistance to Firefighters Grant program (also known as FIRE grants) that has provided fire departments throughout New York $102 million since it began in 2001 but is now slated for severe cuts. New Yorks firefighters risk their lives every day to keep our communities... Read More

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... Read More

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... Read More

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... Read More