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Schumer warns of relying on foreign-made semiconductors, calls for building robust, resilient microelectronics industry

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Citing concerns that China is catching up to the United States in microelectronics production capacity, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today (June 28) unveiled the American Foundries Act, a bipartisan initiative that seeks to reestablish U.S. leadership and revitalize innovation in the global microelectronics sector.

Schumer explained that the bipartisan legislation would make critical investments in domestic commercial and defense-related microelectronics manufacturing and research and development, and address economic and national security concerns by decreasing U.S. dependence on foreign-made semiconductor chips.

“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 sector, is the perfect place to grow this industry by leaps and bounds,” Senator Schumer said. “America must continue to invest in our domestic semiconductor industry, including companies like GlobalFoundries, ON Semiconductor, IBM and Cree right here in New York, in order to keep good-paying, high-tech American manufacturing jobs here at home.

"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 our national security and to U.S. leadership in this critical industry."

The senator noted that even though the United States revolutionized the microelectronic industry and invented much 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 U.S. leadership. In fact, Schumer pointed out, 78 percent of cutting-edge wafer fabrication capacity is now based in Asia, with last year being the first year that North America fell behind China.

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, offering 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.

Specifically, supporters of the American Frontiers Act include 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 the powerful American Foundries Act of 2020 co-sponsored by Senator Schumer and the impressive, bipartisan list of Senate leaders,” said Tom Caulfield, CEO of GlobalFoundries. “Senator Schumer has supported semiconductor manufacturing and GlobalFoundries for many years and this legislation seeks the quickest route to boosting chip production in the U.S. We appreciate this timely and significant contribution as Congress and the Administration work through the best approach for federal investment to restore domestic leadership in semiconductor manufacturing.”

"The U.S. semiconductor industry drives economic growth through technological breakthroughs and plays a critical role in the nation’s security,” said John E. Kelly III, Executive Vice President, IBM. “IBM strongly supports the American Foundries Act of 2020 because this important legislation would sustain American leadership in semiconductor technology and establish a national strategy to move it forward. We thank Senators Schumer and Cotton for their leadership on this bill and urge the Senate to pass it quickly."

“The American Foundries Act is a bold step to respond to the aggressive incentives available to overseas competitors and reverse the decline of semiconductor manufacturing in the United States,” said Keith Jackson, president and CEO of ON Semiconductor. “ON Semiconductor urges the Congress to quickly advance legislation to promote American semiconductor research and manufacturing.”

“Cree continues to invest aggressively in silicon carbide manufacturing and research in order to support the growing, global demand for our technologies, and we believe advanced semiconductor manufacturing is essential to leading the acceleration of critical next-generation technologies," said Gregg Lowe, president and CEO of Cree Inc. "Like many other semiconductor companies in the U.S., we believe this legislation would provide necessary investments that move our industry and economy forward and we commend its introduction."

"Senator Schumer has long recognized that our 1250-acre STAMP site in Genesee County presents a tremendous opportunity to create thousands of high quality semiconductor jobs for the Western New York and Finger Lakes regions," said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC).

"Our challenge has always been the considerable cost to get the site developed and shovel ready in the global competition to land projects of this scale. This legislation though is a game changer in so many ways as it will support cutting-edge domestic semiconductor development and increases in semiconductor manufacturing capacity at a crucial time in our nation's history."

“Senator Schumer’s American Foundries Act is the type of innovative, bipartisan legislation that we need to build on our regional strengths and grow the Hudson Valley economy post-pandemic," said Mike Oates, president and CEO of Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation. "With industry leaders like IBM, GlobalFoundaries, and soon ON Semiconductor right here in the Hudson Valley, it is no secret that investing in the microelectronics manufacturing and research and development space will enhance our ability to manufacture semiconductor chips, create jobs, and reimage our economy.

"HVEDC is proud to support Senator Schumer in his push to bolster our footprint in the growing semiconductor sector and we will continue working with him to keep the Hudson Valley on the map as a global industry leader.”

“Construction of new microelectronics and semiconductor fabrication facilities have the ability to change the economic landscape of a region and the proposed American Foundries Act proposed by Senator Schumer is a strategic investment to secure the United States’ position as a global  leader in microelectronics and semiconductor R&D,” said Steven J. DiMeo, president, Mohawk Valley EDGE.

“As our economy shifts away from the long-standing model of industrialism coupled with the uncertainty of a global pandemic, we now more than ever need the federal government to continue its support of game-changing industries like semiconductors and microelectronics. The construction of Cree’s state-of-the-art 200 mm enabled SiC semiconductor facility at the Marcy Nanocenter in Upstate NY, is a pivotal example of what can be done when all stakeholders are working together to advance our high-tech ecosystem and regional economy and maintain the United States’ global competitiveness.”

Emmanuel P. Gianellis, 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. Cornell University is pleased to support this legislation and commends Senator Schumer for his leadership.”

"Whether we are talking about technology that enables advancement in AI for autonomous vehicles, smart energy for a greener environment or flexible wearable devices for human health and industrial monitoring, the United States government must remain on the frontlines, supporting industrial and academic innovations in advanced electronics manufacturing," said Harvey Stenger, president of Binghamton University.

"We once again acknowledge all that Sen. Schumer has done and continues to do to emphasize the importance of research and development efforts in private labs as well as at research institutions like Binghamton University. We thank the senator for this latest effort to apply resources to enhance the bridge from early R&D to at-scale manufacturing that will lead to breakthroughs in next-generation semi-conductor research and keep the United States competitive and a leader in the global economy."

“Leadership in the microelectronics industry is critical for America’s continued economic and strategic competitiveness on the global stage," said SUNY Polytechnic Institute Interim President Grace Wang, Ph.D. "The American Foundries Act of 2020 will provide a more strategic national approach in advancing  microelectronics capabilities, R&D, and workforce development and ensure our nation remains at the forefront of impactful innovation.

