Press Releases
Schumer, Gillibrand: Fallen Trees And Branches Greatly Slowing Power Restoration Efforts – Announce Expert Federal Teams Are On Their Way To New York To Help Clear Roads And Power Transmission Lines
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided the Army Corps of Engineers with $10 million to provide expert teams to help clear major debris standing in the way of restoring power in New York. Hurricane Sandy caused downed trees and broken limbs throughout busy roadways and these debris have created an obstacle for utility workers working to restore power to devastated areas. With this funding, … Continue Reading
November 02, 2012
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce FEMA Has Approved Major Disaster Declaration For Westchester & Rockland Counties
Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand announced that FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate has heeded their call and amended the President's major disaster declaration for New York to include Westchester and Rockland Counties in light of the severe flooding and wind damage in the Hudson Valley following Sandy. Specifically, residents will be eligible for Individual Assistance and the counties will be eligible for Public Assistance categories A & B, which includes … Continue Reading
November 01, 2012
Schumer, Gillibrand, Hochul Highlight Important Work of NFARS National Guard Members During Sandy Response; Urge DOD to Consider Lifesaving Efforts in Future Base Decisions
Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Representative Kathy Hochul urged the Department of Defense (DoD) to closely examine the importance of the National Guard 107th Airlift wing, based at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (NFARS), to both Western New York, the state, and the entire Northeast. They emphasized in their letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta that the 107th Airlift Wing, which has served as a proven resource in the Western New York … Continue Reading
November 01, 2012
Schumer, Gillibrand Urge FEMA to Approve Major Disaster Declaration for Westchester & Rockland Counties
Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand urged FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to approve New York State's anticipated request and declare a federal state of emergency for Westchester and Rockland Counties in light of the severe flooding in the Hudson Valley following Sandy. In their letter, the Senators pointed out that neighboring counties in New York City and Long Island have already received a major disaster declaration, and that the devastation in Westchester and … Continue Reading
November 01, 2012
Schumer and Gillibrand Announce FEMA will Fully Reimburse New York State and City for Cost of Emergency Public Transportation and Restoring Power
This morning Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, at the request of President Barack Obama, has agreed to reimburse New York City and State for the full cost of emergency public transportation and restoring power to the region for the time period between October 30th and November 9th. These costs include things like repairing substations, power plants and power lines, and providing extra buses and overtime for the drivers. … Continue Reading
October 26, 2012
Gillibrand Statement on UN Investigator’s Call for Boycott of Companies in Israel Settlements
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) released the following statement after UN Special Rapporteur Richard Falk issued a report calling for a boycott of companies tied to Israel's settlements in the Palestinian territories: "It is shameful that the UN Human Rights Council continued its anti-Israel rhetoric yesterday by calling for a boycott of private U.S. and international companies. It is not only divisive, but irresponsible. The report by Richard Falk, the … Continue Reading
October 25, 2012
Standing with Hudson Valley Women Entrepreneurs, Gillibrand Calls for Federal Investment for Women’s Enterprise Development Center Satellite Office
New Windsor, NY - Standing with Hudson Valley women entrepreneurs at OXYVITA, Inc., U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today called for targeted federal investment into the Women's Enterprise Development Center (WEDC) through the Economic Development Administration. The federal investment that Senator Gillibrand is working to secure would be used to create a WEDC satellite center at Marist College that would aid minority and women-owned businesses by promoting economic self-sufficiency through … Continue Reading
October 24, 2012
Standing at Syracuse Center of Excellence, Gillibrand Announces Bill to Spur the Growth of New Science and Technology Jobs in Central New York
Syracuse, NY - After touring the Syracuse Center for Excellence, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, joined by Executive Director of Syracuse Center of Excellence Edward Bogucz, President of Ephesus Technologies Joe Casper, and Assemblyman William Magnarelli, today announced legislation to spur the growth of new science and technology jobs in Central New York and across the country. The America Innovates Act would help scientists and researchers secure valuable resources and training to turn new … Continue Reading
October 24, 2012
Standing at UB Clinical and Translational Research Center, Gillibrand Announces Bill to Spur the Growth of New Science and Technology Jobs in Western New York
Buffalo, NY - After touring the University at Buffalo's Clinical and Translational Research Center, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, joined by University at Buffalo President Satish Tripathi, Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Clinical and Translational Research Center Director Tim Murphy, today announced legislation to spur the growth of new science and technology jobs in Western New York and across the country. The America Innovates Act would help scientists and researchers secure … Continue Reading
October 24, 2012
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Dozens of Counties in Upstate NY Eligible for Disaster Funding After this Year’s Drought-Damaged Crops Across the State
Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 29 counties in Upstate New York as "primary natural disaster areas" and 21 "contiguous counties" that will be eligible for critical Farm Service Agency (FSA) loan assistance after the drought that decimated crops throughout the state starting in June. As damage assessments were completed throughout the state after the May freeze, Schumer and Gillibrand worked … Continue Reading
