Press Releases
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $100,000 Federal Grant for Village of Elmira Heights Fire Department
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced the Village of Elmira Heights Fire Department is set to receive $106,277 in federal funding to purchase new personal protective clothing to replace their currently outdated clothing. The money was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. "With this funding, Elmira firefighters will be better equipped to protect our communities," said Senator Schumer. … Continue Reading
March 13, 2013
Senator Gillibrand’s Opening Statement at Armed Services Subcommittee Hearing Examining Sexual Assaults in the Military
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following prepared remarks of her opening statement at today's Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel hearing examining sexual assault in the military: "It is an honor and privilege to Chair this hearing of the Personnel Subcommittee this morning. I want to thank the Ranking Member of this Subcommittee, Senator Lindsey Graham, for his support and working with me to move this hearing forward as quickly as … Continue Reading
March 13, 2013
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $2.5 Million in FEMA Funding for Fdny after Superstorm Sandy
New York, NY - U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $2,512,748 of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance funding for Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), which will reimburse the cost of personnel and equipment used to help clear debris throughout city streets in order to allow vehicles to access roadways and respond to emergencies. "New York City firefighters put their lives on the line to protect New Yorkers during … Continue Reading
March 12, 2013
Gillibrand Urges Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano to Reverse New TSA Rule Allowing Small Knives on Planes
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) urged Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to reverse a decision by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that allows travelers to carry small retractable blade knives on airplanes. Senator Gillibrand stressed that threats posed by these small knives should not be ignored, noting the fact that airlines and airports have been prime terrorist targets since the September 11th attack, with the most recent threat … Continue Reading
March 11, 2013
Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Richard Blumenthal, Congressman Chris Gibson, Tick-Borne Disease Alliance, and Weill Cornell Medical College Host NYC Forum on Silent Epidemic of Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases
New York, NY - Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Congressman Chris Gibson (R-NY), in partnership with the Tick-Borne Disease Alliance (TBDA), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness and promoting advocacy to find a cure for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, hosted a forum at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City to discuss the fight against the silent epidemic of tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease. A … Continue Reading
March 08, 2013
Schumer, Gillibrand, Bishop Announce Over $4 Million in Federal Funding for Cleanup after Superstorm Sandy in Suffolk County
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand and Congressman Tim Bishop today announced $4,023,035 million of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance funding for Suffolk County, which will reimburse the cost of debris removal in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. "Superstorm Sandy destroyed neighborhoods throughout Suffolk County, creating a massive cleanup effort for Suffolk County's sanitation department and placing a burden on local taxpayers," … Continue Reading
March 07, 2013
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $125,000 Federal Grant for Fire Department of Westfield
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced the Fire Department of Westfield is set to receive $126,825 in federal funding to purchase new Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) air packs. The money was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. "With this funding, Westfield firefighters will be safer as they pursue their important work protecting life and property," said Senator Schumer. "This … Continue Reading
March 07, 2013
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $70,000 Federal Grant for West Oneonta Fire Department
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced the Fire Department of West Oneonta is set to receive $71,250 in federal funding to purchase 10 new Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) packs. The money was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. "With this funding, West Oneonta firefighters will be safer as they pursue their important keeping our community safe," said Senator Schumer. "This … Continue Reading
March 07, 2013
Major Momentum Continues for First Federal Law on Gun Trafficking: Bipartisan Bill to Crack Down on Illegal Guns Passes Judiciary Committee with Support of Ranking Member Grassley
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) released the following statement today after the Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2013 passed out of the Judiciary Committee on a bipartisan vote of 11-7 with the support of Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-IA). Gillibrand has worked for several weeks with Senator Grassley to improve a proposal originally introduced with Senator Kirk (R-IL). The Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2013 harmonizes two previously … Continue Reading
March 07, 2013
The Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2013
Earlier this week, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) unveiled a new bill to combat straw purchasing and gun trafficking that will be considered by the Judiciary Committee today. The Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2013 harmonizes two previously existing proposals by Gillibrand-Kirk and Leahy-Durbin into one bipartisan product. This legislation provides law enforcement officials … Continue Reading
