Charles Schumer

Press release:

Just back from Washington, D.C., U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said about $800 million for Upstate NY and NYS, separate from New York City, is now on the way to help ensure the coronavirus vaccine and other coronavirus care efforts will be available here.

Schumer said local Upstate governments should not be on the hook for a single dollar related to the costs of distributing the new vaccine, along with testing or tracing for the virus.

Schumer said these just-locked fed funds will help to ensure New Yorkers can access the vaccine at local hospitals. He detailed the federal dollars as he explained what this means for public health and those most at risk to the virus across New York State.  

“The biggest thing we want to ensure about the coronavirus vaccine is universal access—no barriers—for New Yorkers,” Senator Schumer said. “Part of the way we do that, and to ensure a free vaccine is available here in New York, centers on the federal funds we just secured in the COVID relief bill voted on late last night.

"Communities throughout Upstate will get a sizable share of over $775 million dollars to do these things, and I am here to say the money is on the way, and to get the word out about what happens next for localities as they ramp up with distribution.

“All in, New York communities and the state will be getting about $800 million to distribute the vaccine, test, trace, and for any other public health initiatives related to COVID. This can mean nursing home safety, home care, any sort of mitigation—we worked to get this language and the funding into the bill, and now it is time to get the word out so great public hospitals, and all our New York hospitals, can succeed in the collective goal of public health."

For Upstate New York and New York State, Schumer detailed the exact dollar breakdowns, now that the bill has passed:

$1.55 Billion – Vaccine, Testing, and Tracing, and Flexible Local Health Funding. The breakdown means Upstate New York will get a sizable share of $775 million dollars.

• $127M for NYS for vaccine distribution (Upstate to get a sizable share)
• $648M for NYS testing, tracing, isolation support and COVID mitigation (Upstate to get a sizable share)

“This is a start, it’s not the entirety of what we need—this entire bill was not that—but this is a down payment amid an ongoing pandemic,” Schumer said.“State and local governments should not be out a single dollar to distribute the new COVID vaccine, test or trace for the virus, and these new federal funds mean a measure of help is on the way to support that endeavor.”

Nationally, Schumer said the just-passed relief bill provides essential funding for vaccine procurement and distribution, providing roughly $20 billion for manufacturing, production and purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, and ancillary supplies, nearly $9 billion to the CDC and states for vaccine distribution and more than $3 billion for the strategic national stockpile.

This includes $300 million specifically directed to high-risk and underserved populations for vaccine distribution, including communities of color.

The bill provides more than $22 billion, all sent directly to states, for testing, contact tracing and COVID-19 mitigation programs. Of this total, $2.5 billion will be distributed for targeted use in high-risk and underserved populations, including communities of color, like here in New York.

Sufficient funding for vaccine distribution has been a key priority for President-elect Biden, who, according to reports, has pledged to oversee the administration of 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in his first 100 days in office.

Biden has said publicly that without proper funding for distribution, the efforts described above could slow or be delayed. Schumer says we do not want that to happen, and why we must continue to assess funding needs in real time.

Public health officials have said the goal is to provide vaccinations to as many as 20 million Americans by the first week of January.

Press release:

With a bipartisan spending and COVID-19 relief deal just reached, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer detailed its pending impact on Upstate New York as more than $50 billion.

The deal includes direct stimulus checks, extending enhanced unemployment insurance, and secures another round of forgivable PPP for small businesses, restaurants and nonprofits across the state. As part of the deal, more than $13 billion flows DIRECTLY to New York State government via education funding, vaccine distribution, COVID-19 health funding, emergency assistance for renters and more.

“Today’s deal marks $50 billion-plus for New York workers, families, renters, communities, healthcare organizations and New York government —the things the federal government must immediately fund to get us through this pandemic,” Senator Schumer said. “This marks the second biggest relief bill in the nation’s history—second to the CARES Act—and it delivers aid that is urgently needed by the unemployed, by renters at risk of losing their homes, by small business owners throughout New York that are worried about going out of business, by people seeking vaccination, by schools that spent money to keep kids safe, by families struggling to make ends meet and so much more.

"Clearly, there is more to be done –this is not a stimulus this is an EMERGENCY SURVIVAL bill, and we will fight for more relief under President(-elect) Biden, because this crisis is not over. New York State governments will directly receive over $13 billion dollars in a variety of ways from mass transit aid, to education aid, to money for vaccinations and testing.

"In addition to direct stimulus checks, extending enhanced unemployment insurance, this deal provides another round of PPP and grants for small businesses across the state, including set-asides for minority-owned and other underserved businesses and new larger forgivable loans for restaurants as part of a funding bridge to the Biden Administration where we will fight secure additional relief."

“In addition, the center of New York’s cultural life—independent music and live event venues, independent movie theaters, museums and other cultural institutions—will receive dedicated aid to stay alive here in New York. Direct aid in the form of education funding, transit funding and highways, vaccine distribution and COVID health funding, along with emergency assistance for renters are just some of the immediate ways this legislation will help the state and city’s budgets amid the crisis."

The details and the impact on New York appear in the breakdown below. These numbers are tentative.

DIRECT AID TO NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENTS

$5.8 Billion – Education Stabilization Fund

• $4B – Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, provides relief to K-12 public schools across the State of New York.
• $1.4B – Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, directs funds to New York’s university system, like SUNY and CUNY.
• $313M – Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund, the governor can use these funds at his discretion to support the state’s K-12 education and higher education needs related to COVID-19. 

----Including a set-aside that will be prioritized to private schools serving low-income students who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

$200 Million – Emergency Transit Relief will support county bus services and upstate transit agencies.

$426 Million -- Critical aid to the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to backstop declining revenues and support construction jobs.

$105.5 Million – Relief for New York airports to continue operating safely during the pandemic. Upstate airports will receive: $6.4M for the Hudson Valley, $6.5M for the Capital Region, $6.9M for Central New York, $4.8M for the Finger Lakes, $7.6M for Western New York, and $4.1M for the Southern Tier. 

COVID HEALTH & RELIEF

$1.6 Billion – Vaccine, Testing, and Tracing, and Flexible Local Health Funding: $810M for NYS and $810M for NYC

• $135M for NYC for vaccine distribution
• $135M for NYS for vaccine distribution
• $675M for NYC testing, tracing, isolation support and COVID-19 mitigation
• $675M for NYS testing, tracing, isolation support and COVID-19 mitigation

RENT & EVICTION RELIEF

$1.3 Billion  -- Emergency Rental Assistance funding. This is a historic and unprecedented federal emergency rental and utility assistance program. It will assist multiple New York government entities and by extension help provide critical aid to keep thousands of New Yorkers safely in their homes.

The CDC federal eviction moratorium will also be extended until Jan. 31 and can be extended further by the next administration.

EMERGENCY CHILD CARE GRANTS

 $465 Million – Child Care Development Block Grants (CCDBG) – These funds ensure that the child care sector will continue to assist essential workers and working families, and to support child care providers in meeting their increased operation costs during the pandemic.

FEMA DISASTER RELIEF FUND (DRF)

$1 Billion -- FEMA estimates that in Fiscal Year 2021 New York will receive about $1 billion in FEMA aid for COVID-19 alone. Schumer just negotiated an increase of these funds in this Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) account.

***$13+BILLION DIRECT TO NEW YORK GOVERNMENTS***

THE DIRECT CHECKS, UI & FEMA FUNERALS

Over $6.5 Billion for NY in Enhanced Unemployment Compensation – This bill provides billions in additional federal relief for struggling New Yorkers by extending the historic unemployment insurance reforms established in the CARES Act through March 14. Importantly, it reinstates the critical lifeline of the enhanced unemployment assistance, providing an additional $300 per week on top of all state and federal unemployment benefits. The bill also:

• Extends the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which provides unemployment benefits to the self-employed, freelancers, gig workers, part-time workers and other New Yorkers in nontraditional employment, and increases the number of weeks of PUA benefits an individual can claim from 39 to 50.
• Provides 24 additional weeks of federally funded unemployment insurance benefits to New Yorkers who have exhausted their regular state benefits.
• Continues the full federal financing of state Shared Work programs, allowing thousands of New York employers to keep their valued employees on payroll during this downturn.
• Delivers a federally funded $100 per week additional “mixed-earner” benefit to New Yorkers who have a combination of traditional (W-2) and independent employment (1099) income and are disqualified from receiving PUA because they are still eligible for regular state benefits.

$9 Billion for New Yorkers – Direct cash payments to New Yorkers, including $600 for individuals making up to $75,000, $1,200 for couples making less than $150,000, and an additional $600 per child. This amounts to $2,400 for a family of (4).              

$260 Million – FEMA’s funeral assistance – financial aid to those who have lost a loved one among the over 35,000 deaths in New York caused by COVID – which comes at no cost to the state. This historic use of FEMA’s funeral assistance program ensures those grappling with unspeakable loss are not also saddled with the financial burden of exorbitant funeral costs.

