Press Releases
After Years Long Battle, Schumer, Gillibrand Secure +$75 Million In Fed Funding For West Valley Demonstration Project Clean Up In Just-Unveiled Spending Package; Neglected Program Has Posed Health & Environmental Threat
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that $75.2 million in federal funding for the clean-up of the West Valley Demonstration Project was included in the just-announced bipartisan omnibus spending package for Fiscal Year 2020, which is set to pass Congress this week. The funding will be used to continue remediating millions of gallons of nuclear waste from the West Valley Reprocessing Plant, which presents a massive threat to public … Continue Reading
December 17, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce, Following Their Year+ Of Advocacy, Soon-To-Pass Bipartisan Budget Deal Includes $44 Million For New Top-Priority Railhead & Uav Hangar At Fort Drum; Senators Say Projects Will Modernize Base Infrastructure, Enhance Readiness & Boost The North Country Economy
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced, after their more than year-long push, that the just-announced bipartisan omnibus spending package for Fiscal Year 2020 sets aside $44 million in federal funding for two top-priority projects at Fort Drum: a new railhead and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) hangar. Schumer and Gillibrand said the bill is expected to pass this week and be signed into law shortly thereafter. Fort Drum's current … Continue Reading
December 17, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand, Brindisi Announce Over $272M For Rome Lab In Soon-To-Pass Bipartisan Spending Package; Includes Additional Spending To Further Revolutionary Study Of Quantum Computing And Artificial Intelligence; Officials Say Funding Boost Will Supercharge World-Class Capabilities
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Congressman Anthony Brindisi today announced that over $272 million in funding for the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome (Rome Lab) has been included in the soon-to-pass, bipartisan omnibus spending package for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. The representatives explained that the funding is more than $34 million above the president's budget request for FY 2020 and $27 million more than Rome Lab received in FY … Continue Reading
December 16, 2019
Gillibrand, Schumer Announce That Following Their Push, Adirondack Mountain Renamed After New York Suffragist Inez Milholland
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced that following their push, an Adirondack mountain will be renamed after New York suffragist, Inez Milholland. Milholland was an attorney, social reformer, and central leader of the suffragists movement. Her work was integral to the passage of the 21st amendment that gave women the right to vote. Following Gillibrand and Schumer's push, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names approved … Continue Reading
December 16, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand To IJC: Immediately Begin Overhaul Analysis Of How To Change Plan 2014 Now That $1.5M Is Secured In Soon-To-Pass Spending Deal; Senators Call For Analysis To Get Underway ASAP To Address Plan 2014 Faults Before Flooding Season Hits And More Vital Property Is Damaged
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today called on the International Joint Commission (IJC) to immediately begin an overhaul analysis of its Plan 2014 water management plan now that $1.5 million in federal funding to initiate a review study into Plan 2014's effectiveness was included in the soon-to-pass bipartisan omnibus spending package. The senators explained that after experiencing record flooding in 2017 and again last year, Lake Ontario and … Continue Reading
December 16, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $665 Million In Just-Reached Fed Budget Deal For Anti-Terrorism Funding NYPD Needs To Keep Us Safe In & Around NYPD
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the New York City area is set to receive a lion's share of a $665 million dollar pot of federal Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) funds, an agreement reached as part of the larger budget deal needed to pass by the end of this month. The UASI program provides funding to address the unique needs of high-threat, high-density urban areas by helping to prevent, protect against, mitigate, … Continue Reading
December 13, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $5.4 Million In Federal Funds For Long Island MacArthur Airport In Suffolk County
Washington, DC - U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $5,405,000 in federal funding for Long Island MacArthur Airport in Suffolk County. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP). Specifically, the funding will be used to rehabilitate the west concourse and airport apron, make critical terminal improvements, and … Continue Reading
December 13, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand, Meeks Announce Final National Defense Bill Expected To Pass Next Week Authorizes Massive $91M In Funding For Expansion And Renovation At National Guard Readiness Center At Jamaica Armory In Queens, New York; Projects Will Modernize Infrastructure, Enhance Readiness
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Congressman Gregory Meeks today announced that following their push, sorely-needed and long-sought projects at the Jamaica Armory cleared a major hurdle towards securing federal funding. The senators and congressman explained that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY2020), which has just been finalized and is expected to pass early next week, will authorize full funding for a … Continue Reading
December 13, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand Secure More Than 30 Imperative Provisions In National Defense Bill To Vastly Improve Privatized Military Housing On Bases Like West Point; Bill, Set To Pass Next Week, Contains First Of Its Kind Provisions, The First Step In Ensuring Our Nation’s Heroes & Their Families Have The Safe, Hazard-Free Homes They Deserve
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced, following their major push, that more than thirty provisions to improve the military's privatized housing at installations like West Point and Fort Drum have been included in the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020, which is expected to pass Congress and be signed into law early next week. This September, following Schumer's June visit to West Point to call on … Continue Reading
December 12, 2019
ICYMI – Senator Gillibrand Op-Ed On CNN: We Need Real Paid Family Leave; White House Parental Leave Summit Is Just A Photo Op