March 06, 2013
Gillibrand Announces Witnesses for March 13th Senate Hearing Examining Sexual Assaults in the Military
Washington, DC -U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the newly named Chair of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, announced today the witnesses for her first subcommittee hearing to investigate sexual assault in the military on Wednesday, March 13th. U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel Room SH-216 Hart Senate Office Building Wednesday, March 13, 2013 - 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. OPEN To receive testimony on sexual assaults in the … Continue Reading
March 04, 2013
Gillibrand Announces Yaddo Achieves Historic Landmark Designation
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced Yaddo has officially achieved National Historic Landmark Status, with U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar giving his final stamp approval for the designation, which Senator Gillibrand personally advocated for. "Saratoga's own Yaddo is a source of great pride and has a legacy of artistic tradition that sparked a century's worth of creativity that continues to enrich our lives," Senator Gillibrand said. "To this day, Yaddo … Continue Reading
March 04, 2013
Gillibrand Urges VA Secretary to Reduce Over One-Year Long Backlog of Veterans Claims at New York City VA Office
New York - With New York veterans facing one of the longest wait times in the nation when it comes to processing cases by their local Veterans Affairs (VA) office in New York City, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today urged VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to deploy teams of staff from other regional offices to help speed up the growing backlog of cases at the city's local VA office. With 12,500 cases still pending through the city office, … Continue Reading
March 04, 2013
Gillibrand, Bipartisan Senators Announce Agreement on Legislation to Combat Gun Trafficking
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) unveiled on Monday a new bill to combat straw purchasing and gun trafficking that will be considered by the Judiciary Committee later this week. The Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2013 provides law enforcement officials with the tools they need to investigate and prosecute the all-too-common practices of gun trafficking and … Continue Reading
March 03, 2013
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $195.7 Million in Federal Sandy Aid for Port Authority of NY & NJ
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced today the Department of Transportation (DOT) is awarding the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey approximately $195.7 million in federal funding for infrastructure repairs in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. An estimated $141.5 million in federal funds will go towards the Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation (PATH) Commuter Rail and an estimated $54.2 million will go towards the World Trade Center Transportation Hub. … Continue Reading
March 01, 2013
Gillibrand Statement on Amicus Brief Filed With Supreme Court in Support of Same-Sex Marriage
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement today after joining more than 200 other members of Congress to file an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court in U.S. v. Edith Schlain Windsor, a landmark challenge to Section 3 of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, known as DOMA: "I am proud to join this historic effort led by a broad and growing coalition of Americans demanding an end to this discrimination. Already, first and second circuit federal … Continue Reading
March 01, 2013
Standing at Alstom Gillibrand Announces “Made in America Manufacturing Act” to Bolster High-Tech Manufacturing in New York
Horne11, NY - Standing at Alstom, a local manufacturer that produces state-of-the-art rail transportation technology, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the first piece of legislation she introduced in the 113th Congress is a federal funding competition that encourages states and regional public-private partnerships to design and implement comprehensive strategies that spur growth for local manufacturing industries, particularly in the thriving fields of clean-tech and high-tech … Continue Reading
February 28, 2013
Gillibrand Announces First Hearing as Armed Services Personnel Chair Examining Sexual Assaults in Military is set for Mid-March
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), the newly named Chair of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, announced today she will hold her first subcommittee hearing to investigate sexual assault in the military on March 13 of this year. The hearing will be Gillibrand's first as chair of a subcommittee as a member of the United States Senate. The Gillibrand-led hearing will include victims of sexual assault and military officials to testify on the growing … Continue Reading
February 27, 2013
Schumer, Gillibrand Secure Nearly $170,000 Federal Grant for Auburn Fire Department
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $166,815 in federal funding for the Auburn Fire Department to purchase new Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Emergency Escape Systems (EES). The money was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. Senator Gillibrand appealed personally to FEMA Administrator W. Craig Fugate on behalf of the Auburn Fire Department. In her … Continue Reading
February 26, 2013
Gillibrand Named to President’s Export Council
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was appointed to the President's Export Council earlier this month. Created in 1973, the President's Export Council is the United States' primary advisory committee on international trade. Council members promote export expansion by providing a forum for remediating trade related problems. The council makes recommendations to the President, on matters relating to U.S. export trade, by conducting surveys and evaluating the expansion practices … Continue Reading
