Press Releases
During Visit To Veterans Outreach Center, Senator Gillibrand And Representative Morelle Call For New Legislation To Help Veterans With Diseases Linked To Burn Pits And Other Toxic Exposures Obtain Benefits From VA
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative Joe Morelle visited the Veterans Outreach Center to call for new landmark legislation, the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2020. Senator Gillibrand's recently introduced legislation would streamline the process for obtaining VA benefits for burn pit and other toxic exposures. The Veterans Outreach Center has been serving veterans and their families in the Rochester community … Continue Reading
October 08, 2020
During Visit To Veterans One-Stop Center Of WNY, Gillibrand Calls For New Legislation To Help Veterans With Diseases Linked To Burn Pits And Other Toxic Exposures Obtain Benefits From VA
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited Veterans One-Stop Center of Western New York to call for her new landmark legislation, the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2020. The legislation, introduced last month, would streamline the process for obtaining VA benefits for burn pit and other toxic exposures. The Veterans One-Stop Center of WNY has been serving the community of more than 100,000 veterans in Western New York through their … Continue Reading
October 06, 2020
Senator Gillibrand Calls For Bipartisan Restart Act To Help Small Businesses And Live Event Venues Recover From Summer Of Limited Operations
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand urged passage of the bipartisan Reviving the Economy Sustainably Towards a Recovery in Twenty-Twenty (RESTART) Act to support live event venues and small- and mid-sized businesses that have been hit hardest by the coronavirus crisis. While the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was intended to help small- and mid-sized businesses weather the economic crisis, many have slipped through the cracks and are struggling to maintain operations and pay their … Continue Reading
October 06, 2020
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Nearly $36 Million In Funding To Repair Damaged Federally-Owned Roads Across New York State
U.S. Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $35,767,672.72 in funding to support emergency repairs to federal roads across New York State. The funding was allocated through the US Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads program, and will be used to restore roads and highway infrastructure damaged as a result of the World Trade Center attacks, Superstorm Sandy, and the 2018 … Continue Reading
October 05, 2020
Gillibrand, Colleagues Urge USDA To Fix Problems With Federal Food Program Local Pantries Rely On
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, joined members of New York's congressional delegation in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Perdue expressing concern over the handling of the transition between vendors for Round Three of the Coronavirus Food Assistant Program's (CFAP) Farmers to Families Food Box Program, which has left local food pantries without vendors or guidance on how to procure food boxes. … Continue Reading
October 05, 2020
Senator Gillibrand Proposes Bicameral Plan To Strengthen State, Local, And Tribal Public Health Infrastructure As Experts Grow Increasingly Concerned Over Seasonal Flu And COVID-19 Overlap
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, alongside U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), proposed a bicameral plan to strengthen state, local, and Tribal public health infrastructure in anticipation of a seasonal flu outbreak that could compound the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health experts and health-care providers are increasingly worried about a "twindemic," caused by an overlap of seasonal flu and COVID-19, that would double the burden on already strained health care facilities. The … Continue Reading
October 02, 2020
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $550K In Federal Funding For New York State Based Immigration Legal Service Providers
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $550,000 in federal funding for organizations in New York State through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The Catholic Charities of Rochester and the Catholic Charities of Syracuse were awarded $250,000 and $300,000, respectively. "Immigrants are dreamers and doers, and America … Continue Reading
October 02, 2020
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $750K In Federal Funding For NYC-Based Immigration Legal Service Providers
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $750,000 in federal funding for New York City-based organizations including the Ansob Center for Refugees, Bronx Works, Inc., and the Catholic Migration Services. Each organization was awarded $250,000 through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). "Immigrants are dreamers and doers, and America is a great nation because we welcome those who come here to make a better life for themselves and their … Continue Reading
October 01, 2020
Gillibrand Joins Call To Extend Small Business Debt Relief Program To Help Hard-Hit Businesses Recover From Economic Crisis
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand called on Congress to pass legislation to extend the Small Business Debt Relief Program that has delivered relief to 320,000 small businesses heavily concentrated in the service industries hardest hit by the pandemic. The Small Business Debt Relief Program was authorized under the CARES Act with $8 billion for America's smallest, most at-risk employers. The program provides six months of principal, interest, and fee payments on all preexisting, deferred, and new … Continue Reading
October 01, 2020
Gillibrand, Colleagues Condemn Trump Administration’s Failure To Protect Workers From Risks During The Pandemic; Urge OSHA To Protect Workers From COVID-19
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and her colleagues condemned the Trump administration's failure to protect American workers from risks of COVID-19 exposure, illness, and death during the pandemic. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) headquarters has received 8,877 complaints about workplace safety violations since September 16, however inspection responses have been opened in less than 12% of the complaints, more than 90% of the complaints have already been closed, and … Continue Reading
October 01, 2020
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $12 Million In Federal Funding For New York Hospital For Special Surgery And NYCHA’S COVID-19 Response And Emergency Management
