Newsroom

Includes: Authorization of New Studies and Projects to Address Lake Ontario Flooding, Restore Hudson River Ecosystems, Protect the Rockaways and Long Island From Future Storms and Flooding, and More WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today announced that, following their push, essential provisions to protect and harness New York’s water resources are... Read More

Existing Law That Required Plum Island To Be Sold By Admin Of General Services Admin (GSA) Is Finally Repealed    Schumer, Gillibrand Have An Extensive History Fighting For Plum Island & Always Said Its Sale & Development Threatened Irreplaceable Habitat For Endangered Species & Environmental Resources on LI  Schumer, Gillibrand: Longtime Push To Save Plum Island From Some ‘High Bidder’ Is Now Official    On the heels of negotiations to... Read More

With NEW Deadline For A Govt Funding Bill Set For Friday, Schumer Says Mass Transit & MTA/LIRR/NJT Funds Must Be Part Of Any Final Deal Schumer Already Delivered $4B To MTA Via CARES Act Months Ago—But With Pandemic Raging, Ridership Down & Costs Climbing, Billions More Will Be Needed Before President-Elect Biden Even Gets Sworn In Schumer: Without Transit Funds NOW, NYC, LI, Hudson Valley & NJ Will Face Even Harder Recovery On the heels of a now Friday, December 18th deadline... Read More

After first raising concerns about Canada’s allocation of tariff-rate quotas for U.S. exports of dairy products in June and again in September, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand applauded the U.S. Trade Representative’s decision to file a USMCA enforcement action against Canada to protect New York’s dairy farmers and ensure fairer market access: Schumer and Gillibrand said, “Dairy is New York’s primary agricultural product and our... Read More

Shortfall Grants Awarded to Westchester County, The Cities of Geneva and Batavia Funding Will Assist Housing Agencies Experiencing Financial Insolvency Schumer, Gillibrand: Access to Affordable Housing Crucial to Public Health and Safety During Pandemic U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $174,305 in federal funding for Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) in Batavia, Geneva, and Sleepy Hollow. The funding was allocated by the U.S. Department of... Read More

Reps Have Been Staunch Advocates For DFAS Employees, Preventing Job Transfers & Losses Over The Years; Worked Tirelessly To Preserve Efficient, Productive, And Cost-Effective Workforce At DFAS, Which Anchors Nearly 1000 Good-Paying Jobs In Mohawk Valley  Reps Say Legislation Will Require A DoD Report Submitted to Congressional Armed Services Committees Prior To Transitioning Any DFAS Functions Elsewhere; Report Would Require Justifications For Changes, Adding Another Layer Of Protection... Read More

Following his advocacy for the ValleyCats this year , Schumer released the following statement regarding MLB’s announcement of team affiliates for the MiLB, which did not include a major league affiliation for the Tri-City team: Senator Schumer said, “I am very, very disappointed for Capital Region baseball fans and the ValleyCats organization. For 18 years the ValleyCats have delivered both good players and fan satisfaction that minor league franchises strive for. In... Read More

Federal Investment Is Critical To Economic Recovery Of Rochester & Growth of L3Harris  Schumer: Contract Is A Win For Our Troops, L3Harris, And The Rochester-Finger Lakes Regional Economy U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that L3Harris Technologies, in Rochester, New York, has been selected by the U.S. Army to manufacture Falcon IV® AN/PRC-163 two-channel handheld radios, along with related equipment and services. This is the third order of radios that L3Harris will... Read More

With All Upstream Great Lakes Already Above Their Average December Water Levels, Lake Ontario Must Be Ready For Spring Draining; Lake Erie Alone Is 25 Inches Above Average  Senators Say Measures Last Winter To Increase Outflow From Lake Ontario Saved Lakefront Communities From Spring Flooding Risk; Same Action Must Be Taken This Winter  Schumer, Gillibrand To IJC: Action Now Will Prevent Devastation Of Lake Ontario Next Spring Continuing their efforts to secure federal support for... Read More

Senator & Soon-To-Be-Sworn-In Reps Say President Biden Will Have Executive Authority To Cancel Student Loan Debt; Nearly 2.4 Million New Yorkers Owe $89.5 Billion In Federal Student Loans Canceling Student Loan Debt Will Relieve A Huge Burden On NY’s Young People, Particularly People Of Color & Families; Student Debt Accounts For Substantial Percentage of Racial Wealth Gap Schumer & Rep-Elects: New Yorkers Need Substantial Relief From Burden Of Student Loans The Pandemic Has... Read More

