Press Releases
Senators Gillibrand, Grassley Introduce Bill To Improve Access For First Responders And Their Families To The Benefits They Earned
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today announced bipartisan legislation to update the first responders federal benefits program so that first responders and their families can receive the full benefits they deserve. The Protecting America's First Responders Act would allow the Department of Justice (DOJ) to change the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program, which provides death benefits to the survivors of officers who die or are … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Senator Gillibrand Statement On EPA “Certification Of Completion” For GE’s Unfinished Hudson River PCB Cleanup Job
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Certification of Completion for the General Electric Company's (GE) unfinished work to remove the toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) it dumped into the Hudson River. "The EPA's decision today is a failure of leadership by the Trump Administration to protect clean water for New Yorkers who are demanding a full cleanup of the Hudson River. The … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $800,000 In Federal Funds To Four Upstate New York Organizations Working To Stop Housing Discrimination
Washington, DC - U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $800,000 in federal funding for four organizations across Upstate New York that work to mitigate housing discrimination through compliance with the Fair Housing Act. These federal funds were administered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP). The funding will be used to assist people who believe they have been … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Gillibrand, Kaine Lead Group Of 13 Senators To Introduce New Legislation To Overhaul Flawed Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, Ensure Millions Of Americans Will Now Be Eligible For The Loan Forgiveness They Have Earned
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) today led a group of 13 Senators to introduce the What You Can Do for Your Country Act of 2019, new legislation that would overhaul the flawed Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and ensure millions of teachers, social workers, members of the military, first responders, nurses, public defenders, and many other public service professionals will qualify for the loan forgiveness they have earned. … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand Launch Push To Secure Over $82 Million In Fed Funding For Rochester Laser Lab In 2020 Budget – Funding Would Keep 350 Workers On The Job And United States At The Cutting Edge Of High-Tech Energy Research
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today launched their push to secure $82.4 million in federal funding for the University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE). Schumer and Gillibrand urged federal appropriators to include this funding in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget. This boosted funding would be used to provide the necessary resources to support the Lab's research program and operations and experiments on OMEGA, which is the second most powerful ultraviolet … Continue Reading
April 05, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand Lead Push In Senate To Secure Millions In Federal Funding For RIT-Led Remade Manufacturing Institute To Support High-Tech Jobs And Clean Energy Innovation In Rochester
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand called on the Senate to provide full funding for the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)-led REMADE Institute. Rochester's Reducing Embodied-Energy and Decreasing Emissions (REMADE) Institute is one of the nation's Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative (CEMI) institutes, which were created by the U.S. Department of Energy with public and private investment. The REMADE Institute works … Continue Reading
April 02, 2019
On Equal Pay Day, Gillibrand Takes To Senate Floor And Urges Colleagues To Act On House-Passed Legislation To Finally Close The Wage Gap
***WATCH Senator Gillibrand's Speech on the Senate Floor HERE*** Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand took to the Senate floor to mark Equal Pay Day and to urge her colleagues to pass legislation that would help to finally close the gender wage gap in the United States. Equal Pay Day is the day in the new year when the salary of the average woman catches up to the salary earned by the average man in the previous year. Gillibrand called on her colleagues to pass the … Continue Reading
April 02, 2019
Gillibrand, Grassley Lead Bipartisan Coalition Of Senators To Reintroduce Legislation To Combat Sexual Assault On College Campuses, Strengthen Accountability And Transparency For Institutions
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today announced they have led a bipartisan coalition of Senators to reintroduce the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, legislation to combat sexual assault on college and university campuses by protecting students and by strengthening accountability and transparency for colleges and universities. Gillibrand and Grassley are reintroducing this legislation with Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Joni Ernst (R-IA), … Continue Reading
April 01, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $2.4 Million In Federal Head Start Funding For Fulmont Community Action Agency In Montgomery And Fulton Counties
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $2,464,844 in federal funding for Fulmont Community Action Agency, Inc. The funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Head Start Program and will be used to support child care and support services for low-income families throughout Montgomery and Fulton Counties. "Study after study shows that the better we prepare our young children, through programs like Head … Continue Reading
March 29, 2019
Gillibrand Joins Casey And 19 Senate Colleagues To Introduce Legislation Making Child Care More Affordable
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today announced that she joined U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and 19 other Senate colleagues to introduce the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act. This legislation would make it easier and more affordable for working families to obtain child care. In 2018, New Yorkers paid on average over $15,000 to send an infant to a full-time child care center. The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act would make child … Continue Reading