RELIEF FOR NEW YORK SMALL BUSINESSES, FAMILIES, LIVE VENUES, CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER ENTITIES

Over $20 Billion for New York – Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to provide a second round of forgivable loans to New York small businesses, including restaurants, nonprofits and grant assistance to very small, underserved businesses and live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions, as well as:

• New dedicated set-aside for PPP lending through Community Development Financial Institutions, Minority Depository Institutions, and other community lenders to reach minority-owned and other underserved small businesses and nonprofits.
• New dedicated set-aside for very small businesses to gain greater access to PPP.
• New larger forgivable loans for the restaurant and hospitality industries and the ability to use funds for PPE, outdoor dining enhancements, and more.
• “SAVE OUR STAGES” ($15B NATIONALLY) -- Dedicated relief for Broadway, comedy halls, music venues, other live entertainment, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions—New York is positioned to get a large share of the $15 billion. 
• Housing cooperatives, tourism organizations, and local newspaper, TV and radio stations made eligible for PPP.
• $10,000 SBA grants will be available for very small and underserved businesses in low-income communities.
• Provides $3.5 billion to resume debt relief payments of principal and interest (P&I) on small business loans guaranteed by the SBA under the 7(a), 504 and microloan programs.
• Includes $2 billion to enhance SBA’s core programs, including 7(a), Community Advantage, 504, and the Microloan program, by making them more affordable and useful to small businesses.
• SBA Microloan Program is funded at $57 million to provide technical assistance and leverage about $64 million in microloans for minority-owned and other underserved small businesses.

The bill also extends and expands the refundable Employee Retention Tax Credit. The extension of this tax credit, through July 1, will help keep thousands of additional New Yorkers on payroll and small and mid-size employers all across New York afloat.

$15 billion to renew the CARES Act Airline Payroll Support Program which will save thousands of New York airline jobs by keeping workers on payroll without furloughs or reducing pay rates and benefits until March 31 New York will receive sizable share of these funds.

$1 billion in CARES ACT Contractor Payroll Support Program will help thousands of New York’s aviation industry contractor workers keep their paychecks.

CONNECTING MORE NY FAMILIES TO BROADBAND

$7 billion -- Emergency Benefit for Broadband Service to provide free or low-cost broadband service to low-income families or those who have been recently laid off or furloughed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. New York will receive sizable share of these funds.

NY HOSPITALS & HEALTH CENTERS

$1 billion to New York in support and relief for hospitals, mental health, community health centers and providers.

NEW YORK NUTRITION ASSISTANCE

$13 billion nationally in Nutrition Assistance (NY will get a sizable share), which includes:

• A 15-percent increase in SNAP benefits from January through June 30 to support the nearly 2.8 million New Yorkers who receive benefits;
• Increased access to nutrition benefits by waiving college student work requirements;
• Provides $5 million to add additional retailers to online SNAP, including for farmers markets and direct to consumer sales;
• Additional funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) to fund the continued work of New York’s food banks;
• Funding for senior nutrition through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) and Meals on Wheels program;
• Includes critical improvements to the Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) program, which provides additional nutrition benefits for families with children who are eligible for free school lunches to help cover the cost of meals children would have otherwise received at school; 
• Allocates $4.6 billion nationally to expand P-EBT by extending the program to help cover cost of meals for kids enrolled in childcare programs;
• Nutrition assistance grants for Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;
• Funds to support the food supply chain through food purchases, donations to food banks, and support for local food systems.

NEW YORK AGRICULTURAL ASSISTANCE

$13 billion nationally in Agricultural Assistance (NY will get a sizable share), which includes:

• $400 million set aside to support dairy product donations to encourage donations of dairy products and minimize food waste;
• $325 million set aside for specialty crops, including $225 million for supplemental payments to producers of specialty crops for losses in 2019 and $100 million for Specialty Crop Block Grants (SCBG) to support investments in specialty crop marketing, increasing training, and research investments;
• $100 million for the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), which supports the development and expansion of local food businesses and markets, and helps increase consumer access to locally and regionally produced agricultural products;
• $28 million in state block grants to support farmer and rancher stress management and mental health.

NEW YORK FISHERIES ASSISTANCE

$300 million nationally in fisheries assistance, which includes:

• $300 million available nationally for assistance to fisheries participants to help mitigate coronavirus-related economic impacts;
• $30 million set aside for Tribal fisheries of federally recognized Tribes and Alaska Native groups;
• $15 million set aside for fishery participants in states bordering the Great Lakes.

****ROUGH TOTAL FOR NEW YORK: $54+ BILLION****

Press release:

After first raising concerns about Canada’s allocation of tariff-rate quotas for U.S. exports of dairy products in June and again in September, U.S. senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand applauded the U.S. Trade Representative’s decision to file a United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement enforcement action against Canada to protect New York’s dairy farmers and ensure fairer market access.

In a statement issued today (Dec. 11) Schumer and Gillibrand said, “Dairy is New York’s primary agricultural product and our dairy farmers are the lifeblood of the Upstate economy. They have been hit especially hard and squeezed by the economic effects of the pandemic, and poor implementation of USMCA provisions by Canada over the past five months will only further hinder their ability to recover from this crisis.

"Yesterday’s filing of the first-ever USMCA enforcement action by the United States to protect New York’s dairy farmers from Canada’s unfair allocation of tariff-rate quotas is a necessary step to ensuring that the Upstate New York dairy industry fully benefits from the agreement’s expanded market access opportunities, unimpeded by unreasonable trade barriers.

"New York’s dairy industry must have Canada fully abide by its USMCA dairy pricing and export policy commitments. We must continue to hold Canada and our other trading partners accountable and ensure equitable trading practices to help New York’s dairy farmers churn up profits that mitigate the huge losses they have suffered this year.”

Press release:

Following his unveiling of his bipartisan American Foundries Act and successful addition of this bill as an amendment in July to the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced the final version of the FY2021 NDAA includes his provision to bolster U.S. leadership in the semiconductor and broader microelectronics industries.

The senator explained that the new programs included in NDAA will increase federal support for semiconductor manufacturing by providing new federal incentives to conduct advanced research and development of semiconductor technology, secure the supply chain, and ensure national and economic security by reducing reliance on foreign semiconductor manufacturing.

“The economic and national security risks posed by relying too heavily on foreign semiconductor suppliers cannot be ignored, and Upstate New York, which has a robust semiconductor industry, is the perfect place to grow domestic semiconductor R&D and manufacturing by leaps and bounds,” Senator Schumer said.

“America must continue to invest in our domestic semiconductor industry in order to keep good-paying, high-tech American manufacturing jobs here in Upstate New York. With today’s victory, we are one step closer to ensuring our domestic microelectronics industry can safely and securely supply our military, intelligence agencies, and other government needs.

"This is a step essential to our national security and to U.S. leadership in this critical industry. I’m pleased to deliver this win in this year’s final NDAA for the Upstate New York economy and the entire country’s national security and competitiveness."

The senator noted that even though the United States revolutionized the microelectronic industry and invented nearly all of the key technology used to this day, competitors in Asia, especially China, have made huge investments into their microelectronics industries in recent years to challenge and undercut U.S. leadership. In fact, Schumer pointed out, the U.S. has gone from producing 24 percent of the world’s semiconductors in 2000, to just 12 percent more recently.

In contrast, China has gone from producing zero chips to 16 percent of the world’s supply in the same time frame. The senators warned that by 2030, Asia is projected to control 83 percent of the global semiconductor manufacturing supply while domestic production could be less than 10 percent, threatening U.S. reliance on foreign-made microelectronics, which could pose huge risks to U.S. national and economic security.

Schumer has long-championed increased efforts to expand the domestic microelectronics industry, supporting companies like GlobalFoundries, which houses their most advanced "Fab 8" manufacturing facility in Malta, New York, IBM, and others. With New York home to multiple major companies and research institutions in the semiconductor industry, the state is positioned to securely supply the U.S. government with critical technologies and maintain U.S. leadership in this technology. It offers a tremendous opportunity for New York’s semiconductor companies to expand operations, create more jobs in Upstate New York, and help the United States reduce its reliance on foreign semiconductor manufacturing.

Supporters of the original amendment included GlobalFoundries, IBM, ON Semiconductor, Cree Inc., the Genesee County Economic Development Center, Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation, Mohawk Valley EDGE, Cornell University, Binghamton University, and SUNY Polytechnic Institute.

"We applaud Senator Schumer for his leadership and dedication to attract significant semiconductor investments and innovations back to America," said Steve Hyde, President and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center. "The strategic advantages created by Senator Schumer‘s amendment are a critical step forward for our economy. The semiconductor industry has a clear pathway for success through New York's unmatched talent base and the high-capacity infrastructure available at the 1,250-acre Western New York Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park in Genesee County."

Emmanuel P. Giannelis, vice provost for Research and Vice President for Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property and Research Policy at Cornell University, said, “Senator Schumer has long recognized that the best way to keep America at the forefront of the technology revolution is to invest in research and development here at home.