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $12,476,039 in federal funding for the New York Hospital for Special Surgery and the New York City Housing Authority. The growing coronavirus pandemic has overwhelmed New York's hospital and housing systems -- decimating supplies and creating a crisis for workers on the frontlines of combatting the virus. This funding will be used to support New York City's first responders to mitigate the spread … Continue Reading
September 30, 2020
ICYMI: Video: Senator Gillibrand, Jon Stewart, And Burn Pits 360 Executive Director Rosie Torres Join Jake Tapper On State Of The Union To Discuss Landmark Legislation To Help Veterans With Diseases Linked To Burn Pits And Other Toxic Exposures Obtain Benefits From VA
**WATCH INTERVIEW HERE** In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, veterans advocate Jon Stewart, and Burn Pits 360 Executive Director Rosie Torres, joined CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday's State of the Union to discuss their recently introduced legislation to streamline the process for obtaining VA benefits for burn pit and other toxic exposures. The government has long ignored the thousands of veterans who are sick and dying from lung diseases, cancers, and respiratory illnesses … Continue Reading
September 28, 2020
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $7 Million In Federal Funding To Establish Mental Health Support Network For Agricultural Producers
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today announced $7,164,124 million in federal funding to provide New York's agricultural producers with local and affordable mental health and stress assistance. The Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) was created to connect farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural producers in order to build a network of support and improve behavioral health awareness, … Continue Reading
September 26, 2020
Senator Gillibrand Statement On Nomination Of Judge Amy Coney Barrett To The Supreme Court
Addressing President Trump's nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement: "President Trump's nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court represents the further degradation of our democracy and the continued politicization of our judiciary. Even if this process had been legitimate, Barrett's anti-choice views, opposition to the Affordable Care Act, and hostility to immigrant rights and civil rights … Continue Reading
September 25, 2020
Schumer, Gillibrand, Higgins Announce Nearly $15.5 Million In Funding For Lead Hazard Reduction
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Congressman Brian Higgins today announced $15,430,102.46 in federal funding for lead hazard reduction in nearly 900 households across New York State. The funding was administered through Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Lead Hazard Reduction and Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program. The funds will be used to remove lead hazards and help recipients partner with medical and social service … Continue Reading
September 25, 2020
Senators Gillibrand And Sanders’ Medium Piece: Establish Postal Banking To Provide Equal Financial Opportunity For All
U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) today published a Medium piece highlighting their legislation, the Postal Banking Act, which would re-establish postal banking in order to provide financial security and essential banking services to low-income and rural communities, and create billions of dollars in annual revenue for USPS, strengthening the institution as it endures attacks from the Trump administration. Click here or see below for the full piece: MEDIUM - … Continue Reading
September 25, 2020
As Many Schools Across New York Begin Year With Remote Learning, Schumer, Gillibrand Urge FCC To Immediately Provide More Funding For Better Internet Connection – Via The E-Rate Program –To Close Growing “Homework Gap”
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to immediately fund the E-Rate program to provide improved internet connectivity for students at home. Studies show the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the "homework gap" experienced by an estimated 16 million students, who lack reliable internet access at home. These students are disproportionately from low-income households, rural areas and communities of color. The FCC has … Continue Reading
September 24, 2020
ICYMI: In Senate Floor Speech, Gillibrand Honors Ruth Bader Ginsburg And Denounces Senate Republicans For Rushing Through Confirmation Of Next Supreme Court Justice
**WATCH Senator Gillibrand's Speech on the Senate Floor HERE** U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today spoke on the Senate floor to denounce Republican efforts to rush through the confirmation process and vote on the next Supreme Court Justice to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The confirmation of the next justice will have immediate consequences on health care, immigrant's rights, women's rights and more. Instead of allowing the winner of the next election to fill the seat, Majority Leader Mitch … Continue Reading
September 23, 2020
Gillibrand Leads Colleagues In Letter To DHS Pushing For Answers About Arbitrary Rejection Of Asylum Applications
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand led a group of twelve senators in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Kenneth T. Cuccinelli inquiring about recent changes to adjudication procedures that have caused enormous hardship to applicants. Asylum, U Visa, and other routine applications are being regularly rejected because of failure to complete irrelevant or immaterial fields that have no bearing on info needed for final adjudications. "DHS continues to move the goalposts for asylum seekers … Continue Reading
September 23, 2020
Senator Gillibrand, Representative Katie Porter Announce STOCK Act 2.0; Bicameral Legislation Would Expand Stock Act To Ensure Government Officials Aren’t Lining Their Pockets With Taxpayer Dollars
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), lead sponsor and author of the original STOCK Act, and Representative Katie Porter (D-CA), member of the House Financial Services Committee, announced the STOCK Act 2.0, bicameral legislation that would expand the STOCK Act to strengthen disclosure rules and prevent individuals in trusted positions of public service -- including members of Congress, their families, and their staffs -- from using their access for self-enrichment. Senator Gillibrand … Continue Reading