Press Releases
Hochul, Higgins, Slaughter, Reed, Schumer & Gillibrand Call On Attorney General to Investigate Colgan
WESTERN NEW YORK - Today, Representatives Kathy Hochul (NY-26), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Louise Slaughter (NY-28), and Tom Reed (NY-29), along with Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, called on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate whether Colgan Airlines intentionally withheld emails from a federal agency during the investigation of the crash of the Continental Connection Flight 3407 in February 2009. "The people in my district experienced an unimaginable tragedy … Continue Reading
October 28, 2011
Gillibrand, Blumenthal Call On CFPB To Study Credit Rules That Discriminate Against Stay At Home Spouses
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Richard Blumenthal today released their letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) requesting the agency study the effects of the Federal Reserve's "Ability to Pay" provisions that could have unintended, negative consequences for stay-at-home spouses who rely on their partner for a household income. In the letter, the Senators write, "The study should examine the effects of the uniform standard for the first year after the … Continue Reading
October 28, 2011
Gillibrand Introduces Every Child Deserves A Family Act
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that she will introduce the Every Child Deserves a Family Act, legislation that would open more homes to foster children by working with states to end discrimination against adoptive and foster parents based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and marital status. Nationwide, there are an estimated 400,000 children in the U.S. foster care system, and there are more than 107,000 children currently waiting to be adopted, … Continue Reading
October 27, 2011
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Oneida County to Receive Critical FEMA Assistance
Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded Oneida County public assistance for infrastructure repairs in the wake of Tropical Storm Lee. Senators Schumer and Gillibrand said this is an important step in making sure that Oneida County gets the help it needs to recover from Lee. "Based on what I saw in Whitesboro, it was absolutely clear that Oneida County deserved this assistance," said Schumer. "In … Continue Reading
October 21, 2011
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Herkimer County to Receive Critical FEMA Assistance
Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded Herkimer County public assistance for infrastructure repairs and individual assistance to help rebuild and repair homes and businesses damaged by Tropical Storm Lee. Schumer personally called Administrator Fugate, urging FEMA to extend this type of assistance as quickly as possible. Schumer and Gillibrand said that this was an important step in making sure … Continue Reading
October 21, 2011
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Schoharie and Schenectady Counties to Receive Critical FEMA Assistance
Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded Schoharie County individual assistance to help rebuild and repair homes and businesses damaged by Tropical Storm Lee and Schenectady County has been awarded public assistance to help with debris removal, emergency protective actions, and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities. Schoharie County is already eligible for public assistance and … Continue Reading
October 21, 2011
Gillibrand Statement on American Troops Coming Home from Iraq
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement today after President Obama announced the end of the War in Iraq by the end of this December: "I commend President Obama for responsibly ending the war in Iraq and bringing our troops home. But we must also re-focus on our national security interests in Afghanistan and bring our combat troops from there as well after a full decade at war. "Drawing down the war … Continue Reading
October 21, 2011
Gillibrand – Schumer Amendment Passes to Provide Emergency Resources to Help NY Farmers Recover from Irene & Lee
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles E. Schumer announced passage of their farm aid amendment that would provide the resources that farmers across New York State need to help recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The provision would invest an additional $110 million for a total of $437.2 million to support the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and the Emergency Watershed Program (EWP) that provide emergency services and … Continue Reading
October 20, 2011
Schumer, Gillibrand Introduce Legislation to Protect New York’s Maple Syrup Producers and Consumers
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today introduced legislation that would make intentionally mislabeling food products as "maple syrup" a federal crime. Currently this form of food fraud is only a misdemeanor. The legislation would make these crimes a felony, increasing sentences that prosecutors can seek for people who defraud consumers and farmers by intentionally mislabeling maple syrup. "Maple farmers across New York state produce some of the … Continue Reading
October 20, 2011
Gillibrand Statement on Death of Muammar Qaddafi
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement today on the death of Muammar Qaddafi: "Qaddafi was a brutal dictator who killed 189 Americans and his own people. His death will allow the people of Libya to unify and write the next chapter of Libya's history. As the new Libyan government moves forward on the path toward democracy, they must hold all those responsible for terrorist acts under Qaddafi's brutal … Continue Reading
October 19, 2011
During Teen Driver Safety Week, Gillibrand Calls for Support of Legislation to Save Lives – Passage of Critical Safety Law