"This bill takes a bold approach to facilitate chip fab modernization efforts and investment in key areas such as fabrication, assembly, test, and advanced packaging to strengthen our nation’s technological independence and agility for years to come.”

Schumer said he will aim to include the legislation as an amendment in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Senator Schumer introduced the American Foundries Act of 2020 in the Senate, along with Senators Cotton (R-Arkansas), Reed (D-Rhode Island), Hawley (R-Missouri), Gillibrand (D-New York), Risch (R-Idaho), Jones (D-Alabama), Collins (R-Maine), King (I-Maine), and Rubio (R-Florida), and details of the bill can be found below:

Support for Commercial Microelectronics Projects: Authorizes the Department of Commerce to award $15 billion in grants to states to assist in the construction, expansion, or modernization of microelectronics fabrication, assembly, test, advanced packaging, or advanced research and development facilities.

Support for Secure Microelectronics Projects: Authorizes the Department of Defense to award $5 billion in grants for the creation, expansion, or modernization of one or more commercially competitive and sustainable microelectronics manufacturing or advanced research and development facilities capable of producing measurably secure and specialized microelectronic for defense and intelligence purposes. This funding may go to primarily commercial facilities capable of producing secure microelectronics.

R&D Funding: Authorizes $5 billion in R&D spending to secure U.S. leadership in microelectronics. Requires agencies that receive this funding to develop policies to require domestic production, to the extent possible, for any intellectual property resulting from microelectronics research and development as a result of these funds.

The new R&D funding would be broken up as follows:

  • $2 billion for DARPA’s Electronics Resurgence Initiative
  • $1.5 billion for the National Science Foundation
  • $1.25 billion for the Department of Energy
  • $250 million for the National Institute of Standards and Technology

National Microelectronics Research Plan: Establishes a subcommittee of the President’s Council on Science and Technology to produce a report each year to guide and coordinate funding for breakthroughs in next-generation microelectronics research and technology, strengthen the domestic microelectronics workforce, and encourage collaboration between government, industry, and academia.

Safeguards: Prohibits firms owned, controlled or otherwise influence by the Chinese government from accessing funds provided by the legislation.

Schumer to Feds: Level the playing field and help NY dairy farmers churn up & milk profits before it’s too 'lait'

By Billie Owens

Press release:

After fiercely advocating for federal aid to New York’s dairy farmers in the beginning of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer today urged United States Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer to quickly raise concerns about Canada evading its commitments under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Canada agree to eliminate harmful dairy trade practices, including its Class 7 pricing program (Class 6 in Ontario) and lack of transparency in milk-pricing regulations. Both were explicitly addressed in the agreement, which enters into force next week on July 1.

“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 to do everything in his power to ensure that Canada abides by its dairy trade obligations and eliminates its unfair and harmful pricing programs and practices that unfairly impeded Upstate New York dairy farmers from freely selling their product – as agreed to in the new trade agreement with Canada, the USMCA.

As the trade deal enters into force next week, it is imperative that our New York dairy farmers are able to sell their products into Canada and churn up profits that mitigate the huge losses they have suffered this year.”

“USMCA requires Canada to provide new market access for American dairy products and to eliminate its destructive Classes 6 and 7 milk pricing schemes,” said Jaime Castaneda, senior vice president for Policy Strategy and International Trade with the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council. “While not unexpected, Canada’s efforts to manipulate its agreed upon trade obligations to protect its tightly controlled dairy market are unacceptable.

"Canada needs to live up to the commitments it made to the U.S. on dairy. America’s dairy industry appreciates Senator Schumer for his leadership on this issue and we support Ambassador Lighthizer and Secretary Purdue as the U.S. works to hold Canada accountable to its commitments under USMCA.”

“Cayuga Milk Ingredients applauds the efforts of New York’s Senator Schumer for raising concerns over Canada’s recent request for dairy pricing secrecy within the Ontario Provincial Tribunal and their most recent administration of TRQs," said Kevin J. Ellis, CEO Cayuga Milk Ingredients. "On both issues, Canada is showing they have no desire to act in good faith with respect to the trade commitments they made underneath USMCA.

"Cayuga Milk Ingredients suffered a loss of nearly $24 million of sales in 2016 when Canada implemented a National Class 7 pricing scheme that was specifically and intentionally designed to stop the importation of ultra-filtered milk. Based on these latest events, it appears Canada cannot be trusted to honor its trade commitments with the United States,”

Craig Alexander, senior director, Milk Planning and Regulatory Affairs at O-AT-KA Milk Products in Batavia, said, “A foundation principle of the new USMCA pertaining to Canada was transparency of pricing formulation and the elimination of its Class 7 pricing. We appreciate Senator Schumer’s push for Canada to live up to its commitments in this agreement.

"Canada should not obscure information on pricing now in order to artificially create a pricing environment that will keep us at a disadvantage once these USMCA provisions go into force. Furthermore, Canada’s implementation of TRQs negotiated as part of USMCA and reserving increased access almost entirely to existing Canadian dairy companies is evidence that Canada has not changed its past history of circumventing trade agreements.

"If Canada simply held up their end of the deal on eliminating Class 7 and fair implementation of TRQs, we could again get a fair shake at the opportunities to serve the Canadian market going forward.”

Schumer explained that under USMCA, Canada agreed to eliminate Class 6 & 7 pricing within six months. However, the Senator revealed, Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO), which represents approximately 4,000 Canadian dairy farmers, has recently requested that Ontario’s tribunal, which provides an avenue of appeal on agriculture issues, grant restricted access to DFO’s pricing regulations.

