Newsroom

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

US Senator Charles Schumer, author of the 1994 Crime Bill, today announced that the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department will receive over $100,000 in a federal grant under the bills Community Oriented Policing Services' (COPS) Tribal Resources Grant Program (TRGP). The money will be used to purchase police equipment, crime fighting technology systems, and training. Police officers may now be on the front lines of the war on terrorism, but they're still on the front lines of the... Read More

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the University at Albany and the New York State Police's Northeast Regional Forensic Institute (NERFI) will get $1,490,250 from the Appropriations bill that passed in February of 2003. Although the bill was passed, the money allocated by the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs department was just sent due to administrative delays. "By enhancing law enforcement's ability to fight crime, this partnership... Read More

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today received the prestigious Guardian Award from the Partnership for a Drug Free America for his work fighting the spread of the highly addictive drug crystal meth. The award is given to Members of Congress who have proven their leadership in preventing drug abuse in youths and teenagers both in their home states and in Congress. Schumer, who has warned about the proliferation of crystal meth, received the award from Partnership Chairman Roy Bostock. "Crystal... Read More

US Senator Charles Schumer, author of the 1994 Crime Bill, today announced that several New York school districts will receive $125,000 federal grants under the bills Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. The money will be used to hire one community police officer to be placed within the citys school system. Schumer said that one of the grants will go to Medina. Unfortunately we live in a different world now than we did twenty, thirty, or even three years ago," Schumer said.... Read More

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the US Department of Transportation has awarded $4,350,856 in a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant to the Albany International Airport to extend their runway and make improvements to the safety area. "Bringing low cost airlines like Independence Air to the region has helped Albany's economy, but we need to keep doing more," said Schumer. "We have to make sure that we maintain and upgrade our airports to ensure that we... Read More

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the US Department of Transportation has awarded $58,898 in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants to BuffaloLancaster Airport for airport building constructions. Safe and secure air service, both private and commercial, is a critical engine of Western New York's continued economic growth, said Schumer. This funding will improve the flow of aircraft traffic and safety at the BuffaloLancaster Airport so that it can meet today's... Read More

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the US Department of Transportation has awarded a $480,000 Small Community Air Service Development Pilot Program grant to the City of Syracuse and the MDA of Syracuse to promote the benefits of providing low fare service to Syracuse Hancock International Airport. Last week Schumer personally lobbied federal Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, asking him to fund the project. Affordable air service is a critical engine of the Central New... Read More

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today released new statistics and warning signs cautioning that crystal meth could become a serious problem in the Binghamton area and the Southern Tier and unveiled a new plan to nip the problem in the bud and prevent a repeat of 1980sera mistakes that missed the early warning signs of the crack epidemic. "It's 1984 all over again," Schumer said, noting that was the year just before the crack epidemic exploded. "Twenty years ago, crack was headed... Read More

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that nonprofit organizations in thirteen counties in upstate New York are eligible for special rate federal loans to help pay for damages caused by storms during May and June of this year. At Schumers urging, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Erie, Chautauqua, Delaware, Herkimer, Ontario, Saratoga, Schoharie, Stueben, Ulster, Washington and Yates counties were declared disaster areas by the President, making them eligible for these loans from the U.S. Small... Read More

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today welcomed Independence Air to Stewart Airport by bringing the airline's Director of Corporate Communications, Rick DeLisi, to the area to unveil a new jet and meet with local business leaders. Schumer said it was important to introduce DeLisi to the Hudson Valley community to encourage close relationships between the airline and local business leaders to maximize the benefit of the new affordable air service to the area economy. "Companies often look... Read More

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the US Department of Transportation has awarded over $465,000 in a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant to the Albany International Airport for removing obstructions from Runway 19. "Bringing low cost airlines like Independence Air to the region has helped Albany's economy, but we need to keep doing more," said Schumer. "We have to make sure that we maintain and upgrade our airports to ensure that we keep passengers... Read More