"Not only does the American Foundries Act of 2020 direct critical resources into expanding the domestic production of microelectronics, it also points the way to the future with substantial funding for research and innovation. It is especially fitting, given the importance of the semiconductor industry to national security, that this important proposal is moving through Congress as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. Cornell University is pleased to support the American Foundries Act and commends Senator Schumer for his leadership.”

Details on the original amendment that has been integrated into the final NDAA can be found below. The amendment:

• Directs the Secretary of Commerce to create a grant program for constructing, expanding, or modernizing commercial semiconductor fabrication, assembly, testing, packaging, and advanced R&D facilities in the United States.
• Directs the Secretary of Defense to create a partnership program with the private sector to encourage the development of advanced, measurably secure microelectronics for use by the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, critical infrastructure, and other national-security applications.
• Requires the Secretary of Commerce to commence a review within 180 days assessing the state of the U.S. semiconductor industrial base.
• Establishes a Multilateral Microelectronics Security Fund, with which the United States, its allies and partners will work to reach agreements promoting consistency in their policies related to microelectronics, greater transparency including supply chains, and greater alignment in export control and foreign direct investment policies.
• Directs the president to establish a subcommittee on microelectronics leadership and competitiveness within the National Science and Technology Council, directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a national semiconductor technology center to conduct research, fund semiconductor startups and a Manufacturing USA Institute, create a National Advance Packaging Manufacturing Program, and encourage the Secretary of Labor to work with the private sector on workforce training and apprenticeships in semiconductor manufacturing, and establish a Department of Defense National Network for Microelectronics Research and Development.

Press release:

After successfully securing in July an amendment to the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which expanded the list of diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today (Dec. 4) announced that the final version of the FY2021 NDAA will include his amendment.

It authorizes $8 billion in new benefits for vets suffering from Agent Orange-linked illnesses.

Schumer explained that upon the president’s signature, nearly 240,000 veterans around the state who might be suffering from bladder cancer, hypothyroidism and Parkinsonism will be able to access healthcare and benefits, numbers that have expanded because of the senator’s amendment associating additional diseases with exposure to Agent Orange. Schumer originally launched this push from Rochester.

“After years and years of suffering and fighting, I proudly stood shoulder to shoulder with our Finger Lakes Vietnam vets who were exposed to Agent Orange to get Congress to take a major step forward and grant our heroes access to the medical care they need and have earned,” Senator Schumer said.

“It’s taken far too long, and we still need to see this change signed into law, but veterans across the country can celebrate today as a victory. We will work together to get this across the finish line in the very near future so those who put their lives on the line for our freedom can get the healthcare they deserve.

“I’m especially proud today to have expanded access to this incoming influx of benefits by securing an amendment that adds bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, and Parkinsonism to the list of diseases associated with Agent Orange. Our veterans, like those in the Finger Lakes, did not hesitate in the face of danger to fight for our country, and we must not nickel and dime them as they fight for their health now.”

The senator has fought for years to not only secure funding for Agent Orange-affected veterans’ health benefits, but also to increase the number of veterans who have access to those benefits.

Earlier this year, Schumer was in the Finger Lakes to unveil his plan to add an expansion of the illnesses associated with exposure to "Agent Orange" to the NDAA. The senator has also visited Staten Island, Long Island, Utica, Dunkirk, Wallkill and Albany to meet with Vietnam vets and advocate for an expansion of the associated illnesses list.

Schumer said that the nation’s Vietnam veterans – over 240,000 of which are in New York – who were exposed to "Agent Orange," have been calling on the feds to expand the list of diseases associated with the herbicide exposure.

“I am proud to have helped our Vietnam vets cut through bureaucratic red-tape and with only the president’s signature needed, New York’s vets are closer than ever to getting the medial access they deserve,” Schumer said.

He emphasized the importance of adding added bladder cancer, hypothyroidism and Parkinsonism to the list of diseases associated with "Agent Orange" exposure, and reiterated just how long this fight has been waged.

Last year, the Senator secured a provision in the budget deal requiring OMB and the VA to issue a detailed report to Congress on the delay in adding these conditions to the presumptive conditions list, BUT the report was woefully insufficient and Schumer said those agencies failed to properly explain why they were denying veterans.

In addition to the failure to include bladder cancer, hypothyroidism and Parkinsonism on the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list, the VA has never acted on a 2018 National Academies report that found sufficient evidence of association between exposure to herbicides and hypertension.

Schumer also explained that per the Agent Orange Act of 1991, the VA automatically accepts that if a Vietnam Veteran physically served in Vietnam between January 1962 and May 1975, it is probable that the veteran was exposed to an herbicide agent like Agent Orange.

Furthermore, the Act established a list of “presumed” diseases that the VA stipulates are caused by Agent Orange exposure. Therefore, if a veteran served in Vietnam at any time between 1962-1975 and is diagnosed with one or more of the diseases VA recognizes as service connected, the VA will compensate the veteran and his or her family.

However, even though there has been scientific evidence linking Parkinsonism, bladder cancer and hypothyroidism to Agent Orange exposure, they are not currently on the VA’s list of recognized presumptive conditions.

Schumer said if an Agent Orange-related condition isn’t specifically listed on the presumptive conditions list then the VA forces the suffering veterans and their families to argue their claim in a lengthy, bureaucratic appeals process that can last years and often end in a denial. In many cases the veteran will die before the process is even concluded.

Schumer said veterans shouldn’t have to wage their own war to gather the scientific facts and medical opinions about hypothyroidism in order to receive the care and benefits needed to treat the illnesses they contracted because they served our nation.

Schumer said that is absolutely crucial that thousands of Vietnam-era veterans in New York State receive the healthcare benefits they need and deserve, and final passage of his amendment in the NDAA will allow that to happen.

Press release:

Even a year as tumultuous as 2020, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, Senate Democratic Leader, today completed his 22^nd consecutive tour of all 62 New York State counties — an accomplishment that continues his track record as the first New York State public official to visit every single county in New York each year he has been in office.

Over the course of the year, Schumer made 86 county visits to Upstate New York and Long Island. He visited counties in the Capital Region 15 times; Western New York six times; Central New York eight times; the Rochester-Finger Lakes 12 times; the Southern Tier 10 times; the Hudson Valley 14 times; the North Country eight times; and Long Island 13 times.

"Twenty-two years ago, upon my election to the United States Senate in 1998, I promised that each and every year I served, I would visit all 62 of New York State’s diverse counties," Schumer said. "Not only has this ritual remained a steadfast passion of mine because of all I learn from my constituents and bring to Washington, D.C., as both a senator and the Democratic Leader of the Senate.

"Especially this year, when New York battled the global health and economic pandemic especially hard, visiting all 62 counties was vital for me to learn firsthand the struggles and needs of New Yorkers, from one end of the state to the other. Through a year that much has changed – I, too, traveled with masks and disinfectant in tow to much smaller and more understated events – one thing remained the same: my commitment, dedication, and love for New York.

"This year, more than ever before, I learned more about the struggles and needs of New York and saw New Yorkers resilience, perseverance, and grit and time and time again the very best New York has to offer even during our darkest of days. Although I’ve gained the title of Senate Democratic Leader, my proudest and most principal titles have been, and will always remain, New York’s Senator and ‘New Yorker.’ "

Highlights of the year include:

Delivered $167 Billion for New York in COVID Relief: During negotiations for the CARES Act, Schumer worked for days to deliver a plan that best protected New York’s workers, small businesses, and health centers so they could receive the help they needed amidst the COVID crisis.

Secured Nation’s First Major Disaster Declaration for COVID-19, Unlocking Almost $6 billion in Federal FEMA Support for New York State: Following Schumer’s tireless advocacy and early calls for broad federal support from FEMA, New York State was granted the first Major Disaster Declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic of any state in the country. Schumer has continued to push the Administrator and the President to provide all support available to New York under FEMA’s control, delivering almost $6 billion for the state thus far, with over $1 billion in reimbursement for COVID-19 costs incurred by the state, localities, and eligible non-profits, like purchasing personal protective equipment and paying health care workers overtime.

Secured Over $6 Billion in FMAP Funds For NYS and its Counties To Provide Vital Budget and Health Care Relief: Senator Schumer successfully pushed for Congress to include a cost-sharing provision in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act so New York’s counties, which pay part of Medicaid’s costs, could benefit from the increase federal Medicaid support. Schumer had successfully championed this provision in prior disaster response legislation, including after 9-11, Hurricane Sandy and the 2008 financial meltdown. The legislation immediately unlocked over $6 billion in statewide dollars related to healthcare funds known as "FMAP" for New York state and its counties to cover healthcare costs, $1 billion in unemployment benefits, free testing, pair emergency leave, meals for homebound seniors, and other critical services.

Fighting Hunger by Securing Pandemic-EBT Program Extension through September 2021: After tirelessly advocating for expanded nutrition benefits, Senator Schumer secured numerous nutrition benefits in the negotiations for the Continuing Resolution. The Continuing Resolution extended P-EBT benefits through Sept. 30, 2021 and creates a pathway to allow territories to participate in the P-EBT program. Roughly 2.1 million students across New York State are eligible for the P-EBT program, which provides families with additional nutrition assistance for students when schools are closed or in virtual learning.