March 28, 2019
Gillibrand Grills Federal Officials On Health Risks Of PFAS, Demands Answers On Health Impacts On Communities Across The Country Harmed By PFAS Contamination
***Watch Senator Gillibrand at EPW Hearing HERE*** Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, questioned federal officials on the health risks of per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) for communities across the country contaminated by these toxic chemicals. During an EPW Committee hearing today, Gillibrand called on officials from the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health to explain the … Continue Reading
March 28, 2019
As Pentagon Seeks To Redirect Funding For Trump Border Wall, Schumer, Gillibrand Call On DOD To Protect Critical Funding For New York Military Construction Projects
Washington, DC - U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, today announced that they are calling on the Department of Defense (DOD) to protect funding designated for New York military construction projects, which is at risk of being diverted to construct President Trump's border wall. On Monday night, Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan announced that the DOD will spend up … Continue Reading
March 27, 2019
Gillibrand Joins Menendez And 20 Senate Colleagues To Introduce Equal Rights Amendment
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today joined U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and 20 other Senate colleagues to reintroduce the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which would amend the U.S. Constitution to guarantee women equal rights under the law. Currently, the U.S. Constitution does not contain explicit protections for women. This introduction comes as Women's History Month, which commemorates and honors the role of women in society, comes to a close. The ERA states: … Continue Reading
March 27, 2019
Gillibrand, Schumer, Maloney, Velázquez, Nadler, Espaillat Introduce Legislation To Rename Manhattan Va Medical Center After Revolutionary War Hero Margaret Corbin
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), and U.S. Representatives Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY-12), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-07), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-10), and Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13) today introduced legislation to rename the Manhattan Campus of the VA New York Harbor Health Care System after Revolutionary War hero Margaret Corbin. Margaret Corbin … Continue Reading
March 26, 2019
Gillibrand Calls On DOJ To Follow The Law And Keep Census Responses Confidential
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that she and 14 Senate colleagues called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to follow the law and protect the confidentiality of responses collected through the census. According to recent news reports, DOJ officials had discussed potentially violating the confidentiality of personal data collected during the decennial census. In their letter to Attorney General William Bar, the Senators cited existing law that clearly protects … Continue Reading
March 22, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $3.2 Million In Neighborworks America Grants For 12 Upstate New York Organizations Working To Provide Affordable Housing
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $3,203,500 in federal funding for Upstate New York community development organizations in the national NeighborWorks America network. NeighborWorks America is a public nonprofit organization that that provides grants and technical assistance to community development organizations that support affordable housing initiatives, neighborhood revitalization projects, small business lending, and more. "Access to … Continue Reading
March 22, 2019
Following Push From Senator Gillibrand And Rep. Chu, Treasury Waves Underpayment Penalty For More Americans
Washington, DC - The Treasury Department today announced that it would waive the under-withholding penalty for taxpayers who paid at least 80% of their taxes, down from the current 85%, after Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Judy Chu's push. Last month, Gillibrand introduced the Taxpayer Penalty Protection Act to lower the penalty threshold to 80% had Treasury not acted. Rep. Judy Chu introduced the same legislation in the House. Gillibrand and Chu today issued the following joint … Continue Reading
March 22, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $1.5 Million In Neighborworks America Grants For New York City And Long Island Organizations Working To Provide Affordable Housing
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $1,593,500 in federal funding for New York City and Long Island community development organizations in the national NeighborWorks America network. NeighborWorks America is a public nonprofit organization that provides grants and technical assistance to community development organizations that support affordable housing initiatives, neighborhood revitalization projects, small business lending, and more. "Access to … Continue Reading
March 20, 2019
Schumer, Gillibrand Demand Answers On Acting Secretary Of Interior’s Plan For Offshore Drilling
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, joined 15 other Senators in demanding answers from the current Acting Secretary of the Department of the Interior, David Bernhardt, on his plans for offshore drilling. Acting Secretary Bernhardt will soon face a confirmation hearing to permanently replace former Secretary Ryan Zinke to lead the Department of the Interior. Prior to … Continue Reading
March 20, 2019
Gillibrand, Senate Colleagues Call On King Of Saudi Arabia To Immediately Release Political Prisoners
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), along with eight Senate colleagues, today announced their call for the King of Saudi Arabia to immediately and unconditionally release prisoners held by the Saudi government. Reputable international organizations have detailed the arbitrary detention of political activists and peaceful dissidents, some sentenced through political trials and others held without trial for long periods of time. This includes Walid Fitaihi, an American … Continue Reading
