Press Releases
As Congress Negotiates Next Phase Of Coronavirus Relief, Gillibrand Outlines Priorities For Senate Package; Presses For State And Local Aid, Enhanced Unemployment, Eviction Moratorium, Expanded Snap, MTA Funding, And More
As the Senate negotiates the next coronavirus relief legislation, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is pushing for vital support for American families. While the House passed the HEROES Act more than two months ago, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell failed to present comprehensive legislation to address the compounding crises families are facing due to the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, some of the desperately needed benefits authorized under the CARES Act have expired and left millions … Continue Reading
August 05, 2020
Democratic Senators Push To Include Proposal To Create Jobs That Will Fight COVID-19 And Strengthen Our Health And Service Systems In Upcoming Relief Package
Today, a working group of Senate Democrats sent a letter to Senate and House leadership urging the inclusion of the Force to Fight COVID-19 joint proposal in the upcoming COVID-19 relief package. The proposal combines seven health and social service workforce bills into one dynamic package that would combat the unprecedented economic and public health crisis, support efforts to address its wide-ranging harms, address the racial and ethnic health disparities exacerbated by the pandemic, and … Continue Reading
August 05, 2020
Gillibrand Leads Push To Include Proposal To Create Jobs That Will Fight COVID-19 And Strengthen Our Health And Service Systems In Upcoming Relief Package
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand led a group of Senate Colleagues in a letter to Senate and House leadership urging the inclusion of the Force to Fight COVID-19 joint proposal in the upcoming COVID-19 relief package. The proposal combines seven health and social service workforce bills into one dynamic package that would combat the unprecedented economic and public health crisis, support efforts to address its wide-ranging harms, address the racial and ethnic health disparities … Continue Reading
August 04, 2020
Gillibrand, Colleagues Push For Support Of School Meals Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand recently joined 35 colleagues to urge the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to continue critical flexibilities that have allowed students to access much-needed meals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. If extended throughout the 2020-2021 school year, children would maintain access regardless of school opening status, and struggling school nutrition programs would benefit from additional financial relief. To help ensure school meal program directors … Continue Reading
August 04, 2020
Schumer, Gillibrand, Rice Announce Nearly $3 Million In Federal Funding To Resolve Hempstead Beach Erosion Due To Flooding And Tropical Storms
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice today announced $2,861,087 in federal funds to repair beach erosion associated with Tropical Depression Ida and a Nor'easter, and to prepare for future damage caused by flooding and severe storms in the Town of Hempstead. The funding was administered through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal … Continue Reading
August 04, 2020
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Nearly $12 Million In Emergency Federal Funding For Coronavirus Testing Across New York State
U.S. Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $11,649,036 in federal funding to help health centers respond to and contain the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak. The funding was allocated by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Expanding Capacity for Coronavirus Testing (ECT) program. "As New York rebuilds and recovers from this unprecedented health and economic crisis, it's imperative that hospitals and health centers have … Continue Reading
August 03, 2020
Gillibrand Calls On Secretaries Of Defense And Army To Rename Confederate Monuments In New York
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee Personnel Subcommittee, recently sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy requesting to rename the streets General Lee Avenue and Stonewall Jack Drive at Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn. In the letter, Gillibrand also calls to remove the portraits of confederate General Robert E. Lee in the cadet mess hall and library at the United States Military Academy at West Point … Continue Reading
July 31, 2020
As New York’s Local Governments Face Billions In Lost Revenue Due To COVID-19 Crisis, Gillibrand Calls For Direct Federal Relief Funding For Local Governments Responding To And Recovering From Coronavirus Pandemic In Plattsburgh
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand called for legislation to provide local governments with direct federal relief that can be used to pay for essential services and offset lost revenues and increased costs stemming from the COVID-19 crisis. As local governments have faced slashed revenues due to the pandemic, direct assistance is needed to help state and local governments recover from this crisis. Concerned about the layoffs of public health care workers, firefighters, police, sanitation … Continue Reading
July 31, 2020
As New York’s Local Governments Face Billions In Lost Revenue Due To COVID-19 Crisis, Gillibrand Calls For Direct Federal Relief Funding For Local Governments Responding To And Recovering From Coronavirus Pandemic In Binghamton
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand called for legislation to provide local governments with direct federal relief that can be used to pay for essential services and offset lost revenues and increased costs stemming from the COVID-19 crisis. As local governments have faced slashed revenues due to the pandemic, direct assistance is needed to help state and local governments recover from this crisis. Concerned about the layoffs of public health care workers, firefighters, police, … Continue Reading
July 31, 2020
Gillibrand, MTA Leadership, NYS Senators And Assemblymembers Visit North White Plains Metro-North Station To Call For Federal Funding For MTA In Upcoming COVID-19 Relief Legislation
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, visited the North White Plains Metro-North station, to call for federal relief for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to be included in the COVID-19 relief legislation being negotiated in Congress. She was joined by MTA CEO Pat Foye, New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, NYS Senator Shelley Mayer, NYSAssemblymembers Amy Paulin, David Buchwald, Steve Otis, and … Continue Reading