Schumer argued that with only a few days left until the USMCA is set to enter into force, the lack of transparency and timing of DFO’s request raises questions about whether or not Canada is seeking to circumvent its dairy commitments in USMCA.

Additionally, Schumer pointed out, under USMCA, Canada agreed to an expansion of tariff rate quotas (TRQs) for several categories of U.S. dairy products. However, the U.S. dairy industry has raised concerns that Canada’s recently released TRQ allocations weaken the intent of USMCA and will prevent New York dairy farmers from fully benefiting from the agreement’s expanded market access opportunities.

Spike in domestic violence during pandemic spurs call to take Violence Against Women Act 'off the shelf'

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Citing a recent New York State report that details a very troubling 33-percent rise in domestic violence cases across New York amid COVID-19, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer demanded the United States Senate take up the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which passed the House with bipartisan support all the way back in April of 2019.

Schumer demanded Leader Mitch McConnell take VAWA "off the shelf" and rightfully pass it in the Senate. Specifically, the Senator revealed, in Upstate New York, domestic violence shelter occupancy rates rose to 78 percent in April 2020, up from 59 percent in April 2019, a 19-percent increase.

Schumer said that New York is not alone in worrisome statistics, either. Other states, like Texas and Illinois, according to The New York Times, have seen similar domestic violence surges and capital resources for many programs could dry up fast.

“The data from New York’s report mirrors similar statistics across other parts of the country that are also seeing a rise in domestic violence amid the coronavirus pandemic," Senator Schumer said. "It’s up to all of us to heed the warning in these numbers and not allow a pandemic to fuel an epidemic of domestic violence so many have devoted their lives to preventing.

"Since I first helped write the Violence Against Women’s Act in 1994, countless individuals have been saved. Whether the funds provided local shelters, counseling or other critical efforts, the law has given so many a second chance and we cannot rest until the Senate acts, the law is fully reauthorized and the help New York and other states need on the way.”

According to New York’s domestic violence task force, “…in the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, data reported by law enforcement and domestic violence service providers pointed to an increase in domestic violence, with the New York State Domestic & Sexual Violence Hotline recording a 33 percent increase in calls for April 2020 compared to April 2019, and shelter occupancy rates upstate rising to 78 percent in April 2020, versus 59 percent in April 2019.

Schumer reiterated that that the coronavirus pandemic cannot be allowed to fuel an epidemic of domestic violence that so many have joined together to prevent as he made the case for new action. He said that passing the full VAWA package will unlock the full federal funding New York needs to achieve its immediate needs to help stop the violence.

Schumer detailed New York’s immediate needs given the 33-percent spike in reported violence:

1)    Local programming for survivors’ safety, including the use of new technology and mobile platforms

2)    Housing stability and navigation services

3)    Transportation

According to the report, “funding should be flexible to meet a range of needs, including housing costs, safety measures and allocations for essential needs that might present barriers to safety and housing stability, such as debt or car repair expenses. Support should have more flexible parameters, should meet survivors’ needs as quickly as possible, and should be available until survivors feel safe.

"Program outcomes should be based on survivors’ safety and housing stability over the longterm. Further, the state should continue its commitment to partnering with the philanthropic and advocacy community, collaborating to leverage support, fill in the gaps where existing funds fall short and foster further innovation.”

“Right now, because of the uncertainty around the Violence Against Women’s Act’s future reauthorization we have states preparing to turn over the couch cushions for this life-saving funding, and that cannot sustain,”Schumer added. “Philanthropy is certainly one way to 'fill in the gaps' but existing federal funding cannot be allowed to simply ‘fall short.' That’s why we need the Senate to act here, because government has a job to do and lives to save.”

Schumer cited the Finger Lakes Region to show how just one area of the state has benefited from VAWA.

Within the last five years, organizations across Rochester and the Finger Lakes received more than $8.8 million in federal funding through the Violence Against Women Act.

Specifically, $650,000 was awarded to aid law enforcement in combatting domestic violence; $299,708 was awarded to combat campus sexual assault; $425,000 was awarded to combat domestic violence among the disabled; $794,667 was awarded to provide housing for victims of domestic violence; $750,000 was awarded to improve criminal justice response (ICJR); $3,266,665 was awarded to provide legal assistance to victims (LAV); $1,222,000 was awarded to provide assistance to underserved populations; $425,000 was awarded to assist those in rural communities; and $1,000,000 was awarded to support families who have been affected by domestic violence.

Willow Domestic Violence Center in Rochester voiced their support for Senator Schumer’s efforts.

Meaghan de Chateauvieux, president & CEO of Willow Domestic Violence Center in Rochester said, “When a survivor steps forward in our community seeking safety from abuse, VAWA is what makes it possible for our local agencies to work together in a coordinated and comprehensive way to keep families safe.

"Willow serves over 7,000 survivors each year and relies on our VAWA-funded community partnerships. We appreciate Senator Schumer’s push because VAWA is the cornerstone of our local coordinated response to domestic violence and has changed the landscape for victims who once suffered in silence.”

The original 1994 VAWA bill, which was authored by Schumer when he was a member of the House, has been reauthorized three times—in 2000, 2005 and 2013— with unanimous Senate approval the first two times. Since its enactment, the bill has reduced domestic violence by more than 50 percent. Additionally, the legislation, over the course of its history, has provided more than $7 billion in federal funding towards reducing these types of violence.

