Press Releases
Gillibrand Testifies Before VA Committee To Help Hundreds Of Thousands Of “Blue Water” Vietnam Vets Exposed To Agent Orange But Denied Health And Disability Benefits
**WATCH Senator Gillibrand's Testimony Before The Veterans' Affairs Committee** Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today testified before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing on behalf of hundreds of thousands "Blue Water" veterans from the Vietnam War who were exposed to the dangerous toxin Agent Orange but are currently ineligible to receive health and disability benefits. Here is her testimony as prepared for today's hearing: "Mr. Chairman, Thank you for holding … Continue Reading
May 13, 2015
New Investigation Finds Failing American Food Safety System Causing Millions Of Illness, Gillibrand Introduces New Legislation To Final Establish Mandatory Recall Of Contaminated Meat & Poultry
Washington, D.C. - In the wake of a devastating investigation aired last night by PBS' Frontline of the American food safety system and the millions of preventable food-borne illnesses contracted each year, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today introduced the Meat and Poultry Recall Notification Act to finally provide the USDA mandatory recall authority over contaminated meat and poultry. The Frontline report documents the spread of dangerous contaminants through poultry processors and how … Continue Reading
May 12, 2015
Gillibrand Nominates Rabbi Arthur Schneier For The Presidential Medal Of Freedom
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced the nomination of Rabbi Arthur Schneier for the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award. In a letter to the President, Gillibrand celebrated Rabbi Schneier's decades-long fight for human rights around the world. The letter was also signed by Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Robert Casey (D-PA). "Rabbi Schneier has worked for 50 years on behalf of … Continue Reading
May 12, 2015
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce SBA Disaster Assistance Now Available To Hudson Valley Businesses Affected By Drought
U.S. Senators Charles. E Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that New York businesses affected by last year's drought, beginning August 15, 2014, can now apply for low-interest disaster loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA will accept applications for emergency federal loans through June 1st. The SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and most private … Continue Reading
May 11, 2015
Senator Gillibrand Announces Legislation To Bolster Manufacturing Education At Universities And Train New York’s Workforce For 21st Century Economy
Binghamton, NY - Standing at Binghamton University today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced new bipartisan legislation to bolster manufacturing education at universities and train the workforce to meet the growing demands of the 21st century manufacturing sector. Gillibrand introduced The Manufacturing Universities Act of 2015, a bipartisan bill that would designate 25 universities as 'Manufacturing Universities' and provide schools with incentives to better align their educational … Continue Reading
May 11, 2015
Senator Gillibrand, Rochester Area Families Push For New Bipartisan Medical Marijuana Bill, Allowing New York State Patients- Including Veterans- To Access Necessary Care Without Fear Of Federal Prosecution When State Program Launches Next Year
Rochester, NY - Standing at the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Rochester Area families with children and loved ones in need of treatment today pushed for the passage of new bipartisan legislation that will allow the use of medical marijuana in states where it is legal without fear of federal prosecution. Gillibrand's new bill the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act would reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to … Continue Reading
May 11, 2015
Senator Gillibrand, Western New York Families Push For New Bipartisan Medical Marijuana Bill, Allowing New York State Patients- Including Veterans- To Access Necessary Care Without Fear Of Federal Prosecution When State Program Launches Next Year
Amherst, NY - Standing at the DENT Neurological Institute, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Western New York families with children and loved ones in need of treatment today pushed for the passage of new bipartisan legislation that will allow the use of medical marijuana in states where it is legal without fear of federal prosecution. Gillibrand's new bill the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act would reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to Schedule II … Continue Reading
May 11, 2015
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce SBA Disaster Assistance Now Available To Businesses Statewide Affected By Flooding
U.S. Senators Charles. E Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that New York businesses affected by last year's flooding, from April 1st through July 8th, 2014, can now apply for low-interest disaster loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and most private non-profit organizations. The SBA will accept these applications for … Continue Reading
May 11, 2015
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce over $16,000 In Federal Funding For Brier Hill Fire District
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $16,629 in federal funding for the Brier Hill Fire District in St. Lawrence County to purchase new equipment to respond to emergencies more effectively. The money was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) Grant Program. The Brier Hill Fire District will use this federal investment to purchase 45 new pagers for fire personnel. The funding also … Continue Reading
May 08, 2015
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $23K in Fed Funds for Western Turnpike Rescue Squad in Albany County
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $23,193 in federal funding for the Western Turnpike Rescue Squad. These funds were allocated through the Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG). This funding will allow the Western Turnpike Rescue Squad to purchase protective gear, including pants, extrication coats, gloves and helmets. The gear will protect emergency personnel when handling the approximately 200 motor vehicle … Continue Reading
May 07, 2015
