Press Releases
Gillibrand Announces New Cybersecurity Bill Includes Measures She Authored to Combat Global Cyber Criminals
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today announced that the Securing America's Future: The Cybersecurity Act of 2012, a cybersecurity bill introduced in the U.S. Senate last night, includes important measures the Senator authored in an effort to combat the growing threat of international cybercriminals. Gillibrand's legislation would put the U.S. at the forefront against cyberattacks from abroad by authorizing a State Department official to coordinate U.S. diplomatic … Continue Reading
February 15, 2012
Schumer, Gillibrand, Slaughter, Higgins & Hochul To CBP: Bring New Border Patrol Station to Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station; Construction at NFARS Is Critical to Northern Border Security, Would Help Preserve Air Station’s Role in WNY
Washington D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Representatives Louise Slaughter, Brian Higgins and Kathy Hochul urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to construct a new border patrol station at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (NFARS) as it seeks a replacement for the outdated Niagara Falls Border Patrol Station. In addition, the representatives are urging the agency to find funding for this … Continue Reading
February 14, 2012
Schumer, Gillibrand, Hanna, Owens Call on Air Force to Prevent Steep Funding Cuts and Leadership Void at Vital Air Force Research Lab in Rome
U.S. Representatives Richard Hanna and Bill Owens today urged the Air Force Materiel Command to support sustained funding for the Air Force Research Lab in Rome (AFRL Rome), and to expedite the hiring of a new lab director. In a letter to General Donald J. Hoffman, the bipartisan Congressional Delegation highlighted AFRL Rome's important role in current U.S. cyber defense initiatives, and requested that the lab share details on the hiring process of a new director to ensure that its cyber and … Continue Reading
February 13, 2012
Gillibrand Urges Congressional Negotiators to Include National Communications Network for First Responders in Payroll Tax Cut Extension
Washington, DC - As Senate and House negotiators continue to work towards a deal to extend the payroll tax cut for middle class families, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) released a letter today urging conferees to include a critical first responder communications bill in any final package. The Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act (S. 911), which Senator Gillibrand has helped champion, would create a nationwide, interoperable wireless broadband network equipping all first … Continue Reading
February 10, 2012
Schumer, Gillibrand, Bishop Intervene to Help Binational LGBT Couple Cut Through Immigration Red Tape to Stay Together in the United States
New York - A same-sex couple, an ailing New Yorker and his partner from South Africa, who faced the threat of being torn apart, since federal immigration benefits do not extend to same-sex couples, have won a reprieve due to the intervention of three local federal lawmakers. For years, binational couple Edwin Blesch from Orient, NY, who has HIV, and his husband and primary caretaker from South Africa, Tim Smulian, fought to have him stay with him in New York. U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and … Continue Reading
February 10, 2012
Gillibrand Praises White House for Ensuring All Women Have Access to Contraceptive Care While Respecting Religious Beliefs
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) released the following statement today after the White House announced a final rule that ensures every single woman in America will have access to basic preventive health care, including contraception medication, while re-affirming that church institutions will be able to adhere to their religious teachings: "While I remain dumbfounded that in the year 2012 we still have to fight over birth control, I commend the White House for its … Continue Reading
February 10, 2012
Schumer, Gillibrand Introduce Legislation to Ensure U.S. Military Buys Steel Made in America—Rather than China—For Armor Plates
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined a group of their Senate colleagues in introducing new legislation to ensure that armor plate for America's military is made in America. The bill would restore a 35-year rule, overturned by the Department of Defense in 2009, requiring that steel purchased by the U.S. military be 100 percent made in America-that is, both melted and finished in the United States. The … Continue Reading
February 10, 2012
Gillibrand, Senators Urge Continuation of Unemployment Insurance
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined 13 of her Senate colleagues to urge the conference committee negotiating the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act to renew federal unemployment insurance provisions through the end of the year without new barriers to participation or new burdensome requirements for states. "This assistance is a lifeline for New Yorkers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own so they can continue to make ends meet," Senator … Continue Reading
February 09, 2012
A Contraception “Religious Exemption” for Taco Bell Employees?
