At Gillibrand’s Urging, FDA Issues First Rules for Food Safety Overhaul

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced the FDA is releasing its first proposed rules as part of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act - the first major, comprehensive update to America's food safety laws in over a century - that was signed into law two years ago. The first rules will regulate the safety of fresh produce and set new preventive measures at food manufacturers. Senator Gillibrand joined with Senate colleagues to urge the Office of Management and Budget … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Responds to House Leadership Pulling Sandy Aid Bill

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement today responding to House Republican leadership's decision to deny a vote on the Sandy aid bill: "As many Republicans said on the House floor last night, what House leadership did last night by turning its back on families still suffering from Hurricane Sandy was indefensible and shameful. Speaker Boehner should come to Staten Island and tell families trying to rebuild their businesses why they need to wait … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Announces Measure Requiring a Feasibility Report on DOD Plans to Open More Combat Roles to Women Passes Congress – Heads to President’s Desk as Part of 2013 Defense Bill to be Signed into Law

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Senate Armed Services Committee member, announced final Congressional passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2013, which includes a provision that requires the Defense Secretary to issue a feasibility report on opening more combat service and career opportunities for qualified female service members. The legislation now heads to the President's desk for his signature. Gillibrand led the charge in the Senate encouraging the … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Measure to Remove Convicted Sex Offenders from Military Passes Congress – Heads to President’s Desk as Part of 2013 Defense Bill to be Signed into Law

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a Senate Armed Services Committee member, today announced final Congressional passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2013, which includes her legislation requiring that any service member convicted of a sexual assault be processed for discharge from the military. The bill now heads to the President's desk for his signature. "Our brave service members answer a call higher than any other to defend our nation," said … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $1.1 Million EDA Funding for City of Kingston After Hurricane Irene and Lee – Kingston will Use Funding for Critical Infrastructure Repairs to Mitigate Economic Hardship for Local Businesses After Storms

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that $ 1,120,000 in federal funding was awarded to the City of Kingston in Ulster County by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Disaster Relief Opportunity program. The City of Kingston will use the funding to make critical infrastructure repairs that will restore access to commercial and small businesses in the Kingston city center. These efforts aim to minimize the financial strain in the region from … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Announces Final Congressional Approval of $50 Million for Nanotechnology R&D

Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, member of the Armed Services Committee, today announced Congressional passage of approval for an increased focus on nanotechnology being done in conjunction with the University at Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. Senator Gillibrand fought to continue nanotechnology research she helped initiate in the Fiscal Year 2012 Defense bill with an additional $50 million of federal funds in Fiscal Year 2103. Albany's NanoCollege … Continue Reading

With One of Two New York Terrorism Emergency Task Forces At-Risk of Being Cut from Defense Budget, Gillibrand Announces Final Congressional Passage of Provision to Preserve New York’s National Guard WMD Civil Support Teams

Washington, DC - With one of two New York terrorism emergency task forces at-risk of being eliminated in the Pentagon's upcoming budget, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced today that the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 that included her provision that would permanently authorize New York's two National Guard teams has cleared both chambers of Congress. Currently, New York has one unit near Schenectady that helps … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Final Congressional Approval of $24 Million for New York Army National Guard Construction Project – Military Construction Project Will Build State-of-the-Art Maintenance Shop on Base

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that a $24 million construction project in Stormville, NY, for the New York Army National Guard has passed both chambers of Congress as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 and now heads to President Obama to be signed into law. Specifically, the $24 million federal investment would allow the construction of a new maintenance shop to provide field and sustainment … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Final Congressional Approval of More Than $190 Million to Build New Barracks at West Point

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced that $192 million in authorized funding for the construction of new barracks at West Point as part of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act has passed both chambers of Congress and now heads to President Obama to be signed into law. In the Armed Services Committee, Senator Gillibrand wrote and filed an amendment that included the funding for West … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Final Congressional Approval of Nearly $140 Million for Construction at Fort Drum

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that $138.2 million in funding for the construction of several facilities at Fort Drum, including a new specialty care clinic, a new aircraft maintenance hangar, and a complex for missile tracking technology has now passed both chambers of Congress. The funding for construction is included as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which now heads to President Obama to be … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $800,000 for Lake Champlain/ Lake George Regional Planning Board

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $800,000 for the Lake Champlain/Lake George Regional Planning Board. The federal investment will provide capital for their existing revolving loan fund to provide local small businesses with low interest loans as the repair and grow their businesses. The U.S. Economic Development Agency (EDA) funding comes through the agency's disaster relief funding opportunity that specifically targets communities that … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand, Bishop Announce Final Congressional Passage of Bill to Rename Mastic Beach Post Office for Revolutionary War Hero Nathaniel Woodhull