Boosted NYS Hemp Growers and Producers to Create Jobs: Senator Schumer called on USDA to delay the implementation of the USDA’s U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program final rule and urged USDA to respond to the numerous concerns of hemp growers and producers in Upstate NY. The senator worked closely with the House of Representatives to include language in the Continuing Resolution that extends the authorization for the 2014 hemp pilot program regulations through Sept. 30, 2021, which will give New York hemp farmers additional time to come into compliance with USDA’s new regulations for hemp.

Secured Over $409 Million for NYS Farmers: Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Senator Schumer has pushed USDA to expand the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to include as many commodities as possible and ensure New York State farmers receive the assistance they need. Senator Schumer lobbied USDA to include more specialty crops, small livestock, goats, microgreens, nursery and greenhouse commodities, nontraditional crops, and more on the list of eligible crops for CFAP. Following his efforts, USDA expanded the eligibility lists for CFAP 1 and rolled out a second CFAP program, CFAP 2, which included a significantly expanded list of eligible crops. To date, New York farmers have received over $222 million in assistance through the CFAP 1 program and $187 million through CFAP 2.

The need for COVID-19 testing sites in rural counties was the focus of a press conference by U.S. Senator Charles Schumer Thursday morning at Medina Memorial Hospital.

Schumer said Congress has approved $9 billion in funding for states and rural counties, such as Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming, but the Federal government won’t release it.

Both Schumer and hospital CEO Mark Shurtz are concerned about the amount of testing that will need to be done with the coronavirus cases exploding across the region. Schumer said Orleans seven-day average has quadrupled since Nov. 1, and yet the county has zero free COVID-19 testing sites.

Genesee and Orleans County Health Department Director Paul Pettit said there are currently no free testing sites in the three-county area, forcing residents to drive to Monroe Community College in Rochester, Niagara County Community College in Sanborn or Downtown Buffalo for a free test.

Testing is being done at Oak Orchard Health in Albion, and drive-thru testing at Orleans Community Health’s Urgent Care in Albion, but it isn’t free. 

County officials estimate thousands more tests are desperately needed immediately and with cases on the rise, there will be increased need for testing of nursing home residents, health care workers and school children, Pettit said. 

County officials project they will need at least seven to eight rapid test machines and thousands of test kits at minimum, compared to the two machines and 700 rapid test kits they have now. 

Schumer demanded the Department of Health and Human Services release the testing dollars he helped to originally secure to conduct sufficient rapid testing and tracing programs to keep residents safe from the virus. Schumer also announced his intention to fight for more of those funds for communities across Upstate New York, as the possibility of a second wave emerges and as a Covid relief deal continues to be negotiated. 

Marc Shurtz, CEO/CFO of Orleans Community Health, said every tool and resource available is needed to best protect the community and health professionals, and that certainly includes more robust testing. 

“Especially now as Covid infection and transmission rates are spiking again in Western New York, we need to increase our testing capacity – including rapid testing – to stop the spread and avoid other protective measures, like lockdowns,” Shurtz said. "If we can head off community spread with more testing, we can curb new hospitalizations, which are already up 550 percent in the Finger Lakes Region.”

Press release:

As coronavirus cases rise across the country, "sparking worries the next big wave has begun," school districts throughout Upstate New York face a shortage of pediatric rapid tests needed to safely and efficiently continue in-person teaching throughout the winter, and even leaving some districts unsure how students will even be tested at all.

Today, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer revealed that the feds, specifically the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is sitting on as much as $9 billion dollars needed right now as part of a more coordinated and robust virus testing regime as new standards require any symptomatic student or family member to have a rapid turnaround test within 48 hours or the school must presume a positive result and begin contact tracing.

The senator said Upstate New York alone will need millions of dollars to conduct sufficient rapid testing and tracing programs in schools to keep students and their families safe from the virus.

Schumer demanded HHS release the testing dollars he helped to originally secure in prior COVID relief legislation right now. Schumer also announced his intention to fight for more of those funds as the possibility of a second wave emerges and as a COVID relief deal, long hamstrung by a divided White House and Senate Leader McConnell, is considered. 

“There’s absolutely no question that the health and safety of all students across Upstate New York is paramount, bar none. However, as any Upstate New Yorker can tell you, with allergy season upon us and flu season around the corner, in order to keep our students safe we’re going to need an influx of rapid tests and we’re going to need them quickly,” Senator Schumer said.

“Right now, the feds are sitting on over $9 billion that can and should be long out the door, being used to ramp up testing and tracing for students across the state. Those dollars should be used to get rapid tests to New York students and ensure peace of mind and some semblance of stability to students, families, and teachers who have already endured a tumultuous year.”

Schumer said that thousands of students and people Upstate will need to be tested every day, should a second wave hit hard, and that an effort like that will cost money the federal government is responsible for. Schumer made the case for applying the lessons learned over the past many months — right now — not after it’s too late.

According to the The New York Times, there were 4,675 new cases of COVID-19 in Upstate New York in the last week and the state reported that some regions are seeing up to a 1.5-percent positivity rate.

“This administration must remember sobering lessons and apply them. I first called for a public health emergency declaration on January 26, 2020 but that call was not heeded and inaction cost us precious time, money — and most critically — it cost this country lives.

The federal government cannot and must not repeat COVID mistakes of the past months. Instead, it must use the dollars it has and the premise of robust testing and tracing to tamp down any second wave of this virus and lead us to a true recovery,” Schumer added. 

Schumer has repeatedly expressed his concerns and fought to improve testing and contact tracing throughout the country and New York State. In March, Schumer wrote to the CDC and FDA regarding federal barriers New York was facing in its effort to fully and quickly test people for COVID-19.

The testing capacity was not sufficient to meet New York’s needs and he urged the CDC and FDA to work with New York health officials. Now, as coronavirus cases across the country are rising again, the feds are sitting on money, billions of dollars, that is critical to delivering a coordinated and robust testing regime needed to offset the chances of a strong second wave of the virus. 

According to the Washington Post, for almost a month, new COVID cases have been trending upward and more than 20 states have hit a new high in their seven-day average of case counts, and more than half of those states set records again last week. The rising numbers are especially concerning because they set the stage for an even greater surge this winter.

The newspaper warned that this upward trend comes before the increased mingling of people expected to arrive with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, much of which could be indoors as the weather cools, thereby increasing the chance of transmission.

Press release:

Continuing his fight to make a college education more accessible for every New Yorker, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced a plan to cancel up to $50,000 in debt for federal student loan borrowers.

The resolution outlines how the next president should use existing executive authority under the Higher Education Act to substantially cancel student loan debt for students in New York and across the country, and ensure there is no tax liability for federal student loan borrowers resulting from administrative debt collection.

Schumer said addressing the student loan crisis will be one of the first legislative actions he will prioritize in the new 117^th Congress in January.

“Millions of young New Yorkers and their families have been crushed by student loan debt greatly impeding their ability to begin careers and build the financial resources needed to build their futures,” Senator Schumer said. “For far too long the sunny, American optimism of our young people has been clouded by crippling student debt.

"Education is supposed to be a ladder up, but studies have shown that student loans hold people back and prevent young college graduates from owning homes or starting small businesses. This holds our entire economy back, which we cannot afford after the financial devastation of COVID. That is why I will prioritize student debt forgiveness in 2021, bringing immediate relief to millions of New Yorkers and boosting our economy.”

Schumer added, “The bottom line is that the cost of college is out of control and paying for it forces millions of students and families to take on crippling debt, which greatly impedes students’ ability to get started and succeed after graduation. It is like starting a long walk with a backpack stuffed with bricks. This plan to cancel student debt on federal loans will substantially lighten that load and give recent graduates a huge boost that will launch them into a much brighter future – that will energize the economy and substantially expand our dwindling middle class.”  

The senator noted that this plan will provide complete forgiveness of student loans for more than 75 percent of borrowers across the country and at least some debt forgiveness for 95 percent of people with student loan debt. This is especially good news for the nearly 2.4 million New Yorkers with outstanding student loans and a cumulative debt of $89.5 billion as of March, according to studentaid.gov.

Schumer explained that student debt cancellation can provide immediate relief to millions who are struggling during this pandemic and recession, and give a boost to our struggling economy through a consumer-driven economic stimulus that can result in greater home-buying rates and housing stability, higher college completion rates, and greater small business formation.

More than 100 community, civil rights, consumer, and student advocacy organizations have already come out in support of using executive authority to cancel student loan debt. 

Congress has already granted the Secretary of Education the legal authority to broadly cancel student debt under section 432(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1082(a)), which grants the Secretary the authority to modify, "... compromise, waive, or release any right, title, claim, lien, or demand, however acquired, including any equity or any right of redemption."

