Gillibrand, Graham To Help 250,000 Vietnam Vets Harmed By Agent Orange, But Ignored By Feds Due To Technicality In The Law

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced legislation to ensure that more than 250,000 Navy veterans from the Vietnam War exposed to the powerful toxin Agent Orange will be eligible to receive the disability and health care benefits they have earned for diseases linked to Agent Orange exposure. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military sprayed approximately 20 million gallons of Agent Orange in Vietnam to remove jungle foliage. This toxic … Continue Reading

Senate Passes Resolution Honoring Sick Nuclear Workers with a National Day of Remembrance

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) today announced Senate passage of S. Res. 275, a Senate resolution designating October 30, 2011, as a national day of remembrance for nuclear weapons program workers. The Day of Remembrance honors the thousands of men and women … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Announces $100,000 To Increase Exports From New York’s Appalachia Region

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the New York Department of Economic Development is set to receive $100,000 in Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) funding to increase export sales from Appalachian New York companies. The project is expected to help stimulate $8.8 million in new export sales and help create or retain 160 jobs. Companies in Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Schuyler, … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Announces $400,000 For Victims Information Bureau Of Suffolk

Suffolk, NY - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today announced $400,000 for the Victims Information Bureau of Suffolk (VIBS) to provide resources and counseling to young victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Partnering with the Long Island Head Start and Child Protective Services-Preventive Services, the VIBS will assist young children exposed to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking along with their non-abusing parent. The federal grant is being … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Announces Passage Of Autism Bill

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) announced that late last night, U.S. Senate unanimously approved legislation to combat Autism. The bill, which also passed the House of Representatives last week, now heads to the President's desk for his signature. The Combating Autism Reauthorization Act is critical, bipartisan legislation that will extend programs authorized under the original Combating Autism Act (CAA) to continue for an additional three years. "Cases of autism … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Pushes For FED Study On Moving CBP To Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today urged the Office of Management and Budget to conduct a study on a plan for the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station to serve as an effective hub for various agencies, including building an on-site facility for Customs and Border Protection (CBP), allowing them to leverage the military installation's assets and produce potential cost-saving results. With deep cuts in defense spending and New … Continue Reading

U.S. Senate Passes Resolution Designating National Estuaries Day

Washington, DC - The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved a resolution declaring this Saturday, September 24, to be National Estuaries Day. The resolution was sponsored by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Scott Brown (R-MA) Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-DE), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Kerry (D-MA), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Patty Murray … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga And Tompkins County To Receive Public Assistance From FEMA

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga and Tompkins Counties public assistance to help rebuild and repair infrastructure damaged by tropical storm Lee. After this type of assistance was not made available in the President's initial emergency declaration, Senators Schumer and Gillibrand immediately called for Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga, … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce City Of Utica Set To Receive Over $1.3 Million In Department Of Transportation Funding For New Bus Transfer Facility

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the City of Utica is set to receive $1,350,000 in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) funds to construct a new bus transfer facility. Gillibrand and Schumer commend DOT for their work to improve transit conditions at all bus transfer facilities. "This transportation investment is great news for Downtown Utica, as it will create jobs, make transportation more efficient for bus riders and add to Genesee Street's … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Sullivan County International Airport Set To Receive Over $1 Million In Department Of Transportation Funding For Airport Fire Fighting & Rescue Program

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that Sullivan County International Airport is set to receive $1,034,621 in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) funds for airport facility upgrades. Specifically, the grant will allow Sullivan County International Airport to construct an Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) building to house and extend the life of their life-saving ARFF equipment by protecting it from adverse weather conditions. Schumer and … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Opposes Palestinian’s Unilateral Bid For Statehood Through The UN

New York, NY - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) released the following statement today after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke at the United Nations and officially submitted an application for a unilateral bid for statehood: "I am deeply disappointed in Palestinian President Abbas' actions today. The Palestinians' unilateral bid for statehood through the United Nations is a harmful distraction from achieving true peace and stability between Israel and Palestine. The only … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Statement On Senate’s Rejection Of House Political Games On Disaster Relief Funding