Beyond reauthorizing all of the current grant programs under the original VAWA and those established by previous reauthorizations, the House-passed VAWA reauthorization also includes a number of new provisions to aid and support victims of domestic and sexual violence. Some of the most essential include:

  • Establishing a survey among District and State Attorney Offices that receive funding from VAWA grant programs to track the rates of rape cases.
  • Increasing funding for the Services, Training Officers and Prosecutors (STOP) grant program, which promotes a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to enhancing advocacy and improving the criminal justice system’s response to violent crimes against women. The program encourages the development and improvement of effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to address violent crimes against women and the development and improvement of advocacy and services in cases involving violent crimes against women.
  • Enhancing the Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus Program by supporting educational institutions seeking to develop and distribute educational materials to students related to prevention.
  • Boosting housing protections for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Additionally, a provision in the reauthorization bill ensures that in the event of separation from a spouse, survivors retain access to housing. The bill also increases opportunities under transitional housing grant programs for organizations that operate in underserved and low-income communities.
  • Promoting the economic security and stability of victims of domestic and sexual violence. One of the ways the VAWA reauthorization bill would do this would be by authorizing funding for a Government Accountability Office study on the economic implications of domestic violence and the best possible solution to these implications for victims.

Schumer: Small business loan fixes will help Upstate businesses weather COVID-19 crisis, begin recovery

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Following his continuous calls for reforms to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced the unanimous Senate passage of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act.

This bipartisan bill makes critical changes to PPP, including expanding the loan forgiveness period from eight to 24 weeks, allowing small businesses greater flexibility in the use of funds for non-payroll expenses like rent and utilities. It also sets a new rehiring deadline -- by the end of the year -- to allow small businesses to receive full forgiveness of their loan.

Schumer explained that these reforms were absolutely necessary because the impact of the coronavirus crisis is long lasting and requires a program that recognizes the realities faced by small businesses that have a long road ahead to full recovery.

“These changes to the PPP program provide desperately needed flexibility and relief to countless small businesses in Upstate New York,” Senator Schumer said. “We worked day and night to pressure and persuade senators on the other side of the aisle to urgently get this done, and not wait to provide relief.

"This deal gives small businesses a more discretion and a realistic timeline to deploy the assistance they received to bring back employees and keep the lights on.”

The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act is especially important for New York, Schumer explained, because New York State tends to have higher rent and utility costs compared to the rest of the country.

The senator also stressed that the bill would not solve every problem in PPP and that more must be done to promote access for rural and minority-owned businesses and nonprofits struggling to get the help they need.

Legislation like the HEROES Act, Schumer said, is still urgently needed to provide additional help not only for small businesses, but also for homeowners, renter, essential workers, medical facilities, local and state governments, and more.

The bill previously passed the House of Representatives 417-1 and following Senate passage was signed by President Trump last week.

Details on some of the main reforms in the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act are provided below:

First, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act expands the loan forgiveness period from eight weeks to 24 weeks. Currently, workers may be brought back for the eight weeks, but then face a cliff after that short period and may be laid off again.

Second, the legislation removes the 25-percent restriction imposed by the Trump administration on the use of loans for fixed costs, like rent, mortgage, and utilities, and replaces it with a new 60-40 payroll to non-payroll breakdown in the use of the loan, allowing more flexibility for helping small businesses and nonprofits with all expenses to survive this crisis, which is essential to the long-term employment prospect of the workers.

Third, the proposal makes Dec. 31st the deadline to rehire workers in order to get full forgiveness on the loan, a more realistic timeline given the expected length of this public health and economic crisis.

Fourth, the proposal extends the terms of the loan from two years to at least five years for any part of the loan that is not forgiven, helping to ensure small businesses and nonprofits are not saddled with quick repayment while recovering from this crisis.

Bipartisan NY legislators announce new law to provide local governments with direct federal funding

By Billie Owens

Press release:

U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Congressman Antonio Delgado, and U.S. Congressman Lee Zeldin announced Wednesday (May 6) new legislation, the Direct Support for Communities Act, which provides local governments with direct federal relief that can be used to pay for essential services and offset lost revenues and increased costs from the COVID-19 emergency.

This local assistance would complement critical relief that states also require in this crisis, which the representatives are simultaneously aggressively pursuing.

The representatives are concerned about the layoffs of public health care workers, firefighters, police, sanitation workers, teachers and other vital public servants in New York, and are fighting to ensure that all counties, cities, towns, and villages, regardless of size, have the financial resources necessary to continue to provide these necessary services and to avoid local tax and fee increases that will put more burden on already cash-strapped families and businesses in this crisis.

“Local governments are hamstrung trying to deal with lost revenue and mounting costs in the face of the pandemic,” Senator Schumer said. “Under our proposal, counties, cities, towns, and villages of all sizes could count on direct, guaranteed financial relief, instead of having to layoff vital workers, cut important services, or raise taxes and fees at absolutely the worst time.

"Local governments deserve nothing less than our strongest federal support, and I am doing everything I can to get significant and flexible federal aid to our states and local governments included in the next legislative package Congress considers.”

“Our local governments are facing unprecedented financial hardship, as the COVID-19 outbreak has caused costs to surge and revenue to dwindle," Senator Gillibrand said. "Direct federal relief for local governments is absolutely critical as they grapple with the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This smart and necessary proposal will ensure local governments have the resources to pay our first responders, health care workers, teachers, and public servants, and can continue serving our communities without raising taxes or fees. I will do everything in my power to ensure that this proposal is included in the next economic relief package.”

“Upstate New York is facing an urgent, immediate funding crisis," Congressman Delgado said. "Our counties and municipalities are laying off employees and the lack of funding going directly into local communities is jeopardizing the livelihood of our first responders, our emergency medical services, cops, teachers and more.

"We need to provide local government with funding expediently and I am glad to introduce a bipartisan, bicameral solution. This is one of many steps that must be taken to support our rural communities and to make sure that they are able to receive the essential services needed for sustainability during this public health emergency.”

“Our local governments have been on the frontlines in the battle against coronavirus, and they will be critical in finishing the fight on the ground,” Congressman Zeldin said. “In light of historic, enhanced budgetary shortfalls caused by this ongoing outbreak, we must ensure our local governments have the direct funding they need to recover fiscally.