October 22, 2012
Gillibrand, Meng Tour Innovative Queens Senior Center, Urge Feds to Reauthorize Bill to Provide Critical Care, Technology Training, and Social Services to Seniors
Queens, NY - After touring Selfhelp's Benjamin Rosenthal Prince Street Innovative Senior Center, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a member of the Special Committee on Aging, and Assemblywoman Grace Meng today urged Congress to reauthorize the Older Americans Act, major legislation which provides critical in-home care, nutrition, technology training, housing, transportation and social services programs for seniors. In Queens, there are approximately 402,000 seniors and an estimated … Continue Reading
October 22, 2012
Gillibrand, Savino Visit Staten Island Seniors, Urge Feds to Reauthorize Bill to Provide Critical Care and Services to Seniors
Staten Island, NY - Standing at New Lane Senior Center, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a member of the Special Committee on Aging, and State Senator Diane Savino today urged Congress to reauthorize the Older Americans Act, major legislation which provides critical in-home care, nutrition, housing, transportation and social services programs for seniors. In Staten Island, there are approximately 87,000 seniors and an estimated 30,000 people who will reach the age of 60 over the next … Continue Reading
October 17, 2012
Schumer, Gillibrand: More Than $635k Coming to Upstate New York Communities for New Bulletproof Vests
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand announced today that they have secured $635,012.90 for law enforcement entities across Upstate New York from the U.S Department of Justice's Bulletproof Vest Partnership, a program Schumer co-sponsored that splits the cost of new body armor with localities. This will provide enough funding for 2,811 vests. "The bottom line is that bullet proof vests save cops' lives and it is worth every penny of federal help to make sure cops on … Continue Reading
October 17, 2012
Gillibrand Announces More Than $25,000 to Establish Southern Tier Food Hub – Connect More Local Farms to Markets, Support Business Development, Jobs
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $25,864 to Southern Tier West to lay the groundwork for a multi-county food hub that would help move more locally grown produce to markets in the Southern Tier. "Connecting more of our local farms with local markets is good for business, and good for the health of our families," said Senator Gillibrand, the first New York Senator to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee … Continue Reading
October 15, 2012
Gillibrand, Boxer, Franken, Brown Push Feds to Ensure Autism Treatment Covered Under New 2014 Health Care Plans
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today pushed the federal government to require all health care plans to cover autism treatment by 2014. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released guidelines that leave it up to states to decide whether or not to include autism care in statewide health plans. Senators urged HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to clarify that a kind of autism treatment … Continue Reading
October 15, 2012
Gillibrand, Schumer, Maloney, Nadler, King, 9/11 First Responders and Survivors Call on Feds to Protect Zadroga Funds from Looming Sequester Cuts
New York, NY - With the deadline nearing for Congress to negotiate a balanced deficit-cutting package or face deep automatic cuts across federal programs - known as sequestration - U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Charles Schumer (D-NY), joined by Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Peter King (R-NY), and 9/11 first responders and survivors, stood at Ground Zero today calling on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to exempt the James Zadroga 9/11 … Continue Reading
October 11, 2012
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce SBA Disaster Assistance Now Available to Hudson Valley Residents and Businesses Affected by Heavy Rain and Flooding
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Charles. E Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that New York residents and businesses affected by heavy rain and flooding on September 18th can now apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The declaration covers Sullivan, Delaware, Orange and Ulster Counties. "This decision means that communities in Sullivan, Delaware, Orange and Ulster can finally get access to the disaster loans that they desperately … Continue Reading
October 11, 2012
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $5 Million USDA Funding for Delaware County Electric Cooperative; Investment for Miles of Repairs, System-Wide Development
Today U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that Delaware County Electric Cooperative was awarded a loan of $5,000,000 through the USDA Rural Development's Rural Utilities Service. This funding will allow Delaware County Electric Cooperative to build and improve 53 miles of distribution line, two substations and make other system improvements. "This USDA award is the juice we need to power our rural communities like those throughout Delaware County," said Senator … Continue Reading
October 10, 2012
Schumer, Gillibrand Call for New Army Corps-FEMA Plan to Jumpstart Long Overdue Fire Island Dredging Project – Proposal Would Leverage Millions in Federal and State Aid to Dredge Dangerously Shallow Fire Island Inlet, while Renourishing Robert Moses Beach
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand today called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to combine Army Corps "operations and maintenance funding" with federal disaster aid for the dredging of Fire Island Inlet and beach replenishment at Robert Moses and Fire Island Beaches. Fire Island Inlet is currently at dangerously low water depths - as low as 4 feet at high tide and 1 foot at low tide. Dredging is the only option … Continue Reading
October 10, 2012
At Gillibrand’s Urging, Stewart Air National Guard Base Receives Early Two C-17 Aircraft Equipped with Extended-Range Capabilities
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced Stewart Air National Guard Base received its second C-17 aircraft equipped with an extended range (ER) fuel tank in an expedited fashion, with more requested for fuel tank updates. The announcement comes after Senator Gillibrand wrote to Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley in May 2012 requesting an expedited upgrade to the 105th Airlift Wing's fleet, enabling its full … Continue Reading
