Press Releases
Gillibrand, Daines, Merkley, Blumenauer, Titus, and Rohrabacher Lead Bipartisan Effort Urging the Department of Veterans Affairs to Change its Current Policy, Allow VA Doctors to Discuss and Recommend Medical Marijuana in States where it is Legal
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Steve Daines, and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Dina Titus, and Dana Rohrabacher led a bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives on a letter urging the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to change its current policy to allow VA doctors to discuss and recommend marijuana as a treatment option in states where medical marijuana has been legalized. VHA Directive 2011-004, which expires January 31, … Continue Reading
January 26, 2016
Schumer, Gillibrand & Rice Announce Nearly $10 Million for Repairs to Long Beach Boardwalk & Other Sandy-Damaged Facilities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice today announced that the City of Long Beach has been awarded nearly $10 million in federal grant funding for repairs to the Long Beach Boardwalk and other facilities that sustained damage during Superstorm Sandy. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) agreed to cover 90 percent of the cost of rebuilding the boardwalk, but initially declined additional costs totaling more than $9 … Continue Reading
January 21, 2016
Gillibrand Urges Environmental Protection Agency to Renew Funding for Environmental Workforce Development & Job Training Program in Glens Falls
Glens Falls, N.Y. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today wrote to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging the agency to renew federal funding for the Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Program for the City of Glens Falls. This federal funding will allow Glens Falls to continue local job training initiatives for unemployed and underemployed workers. The City plans to hold three separate training sessions during the first two years of the … Continue Reading
January 21, 2016
Schumer, Gillibrand & Israel Announce over $1.6 Million in Federal Sandy Funding for Restoration Project on Long Island
North Hempstead, N.Y. - U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Steve Israel today announced $1,670,879.76 in federal funding to the Town of North Hempstead in Nassau County for the restoration of Leeds Pond located near Plandome Road, damaged as a direct result of Hurricane Sandy. The funding was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and will be used to cover administrative costs including engineer fees and initial design plans for … Continue Reading
January 20, 2016
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Senate Greenlights Alexandria Bay Port of Entry Project
Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously approved a proposal greenlighting the Government Services Administration (GSA) to move forward with construction upgrades at the Alexandria Bay Port of Entry (POE). "The long over-due, desperately needed makeover of the Alexandria Bay Border Crossing is now cleared for take-off," said U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer. "The movement of … Continue Reading
January 20, 2016
Senator Gillibrand Statement on New DOJ Study on College Campus Sexual Assault
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement on a new Department of Justice study released today on the prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses: "This survey is the latest in a litany of recent studies that show just how prevalent the problem of sexual assault really is on college campuses across the country. "Our students deserve better, and we can fix this by surveying the climate on campuses more regularly. Creating more transparency and … Continue Reading
January 20, 2016
Gillibrand, Schumer, Blumenthal, Murphy Announce Legislation to Protect & Restore Long Island Sound Passes out of Environment and Public Works Committee
Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Charles E. Schumer, Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy today announced their bipartisan legislation to continue to support the restoration of Long Island Sound passed out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, bringing it one step closer to full Senate passage. The legislation now heads to the Senate floor, and the Senators are vowing to continue pushing until … Continue Reading
January 20, 2016
Gillibrand Statement on Committee Passage of the Child Nutrition Bill
Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today released the following statement after voting in support of the Improving Child Nutrition Integrity and Access Act in the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee: "The child nutrition reauthorization legislation that passed out of committee today is a good step forward, and I am encouraged that the bill includes provisions from my bipartisan Summer Meals Act to help provide more children with access to healthy meals … Continue Reading
January 18, 2016
Gillibrand Statement On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
"This holiday gives us a chance to look back and celebrate Dr. King's incredible life, and then look ahead, to map out where we are heading as a nation. We can tackle inequality. We can reduce gun violence. We can make our families more stable and more cohesive, and to do it, we need new policies that actually reflect the world we live in today. "We need equal pay for equal work, so a single mom can take care of her kid just as well as a single dad. We need day care that doesn't bankrupt a … Continue Reading
January 15, 2016
Gillibrand, County Executive Mark Poloncarz, And Buffalo Common Council President Darius Pridgen Hold Roundtable Meeting On Gun Trafficking With Faith Based Leaders, Law Enforcement, And Community Members, Discuss Bipartisan Bill To Crack Down On Flow Of Illegal Guns
Buffalo, NY -U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, County Executive Mark Poloncarz, and Bishop Darius Pridgen, along with law enforcement, advocates, and community leaders today held a roundtable meeting and discussed bipartisan gun trafficking legislation aimed at cracking down on the daily flow of illegal guns on our nation's streets. Senator Gillibrand's legislation the Hadiya Pendleton and Nyasia Pryear-Yard Gun Trafficking & Crime Prevention Act would, for the first time, make gun … Continue Reading
January 13, 2016
