Newsroom

Today Senator Charles E. Schumer, Senator Robert Menendez and Congressman Anthony Weiner called on the National Parks Service to reopen the Statue of Liberty by July 4th. Lady Liberty was shut down, like other monuments following September 11th and has since only been partially reopened. Visitors are still prohibited from climbing up to the Crown, one of the monuments most popular attractions. Americas symbol of freedom has sadly become a symbol of fear, Schumer said. When I was a child my... Read More

Today, U.S. Senators Carl Levin and Chuck Schumer addressed the recent escape of Al Qaeda prisoners from a prison in Yemen, one of whom is the mastermind of the terrorist attacks on the USS Cole. Schumer is sending a letter to President Bush urging him to investigate this matter immediately by inspecting and evaluating all foreign prisons where Al Qaeda members are being held. The letter it is below: February 7, 2006 The Honorable George W. Bush President The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer today announced that they have teamed up to support legislation to stop the shipment of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco through the U.S. Mail. At a joint news conference with Spitzer, held at New Yorks historic Farley Post Office, Schumer announced his bill that would prohibit mailing cigarettes through the United States Postal Service, impose fines of at least $1,000 per offense and jail time for repeat... Read More

Today, Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the Federal Aviation Administration has approved significant funding for a new air traffic control tower at LaGuardia Airport. Schumer said the new tower will help ease crippling flight delays at the airport and help controllers manage traffic on the runways in order to prevent more near aircraft collisions. Schumer has been actively lobbying the FAA to make the new tower a priority and wrote to Department of Transportation Secretary Mineta last... Read More

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... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and Assemblyman Michael C. Cusick today announced legislation that would allow the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) to link existing MTA bus lines to New Jersey Transits HudsonBergen Light Rail lines station at 34th street in Bayonne, NJ. Staten Islanders suffer from the longest commutes, and worst traffic in this city. A buslink between the North Shore of Staten Island and the Bayonne Transit hub is a nobrainer its cheap, its easy, it will cut commuting times... Read More

Today all eight Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee 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. Schumer and Feingold had previously sent a letter calling on Chairman Specter to expand and diversify the witness list so that the... Read More

Last week, amid reports of the growing scope of an under regulated tissue transplant industry, Senator Schumer wrote to the Food and Drug Administration calling for stronger regulatory oversight for tissue transplants and an accounting of how exactly contaminated tissue was transplanted into otherwise healthy patients. Since the FDA has not adequately responded to this problem, today Schumer unveiled legislation to properly regulate the tissue transplant industry. Schumer stood with Patricia... Read More

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer sent a letter to Fred Wilpon, owner of the New York Mets, calling on him to name the new stadium scheduled to be built for the New York Mets after the late Jackie Roosevelt Robinson. Schumer said that Jackie Robinsons contributions to the game of baseball, the City of New York, and our country deserve a grand living and permanent monument. The Mets are the direct inheritors of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball tradition and there is no better way to honor... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer released the following statement as followup to his meeting yesterday with Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson: I spoke with Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and emphasized the importance of keeping the Bills in Buffalo and protecting smallmarket teams. He said he wants to do both of those things, and well be meeting shortly to discuss how to move forward. In the meantime, Ive spoken with Tim Russert who will help us with this effort, and Ill be reaching out to other... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced a bipartisan campaign for an additional $2.92 billion for the Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as part of an emergency spending bill. Schumer, joining a coalition of Democratic and Republican Senators urged, the Senate Leadership to take immediate action on the emergency designation funding. So far New York State has received approximately $263 million, and this additional funding could bring the total to an estimated $471 million for... Read More

Today, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer released the following statement regarding the new record trade deficit numbers reported by the U.S. Census. The U.S. trade deficit for 2005 was $726 billion, a 17.5% increase from the record set in 2004. The trade deficit is now about 6% of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). Schumer said, These exploding trade deficit numbers are not a sign of strength; they are a sign of weakness. They indicate a slow bleeding at the wrists economically for the United... 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 grassroots 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. Since 2001, Essex County Fire Departments have netted more... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that, at his urging, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the CSX Corporation have agreed to participate in a town hall meeting with Hamburg community on March 1st. Last week, Schumer asked that representatives from the FRA and CSX come to Hamburg to and hear community concerns regarding noise from constant freight train horn blasts. Schumer has also invited representatives from Norfolk Southern to participate. Community leaders asked for... Read More

In the past months, as workers prepare to tear down the Deutsche Bank building that still stands at Ground Zero, tiny bits of human remains have been found on the roof and in air vents. Many of these pieces of bone are as small as one sixteenth of an inch. Identifying these fragments is painstaking work that is currently done by the medical examiners office who is still working to find everything as the demolition proceeds. In an effort to expedite the process and widen the search, today Senator... Read More

Sen. Chuck Schumers Opening Statement from todays Judiciary Committee hearing on the domestic spying program: Thank you Mr. Chairman. General Gonzales, I want to make a couple points that are important to keep in mind as we ask you questions. We all support a strong, robust, and vigorous national security program. Like everyone else in this room, I want the President to have all the legal tools he needs as we work together to keep our nation safe and free, including wiretapping. I appreciate the... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today revealed that major commercial airlines in the United States are lobbying to loosen advertising restrictions, which could lead to misleading prices for consumers. Currently airlines have to advertise the full fare for ticket prices, and are allowed advertise certain government mandated taxes and fees separately. Under the proposed regulation change supported by the legacy carriers, the airlines would be permitted to unbundle fares and define fees as they... Read More

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged CSX Rail Corporation and Norfolk Southern Corporation to repair three dilapidated and leadladen railroad bridges on Union Road in the Town of Cheektowaga. The town is unable to shoulder the burden of painting and potential lead abatement. With CSX and Norfolk Southerns assistance, there is a real possibility to transform a rusty eyesore into a positive community amenity, Schumer said. This is a great opportunity to turn three old railroad bridges into... Read More

Under the most recent federal budget proposal, more than 280,000 upstate New York veterans would be shortchanged almost $80 million in health care funding, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer revealed today. Schumer announced an amendment to the pending Emergency Supplemental spending bill, which would add $430 million to current funding for veterans health care, and send New York more than $15 million in additional funding for Vet Centers, mental health services, and general health care. This is... Read More

Today, Senators Chuck Schumer (DNY), Norm Coleman (RMN), Bob Menendez (DNJ), Olympia Snowe (RME), Hillary Clinton (DNY), Susan Collins (RME), Tom Coburn (ROK), Jack Reed (DRI), Rick Santorum (RPA), and Frank Lautenberg (DNJ) sent a letter to Senate Leaders Bill Frist and Harry Reid urging them to cooperate in efforts to make sure that the security investigation of the Dubai ports deal meets the highest standards for protecting our national security. While a 45day investigation has finally been... Read More