The Department of Education has reportedly used this authority to implement modest relief for federal student loan borrowers during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The resolution aims to:

• Recognize the Secretary of Education's broad administrative authority to cancel Federal student loan debt under the existing authorities of section 432(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1082(a));
• Call on the President of the United States to take executive action to administratively cancel up to $50,000 in Federal student loan debt for Federal student loan borrowers using existing legal authorities under such section 432(a), and any other authorities available under the law;
• Encourage the President of the United States, in taking such executive action, to use the executive's authority under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to ensure no tax liability for Federal student loan borrowers resulting from administrative debt cancellation;
• Encourage the President of the United States, in taking such executive action, to ensure that administrative debt cancellation helps close racial wealth gaps and avoids the bulk of Federal student debt cancellation benefits accruing to the wealthiest borrowers; and
• Encourage the President of the United States to continue to pause student loan payments and interest accumulation for Federal student loan borrowers for the entire duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senator Schumer introduced this resolution along with Senator Warren. The legislation follows their March effort to cancel student loan payments for the duration of the COVID pandemic and provide minimum $10K payoff for all Federal student loan borrowers.

Press release:

Continuing their tireless advocacy for New York’s hard-hit dairy farmers in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today urged U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to ensure both Canada and Mexico are held accountable to their trade commitments under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which entered into force earlier this year on July 1^st.

Specifically, the senators pointed out three harmful dairy trade practices, including Canada’s recent allocation of tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for U.S. exports of several categories of dairy products, Canada’s Class 7 pricing program (Class 6 in Ontario) and lack of transparency in milk-pricing regulations, and the need for Mexico to translate its USMCA commitment of safeguarding more than 30 common cheese names for American products, into regulations.

“New York’s dairy farmers are the lifeblood of the Upstate economy, but unfortunately they have been squeezed by the economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis,” Senator Schumer said. “That is why I am calling on Ambassador Lighthizer and Secretary Perdue to do everything in their power to ensure that Canada and Mexico abide by their dairy trade obligations, allowing Upstate New York dairy farmers to freely sell their product – as agreed to in the new trade agreement with both countries, the USMCA.

"The trade deal entered into force two months ago, and there can be no further delays to ensuring our New York dairy farmers can sell their products, unimpeded by unfair trade barriers, into Canada and Mexico and churn up profits that mitigate the huge losses they have suffered this year.”

“Dairy is New York’s primary agricultural product and our rural economies depend on the survival of the industry, but poor implementation of USMCA provisions on dairy will harm our dairy farmers and make it even harder for them to recover from this crisis,” Senator Gillibrand said. "Secretary Perdue and USTR Ambassador Lighthizer must hold our trading partners accountable and ensure equitable trading practices for America’s dairy farmers.”

Schumer and Gillibrand explained that under USMCA, Canada agreed to an expansion of tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for several categories of U.S. dairy products. However, recently, it has come to the senators’ attention that Canada’s recently-released TRQ allocations weaken the intent of the USMCA and will prevent New York dairy farmers from fully benefitting from the agreement’s expanded market access opportunities.

Additionally, the senators said that under the new trade deal, Canada agreed to eliminate Class 6 & 7 pricing within six months. However, as Schumer revealed in June, Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO), which represents approximately 4,000 Canadian dairy farmers, requested that Ontario’s tribunal which provides an avenue of appeal on agriculture issues grant restricted access to DFO’s pricing regulations.

The senators argued that with only a few months left until the USMCA six-month deadline to eliminate Class 6 & 7, the lack of transparency and timing of DFO’s request  in combination with the new TRQs, raises questions about whether or not Canada is seeking to circumvent its dairy commitments in USMCA.

The senators also noted that U.S. dairy farmers secured a major victory in the USMCA when Mexico affirmed a list of more than 30 terms for cheese that would remain available as common names for U.S. cheese producers when exporting to Mexico, but with uncertainty remaining over how Mexico will translate its commitment to protect these common cheese names into regulations, U.S. dairy farmers are in danger of losing out on the market share they spent years developing.

Press release:

Acknowledging that the USPS remains in a precarious crisis, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced, yesterday, he is pushing the chairman of the USPS Board of Governors new Election Mail Committee to hand him a report in two weeks that outlines howNovember election mail will be delivered on time—without question.

Schumer revealed the independent subcommittee of the postal board is headed by a democrat, Governor Lee Moak, whom he appointed and that this will help address the ongoing lack of credibility with Postmaster DeJoy.

“In the past several days, Postmaster DeJoy has had to walk back some of his efforts to undermine and dismantle the post office ahead of the November election, but today we are here to say: actions speak louder than words and that those actions will come from sharp oversight,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer.

“There will be no rubber stamp on the postmaster’s talking points, because, quite frankly, he has lost credibility in Congress and with the American people. That is why I am demanding a report be handed to Congress in two weeks that outlines just how election mail will be delivered on time. We have to protect the election, the mail itself, and hold this postmaster accountable, which is what I told the Chairman of the new Election Mail Committee must be accomplished.”

According to the USPS Board of Governors, the establishment of a bipartisan Election Mail Committee will actively oversee the United States Postal Service's support of the mail-in voting process. The committee will be chaired by Governor Lee Moak, whom Schumer appointed. Moak will be joined on the committee by Governor Ron Bloom and Governor John Barger.

Schumer said this just-created postal unit will have the ability to investigate changes, and that this is very important, because it acts as a check on DeJoy. Schumer also announced he has spoken with Governor Moak on his request for a report and that with the USPS still enveloped in crisis, independent oversight will be key to repairing the damage that has been done. Schumer says Governor Moak will heed his request for the report and deliver it in two weeks.

“I spoke with Governor Moak yesterday on my request for a report—we’ll get one,” Schumer added. “Congress will use that report to ensure that the postal service has every resource it needs to protect and deliver election mail and hold DeJoy and the board accountable. The bottom line here is that with the Postal Service still enveloped in crisis and oversight will be key to repairing the damage DeJoy has already done.” 

This week, the Postal Service announced an immediate suspension of disastrous new initiatives implemented by Postmaster General DeJoy after weeks of public outcry due to significant delays in mail delivery that threatened to undermine the November election.

The Postal Service recently warned 46 states and the District of Columbia that general election ballots sent by mail may not arrive in time to be counted. The Postal Service Board of Governors on Friday, announced the creation of a new bipartisan Election Mail Committee to oversee the USPS’ support of mail-in voting.

DeJoy testified Friday in the Senate, according to that testimony, he said that his “No. 1 priority” is to ensure election mail arrives on time. Schumer says his statements largely ring hollow and require constant monitoring up until the election. In his testimony, DeJoy also told lawmakers that he would not restore the cuts to mailboxes and sorting equipment that have already been made, concerns Schumer has raised across the State of New York where mail was being slowed, delayed or not delivered at all in some cases.

Moreover, DeJoy could not provide lawmakers with a plan for handling the cascade of ballots heading for the USPS, which concerns Schumer and is part of why continuous oversight is required. DeJoy is slated to return Monday to testify before the House Oversight Committee.

From Sen. Charles Schumer:

After successfully pushing for an extended comment period to allow Upstate New York hemp farmers to share their concerns with the final rule, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to delay the issuance of a U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program final rule until 2022.

This will allow hemp growers and producers across the country and in Upstate New York to continue to operate under the 2014 Farm Bill pilot program regulations until that time. Schumer said with the economic devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic across all sectors, implementing additional regulations would crush the budding hemp industry.

“When it comes to an industry as promising as industrial hemp in Upstate New York, the feds must do everything they can to nurture its potential," Schumer said. "Regulating this rapidly emerging industry is a must, but the timing of new regulations is important and the current economic crisis must be considered.

"That’s why today I’m urging USDA to delay their issuance of a final rule until 2022 so the hemp industry across the country and in Upstate New York has a chance to grow and create good-paying jobs at a time when jobs are needed the most. Delaying new regulations will help pull New York along in the recovery process as the nation deals with the impacts of the pandemic.”

Allan Gandelman, president of New York Cannabis Growers and Processors Association said, “There are over 700 registered hemp farmers across New York who would be negatively affected by the USDA's Interim Final Rule on hemp. The costs and bureaucracy of implementing the new rules as written create unnecessary financial burdens on farmers and our state agencies.

"The existing hemp pilot program has been sufficient in making sure farmers are complaint with all testing and public safety protocols. We would like to see the pilot program extended until 2022 and the USDA modify the program to let hemp become a widespread agricultural commodity like Congress intended by the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill.”

Schumer explained, prior to the pandemic, the industrial hemp industry had begun to show significant growth in New York, adding a considerable number of good-paying jobs and bringing in significant revenue to the state, making it an indispensable crop in New York’s agricultural future.

Operating under the full benefits of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp farmers have reported difficulty integrating the Interim Final Rules into their operations, Specifically, Schumer said, the cost of complying with the Rules has proven to be suffocating for the emerging industry.

Compliance costs for reporting alone would be $17,363.40 according to USDA calculations, and testing would add more than $700 per sample.