Gillibrand Secures $90 Million In Federal Funding For New Apprenticeship Grant Program In Omnibus Bill Signed By President
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that, following her push, the Omnibus spending bill signed by the President last year includes $90 million for a new Apprenticeship Grant program. The apprenticeship program will support grants to states in order to increase their capacity to register and oversee apprenticeship programs. The funding will be used to launch apprenticeship models, and for community-based organizations to help underserved populations and fund … Continue Reading
January 13, 2016
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce More Than $710,000 In National Endowment For The Arts Funding Throughout Upstate New York
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $712,500 in federal funds through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The funding will allow organizations to support residencies for artists, exhibitions, professional development and public engagement and outreach. "An investment in the arts is an investment in Upstate New York's future, as both a tourist destination and a vibrant place to live. This federal funding will help regions across … Continue Reading
January 12, 2016
Gillibrand Statement On President Obama's Final State Of The Union Address
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement tonight after President Obama delivered his State of the Union Address: "President Obama spoke tonight about the progress we have made toward getting our economy back on track and the ways we can continue this momentum to create more jobs and remain competitive in a growing global economy. "And while we must continue to be vigilant and work to stop terrorism from metastasizing abroad as the President outlined, … Continue Reading
January 11, 2016
Gillibrand Leads Official Senate Trip To Middle East to Meet With Allies, Discuss Strategy To Fight Global Terrorism
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today announced that she led an official Senate trip to the Middle East last week to meet with allies and discuss a broad range of regional security issues, including the threat from groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Hezbollah and progress on implementing the Iran nuclear agreement. Gillibrand and seven other senators met with heads of state, ambassadors and other top officials in Israel, Turkey, Saudi … Continue Reading
January 11, 2016
With Asthma Affecting Over 19 Thousand Westchester Children, Senator Gillibrand And Congresswoman Lowey Announces Federal Funding For Schools To Implement Asthma Management Plans
Port Chester, NY - With asthma affecting approximately 364,000 children in New York State, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congresswoman Lowey, joined by Westchester parents, school officials and medical professionals today announced that $1.65 billion in federal aid is now available for school districts to develop policies and procedures and implement training to respond to and help prevent students' asthma attacks as well as other local priorities for schools throughout the country, … Continue Reading
January 11, 2016
At Proctor High School, Senator Gillibrand Announces Federal Funding For School Districts For Physical Education And Fitness Programs
Utica, NY - Standing at Proctor High School, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that $1.65 billion in federal aid is now available for national physical fitness and education programs as well as other local priorities for schools throughout the country, including approximately $125 million for New York schools. The funding is part of Senator Gillibrand's FIT Kids Act and was included in the national education bill recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President … Continue Reading
January 11, 2016
With Asthma Affecting Over 56 Thousand Long Island Children, Senator Gillibrand Announces Federal Funding For Schools To Implement Asthma Management Plans
Farmingdale, NY - With asthma affecting approximately 364,000 children in New York State, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined by Long Island parents, school officials and medical professionals today announced that $1.65 billion in federal aid is now available for school districts to develop policies and procedures and implement training to respond to and help prevent students' asthma attacks as well as other local priorities for schools throughout the country, including approximately $125 … Continue Reading
January 05, 2016
Senator Gillibrand Statement On President Obama's Executive Action to Reduce Gun Violence
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today issued the following statement after President Obama announced his executive action to reduce gun violence: "The only way we are going to make our country safer from this epidemic of gun violence is with action: we need to fix our background check system and we need to pass a federal law that actually defines gun trafficking as a crime. I'm pleased that the President and his administration are taking steps to address this crisis. We … Continue Reading
December 23, 2015
Gillibrand Secures $47 Million In Federal Aid For National Physical Education Program In Omnibus Deal Signed By President
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that, after her push the Omnibus spending bill signed by the President last week includes $47 million for the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) for Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16). The funding Gillibrand pushed to include will allow the Department of Education to provide federal grants to school districts and community-based organizations to initiate, enhance, and expand physical education programs for students in … Continue Reading
December 23, 2015
Gillibrand Announces More Than $2.7 Billion In Federal Funding For Child Care And Development Program In Omnibus Bill Signed By President
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that, after her push the Omnibus spending bill signed by the President last week includes $2.761 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program (CCDBG) for Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16). The funding Gillibrand pushed to include would provide assistance to low-income families across the United States to gain access to quality, affordable child care while parents work or attend school. The CCDBG program helps over 1.4 … Continue Reading