"This bipartisan proposal helps deliver vital funding to counties, towns, cities and villages of all sizes so that we can ensure our communities emerge on the other side of this outbreak stronger than ever.”

“On behalf of the local governments, we commend Senate Leader Charles Schumer for standing up for the New York State and local taxpayers in the face of great adversity," said New York State Association of Counties Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario. "Senator Schumer understands the severity of this public health crisis and the economic impact it is having on state and local government.

"County governments, as regional entities, are facing a potential loss of billions in revenue directly associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Sales tax, tourism and hotel/motel occupancy tax, entertainment revenue from casinos, and numerous other local fees will all see dramatic decreases.

"Combined with looming state reimbursement cuts, local governments will be in dire straits and face an unprecedented fiscal storm, at the same time we are on the front lines battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Without critical federal assistance, the fiscal outlook for counties could become catastrophic. House Appropriations Chair Rep. Nita Lowey and the House Democrats will release their proposal to provide assistance to state, county and municipal governments.

"We also commend Senator Gillibrand, Rep. Antonio Delgado, and Rep. Lee Zeldin for introducing legislation providing direct aid to counties on the basis of population, with all counties receiving an award. This aid is necessary to establish a foundation for the reopening of our communities and county leaders are grateful for the historic leadership of the entire bipartisan NY Congressional Delegation speaking as one voice for the state of NY and all its local governments and we urge swift action by the Congress and the President.”

"The New York State Conference of Mayors thanks Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, Representative Delgado, and Representative Zeldin for their support of a direct funding stream to all local governments,” said Peter A. Baynes, executive director, New York State Conference of Mayors.

“The allocation mechanism they have proposed will ensure that no community is left behind. Whether big or small, urban or rural, New York's cities, villages, counties and towns have collectively lost billions of dollars in revenue solely as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their local economies cannot restart, much less return to their previous condition, unless the federal government provides the funding necessary to offset local revenue lost by no fault of municipal leaders."

Under the "Direct Support for Communities Act," the local relief fund would be split 50/50, half committed to cities, towns and villages, and half committed to counties:

  • Of the portion allocated for cities, towns, and villages, 70 percent would go to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement communities using the CDBG formula through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to allocate the funding.
  • The remaining 30 percent for cities, towns, and villages would be send to states, which would be required to sub-allocate the entire amount within 30 days to all non-entitlement communities in the state based on population.
  • The portion of emergency fiscal assistance for counties would be allocated across all counties based on population. The exception to that formula is that a current CDBG entitlement county would receive its entitlement amount if it is higher than what that county would receive under an allocation based on population.

Local governments would be able to use this federal relief to help address costs associated with lost revenues and response to the pandemic, in an effort to help avoid cuts to essential services and local tax and fee increases.

This proposed formula for local fiscal relief is intended to be incorporated into a larger legislative package that will also include significant fiscal relief for state, local, and tribal governments; retroactive availability to use the Coronavirus Relief Fund in the CARES Act for lost revenues; and other important matters.

Schumer urges FDA to crack down on unproven at-home coronavirus and antibody test kits flooding the internet

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Citing an all-out explosion of unproven, untested and unregulated do-it-yourself, at-home coronavirus test kits now for sale across the internet, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer demanded, today, that the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) begin a crackdown focused on more oversight of the marketplace, ramped-up inspections and cease and desist actions against bad actors.

Schumer said a simple “Google” search on these kits now results in a bombardment of antibody and other coronavirus tests that are simply not validated for accuracy by the FDA.

“While the coronavirus itself continues to risk infecting people, varying at-home test kits for the virus’s antibodies, and even the disease itself, are now infecting the internet and the consumer marketplace," Senator Schumer said. "However, the vast, vast majority of these ‘kits’ are unproven, untested and totally unregulated by the FDA, and that’s dangerous.

"That is why I am publicly calling on the FDA to institute a crackdown on these kits now exploding across the internet. The agency (FDA) must raise the bar, move heaven and earth and stand up for consumers who are vulnerable, uncertain and anxious with all that is going on.”

Schumer said that as part of returning to normal, consumers — especially New Yorkers — could be hard hit by faulty tests that mislead an already uncertain public.

He said that the FDA must immediately move heaven and earth to ensure this emerging testing marketplace does not become riddled with shoddy at-home kits that are not backed by the FDA and the best available science. Schumer also said New Yorkers are currently purchasing these kits and that the feds must act swiftly or risk turning a pandemic into a false sense of security epidemic that hurts hot spots like New York which must rely upon testing accuracy to fully return to normal.

“The authenticity and accuracy of any at-home testing kits must be paramount at the FDA, because consumers are not only willing to buy them, but they are willing to rely upon them," Schumer added. "Shoddy tests could spell disaster for hot spot states like New York because if there is anything New York and other places will require to turn the page on this virus, it’s rooted in testing accuracy, and these unregulated kits pose serious risk to the overall recovery."

According to CNN, the “FDA has granted emergency use authorization to only four antibody tests, and there are dozens more awaiting the same authorization. The FDA has also opened a separate process for more than 100 other non-FDA approved tests to be checked for accuracy.”

Schumer says, despite this, at-home coronavirus antibody and virus test kits are for sale across the internet, seemingly unchecked.

Experts across the government have said antibody tests will likely play an important role in the reopening of the economy and the next chapter of public health. Schumer says the FDA cannot offer any regulatory flexibility to some test makers and rigidity for others.

He said the only way to ensure test kit standards are rooted in science and accuracy is to ramp up oversight, inspections and cease and desist actions before unproven products risk turning a pandemic into a false sense of security epidemic that hurts hot spots like New York dependent on accuracy.