The senator said these costs are simply too high for the budding industry to shoulder at a time when New York and the entire country is experiencing an economic crisis. Additionally, Schumer noted, implementing the Interim Final Rules now, also requires states to alter their Pilot Program budgets to meet standards, something which states slammed with COVID-related issues simply cannot spare the time and resources for.

Schumer also pointed out in light of COVID concerns, the timing and testing outlined in the Interim Final Rules would likely push farmers to rush harvests and increase the number of people working in facilities at once, leading to higher risk of COVID transmission among workers.

The senator says that delaying implementation until January 2022 and allowing states to continue operating under the 2014 Farm Bill will address these issues, protecting both the hemp industry in New York and farm workers from potential COVID spread.

In the video, Sen. Charles Schumer talks about the semiconductor plan, baseball, baseball trivia, his relationship with newly elected Rep. Chris Jacobs, the safety of reopening schools, and the future of the Muckdogs.

Press release:

Standing with local officials at Genesee’s STAMP* Campus, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today unveiled his three-pronged push to jolt the U.S. semiconductor industry and the Upstate New York economy into high gear.

First, Schumer called for swift passage by Congress of the final Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), in which the senator successfully included an amendment that will continue U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and revitalize innovation in the global microelectronics sector.

Second, the Senator announced his push for a $1M Northern Border Regional Commission grant that STAMP needs to construct a new sewer line to complete STAMP’s wastewater system infrastructure. The sewer is the final piece of infrastructure that will make the 1,250-acre STAMP campus shovel-ready for manufacturing facility construction.

Third, Schumer will urge the Department of Defense (DoD) to consider the STAMP campus as the agency looks to partner with industry to develop new domestic semiconductor fabs. Combined, the Senator’s efforts will provide unprecedented support for the U.S. semiconductor industry and create opportunities to bring hundreds of jobs to Genesee County and Upstate New York.

“The economic and national security risks posed by relying too heavily on foreign semiconductor suppliers cannot be ignored, and Upstate New York, especially the STAMP Campus here in Genesee, is the perfect place to grow this industry by leaps and bounds,” Senator Schumer said.

“We must continue to invest in our domestic semiconductor industry in order to keep good-paying, high-tech American manufacturing jobs here in Upstate New York. We need to ensure our domestic microelectronics industry can safely and securely supply our military, intelligence agencies, and other government needs. This is essential to American jobs, our national security, and to U.S. leadership in this critical industry."

Schumer noted that even though the United States revolutionized the microelectronic industry and invented nearly all of the key technology used to this day, competitors in Asia, especially China, have made huge investments into their microelectronics industries in recent years to challenge and undercut U.S. leadership.

In fact, Schumer pointed out, the United States has gone from producing 24 percent of the world’s semiconductors in 2000, to just 12 percent more recently. In contrast, China has gone from producing zero chips to 16 percent of the world’s supply in the same time frame. The senator warned that by 2030, Asia is projected to control 83 percent of the global semiconductor manufacturing supply while domestic production could be less than 10 percent, threatening U.S. reliance on foreign-made microelectronics, which could pose huge risks to U.S. national and economic security.

Therefore, Schumer argued, his three-pronged plan to revitalize the semiconductor industry and incentivize it to build new research and manufacturing facilities in the United States at sites like STAMP is vital to cement global U.S. leadership in the microelectronics industry and will ease U.S. reliance on foreign-made semiconductors, alleviating economic and national security risks.

“Senator Schumer’s leadership in the Senate’s passage of the American Foundries Act as a part of the National Defense Administrative Act will help put STAMP over the finish line as it will make available necessary funding to develop and construct the final pieces of infrastructure to stand up multiple semiconductor manufacturing fabs and along with it the creation of thousands of good-paying, family-sustaining jobs to Genesee County and the Western New York and Finger Lakes regions,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde. Attracting semiconductor and similar industries at STAMP will result in as much as $10 billion to $15 billion of private sector investment all of which will be enabled by this game-changing legislation.”

Secondly today, Schumer announced his push to secure the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) grant to construct the last missing sewer line needed for STAMP to achieve shovel-ready status. Specifically, this funding is needed to complete STAMP’s sewer and wastewater system by constructing a 14,500-square-foot force main sewer line to support new businesses that locate at STAMP. The force main is the final piece needed to make STAMP shovel-ready with the capabilities to meet any industry’s needs to construct new manufacturing operations at STAMP and create new high-quality jobs. 

Lastly, Schumer called on the Department of Defense (DoD) to consider STAMP as a location for next-generation semiconductor research and manufacturing facilities now that the DoD is in discussions with semiconductor manufactures to build new domestic chip manufacturing facilities to ensure U.S. leadership in the global microelectronics supply chain.

Last month Schumer wrote to Defense Secretary Mark Esper to draw his attention to the opportunities for new Semiconductor development at STAMP. As a result, DoD officials participated in a meeting Schumer convened with STAMP officials to help position STAMP to capitalize on new opportunities through the DoD to attract semiconductor research and manufacturing facilities to STAMP.

Following Schumer’s unveiling of his bipartisan American Foundries Act and major push to bolster U.S. leadership in the microelectronics sector, he successfully advanced his proposal as an amendment included in the Senate-passed Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The amendment:

• Directs the Secretary of Commerce to create a grant program for constructing, expanding, or modernizing commercial semiconductor fabrication, assembly, testing, packaging, and advanced R&D facilities in the United States.
• Directs the Secretary of Defense to create a partnership program with the private sector to encourage the development of advanced, measurably secure microelectronics for use by the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, critical infrastructure, and other national-security applications.
• Requires the Secretary of Commerce to commence a review within 120 days assessing the state of the U.S. semiconductor industrial base.
• Establishes a Multilateral Microelectronics Security Fund, with which the United States, its allies, and partners will work to reach agreements promoting consistency in their policies related to microelectronics, greater transparency including supply chains, and greater alignment in export control and foreign direct investment policies.
• Directs the President to establish a subcommittee on semiconductor technology and innovation within the National Science and Technology Council; directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a national semiconductor technology center to conduct research, fund semiconductor startups and a Manufacturing USA Institute, create a National Advance Packaging Manufacturing Program; and encourages the Secretary of Labor to work with the private sector on workforce training and apprenticeships in semiconductor manufacturing.

This amendment, which is also cosponsored by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, is based on the Senator’s bipartisan American Foundries Act, which has been broadly supported by key players in New York’s semiconductor industry, including GlobalFoundries, IBM, ON Semiconductor, Cree Inc., the Genesee County Economic Development Center, Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation, Mohawk Valley EDGE, Cornell University, Binghamton University, and SUNY Polytechnic Institute.

 STAMP is specifically designed for development of large-scale semiconductor manufacturing. The 1250-acre mega site is divided into an 850-acre North Campus that can accommodate clean tech advanced manufacturers including up to three semiconductor chip fabs and a 400-acre South Campus ideal to attract new food, beverage, and warehouse/distribution development.

In 2012, Schumer successfully advocated on behalf of STAMP by calling on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide necessary wetlands permit assurances so that STAMP's developers could proceed with developing the site. In 2017 Schumer helped secure Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval of Empire Pipeline Inc.’s revised and extended PILOT agreement with Genesee County, the proceeds of which were needed to finance new water infrastructure at STAMP.

*STAMP -- Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park

Press release:

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $3,351,732.05 in federal funding to fire departments across New York State to enhance departments’ response capabilities and to help them more effectively protect the health and safety of the public.

The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG).

The City of Batavia is set to get $68,880.95.

“From the peak of the pandemic to normal times, our brave firefighters are always on the front lines, risking their lives to protect their communities,” Senator Schumer said. “These courageous firefighters deserve all the federal support possible to help them do their jobs.

"I’ve fought my whole career to bring more federal resources to support our brave firefighters, and I’m proud to deliver this funding so New York’s fire departments have the resources and equipment to do their jobs and make it through the ensuing economic crisis.”

Senator Gillibrand said “Every day, first responders face dangerous conditions to protect our communities, and we must provide them with the resources needed to stay safe on the job during this health crisis. I am proud to have fought for this critical funding in support of New York’s local fire departments.

"These federal dollars will help offset costs from the COVID-19 emergency and modernize equipment that will protect our firefighters’ health and safety as they do their jobs. I will always fight in the Senate for the resources that our firefighters need to save lives.”

The senators explained that the funding comes as localities face budget shortages and consider staff cuts, including in fire departments. Schumer and Gillibrand said the funding announced today will go directly to fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations, and state fire training academies.

A chart with the AFG breakdown appears below:

Organization Name

City

Funding Amount

Middleburgh, Village of

Middleburgh

$163,000.00

Troy, City of

Troy

$399,457.64

Watervliet, City of

Watervliet

$458,093.29

Greenville Fire District

Scarsdale

$82,599.31

Southwood Volunteer Fire Department Inc.

Jamesville

$40,735.24

New Rochelle, City of

New Rochelle

$159,090.91

Hornell, City of

Hornell

$174,384.76

Coopers Plains-Longacres Volunteer Fire Company Inc.