Washington, D.C. - In honor of National Teen Driver Safety Week, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today called on her fellow Senators to join her in support of the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection (STAND UP) Act, legislation she wrote to set minimum standards for states to enact Graduated Drivers License (GDL) programs that will prepare teens to be responsible drivers. Senator Gillibrand's STAND-UP Act was included in the Senate Commerce Committee's Highway Safety package in July, … Continue Reading
October 19, 2011
Schumer, Gillibrand: Ruling Protecting Nucor Corporation in Auburn from Unfair Foreign Trade Practices About to Expire, Putting Jobs at Risk – Urge U.S. International Trade Commission to Keep Protections in Place
Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that they are urging the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to keep in place import duties on unfairly-traded, foreign-manufactured steel plate that threatens to undercut domestic steel plate producers, including Nucor Steel in Auburn. Currently, the U.S. imposes duties, ranging from 1 to 59 percent, on imports of dumped and subsidized steel plate from India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan and Korea. These duties help … Continue Reading
October 18, 2011
New Report Gives U.S. Failing Grade on Preparedness On Tenth Anniversary of Anthrax Attacks – Gillibrand Announces Strategy to Strengthen Biosecurity
Washington, D.C. - After a new report on the 10th anniversary of the anthrax attacks concludes the threat of infectious disease and bioterrorism outweighs the threat of nuclear attack, and the U.S. is currently inadequately prepared to prevent and respond to a large-scale outbreak of infectious disease, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is announcing a new strategy to strengthen America's biosecurity. According to a report card released last week by the WMD Center, the United States receives … Continue Reading
October 18, 2011
Higgins, Schumer & Gillibrand Want Answers on Bethlehem Steel
Today Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27, ) Senator Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand urged National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Director John Howard to further investigate and report on the clean-up at Bethlehem Steel after highly radioactive uranium was processed there during the Cold War. Former Bethlehem Steel workers attest that the facility where uranium was rolled was not adequately decontaminated until 1976, despite earlier company reports claiming … Continue Reading
October 17, 2011
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $400,000 in Federal Investments for Capital District Transportation Authority; Funding Will Help Improve Efficiency Along Washington and Western Ave Corridors
Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded a total of $400,000 to the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) through its Alternatives Analysis program. Specifically, the investment will fund the Washington Western Bus Rapid Transit Study, in order to evaluate and develop the most efficient route from downtown Albany at Broadway northwest to the Crossgates Mall. This corridor is home to some of the … Continue Reading
October 17, 2011
Valerie Jarrett, Sandra Lee, Christine Quinn, Carmen Wong Ulrich, Majora Carter, Kathryn Wylde, Business Leaders Kick Off Gillibrand Summit Aimed to Help Women Lead Economic Recovery
New York, NY - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) hosted her first annual "Women's Economic Empowerment Summit" in partnership with New York University at the Rosenthal Pavilion in New York City today to provide an important opportunity for women across New York to build professional skills, network, and engage in a direct conversation about the many opportunities and challenges women face in gaining equal footing in business. With more than half of all U.S. households today relying on … Continue Reading
October 17, 2011
Senate Democrats Announce Agreement with GOP’s Paul to Extend Expired Benefits for Elderly and Disabled Refugees
WASHINGTON, DC-Today, leading Senate Democrats announced a bipartisan agreement has been reached with Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) that will grant one of the nation's most vulnerable populations-elderly and disabled refugees-a one-year extension of their Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Roughly 5,600 elderly and disabled refugees who have been granted legal status in the U.S. on humanitarian grounds saw their SSI benefits expire on September 30th. With Paul's hold now lifted, the … Continue Reading
October 14, 2011
At Gillibrand Urging, FAA Approves Flights of Hancock Air National Guard Unmanned Aircraft Above Fort Drum
Washington, D.C. - At the urging of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved a Certificate of Authorization for a program to fly unmanned aircraft in Northern New York from Fort Drum into the special use airspace. These flights provide invaluable training for pilots of unmanned flight vehicles. Earlier this year, Senator Gillibrand fought for the approval of an evaluation of the pilot program as … Continue Reading
October 14, 2011
Gillibrand Secures Posthumous Purple Heart for WWII Vet’s Family
Canandaigua, NY - After the Department of Veterans Affairs refused to issue Purple Heart honors for a Canandaigua veteran's tombstone and family due to an erroneous omission in its records, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) secured a posthumous Purple Heart and funeral plaque for the family of the deceased World War II veteran and corrected his records. Senator Gillibrand presented the Purple Heart to the Frasca family today at Canandaigua Veterans Affairs Medical Center. "Mr. Frasca … Continue Reading
October 14, 2011
Gillibrand Applauds Steps to Repeal “Defense Of Marriage Act”
Washington, D.C. - As Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announces the Judiciary Committee will begin markup of the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in November, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement: "I applaud Chairman Leahy for taking these steps to end the discrimination that is currently enshrined into U.S. law. "Marriage is the true foundation for strong families. Every loving, committed … Continue Reading