Gillibrand Statement on Senate Passage of Iran Nuclear Agreement Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today issued the following statement on the Senate's passage of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Act, which she co-sponsored: "It is in the national security interest of the United States and Israel to secure a strong, verifiable deal that prevents Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The Iran Nuclear Agreement Act passed today in the U.S. Senate will provide Congress with the appropriate oversight to review any potential agreement with Iran … Continue Reading
May 06, 2015
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Nearly $5.5 Million in Federal Funding for Cornell University to Study & Improve Crop Sustainability
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $5,499,997 in federal funding for Cornell University to use genome editing techniques that will allow it to study and thereby improve crop sustainability. Specifically, this funding will be allocated over four years through a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant and allow researchers to determine the positive and negative DNA strands of rice - which is a staple crop that feeds half the world's people - in order to … Continue Reading
May 04, 2015
Gillibrand Releases New Military Sexual Assault Report: New Data Revels high Prevalence of Assault Among Civilian Women & Military Spouses, Widening True Scope of Problem; underreporting and Distrust of Military Justice System Persist
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today released a new report on military sexual assault, finding in a review of 107 case files provided by the Department of Defense a high prevalence of sexual assault against civilian women near bases and civilian spouses of servicemembers - two survivor groups not counted in DoD prevalence surveys - raising new questions about the scope of both the survivor population and underreporting. The analysis reaffirms a lack of trust in the military … Continue Reading
May 01, 2015
Gillibrand Statement On Latest DOD Report On Sexual Assault In The Military (2015)
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today released the following statement on the Department of Defense's latest report on sexual assault in the military: "This is more of the same. All of the positive rhetoric ignores the reality that 75 percent of the men and women in uniform who have been sexually assaulted lack the confidence in the military justice system to come forward and report the crimes committed against them "Contrary to mission accomplished, we are right back on … Continue Reading
May 01, 2015
At Elmira College, Senator Gillibrand Meets Students and Leads Organizing Effort to Combat Sexual Violence on College Campuses
Elmira, NY - At a round table meeting at Elmira College, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was joined today by students and officials from Elmira College and other area colleges, as well as survivors, advocates, and law enforcement to discuss bolstering efforts to combat sexual violence on college campuses. According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, college campuses in New York reported 388 forcible sex offenses and over 5,000 offenses nationwide in 2013. In February Gillibrand … Continue Reading
May 01, 2015
At Union College, Senator Gillibrand Meets with Students and Leads Organizing Effort to Combat Sexual Violence on College Campuses
Schenectady, NY - At a round table meeting at Union College, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was joined today by students and officials from Union College and other area colleges, as well as survivors, advocates, and law enforcement to discuss bolstering efforts to combat sexual violence on college campuses. According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, college campuses in New York reported 388 forcible sex offenses and over 5,000 offenses nationwide in 2013. In February Gillibrand … Continue Reading
May 01, 2015
Senator Gillibrand Announces Legislation to Bolster Manufacturing Education at Universities and Train New York’s Workforce for 21st Century Economy
East Syracuse, NY - Standing at SBB, Inc. in East Syracuse today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced new bipartisan legislation to bolster manufacturing education at universities and train the workforce to meet the growing demands of the 21st century manufacturing sector. Gillibrand introduced The Manufacturing Universities Act of 2015, a bipartisan bill that would designate 25 universities as 'Manufacturing Universities' and provide schools with incentives to better align their … Continue Reading
May 01, 2015
Gillibrand Statement on Latest DOD Report on Sexual Assault in the Military
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today released the following statement on the Department of Defense's latest report on sexual assault in the military: "This is more of the same. All of the positive rhetoric ignores the reality that 75 percent of the men and women in uniform who have been sexually assaulted lack the confidence in the military justice system to come forward and report the crimes committed against them. "Contrary to mission accomplished, we are right back on … Continue Reading
April 30, 2015
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $800,000 in Federal Funding for Clinton County
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $632,000 in federal grant funding and a $222,000 federal loan for the Town of Saranac in Clinton County to help finance improvements to Standish Water District. Funding was allocated through the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program. "This federal funding is great news for Town of Saranac and Clinton County," said Senator Schumer. "Improving the water system is a … Continue Reading
April 28, 2015
After Three Decades, Glens Falls Navy Vet Finally Receives War Medals
Glens Falls, NY - After more than three decades, a Glens Falls Navy veteran finally received the war medals he earned, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced today. After he requested assistance from her office, Gillibrand helped fix Glens Falls resident Joseph Gagliardi's military record and secure the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM). With the Senator's help, Mr. Gagliardi also received the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, and he will now be eligible to receive military service … Continue Reading