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement today after voting against the House of Representative's attempt to play politics with FEMA disaster relief funding: "Americans have always stood by those who are suffering and need relief to help rebuild. That's exactly what we need to do right now for families and businesses struggling to recover from the trail of devastation that Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee left across New York State. No one can … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Votes To Secure More Aid For Laid-Off Workers

Washington, D.C. - Facing an ongoing economic crisis and continuing manufacturing job losses, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced the U.S. Senate passed legislation to extend support for American workers whose jobs have been shipped overseas. The legislation makes a long-term extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), a federal program that has helped nearly 19,000 laid-off workers in New York continue to make ends meet since 2009, provided nearly $24 million for New York … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Fights For Greater Police Hiring Grants To Protect NY Communities, Families From Violent Crime

Washington, D.C. - To help put more police in communities across New York affected by rising rates of violent crime, drug trafficking and gang activity, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is urging U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to put greater emphasis on COPS Hiring Program grants for New York State. The Police Hiring Grants program authorizes $500 million per year - enough to hire up to 50,000 officers across the country for community policing. "Law enforcement agencies across New York … Continue Reading

Senators Gillibrand, Kirk, Levin And Congressman Meeks Announce Bill To Confer A Congressional Gold Medal Upon Raoul Wallenberg

Washington, DC-Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Carl Levin (D-MI), and Mike Johanns (R-NE) and Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY) announced that they introduced companion bills today to bestow the Congressional Gold Medal on Raoul Wallenberg, a hero who saved thousands of lives during Nazi occupation of Hungary during World War II. "The heroic rescue of Hungarian Jews by Raoul Wallenberg during one of the darkest hours of human history exemplifies his outstanding spirit … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Applauds Repeal Of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”

Washington, DC- Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after the military officially ended the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy: "Today, we're ending nearly two decades of injustice in our military. "'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' has been a drain on our military, our readiness, and our national security for too long, and it must end. Every American, no matter who you are, or who you love, can now serve our … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Announces Priorities For Next Farm Bill

Washington, D.C. - As Congress prepares to write and debate the next Farm Bill, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, New York's first member of the Senate Agriculture Committee in nearly 40 years, today announced her priorities to make sure the next Farm Bill is a good deal for New York. Senator Gillibrand spent time over the last year visiting farm communities across the state, holding listening sessions to gather input from New York's own local farms on their needs from the broad and sweeping … Continue Reading

Senators Urge President Obama To Underscore Strong Support For Israel During UN General Assembly

Today, 14 U.S. Senators called on President Obama to issue a strongly worded defense of Israel during his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday. In a letter, the Senators highlighted a number of recent, troubling developments in the Middle East, including the attack on the Israeli Embassy in Cairo, anti-Israeli rhetoric from Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey, and efforts to isolate Israel by unilaterally advancing a resolution on Palestinian statehood at the UN. The … Continue Reading

Gillibrand, Schumer, Higgins, Slaughter, Hochul Urge FAA To Implement New Pilot Training Rule

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles E. Schumer, together with U.S. Representatives Brian Higgins, Louise Slaughter and Kathy Hochul, today wrote to FAA Administrator Randolph Babbitt urging him to implement new rules for pilot training that were included in the overhauled FAA regulations that the New York members worked hard to pass. Pilot error was identified as the cause of the Flight 3407 tragedy. In their letter to Administrator Babbitt, the members wrote, "In … Continue Reading

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Plattsburgh International Airport Set To Receive $2.7 Million In Department Of Transportation Funding For Taxiway Rehabilitation

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that Plattsburgh International Airport is set to receive $2,700,500 in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) funds for airport facility upgrades. Specifically, the grant will allow Plattsburgh International Airport to rehabilitate Taxiway A, which will ensure safe airfield operations at the airport. Schumer and Gillibrand applaud DOT for their work to increase safety at all airports. "This is great news for the … Continue Reading