“Right now, only formally approved tests should be available for sale to consumers,” Schumer said. “The stakes are too high to let bad actors prey on vulnerable New Yorkers and add even more anxiety and uncertainty to this crisis.”

Schumer’s letter to FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn appears below:

Dear Commissioner Hahn:

The array of misinformation about the coronavirus is a danger to public health and an impediment to a swift and full reopening of our country. One of the most dangerous elements of this misinformation is the volume of unapproved COVID-19 tests available online, many of them claiming they are able to conduct an authentic test at home. As you very well know, these tests are not currently approved. I have grave concerns that New Yorkers, understandably frustrated and desperate because of the broad testing shortage across the country, are turning to these unapproved tests. If such a test is unreliable or administered incorrectly, and a person falsely believes they do not have COVID-19 or have antibodies, that presents a danger to their family and their community. 

I appreciate the work that FDA has done thus far, including in its March 20 announcement, in pushing back against these unauthorized tests. However, more must be done. A simple online search, as well as anecdotal evidence from people in New York City, shows that these tests are still easily available and people are buying them. Given how high the stakes are right now, the administration must use all its resources and authority to immediately get these tests off the market. 

I request answers to the following questions:

1.     What is the FDA doing since its March 20 announcement to continue to crackdown on these tests?

2.     Does FDA have sufficient resources to monitor and respond to the availability of these unauthorized tests?

3.     What is FDA doing, in coordination with the White House and its press efforts, to educate the public that authorized tests should not be used?

Sincerely,

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer

Schumer urges FDA to clarify plan to address lack of oversight and inspection of U.S. food supply system

By Billie Owens

From Senator Charles E. Schumer:

As coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread throughout the country, making New York its epicenter with over 10,000 deaths, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer today urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to immediately clarify its plan to address the lack over oversight and inspection of the American food supply system – to restore peace of mind to millions.

Last month, the FDA announced the temporary suspension of domestic routine surveillance facility inspections and the relaxation of compliance requirements for food producers.

According to Schumer, as the virus continues to spread throughout the United States, the nation’s grocery and food industries were not spared. Schumer’s concerns over the FDA’s rollbacks were exacerbated by recent reports  of outbreaks in food distribution facilities, processing plants, warehouses, and grocery stores around the nation.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is reaching alarming new levels every day, leaving no part of life untouched and millions of Americans perpetually concerned,” Senator Schumer said. “In the midst of all that we are facing, New Yorkers deserve to have the peace of mind that the food on their tables is safe to eat.

"Contaminated food sickens and kills thousands of Americans every year and the challenge of this virus must not be an excuse to let our guard down when it comes to keeping our food supply safe for consumers. The FDA must not scale back essential food-safety inspections and must maintain food-production requirements and guarantee the safety of our food supply in these trying times."

Schumer’s call for adequate oversight and inspection of the domestic food supply follows reports that the FDA has suspended routine surveillance facility inspections and relaxed compliance requirements. The senator demanded to know how the FDA was guaranteeing food safety for Americans, especially during a time where New Yorkers are depending on a reliable food supply.

The Center for Diseases Control estimates that roughly one in six Americans, or 48 million people, get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne illnesses every year, even with the FDA’s usual regulations in place.

Salmonella alone causes about 1.2 million illnesses and 450 deaths in the United States, costing about $350 million annually. A salmonella outbreak linked to papaya sickened 24 people in New York last year.

Schumer calls on Trump to OK NY cost-share waiver, have feds pay 100-percent of COVID-19 disaster costs

By Billie Owens

From Senator Charles E. Schumer:

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer today (April 13) doubled down on his push to have the federal government cover the entire cost of federal disaster aid, just like after 9-11 and Superstorm Sandy.

This follows a successful push for the Trump administration to approve New York State’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic Major Disaster Declaration request, unlocking billions in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) money for New York.

Under the current federal arrangement, FEMA is only expected to pay 75 percent of New York’s emergency expenses to fight the virus, sticking New Yorkers to foot the rest of the bill.

Schumer had previously written the president, along with a coalition of bipartisan senators, requesting this cost-share adjustment under all COVID-19 Emergency Declarations.

NY: Nation's first COVID-19 Major Disaster Declaration

Now, Schumer has written directly to President Trump, and called him, to urge the administration to grant a waiver allowing 100-percent federal cost share for New York State for all work under the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration and subsequent first-in-the-nation COVID-19 Major Disaster Declaration.

Schumer explained that with the rapid pace of spread in New York, the state is facing an explosion in the cost of fighting COVID-19, and needs full federal support in its efforts.

His push comes after he made a personal calls to President Trump and FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor over the past few weeks, urging the president to approve the waiver.

The administration has not yet acted to provide New York with the maximum possible funding, despite precedents such as previous Democrat and Republican administrations’ approval of cost sharing waivers during FEMA’s response to September 11th and Hurricane Sandy, both events which had devastating effects on New York.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic reaching alarming new levels in New York every day, New York’s health care system and our state and local governments are being strained to the max,” Schumer said. “As our nation’s heroes continue to battle this deadly disease, it’s incumbent on the federal government to give them every tool the need to fight and recover as soon as possible.

"As the epicenter of this global pandemic, New York has paid more than any other state when it comes to front line workers, doctors, nurses, and victims. It is imperative that this waiver get approved with all due speed to ensure that New Yorkers are not forced to pay even more.”

Traditionally, a Major Disaster Declaration allows access to the Disaster Relief Fund, currently a $40 billion pot of money that can be used to pay for Public Assistance, including Emergency Protective Measure, in New York at a 75 percent federal to 25 percent state cost share.

However, Schumer argued, New York’s economy has been deeply impacted by the outbreak, leaving it ill-prepared to shoulder the burden of the local share of FEMA aid, warranting an immediate waiver of the state’s portion of this cost share and full, 100-percent federal financial support.