Coopers Plains

$120,000.00

Poughkeepsie, City of

Poughkeepsie

$33,181.82

Syracuse, City of

Syracuse

$488,195.45

Dundee Village

Dundee

$154,285.71

Fulton, City of

Fulton

$26,505.71

Dewitt Fire District

Syracuse

$64,065.45

East Worcester Hose Co. 1

East Worcester

$24,376.19

Watertown, City of

Watertown

$80,138.18

Lancaster, Village of

Lancaster

$255,171.43

Otter Lake Fire Company Inc.

Forestport

$92,406.67

Oswego, City of

Oswego

$176,206.67

Fulton, City of

Fulton

$86,468.18

Worcester Hose Company Inc.

Worcester

$76,190.48

Tully Joint Fire District

Tully

$89,516.19

Batavia, City of

Batavia

$68,880.95

Auburn, City of

Auburn

$38,781.82

Following months of tireless advocacy for Vietnam War veterans in Upstate New York, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes his provision to add bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, and Parkinsonism to the list of diseases associated with exposure to the "Agent Orange" herbicide vets came into contact with during their Vietnam War service.

Schumer explained that the addition is significant because unless their diagnosed disease is associated with exposure to Agent Orange, Vietnam veterans are unable to access the healthcare and benefits they rightfully deserve.

The amendment passed in the Senate 96-4 yesterday, and the final NDAA, which is expected to be put to a final vote in the Senate in coming days, will expand healthcare access for Vietnam veterans in Upstate New York and across the country.

“After years and years of suffering and fighting, I proudly stood shoulder to shoulder with our Vietnam vets who were exposed to Agent Orange to get Congress to finally take a major step forward so they get access to the medical care they need. It’s taken far too long, and we still need to this change signed into law. But veterans across the country are celebrating today as a victory, and we will work together to get this across the finish line in the very near future,” Senator Schumer said.

Earlier this month, Schumer was in Long Island to unveil his plan to add an expansion of the illnesses associated with exposure to Agent Orange to the NDAA. The senator has previously visited Rochester, Albany, Utica, Dunkirk, Wallkill and Ithaca to meet with Vietnam vets and advocate for an expansion of the associated illnesses list.

Schumer said that the nation’s Vietnam veterans – more than 240,000 of whom are in New York – who were exposed to Agent Orange, have been calling on the feds to expand the list of diseases associated with the herbicide exposure.

“I am proud I helped our Vietnam vets cut through bureaucratic red-tape and halted the feds’ foot-dragging to push the Senate into action." Schumer said. "With only the final vote to pass the final NDAA remaining, New York’s Vietnam vets are closer than ever to getting the medical access they deserve.”

The senator added, “We’re going to keep fighting until the NDAA is passed and any Vietnam vet can get care for their bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, or Parkinsonism. We’re going to keep fighting to deliver a huge relief locally and across the country to so many families. We must deliver for the Vietnam vets that fought for us.”

He emphasized the importance of adding these illnesses to the list associated with Agent Orange exposure, and reiterated just how long this fight has been waged. Last year, the Senator secured a provision in the budget deal requiring OMB and the VA to issue a detailed report to Congress on the delay in adding these conditions to the presumptive conditions list, BUT the report was woefully insufficient.

Schumer said those agencies failed to properly explain why they were denying veterans. In addition to the failure to include bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, and Parkinsonism on the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list, the VA has never acted on a 2018 National Academies report that found sufficient evidence of association between exposure to herbicides and hypertension.

Schumer also explained that per the Agent Orange Act of 1991, the VA automatically accepts that if a Vietnam veteran physically served in Vietnam between January 1962 and May 1975, it is probable that the veteran was exposed to an herbicide agent like Agent Orange.

Furthermore, the Act established a list of “presumed” diseases that the VA stipulates are caused by Agent Orange exposure.

Therefore, if a veteran served in Vietnam at any time between1962-1975 and is diagnosed with one or more of the diseases VA recognizes as service connected, the VA will compensate the veteran and his or her family.

However, even though there has been scientific evidence linking Parkinsonism, bladder cancer and hypothyroidism to Agent Orange exposure, they are not currently on the VA’s list of recognized presumptive conditions.

Schumer said if an Agent-Orange-related condition isn’t specifically listed on the presumptive conditions list then the VA forces the suffering veterans and their families to argue their claim in a lengthy, bureaucratic appeals process that can last years and often end in a denial. In many cases the veteran will die before the process is even concluded.

Veterans shouldn’t have to wage their own war to gather the scientific facts and medical opinions about hypothyroidism in order to receive the care and benefits needed to treat the illnesses they contracted because they served our nation, Schumer said, adding that it is absolutely crucial that the roughly 240,000 Vietnam-era veterans in New York State receive the healthcare benefits they need and deserve, and final passage of his amendment in the NDAA will allow that to happen.

Press release:

A day before he heads back to Washington, D.C., to lead negotiations on the next coronavirus recovery bill, COVID-4, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer revealed that U.S. Post offices, including those across Upstate New York, could be forced to shut their doors unless they get an immediate infusion of funds and the personal protective equipment (PPE) and supplies needed to keep workers and the mail-receiving public safe.

Schumer, citing the worry, made a vow, today, to fight for a critically needed $25 billion for the USPS so they can keep the doors open and the mail moving for all Americans.  

“All across Upstate New York, from Western and Central New York, to the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Capital District, Hudson Valley, or beyond, the USPS performs a lifeline service for countless Americans and the people of New York that must continue amid and beyond this pandemic,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer.

“The fact is, the coronavirus has severely crippled USPS operations and their funds. Despite that, they have kept the doors open, the mail -- and really the economy -- moving, and now they need the help to sustain their pace. The fight to keep our post offices open by injecting the dollars needed to do the job and purchase the personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies required to keep everyone safe will begin tomorrow, and I am here to say: I vow to lead it."

Schumer explained the fight to keep post offices across the country open will begin this upcoming week. He said the services provided by USPS amount to lifelines for millions of Americans that cannot be replaced or easily replicated, especially in certain parts of the country.

Schumer detailed how the coronavirus pandemic has crippled our post offices and their operations as he stressed their relevance and importance to our larger economic recovery.

According to the Associated Press, mail volume is down by more than 30 percent from last year because of the coronavirus, and the Postal Service says losses will increase by more than $22 billion over the next 18 months.

Schumer added that the monumental costs of personal protective equipment (PPE) are also driving huge costs for the USPS. Those supplies are needed to keep workers and the mail-receiving public safe. Schumer said the USPS will need dollars to purchase the PPE it needs, in addition to funding to offset the aforementioned operational shortfalls delivered by the coronavirus.

“We are unable to predict the duration of COVID-19 business closures and the duration of the recession we are currently experiencing: however, this situation will materially damage our financial condition,” said USPS Chief Financial Officer Joseph Corbett.

“While we continue to conserve capital and reduce expenses in areas where volumes are declining, our ability to continue to serve the nation will require substantial finding from the federal government or other sources.”

“The bottom line here," added Schumer, "is that without the U.S. Postal Service in operation, we might as well stamp ‘Return to Sender’ on any economic recovery plan that is presented.”   

The U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation: 160 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations, according to the Service.

Press release:

Citing COVID-19 costs too big for New York school districts to carry alone, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer revealed that without specific federal funds New York schools might not be able to reopen safely come fall. 

“Everyone wants our schools to reopen, but the federal government must lead the way by funding the safety measures that would open the doors of New York and the nation’s schools in a way that helps ensure the coronavirus does not needlessly spread or infect teachers, kids or staff,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. 

“Without federal dollars to cover the massive costs of PPE, barriers, cleaning supplies and more, local school budgets across Upstate New York would be crushed, local taxes could rise and some schools might simply stay closed—and we do not want that. That’s why we need to take action in ‘COVID-4’ and commit $175 billion to the goal of safely reopening K-12 schools for all,” Schumer added.

Schumer said costs for personal protective equipment (PPE), physical barriers and other supplies at schools, like those used for cleaning, could badly drain local resources, making it much harder for New York districts to open safely and ensure the collective protection of kids, teachers and staff.

He announced a new legislative push to include much-needed assistance in a “Corona-4” legislative package. His plan would work to substantially cover the aforementioned costs with federal dollars, allowing schools to safely reopen. Schumer is pushing for $175 billion dollars for K-12 schools across the country, and says New York would see a massive chunk of that allotment. 

Schumer’s plan, crafted alongside U.S. Senator Patty Murray, was just introduced as the Coronavirus Child Care and Education Relief Act (CCCERA), and includes other efforts as well, each critical to supporting childcare and education amid the pandemic. Schumer explained that without major help from the federal government, New York would be devastated and the nation would risk losing 4.5 million child care slots and losing 1.9 million education jobs, exacerbating students’ learning loss. 