Washington, DC -- U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Tim Bishop announced that the U.S. Senate passed legislation to rename the U.S. Post Office in Mastic Beach for Revolutionary War Hero Nathaniel Woodhull. The legislation has passed both the House and the Senate and now heads to the President's desk for signature. "Mr. Woodhull was one of American's first war heroes, and deeply deserving of this tribute," said Schumer. "His bravery and patriotism should … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Legislation to Name Baldwinsville Post Office After Fallen Marine Clears Final Senate Passage

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that legislation she introduced to name the U.S. Post Office in Baldwinsville, New York after fallen Marine Corporal Kyle Schneider has passed the U.S. Senate. Schneider grew up in the Town of Lysander, New York, and is a 2006 graduate of C.W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville. "Marine Corporal Schneider is truly a hometown hero," Senator Gillibrand said. "He made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, serving with … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Measure to Remove Convicted Sex Offenders from Military Included in Final Agreement Between Senate-House Defense Bills – Will Head to President’s Desk as Part of 2013 Defense Bill to be Signed into Law

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a Senate Armed Services Committee member, today announced that her legislation requiring that any service member convicted of a sexual assault be processed for discharge from the military is included in the Senate-House conference committee report of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2013. Now that Gillibrand's bill has cleared the bipartisan conference committee, it is expected to pass both houses of Congress this week and will … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Announces Measure Requiring a Feasibility Report on DOD Plans to Open More Combat Roles to Women Included in Final Agreement Between Senate-House Defense Bills – Will Head to President’s Desk as Part of 2013 Defense Bill to be Signed into Law

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Senate Armed Services Committee member, announced that Senate-House conference committee report of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2013 includes a provision that requires the Defense Secretary to issue a feasibility report on opening more combat service and career opportunities for qualified female service members. Now that the measure has cleared the bipartisan conference committee, it is expected to pass both houses of Congress … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Announces her Amendment to Cover Care for Military, Other Uniformed Services Kids with Autism Included un Final Agreement Between Senate-House Defense Bills – Will Head to President’s Desk as Part of 2013 Defense Bill to be Signed Into Law

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced the Senate-House conference committee report of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2013 includes Gillibrand's amendment that would cover behavioral treatment for uniformed services children with autism spectrum disorders. Based on the USA Heroes Act that Senator Gillibrand authored and introduced in 2009, this bipartisan amendment under the 2013 National Defense … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Statement on President Obama’s Announcement of Interagency Task Force to Reduce Gun Violence

Washington, D.C. - As President Obama announces a new comprehensive effort to reduce gun violence, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a vocal advocate for commonsense measures to end senseless gun crime, issued the following statement: "I stand firmly with President Obama's call to action today for a comprehensive approach that refuses to accept gun violence as routine. Congress has ducked action on commonsense gun laws for too long. We have an obligation to prevent tomorrow's senseless deaths … Continue Reading

Gillibrand, Inhofe Secure Nearly $270 Million for U.S.-Israel Cooperative Missile Defense Programs in Final Agreement Between Senate-House Defense Bills – Will Head to President’s Desk as Part of 2013 Defense Bill

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and James Inhofe (R-OK) today announced that the Senate-House conference committee included nearly $270 million for the U.S.-Israel cooperative missile defense programs in the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2013. Earlier this month, the lawmakers urged the leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services committees to allocate nearly $270 million provided by the appropriators. Now that the measure has … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Announces her Bill to Combat Hazing, Promote Diversity Among Senior Military Ranks Included in Final Agreement Between Senate-House Defense Bills – Will Head to President’s Desk as Part of 2013 Defense Bill to be Signed into Law

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Senate Armed Services Committee member, announced that the Senate-House conference committee report of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2013 includes Senator Gillibrand's legislation calling on the Uniformed Services to report on their policies to improve anti-hazing training, tracking and response to hazing incidents in the military. Currently hazing incidents are not adequately monitored and tracked, making it difficult to … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Announces her Bill to Combat Hazing, Promote Diversity Among Senior Military Ranks Included in Final Agreement Between Senate-House Defense Bills – Will Head to President’s Desk as Part of 2013 Defense Bill to be Signed into Law

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Senate Armed Services Committee member, announced that the Senate-House conference committee report of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2013 includes Senator Gillibrand's legislation calling on the Uniformed Services to report on their policies to improve anti-hazing training, tracking and response to hazing incidents in the military. Currently hazing incidents are not adequately monitored and tracked, making it difficult to … Continue Reading