Coronavirus toll

Schumer’s push comes after New York State Department of Health reported more than 170,000 positive cases of COVID-19 and more than 7,800 COVID-19 deaths as of 1 p.m. April 10th.

To date, New York has been obligated over $1.24 billion from the Disaster Relief Fund, which has paid for the conversion of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center into a temporary hospital, as well as other line items necessary to fighting the outbreak.

Dems propose COVID-19 'Heroes Fund' to attract and secure essential workers during public health crisis

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Washington, D.C. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Ranking Member Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Senate Committee on Aging Ranking Member Bob Casey (D-PA), Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Vice Chairman Tom Udall (D-NM), and Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-MI) today unveiled the COVID-19 “Heroes Fund.”

It is the Senate Democrats’ proposal for the provision of pandemic premium pay to reward, retain, and recruit essential workers.

Senate Democrats’ proposed “Heroes Fund” consists of two major components: a $25,000 premium pay increase for essential workers, equivalent to a raise of $13 per hour from the start of the public health emergency until Dec. 31 and a $15,000 essential worker recruitment incentive to attract and secure the workforce needed to fight the public health crisis.

Grueling Months Ahead

Essential frontline workers are the true heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic response in America.

Senate Democrats believe in providing premium pay to frontline workers during this pandemic not only to reward essential workers’ for their great personal sacrifices, but also to ensure the retention of essential workers who are working grueling hours on the frontlines of this crisis as well as the recruitment of additional workers who will be needed in the months ahead.

A Summary of Senate Democrats’ COVID-19 “Heroes Fund” proposal can be found here and below:

“Thousands of workers report to the frontlines of our nation’s pandemic response each and every day, placing themselves squarely in harm’s way to serve the needs of others,” Schumer said. “Senate Democrats’ proposed ‘Heroes Fund’ would provide premium pay to these essential workers — the doctors and nurses, grocery store workers, transit workers, and more who are central to fighting this crisis — and would establish an incentive system to retain and recruit the workforce needed for the long months to come.

"Essential frontline workers sacrifice daily for our collective health and well-being, and Senate Democrats are fully committed to supplying these heroes the financial support they deserve.”

The COVID-19 “Heroes Fund” Summary

Senate Democrats’ Proposal for Pandemic Premium Pay to Reward, Retain, & Recruit Essential Workers

Essential frontline workers are the true heroes of America’s COVID-19 pandemic response. Senate Democrats believe in providing premium pay to frontline workers during this pandemic to reward essential frontline workers, ensure the retention of essential workers who are working grueling hours on the frontlines of this crisis, and promote the recruitment of additional workers who will be needed in the months ahead.

As the Congress looks at a potential fourth COVID-19 bill, the following proposal is meant for consideration by Members of Congress, key stakeholders, and the American people. Our proposal consists of two major components:

  1. A $25,000 pandemic premium pay increase for essential frontline workers, equivalent to a raise of an additional $13 per hour from the start of the public health emergency until Dec. 31.
  2. A $15,000 recruitment incentive for health and home care workers and first responders to attract and secure the workforce needed to fight the public health crisis.

Structure of the Pandemic Premium Pay

To meet the goals of reward, retention, and recruitment, we propose a set dollar amount per hour with a maximum amount for the year, for a definite duration, and with an additional bonus for workers who sign up to do such essential work during this crisis.

Amount of Pay Premium -- Our proposal:

  • Uses a flat-dollar amount per hour premium model in order to ensure it is clear, simple, and lifts up particularly those workers making lower wages;
  • Would give each essential frontline worker $13/hour premium pay on top of regular wages for all hours worked in essential industries through the end of 2020;
  • Would cap the total maximum premium pay at $25,000 for each essential frontline worker earning less than $200,000 per year and $5,000 for each essential worker earning $200,000 or more per year.

Duration of Premium -- The premium pay period:

  • Must be for a specified and clear duration of time to ensure workers can rely on it for their economic security and plan for needs like additional child care.
  • Should cover all hours worked by each essential frontline worker through December 31, 2020, or until the worker’s salary-based maximum premium pay is reached.

Premium Pay as a Recruitment and Retention Incentive.In order to recruit the additional health care workers, home care workers, and first responders needed over the coming months, our proposal

  • Would provide a one-time $15,000 premium for signing on to do essential work.
  • Would limit eligibility for this incentive premium to essential health and home care workers and first responders that are experiencing severe staffing shortages impeding the ability to provide care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Premium Pay and Worker Incentives Delivery Mechanism

Our proposal would fully federally-fund the premium pay and recruitment and retention incentive. We will continue to seek input on the specific mechanism for delivering the pay to workers, as well as the universe of “essential workers” to be covered. The new federal fund would partner with entities designated as an “eligible employer” – states, localities, tribes, and certain private sector employers – to issue the funds premium payments to eligible workers. Frontline federal employees would also be granted the new benefit of up to $25,000.

COVID-19 Heroes Fund. The new COVID-19 Heroes Fund would provide funds directly to eligible employer-partners so that they could distribute the premium payments.

  • Employers in industries engaged in “essential work” would apply to the Heroes Fund for funds to be used to add line-item premium pay to employees’ or independent contractors’ paychecks. The eligible employer would track these payments, provide payroll records demonstrating premium payments, and return any unspent funds to the agency.
  • No employer would be required to participate, but all would be strongly encouraged to and the program would be widely advertised.
  • An entity that contracts directly with the state, locality, Tribe, or the federal government (e.g., to provide care to people with Medicare and Medicaid coverage) would be considered a private sector employer, and employees of this entity who are designated as “essential” would be eligible for premium pay. Similarly, an eligible employer is also an individual who hires someone designated as “essential” through programs established through the State (e.g., self-directed care arrangements). This would help ensure coverage of the 2.2 million home health aides, direct service providers, and personal care workers who provide services to more than 12 million Americans.
  • Eligible employers would submit applications for the recruitment and retention incentive premium on a rolling basis.

