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

Washington, DC - With a New York City terrorism emergency task force at-risk of being eliminated in the Pentagon's upcoming budget, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced a bill today as debate is set to begin on the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would authorize and preserve New York's two National Guard teams. Currently, New York has one unit that helps authorities fight terror in the Big Apple and another unit … Continue Reading

With One of Two New York Terrorism Emergency Task Forces At-Risk of Being Cut from Defense Budget, Gillibrand Introduces Amendment 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, introduced a bill today as debate is set to begin on the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would authorize and preserve New York's two National Guard teams. Currently, New York has one unit near Schenectady that helps authorities fight terror and another unit … Continue Reading

New Gillibrand Legislation Pushes Defense Department to Combat Hazing, Promote Diversity Among Senior Military Ranks

Washington, DC - With the Senate Armed Services Committee set to debate the military budget bill, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Senate Armed Services Committee member, today called on the Department of Defense to create a database in order to track and respond to hazing incidents in the military. The Defense Department currently does not have a database in place to monitor hazing incidents across all services, making it difficult to determine how widespread the problem of hazing poses in … Continue Reading

New Report: Doubling of Student Loan Interest Rates Will Cost New Yorkers Nearly $420 Million if Congress Doesn't Act by July 1st

Washington, D.C. - According to a new report by the Public Policy and Education Fund of New York, USAction Education Fund, and Campus Progress released on Tuesday, New York students would save almost $420 million if Congress takes action to maintain the current Stafford student loan interest rate of 3.4 percent. Details of the report, How New York Will Be Affected if Stafford Loan Interest Rates Double, were announced by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and members of Citizen Action of New … Continue Reading

Standing with Student Veterans at D’youville College, Gillibrand Announces Legislation to Assist Veterans in Education, Job Training and Skill Recognition

Buffalo, NY -Standing with student veterans at D'Youvulle College, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced bipartisan legislation to help provide education and job training for young veterans and streamline certification processes for civilian jobs. Last year, Senator Gillibrand hosted a roundtable with local business and veterans leaders to discuss innovative ways to address veterans' unemployment in Western New York. As a result, … Continue Reading

At Schumer, Gillibrand & Owens’s Urging, Feds Back Plan to Reopen Tahawus Rail Line Between North Creek & Newcomb – Lawmakers Announce that Feds Have Granted Status that Will Resume Rail Service & Provide Huge Boost to Local Economy

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Bill Owens announced that the Federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) has heeded their call and approved Iowa Pacific Holdings' request for common carrier status, which will allow them to reopen the Tahawus Line between North Creek and Newcomb, and resume hauling freight to and from businesses along that line. Iowa Pacific Holdings has been seeking this rail status for several months, and after the Department … Continue Reading

Standing With Student Veterans at Nazareth College, Gillibrand Announces Legislation to Assist Veterans in Education, Job Training and Skill Recognition

Rochester, NY -Standing with student veterans at Nazareth College, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced bipartisan legislation to help provide education and job training for young veterans and streamline certification processes for civilian jobs. Last year, Senator Gillibrand hosted a roundtable with local business and veterans leaders to discuss innovative ways to address veterans' unemployment in the Rochester/Finger Lakes … Continue Reading

Gillibrand, Schumer: Veterans Returning to CNY from Iraq & Afghanistan Deserve Support Finding Jobs – Senators Launch Proposal to Help CNY Vets Access the Education, Job Training & Skills they Need to Find a Job

Syracuse, NY -Standing with student veterans at Syracuse University, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Charles E. Schumer today announced bipartisan legislation to help provide education and job training for young veterans throughout Central New York and streamline certification processes for civilian jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that in 2011, more than 12 percent of veterans who have served post 9/11 were unemployed, and … Continue Reading

Standing With Student Veterans at Mohawk Valley Community College, Gillibrand Announces Legislation to Assist Veterans in Education, Job Training and Skill Recognition

Rome, NY -Standing with student veterans at Mohawk Valley Community College, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced bipartisan legislation to help provide education and job training for young veterans, and streamline certification processes for civilian jobs. Last year, Senator Gillibrand hosted a roundtable with local business and veterans leaders to discuss innovative ways to address veterans' unemployment in the Mohawk Valley. As … Continue Reading

Standing with Student Veterans at SUNY Orange Newburgh Campus, Gillibrand Announces Legislation to Assist Veterans in Education, Job Training and Skill Recognition