With The U.S. Leading The Microelectronics Industry, Schumer Fought to Secure This Critical Federal Support For Commercial & Defense-Related Microelectronics Projects To Keep U.S. On Top  Senator Says Provision Will Allow NY-Based Companies, Like ON Semiconductor, Cree, Inc., IBM, GlobalFoundries, To Grow And Will Ease U.S. Reliance On Foreign-Made Semiconductors, Alleviating National Security Risks And Boosting U.S. Competitiveness Schumer: U.S. Semiconductor Industry And Upstate... Read More

Schumer Has Been Pushing To Expand List Of Diseases Associated With Exposure To ‘Agent Orange’ Herbicide That NY Vets Came Into Contact With During Vietnam War Service; But Feds Have Been Foot-Dragging-- Even Blocked Action—UNTIL NOW; Secures Billions For As Many As 240,000 NY Vietnam Vets  Senator Says Legislation Will End Unwarranted Delay, Adds Parkinson’s, Bladder Cancer, And Hypothyroidism To Existing Federal List of Ailments Tied To Agent Orange Exposure, &... Read More

Forty-Eight Million Americans Suffer From Foodborne Illnesses Yearly;  Ithaca Based Research Could Revolutionize Sanitization Of Food Processing Equipment  Washington, D.C. — U.S. Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $600,000 in federal funding for Halomine, Inc, a Cornell University-based company. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)... Read More

Schumer Has Worked For Years With Multiple Administrations To Resolve Delays At Peace Bridge, Which Impede Cross-Border Commerce & Create Security Vulnerabilities Senator Plugs WNY Priority To DHS Nominee Mayorkas, To Ensure WNY Security & Commerce Issues Are Addressed ASAP By Incoming Administration  Schumer To DHS Nominee: Congestion At The Norther Border Must Be Resolved To Secure Western New York’s Future Continuing his efforts to ensure the security and prosperity of... Read More

Washington D.C. – U.S. Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $4,842,051 in federal funding allocated through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The COVID-19 health and economic crisis has put 30-40 million people at risk of eviction. This federal funding will provide direct financial assistance for at-risk tenants to prevent homelessness in New York’s communities. Specifically, this funding will provide... Read More

WNY Veterans, Who Earned The Right To Be Buried In A National Cemetery, Have Not Had Access To Such An Honor With The Nearest National Cemetery Hours Away; With Today’s Dedication Of The Western New York National Cemetery, WNY Vets Can Be Buried With The Honor They Deserve Senator Has Worked With Local Vets For Over A Decade To Secure A Site & Push The VA To Finally Have A Place Where WNY Vets Can Be Laid To Rest  Schumer: Today Marks Not Only The Culmination Of Ten Years Of Work,... Read More

Nearly 2.4 Million New Yorkers Owe $89.5 Billion In Federal Student Loans, Many On LI; Senator Says President Biden Will Have Executive Authority To Cancel Student Loan Debt  Canceling Student Loan Debt Will Relieve A Huge Burden On LI Young People and Families During COVID-19 & Beyond And Boost Economy  Schumer: Plan Will Provide Substantial Forgiveness Of Student Loans On LI  Standing at Nassau Community College with students and local officials, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer... Read More

Schumer Says, As Region’s Cases Rise, We Must Learn From The First Months Of The Pandemic When Testing & PPE Were Scarce, & Ensure Hudson Valley’s Residents & Frontline Health Care Workers Have Sufficient Access To Free Rapid Testing, N-95 Masks, And Other PPE  Using All Possible Federal Resources, Schumer’s Plan 1) Utilize $9 Billion In Federal Testing Dollars HHS Is Holding Onto, & 2) Would Provide $11 Billion To Produce and Expand Manufacturing Capacity... Read More

With A New COVID Wave Emerging In New York, Small Business Owners Need Additional PPP Assistance To Make It Through The Winter Schumer Pushes Vital Legislation To Provide Economic Relief To Capital Region’s Small Businesses, Extending PPP Into Next Year & Offering New Second Round of Forgivable Assistance To Hardest-Hit Small Businesses Schumer: PPP Extension & Expansion Is The Lifeboat Upstate Small Biz Needs And Must Be Part Of Any Comprehensive COVID Relief Package To Recover... Read More

During Schumer’s 1998 Senate Election, He Vowed To Visit Every Single New York County Each Year—At The Close Of 22 Years, Even As A Pandemic Rocks Our Nation, The Tradition Continues  As Senate Democratic Leader And During A Pandemic, Schumer Has Always Staunchly Believed That Visiting Every Single NY County Is Imperative To His Daily Work In U.S. Capitol, This Year – As New York Faced Unimaginable Hardships – It was More Important Than Ever Before; Vows To Continue... Read More