July 30, 2020
Gillibrand Calls For HHS To Address Maternal Health Disparities And Support Pregnant People Amidst The COVID-19 Pandemic
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, alongside 14 Senate colleagues, called on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address the agency's meek response to the public health needs of at-risk populations and pregnant people during the COVID-19 outbreak. The maternal health and mortality crisis has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of July 16, over 12,000 pregnant people have tested positive for COVID-19 and 35 pregnant people have died. Underserved populations have been … Continue Reading
July 30, 2020
Gillibrand, Wyden, Booker, And Sanders Urge Senate Leadership To Prioritize Direct Relief For Small Farmers In Response To Ongoing Economic Crisis
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) are calling for direct relief for small farmers who have been hit hard by months of closed restaurants, schools, and farmers markets. In a letter sent to Senate leadership, the senators urged the Senate to include the Relief for America's Small Farmers Act in the … Continue Reading
July 29, 2020
Gillibrand Statement On DHS Memo Outlining Recession Of DACA
Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a memorandum enacting significant changes to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, including reducing grants from two years to one year and outright rejecting new DACA applications. Addressing the memo, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement: "Barely two months after the Supreme Court ruled that it was unlawful to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the … Continue Reading
July 29, 2020
Gillibrand Urges McConnell To Extend Enhanced Unemployment Benefits In Next Coronavirus Relief Package
As the Senate negotiates the next coronavirus relief legislation, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to extend enhanced unemployment benefits in the upcoming legislation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 30 million people have lost their jobs, 49 states have experienced rising unemployment and with states scaling back plans to reopen businesses, unemployment numbers continue to rise. In the week ending July 18, there were 1,416,000 new unemployment … Continue Reading
July 29, 2020
As New York Communities Plan To Reopen Schools, Gillibrand Cosponsors Legislation To Increase Funding For Students With Disabilities
As communities across New York State begin planning to reopen schools, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is cosponsoring legislation to increase funding for children with disabilities. The coronavirus pandemic poses a unique threat to the education of more than 7 million school-aged children with disabilities, and nearly 500,000 infants and toddlers with disabilities, who rely on support and services that have been difficult to continue or adjust during school closures. The Supporting Children … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $1 Million In Federal Funding For Economic Development In New York’s Southern Tier And Capital Region
U.S. Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $1,200,000 in federal funding to help recovery efforts from COVID-19 economic disruptions in New York's Southern Tier and Capital Region. The funding was allocated by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and will be used to spur economic development and offset costs from the COVID-19 emergency. "In these trying and … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Gillibrand Joins Call On Anthony J. Tata To Withdraw Nomination For Under Secretary Of Defense For Policy
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee Personnel Subcommittee, joined Senate colleagues in calling on retired Brigadier General Anthony J. Tata to withdraw his nomination to serve as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy at the Department of Defense (DoD) and resign his current position as a senior advisor to the secretary of defense. Years of bigoted, sexist, and conspiratorial comments by Tata -- on matters including Islam, President Barack … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
In Poughkeepsie, Senator Gillibrand And Lt. Governor Hochul Meet With Local Child Care Providers, Call On CDC To Clarify Guidance For Reopening, And Urge Congress To Stabilize Child Care Industry
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul visited Community Family Development, Inc. in Poughkeepsie to meet with local child care providers and discuss the need for critical support for the child care industry. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly half of all child care providers have had to shut their doors and the industry faces a potential loss of more than 4 million child care slots, which would leave millions of families without access to essential child … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
In Ithaca, Senator Gillibrand And Lt. Governor Hochul Meet With Local Child Care Providers, Call On CDC To Clarify Guidance For Reopening, And Urge Congress To Stabilize Child Care Industry
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul visited the Downtown Ithaca Children's Center (DICC) to meet with local child care providers and discuss the need for critical support for the child care industry. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly half of all child care providers have had to shut their doors and the industry faces a potential loss of more than 4 million child care slots, which would leave millions of families without access to essential child care … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
In Troy, Senator Gillibrand And Lt. Governor Hochul Meet With Local Child Care Providers, Call On CDC To Clarify Guidance For Reopening, And Urge Congress To Stabilize Child Care Industry
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Lieutenant Governor KathyHochul visited Unity House of Troy to meet with local child care providers and discuss the need for critical support for the child care industry. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly half of all child care providers have had to shut their doors and the industry faces a potential loss of more than 4 million child care slots, which would leave millions of families without access to essential child care services when normal work … Continue Reading
