Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $270,000 Federal Investment for Rochester – Finger Lakes Area Fire Departments; Funding Means Vital Equipment for First Responders

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand announced that the Chili Fire Department in Rochester will receive $56,150 and the Hopewell Volunteer Fire Department in Canandaigua will receive $217,091 in federal grants in Round 23 of the FY12 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. AFG awards are administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and are designed to help firefighters and other first responders … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand, Markowitz, Hynes Announce $200,000 Investment for Brooklyn; Funding for Domestic Violence Homicide Reduction Demonstrative Initiative

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, along with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Kings County District Attorney Charles Hynes, today announced that Brooklyn will receive $200,000 in funds from the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) through the Domestic Violence Homicide Prevention Demonstration Initiative. Specifically, Brooklyn will use this money in collaboration with Safe Horizon, a local nonprofit domestic violence service … Continue Reading

Gillibrand, Crowley Announce Legislation to Increase Kosher Food in Emergency Food Supply

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Congressman Joe Crowley (D-NY) today announced legislation they introduced in both chambers of Congress to ensure that kosher food pantries receive adequate supply of food for hungry families as part of the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). With an estimated 117,000 Jewish households in New York City living in poverty, the lawmakers' legislation requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to target, label, and track … Continue Reading

Lautenberg, Gillibrand Introduce Bill to Provide Unemployment Aid for Families and Businesses Affected by Superstorm Sandy

Washington, D.C- With federal disaster unemployment benefits to victims of Superstorm Sandy scheduled to end this month, U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today introduced legislation to extend through July federal disaster unemployment benefits for workers who lost their jobs due to Superstorm Sandy. In New Jersey and other states impacted by Superstorm Sandy, higher than average unemployment continues in the wake of the storm. In addition to extending … Continue Reading

Gillibrand: End Major Flight Delays by Closing Corporate Jet Loophole to Pay for Air Traffic Controllers

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced new legislation that would end the flight delays Americans have faced since sequestration forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to furlough air traffic controllers across the country. The legislation would close a tax loophole for corporate jets, and use that funding to reinstate air traffic controllers nationwide. More than 1,200 flight delays on Monday were attributed to furloughed air traffic controllers from … Continue Reading

Gillibrand, Colleagues Introduces Legislation Lifting Ban on Use of Private Funds for Abortions in Military Hospitals

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined with more than a dozen of her colleagues today introducing the Military Access to Reproductive Care and Health (MARCH) Act of 2013, allowing women in the military to use their own money to pay for abortions in military medical facilities. Currently, there is a ban on using private funds to pay for abortions in military hospitals, except in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest. Under the current law, servicewomen who have an … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Push Two-Pronged Plan to Keep Ithaca Airport Contract Tower Open For Long-Term – Calls On FAA To Reverse Course Considering Grave Safety & Economic Implications for Travelers & Upstate Communities

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today called on the federal government to avoid closing the air traffic control tower at the Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport, which is critical to the local communities, businesses and economic growth. Specifically, Schumer and Gillibrand wrote a letter to FAA Administrator Huerta to urge that he reverse course on plans to close the towers at Ithaca-Tompkins and Griffiss International Airport on June 15, 2013; these are the only airport … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Push Two-Pronged Plan to Keep Griffiss Airport Contract Tower Open for Long-Term – Calls on FAA to Reverse Course Considering Grave Safety & Economic Implications for Travelers & Upstate Communities

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today called on the federal government to avoid closing the air traffic control tower at the Griffiss International Airport, which is critical to the local communities, businesses and economic growth, and national security. Specifically, Schumer and Gillibrand wrote a letter to FAA Administrator Huerta to urge that he reverse course on plans to close the towers at Griffiss and Ithaca-Tompkins Regional on June 15, 2013, which are the only … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Responds to New DOD Survey Showing More Than 1 in 5 Women Servicemembers Reported Unwanted Sexual Contact in 2011

Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) released the following statement today after the Defense Department released a new Health-Related Behaviors Survey of Active Duty Military Personnel for 2011, that shows more than 1 in 5 female servicemembers reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact. It appears from the survey done every three years that a higher percentage of men and women reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact from the 2008 survey. This past March, as … Continue Reading

Gillibrand, Johanns Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Encourage Use of Mechanical Insulation – Help Businesses Cut Energy Costs, Create New Green Jobs

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Mike Johanns (R-NE) today introduced bipartisan legislation to help businesses cut energy costs and create new, green jobs. The Mechanical Insulation Installation Incentive Act would create a tax credit for commercial buildings and industrial and manufacturing facilities, including power plants, refineries, hospitals, schools, and universities to increase the use of mechanical insulation. "Investment in energy efficiency is a … Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Gillibrand Recommended Judge Analisa Torres to Sit on Federal Bench

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced today that the U.S. Senate confirmed her second judicial nominee, Ms. Analisa Torres, to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of New York. Senator Gillibrand recommended her for the position last November in an effort to add another exceptional female jurist to the federal bench. Judge Torres currently serves as Justice on the New York County Supreme Court, criminal term. Throughout her lifetime of … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Statement on Today's Gun Safety Votes in the U.S. Senate

Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement today after the U.S. Senate voted down a number of gun safety measures: "Today has been one of the most deeply disappointing days of my short time in the U.S. Senate. Families from coast to coast deserved better from this Congress. The Newtown parents who came to Washington to bravely tell their stories deserved better than this body turning their backs on them. The families of Aurora deserved better. The … Continue Reading

In Floor Speech, Gillibrand Urges Colleagues to Support Common Sense Gun Control Measures

Gillibrand Announces New Legislation to Include Farmed Shellfish in the Specialty Crops Services at USDA

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the first New Yorker to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in nearly 40 years, today announced new legislation to include farmed shellfish as a specialty crop. The Shellfish Marketing Assistance Fairness Act would make farmed shellfish producers eligible for the Specialty Crop Block Grant program. Currently, shellfish are ineligible for farm bill programs. However, these farmers of the sea face the same challenges as they compete with … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand, Israel, King Announce Over $17 Million in Federal Funding for Cleanup after Superstorm Sandy in Oyster Bay

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Congressman Steve Israel and Congressman Peter King today announced that the Town of Oyster Bay was awarded $17,525,038 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance funding, which will reimburse the town for the cost of debris removal in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. "Superstorm Sandy caused significant damage in Oyster Bay necessitating a massive cleanup effort for the towns that, in turn, had the potential to … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Urge Defense Department to Work To End the Backlog of Veterans’ Disability Claims

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have joined with a bipartisan coalition to send a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel urging greater cooperation between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help address the severe backlog of veterans' disability claims. A recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that delays in obtaining service and medical records from the Department of Defense have "significantly … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Urge President Obama to Issue Disaster Declaration For New York State Following Winter Storm Nemo

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand urged President Obama to quickly approve Governor Cuomo's request for a Disaster Declaration for New York State after this year's winter storm on February 8th and 9th that caused extensive damage and required state resources as New Yorkers were beginning the recovery process to recover and rebuild from Superstorm Sandy. In an effort to help local communities and expedite aid, Schumer and Gillibrand today, in a personal letter to … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $52,000 Federal Grant for Pleasantdale Fire District; Investment Means Vital Equipment for First Responders

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand announced that the Pleasantdale Fire District will receive $52,868 in federal grants in Round 21 of the FY12 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. AFG awards are administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and are designed to help firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $138,000 Federal Grant for Lake Shore Volunteer Fire Co; Investment Means Vital Equipment for First Responders

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand announced that the Lake Shore Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. will receive $138,472 in federal grants in Round 21 of the FY12 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. AFG awards are administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and are designed to help firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand, King Announce Over $200,000 for Farmingdale Fire Department; Investment Means Vital Equipment for First Responders

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand and Congressman Peter King today announced that the Farmingdale Fire Department will receive a total of $200,450 in federal funding in Round 21 of the FY12 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. AFG awards are administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and are designed to help firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, … Continue Reading