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the foremost champion of paid family leave in the U.S. Senate, today wrote an op-ed for CNN on her landmark legislation, the FAMILY Act. Gillibrand contrasted her policy with the proposals being considered at the White House summit today, noting those policies fall far short of true paid family and medical leave. The full text of Gillibrand's op-ed may be found here and below. On Thursday, the President's daughter and senior advisor, Ivanka … Continue Reading
December 12, 2019
Following Their Push, Schumer, Gillibrand, Higgins Announce National Defense Bill Authorizes New, Critical Funding For National Maritime Heritage Grant Program
Washington, DC - U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Congressman Brian Higgins (D-NY-26) today announced that following their push, the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes their provision to increase funding for the National Maritime Heritage Grant Program. The National Maritime Heritage Grant Program helps celebrate and honor the nation's maritime legacy by funding projects that preserve and boost public … Continue Reading
December 10, 2019
Gillibrand Announces Her Legislation To Identify Where Pfas Chemicals Are Released Into The Environment Included In Final National Defense Authorization Act, Vows To Continue To Fight To Regulate And Clean Up Chemicals In Drinking Water
Washington, DC - Following her successful push, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the PFAS Release Disclosure Act, her bipartisan legislation to identify where per- and polyfuluroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals are released into the environment was included in the conferenced FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The final, conferenced NDAA is expected to be put to a vote by Congress in coming days. The conferenced NDAA also includes a provision she pushed for … Continue Reading
December 10, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce National Defense Bill Expected To Pass Next Week Authorizes $40m+ In Funding For New Top-Priority Railhead And Uav Hangar At Fort Drum; Senators Say Projects Would Modernize Base Infrastructure, Enhance Readiness
Fiscal Year 2020 NDAA, Which Is Set To Pass Congress Next Week, Authorizes $21M To Fully Fund Construction Of Updated Fort Drum Railhead To Ensure Installation's Ability To Enhance Deployable Readiness National Defense Bill Also Includes Authorization To Fully Fund Construction Of A New $23M UAV Hangar AtFort Drum, To Properly Service And House Additional Tactical UAVs Year-Round Senators: Railhead Improvement And New UAV Hangar At Fort Drum Would Keep World-Class Installation Ahead Of The … Continue Reading
December 10, 2019
Gillibrand Provision To Ensure Military Installations Receive Local Dairy, Fruits, And Vegetables Included In Final NDAA
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, today announced that her provision to guarantee local dairy, fruit and vegetable farmers can sell their products directly to military installations has been included in the conferenced NDAA. This comes following a federal proposal by the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) to consolidate suppliers that would have forced New York's farmers to ship their products away from New York … Continue Reading
December 09, 2019
Following Release Of Afghanistan Papers, Gillibrand Calls For Senate To Hold Hearings For Complete Review Of Afghanistan Strategy
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, today called for a Senate hearing to investigate U.S. strategy and obstacles to success in Afghanistan. Gillibrand's letter comes following the Washington Post's release of previously confidential documents and interviews, in which senior U.S. military, administration, and diplomatic officials make clear that there was no clear objective to U.S. policy in Afghanistan, and no … Continue Reading
December 09, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $167K In Federal Funding For Bishop Sheen Ecumenical Housing Foundation, Inc. In Monroe County
Washington, DC - U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $167,720 in federal funding for the Bishop Sheen Ecumenical Housing Foundation, Inc. in Monroe County. The funding is provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Housing Preservation Grants program and will be used to help address health and safety hazards in 26 homes in Ontario, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, and Yates Counties. Specifically, the funding will help … Continue Reading
December 08, 2019
With Veteran And Military Suicide Posing A Crisis In New York And Across The Country, Gillibrand Stands With Veterans, Advocates, Medical Experts And Unveils New Push To Strengthen Mental Health Access And Support For The Military Community
New York, NY - With veteran and military suicide rates posing a crisis in New York and across the country, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, today stood with veterans, advocates, and medical experts to demand immediate action to better support service members and veterans and ensure they have access to the care they need. More than 45,000 veterans and active-duty service members have committed suicide in the past six years. … Continue Reading
December 05, 2019
ICYMI – Senator Gillibrand Op-Ed In New York Daily News: We Need A New War Powers Act
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, today wrote an op-ed for the New York Daily News on her landmark legislation, the War Powers Reform Resolution, that would restore Congress's leadership in the nation's foreign policy and finally put an end to unauthorized forever wars. Specifically, Gillibrand's War Powers Reform Resolution would amend the War Powers Resolution to ensure no Authorizations for the Use of … Continue Reading
December 04, 2019
Senator Gillibrand Leads Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee Hearing On Steep Rise In Military And Veteran Suicides
**Watch Senator Gillibrand's opening remarks HERE** Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, today led a subcommittee hearing to examine the issue of service member, family, and veteran suicides, and strategies to prevent these tragedies. Gillibrand first called for this hearing immediately following a U.S. Department of Defense report showing that service member suicide rates spiked in 2018 after rising steadily … Continue Reading
December 04, 2019
Gillibrand Announces That Following Her Push, Stewart Air National Guard Is A Finalist To Host A New Air National Guard Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, today announced Stewart Air National Guard Base is one of seven bases being considered to host a new Air Force Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. Gillibrand is leading the push for Stewart ANG to receive this squadron, and following her phone call with Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett, the Air Force has selected Stewart ANG as one of the finalists nationwide for the Air … Continue Reading