“The bottom line here is that the coronavirus brought with it unprecedented health and economic challenges for students, families, educators, and learning institutions across the country—challenges disproportionately felt by students of color, students from low-income families, students with disabilities, and more,” Schumer said. “So, action is needed now to save teaching jobs, preserve millions of child care slots, and ensure every student has access to a safe, quality education.”

Highlighted aspects of the Coronavirus Child Care and Education Relief Act (CCCERA) Schumer will fight for in COVID-4 include:

• $50 billion for a Child Care Stabilization Fund, to ensure that child care providers can stay open, educators can continue getting paid, and working families get tuition relief;
• $1.5 billion to address and prevent child abuse and neglect, to support the child welfare workforce and to fund community-based prevention programs that strengthen families;
• $345 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund, including:
  • $175 billion for K-12 schools, to help schools address learning loss, implement public health protocols, and provide quality education to all students—whether they open in-person, remotely, or a hybrid of both;
  • $132 billion for higher education, to help colleges and universities deliver a quality education for their students, implement public health protocols, and provide emergency financial aid to students for expenses like food, housing, child care, and technology;
  • $33 billion for a Governor’s Fund, to allow governors to allocate funds for needed educational services to areas of their states hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis.

Press release:

Standing at the Union Tavern restaurant in Irondequoit and on the heels of a successful five-week, short-term extension for the original Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer unveiled the Prioritized Paycheck Protection Program Act, or "P4" Act, which seeks to provide additional relief for New York’s smallest businesses that have been severely impacted by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Schumer explained that his proposed legislation would provide much-needed relief to Rochester-Finger Lakes small business owners by extending the PPP loan period to the end of the year and providing the option for a second PPP loan for eligible small businesses that are in need of additional assistance to survive.

Specifically, "P4" second loans will allow for businesses to access funds worth 250 percent of monthly payroll costs, up to a maximum of $2 million. Small businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 100 employees, sole proprietors, independent contractors, self-employed borrowers, and rural and historically underserved communities will be eligible for this second round of assistance, in an effort to get critical federal aid to the most in-need businesses that have lost 50 percent or more of revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

These second PPP loans would be fully forgivable similar to the first PPP loans as long as all requirements are met in the use of funds. Schumer said that the next stimulus package must target assistance to hard-hit Rochester-Finger Lakes small businesses like Union Tavern, and those in historically underserved communities.

Citing data from the New York State Department of Labor, Schumer further explained that the private sector job count in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region fell by 88,100 or 19 percent, to 374,500 during the 12-month period ending in May 2020.

”The PPP has been a lifeline for Rochester-Finger Lakes Region small businesses struggling to stay afloat during these turbulent times, and last week, I fought to ensure that the program would continue to support our hard-working New Yorkers for at least another month,” Senator Schumer said. “However, as New York seeks to recover from the crisis, we need to do even more for businesses hardest-hit by the pandemic.

"This legislation will bring much-needed changes to the existing PPP program to make loans more accessible to the smallest businesses and nonprofits in the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region that are struggling the most and make a second round of relief possible for businesses that need the extra support.”

The senator said that his "P4" legislation will reserve 20 percent of PPP funds for employers with 10 or fewer employees and ensure priority processing for such businesses and nonprofits, in conjunction with priority processing for underserved and rural borrowers across the Rochester-Finger Lakes region, including veterans. To further make sure that the funding is reserved for the hardest-hit small businesses, the "P4" loan will not be available to publicly traded companies.

Schumer noted that Rochester-Finger Lakes Region labor statistics show that for the 12-month period ending May 2020, the private sector job count in the Rochester metro area fell by 88,100, or 19.0 percent, to 374,500. Schumer explained that this data points to a critical need for federal support to revive the region’s economy, including aid to help small businesses weather the crisis and to put them on a road to recovery as the lynchpins of our communities.

Schumer was joined by leading Rochester-Finger Lakes region stakeholders including Melissa Marquez, CEO of the Genesee Co-op Federal Credit Union who share these sentiments and recognize the importance of this critical legislation for PPP reform that targets hurting businesses.

As one of the Rochester region’s few Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) approved by the Federal Small Business Administration (SBA) to make PPP loans, Genesee co-op has assisted dozens of minority-owned small business secure a PPP but estimates they have only met 20 percent of the need that now exists among minority or un-banked small businesses in the Rochester region.

The Senator was also joined by Kelly Bush, co-owner of the Union Tavern and president of the Rochester Chapter of the NYS Restaurant Association, Mark Taylor, CEO of Apogee Exhibits in Macedon, which employs 25 workers and makes trade show displays and marketing materials for clients across the country, and Mark Cuddy Artistic Director of Geva Theatre Center.

They shared their firsthand experiences with the Paycheck Protection Program with Senator Schumer and joined him in his push for additional aid for hurting Rochester-Finger Lakes region businesses.

Kelly Bush, co-owner of the Union Tavern and President of the Rochester Chapter of the NYS Restaurant Association said, “As a small business owner facing a shuttered business in early March, securing a PPP was a game changer to help us survive through those first few months. But with realities still beyond our control and continued future uncertainties, enabling us to access a second PPP would be a lifeline for our business and countless others in the Rochester Finger Lakes region that cannot operate at regular capacity due to the pandemic. We appreciate Senator Schumer pushing this legislation to support of our industry so that small businesses can keep their doors open and employees on the job.”

Mark Taylor, CEO of Apogee Exhibits in Macedon, said, “We are part of the live events industry. An industry that contributes over 100 billion dollars to the economy when these events take place. When conventions and other events happen it sets into motion the work of countless small business owners, their employees, and sole proprietors. From carpenters and electricians and other trades, to hotels and hospitality, and other small businesses such as restaurants. All of these small businesses are crucial to restarting our economy, but they'll need additional help. We appreciate Senator Schumer for his advocacy of the small businesses of our economy and our nation."

Mark Cuddy, artistic director of Geva Theatre Center, said, “On March 12th Geva Theatre Center sold its last ticket as theaters closed down across the country. That means we have had zero ticket revenue for almost four months, and will not for the next 4-6 months. Even when a time comes for reopening we will be reduced in capacity to 35-40 percent of seats. We cannot survive in this model. Our 52 resident full-time staff and over a hundred guest artists cannot survive. Their families cannot survive. The restaurants and hotels who serve our patrons cannot survive. The PPP loan was a lifeline, and Senator Schumer’s Prioritized Paycheck Protection Program would be a remarkable ray of hope for our most vulnerable sectors.”

Details on the Prioritized Paycheck Protection Program Act, or "P4," appear below. "P4" loans:

• May be as large as 2.5-times monthly payroll costs, just as under initial PPP loans, but may not be any larger than $2 million. (Affiliated businesses with separate locations may pursue separate P4 loans, but in aggregate the loans may not exceed $2 million.)

Allow borrowers to apply for forgiveness as early as eight weeks after the loan is disbursed and they have fulfilled payroll requirements, rather than make them opt-in to eight weeks or wait until the earlier of 24 weeks or Dec. 31, which needlessly increases the cost of the loan as interest accrues, tying up money that could be deployed for paychecks.

• Are not available to publicly traded companies.
• Except as otherwise mentioned, are subject to the same terms, conditions, and forgiveness criteria as initial PPP loans.
• Provide lenders a minimum processing fee of $2,500 per P4 loan to ensure lenders do not lose money by processing small-dollar loans or cherry pick larger loans.

To increase access to PPP (initial and P4) assistance to underserved businesses, the bill reserves the lesser of $25 billion or 20 percent of PPP funds for employers with 10 or fewer employees, along with priority processing for such firms, harmonized with priority processing for underserved and rural borrowers.

The bill also requires SBA within five days to issue guidance, as required by the CARES Act, which instructs lenders to give priority in loan processing and disbursement to underserved and rural borrowers, including veterans. It also requires SBA to update the PPP loan application to collect demographic information on PPP recipients.

Press release:

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $691,000 in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funds to Greater Rochester International Airport, Perry-Warsaw Airport, and Genesee County Airport.

The senators said that the funding will be used for a variety of airport safety and quality improvement projects, including extending taxiways, constructing snow removal equipment, and removing non-hazard obstructions

“Air travel in and out of the greater Rochester region is vital to the connectivity and success of the regional economy, which is why, as the region reopens after the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that we provide the funding necessary to keep the airports safe and efficient,” Senator Schumer said. “I’m proud to deliver this funding and will continue to fight to make sure Rochester has the help it needs to revive and thrive.”

“As communities in New York prepare to reopen, this critical funding will help local airports in the greater Rochester region provide high-quality and safe travel experiences,” Senator Gillibrand said. “This funding is key to ensuring the continued economic stability and success of this region. I will continue fighting for the resources our airports across New York need to safely reopen, rebuild, and transition into a post-coronavirus era.”

Specifically, Greater Rochester International Airport will receive $100,000, Perry-Warsaw Airport will receive $465,000, and Genesee County Airport will receive $126,000. A portion of the funding to each airport comes from FAA CARES Act grants, which Schumer had a direct hand in negotiating.