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) released the following statement today after a USA Today story today revealed the extent to which opponents of women's access to the full range of preventive health services, including contraception want a "religious exemption" to go. Anthony Picarello, general counsel for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops argued any business or corporation owned by Catholics should be excluded when he cited the problem that would be created for, … Continue Reading
February 09, 2012
Gillibrand Announces More Than $90,000 for Pound Ridge Volunteer Fire Department
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $90,440 in federal funding for the Pound Ridge Fire Department to upgrade their equipment. The funding was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. "This is an important investment for the Pound Ridge Volunteer Fire Department," Senator Gillibrand said. "Our first responders need the proper and up-to-date resources to protect themselves and our communities. … Continue Reading
February 09, 2012
Gillibrand Statement on House Passage of Stock Act
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement today after the House of Representatives passed their version of the STOCK Act: "We are entrusted with a profound responsibility by the American people to look out for their best interests, and nothing else, certainly not our own financial interests," said Senator Gillibrand, the first member of Congress to post her official daily schedule, all earmark requests and personal financial disclosure online. "Today, we … Continue Reading
February 08, 2012
Gillibrand Announces More Than $80,000 for East Area Volunteer Emergency Services Inc.
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $83,872 in federal funding for East Area Volunteer Emergency Services Inc. (EAVES) to purchase new emergency response equipment for their trained volunteers. The funding was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. In October, Senator Gillibrand wrote FEMA Administrator W. Craig Fugate to encourage FEMA to fully fund the EAVES funding request through their … Continue Reading
February 08, 2012
Gillibrand Announces Nearly $50,000 in Value-Added Producer Grant for Long Island Farm
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $49,990 in federal funding for Martin Sidor Farms, Inc. in Mattituck, New York to revamp their marketing strategy to raise brand awareness and increase sales of their North Fork Potato Chips. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program. "This is great news for Martin Sidor Farms," said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. "We … Continue Reading
February 03, 2012
Hochul, Schumer, Gillibrand Announce EPA Decision to Remove Barrels from Leroy Superfund Site
WASHINGTON, D.C. - After Congresswoman Kathy Hochul spoke with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator Judith Enck yesterday, Congresswoman Hochul, along with Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, announced that the EPA will remove barrels from the federal Superfund site in LeRoy by the end of February. "I'm proud to announce that the EPA will finally help clean up LeRoy and will remove these barrels by the end of this month," said Congresswoman Hochul. … Continue Reading
February 03, 2012
Gillibrand Announces Over $40,000 in Value-Added Producer Grants for Central New York Farms
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $40,150 in federal funding for two farms in Central New York to help revamp their marketing strategies, conduct research and create new retail opportunities. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program. "This is great news for these Central New York farms," said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture. "We need our farmers … Continue Reading
February 03, 2012
Gillibrand Announces Over $500,000 in Value-Added Producer Grants for Rochester-Finger Lakes Farms
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $506,291 in federal funding for local farms in the Rochester Finger-Lakes Region to help revamp their marketing strategies, conduct research and develop new products. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. "This is great news for these farms in the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region," said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Committee on … Continue Reading
February 03, 2012
Gillibrand Announces Over $333,000 in Value-Added Producer Grants for Hudson Valley Farms
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $333,179 in federal funding for five local Hudson Valley farms to help expand their market opportunities and grow their businesses. The funding was allocated through the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. In September 2011, Senator Gillibrand wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack urging him to support Maple Shade Farm's application for a VAPG grant to expand … Continue Reading
February 03, 2012
Gillibrand Announces Nearly $50,000 in Value-Added Producer Grants for Capital Region Farm
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $49,500 in federal funding for Kings Brothers Dairy in Schuylerville to help expand their retail capabilities and update company software. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Value-Added Grant (VAPG) Program. "This is great news for Kings Brothers Dairy," said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture. "This federal grant will help ensure they have the … Continue Reading
February 03, 2012
Gillibrand Announces Nearly $395,000 in Value-Added Producer Grants for Western New York Farms
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $394,499 in federal funding for three local farms in Western New York to help revamp their marketing strategies and develop new products. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. "This is great news for Western New York farms," said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture. "These federal grants will help ensure that our … Continue Reading
February 03, 2012
Gillibrand Calls On U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to Consider Capital Region for Satellite Office
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today urged the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to consider the Capital Region as a site for a satellite office. New York State is the second highest patent issuer in the nation, with the Capital Region specifically known for its renowned innovative, high-tech companies, and expertise in fields such as nanotechnology. The USPTO Capital Region office would cultivate a workforce of well-paid patent examiners, and foster the … Continue Reading