Newburgh, NY -Standing with student veterans at SUNY Orange Newburgh Campus, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced bipartisan legislation to help provide education and job training for young veterans and streamline certification processes for civilian jobs. Last year, Senator Gillibrand hosted roundtables with local business and veterans leaders to discuss innovative ways to address veterans' unemployment across New York. As a … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Statement on President Obama’s Support for Marriage Equality

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, one of the Senate's leading voices for marriage equality, issued the following statement today after President Obama announced his support for same sex marriage: "Throughout the 2008 campaign President Obama called on all of us to bend the moral arc of history towards justice. As President, he has backed up those words for LGBT Americans through his leadership in repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and by instructing his Justice Department to … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Takes to Senate Floor in Fight to Protect Low-Interest Student Loans, Make College More Affordable

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand spoke on the Senate floor today to urge all her colleagues to work together to find a solution to prevent interest rates on Stafford Loans from doubling on July 1, which would force more than 420,000 young New Yorkers to pay an additional $340 million in interest on student loans. WATCH FULL VIDEO HERE Senator Gillibrand's remarks: I rise today to join my colleagues in calling for a real solution to the impending student debt crisis. … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Announces Nearly $270,000 for New York State to Increase Access to Farmers Markets for Families on Nutrition Assistance

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, New York's first member of the Senate Agriculture Committee in four decades, today announced New York State is set to receive $269,446 in federal funding from the USDA to help expand the availability of wireless technology at farmers' markets that are not currently participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The funding provides SNAP participants greater access to fresh and healthy food, while supporting New York … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Pushes Feds to Update Years-Old Study on Summer Flounder Population

Washington, DC -U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today urged the U.S. Commerce Secretary to immediately update the years-old national study assessing the population of summer flounder, which could impact quotas for Long Island fishermen. With summer flounder season beginning, Senator Gillibrand pointed out that a new assessment is overdue and must include new scientific data to accurately determine the fish population and summer flounder quotas. Senator Gillibrand wrote in a letter to … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Statement on Senate Vote to Protect Low-Interest Student Loans

Washington, D.C. - As President Obama travels to the Capital Region today to urge Congress to take action to protect low-interest student loans and other initiatives for a strong economy and thriving middle class, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who was unable to join President Obama due to this important vote, issued the following statement: "A strong economy starts with the opportunity for all to achieve their full potential. Higher education should be the ticket to get there - not to … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $2.5 Million Federal Investment in UB Emergency Medicine Department – New Health System Will be Designed to Reduce ER Visits and Cost of Care

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that $2,570,749 in federal funding is headed to the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University at Buffalo to implement a new patient care system in emergency rooms, designed to lower the cost of health care. UB has won one of 26 national Health Care Innovation Awards, designed to provide funding to implement new patient care systems that will result in health care cost savings. Under the UB plan, community health … Continue Reading

While Military Proposes Plan to Offset Budget Cuts, Gillibrand Calls for Upgrades to C-17 Fleet that Would Strengthen Stewart Air National Guard Base for Long Term

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today urged the Air Force to deliver C-17s equipped with extended range (ER) fuel tanks to Stewart Air National Guard Base. In her letter to Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Senator Gillibrand asked that they review and expedite the Air Force's scheduled upgrades that would allow the 105th Airlift Wing's fleet to fully participate in defense and homeland security mission sets. Senator … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Announces $20,000 for Mohawk Valley Economic Development District

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, New York's first member of the Senate Agriculture Committee in four decades, today announced a $20,000 federal grant for the Mohawk Valley Economic Development District to purchase new equipment that will help the Jones Family Farm expand their operations in Herkimer. Federal funding was allocated through the USDA's Rural Economic Business Enterprise Grant program (RBEG), which provides grants for rural projects that finance and facilitate … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Calls On U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to Consider Rochester for Satellite Office

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today urged the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to consider Rochester as a site for a satellite office. New York State is the second highest patent issuer in the nation, with Rochester specifically known for its renowned reputation in higher education, providing New York with an abundance of creative minds. A USPTO Rochester office would cultivate a workforce of well-paid patent examiners, and foster the region's reputation … Continue Reading

Standing with Westchester Veterans, Gillibrand & Lowey Announce Legislation to Assist Veterans in Education, Job Training and Skill Recognition

Yonkers, NY -Standing with Westchester County veterans, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Congresswoman Nita Lowey today announced bipartisan legislation to help provide education and job training for young veterans and streamline certification processes for civilian jobs. Last year, Senator Gillibrand hosted a roundtable with local business and veterans leaders to discuss innovative ways to address veterans' unemployment in the lower … Continue Reading