Federal Workforce -- Our proposal would ensure all federal government essential frontline employees receive the same $25,000 premium pay benefit provided to other essential workers.

  • Coverage should be expansive to capture all federal employees with public-facing positions. This includes Title 5 employees and employees of all other federal personnel systems (e.g., employees of the Postal Service, TSA, VA, FAA, District of Columbia, and federally-funded Indian programs.
  • The benefit would be limited to frontline and public-facing positions – employees who are not teleworking from their homes.

Additional Background and Commentary

Precedents -- Disasters require exceptional flexibility in standard work schedules and assignments and often put first responders and other essential workers in dangerous situations. To ensure this critical workforce is compensated appropriately, there are precedents for funding hazard premium pay and worker incentives through a federal program.

FEMA, through the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Response and Emergency Assistance Act and the Disaster Relief Fund, is currently authorized to reimburse state, local, and tribal governments for straight-time and premium pay associated with disaster response. Extraordinary costs (such as call-back pay, night-time or weekend differential pay, and hazardous duty pay) for essential employees who are called back to duty during administrative leave to perform eligible Emergency Work are eligible for reimbursement in certain circumstances.

This authority has been used many times over the last few years to pay for personnel costs associated with enforcing curfews, facilitating evacuation routes, and restoring critical infrastructure. Past usage illustrates precedent for federal funding of critical state, local, and tribal employees performing essential response functions that keep our communities safe in times of disaster.

Essential Frontline Worker definitions -- As mentioned above, the definition of essential frontline workers for purposes of both the premium pay increase and the recruitment-retention incentive will be the subject of debate. This proposal is not meant to exclude any worker from this conversation. Rather, we hope this proposal will encourage a discussion about how large and diverse this universe of workers truly is. Our goal is to make federal, state, tribal, local and private sector essential workers that are at risk eligible for this benefit.

Retroactive Pay -- Workers who have been on the frontlines since the initial declaration of the Public Health Emergency on January 27, 2020, could receive a lump sum of backpay of $13 per hour for work before enactment. These workers would continue to receive the $13 per hour premium pay on top of regular wages moving forward, but these workers would still be subject to the maximum premium pay cap outlined above.

Additional Benefits for Essential Health and Home Care Workers and First Responders -- The employers of frontline health and home care workers and first responders should be eligible to apply for a second round of premium pay funds of up to $10,000 as those workers continue to combat the virus.

Death Benefits -- It is a deeply disturbing but unfortunate reality that some of our frontline workers are making the ultimate sacrifice to the nation through their work fighting COVID-19.  Their families rightfully deserve to receive the full amount of the premium pay as a lump sum in addition to all other forms of death benefits.

Protections from Corporate Expense Shifting -- Certain large corporations engaged in the provision of essential services and goods employ essential frontline workers who are deserving of premium pay. However, massive corporations should make investments in providing premium pay of their own accord before trying to participate in this program.

Protecting Workers and PPE -- Senate Democrats have been fighting to give essential workers the protections and equipment they need to stay safe. The CARES Act provided billions of dollars for PPE, and Democrats have pushed the Administration to appoint a czar to handle all manufacturing and distribution of critical PPE. We must do more to ensure all frontline workers have the protective gear they need to perform their jobs safely, and we need a strong emergency temporary standard to protect all workers.

Schumer urges feds to aid Upstate farmers struggling because of reduced demand, supply chain disruptions

By Billie Owens

Press release:

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today (April 6) called on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Purdue to immediately release funding and send aid directly to New York’s struggling farmers.

Schumer negotiated $9.5 billion in emergency funding for the agricultural sector already suffering massive financial losses due to reduced demand and supply chain disruptions. The funding was part of the bipartisan $2 trillion CARES Act.

With more than 33,000 farms in New York State, Schumer explained that with restaurants, schools, and other industries closing nationwide due to coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, New York farmers are losing major revenue streams.

Given the disruptions in supply chains, rampant food insecurity, and the importance of New York agricultural products in the U.S. food supply, the USDA must expedite the allocation of the $9.5 billion emergency agriculture aid set aside in the CARES Act and prioritize New York farmers, Schumer said.

Farmers Forced to Discard Food, Dump Milk

“New York’s farmers and the New York agricultural industry is the lifeblood of the nation,” Schumer said. “In good times, New York farmers work long hours on tight margins but in the midst of a global pandemic, they are losing revenue streams, suffering huge financial losses and being forced to discard their products during a time when we need a reliable food supply.

"I fought to make $9.5 billion accessible to help them out during this crisis, and it is imperative that we immediately put those dollars to use. I will not rest until New York farmers have the resources they need to help Americans get food on the table.”

In addition to demanding immediate help for struggling New York farmers, Schumer called for the USDA to take New York dairy producers, specialty crop farmers, and local and organic farms into consideration as among the hardest hit in the nation.

The Senator revealed that some dairy co-ops are directing farmers to dump their milk, indicating a huge loss in revenue for New York agriculture as milk is New York’s #1 agricultural product. Some farmers dumped more than 100,000 pounds of milk last week, and it is estimated that dairy farmers statewide were forced to dump between 25 million and 35 million pounds.

With prices plummeting and processing plants closing, dairy farmers could lose anywhere between $1 million and $1.2 million in the aftermath of COVID-19. Additionally, several cabbage growers have been unable to sell their produce for two weeks and are watching their entire harvest go to waste as their crops in cold storage reach the end of their freshness.

Small, Local & Organic Farms Are Hit Hard

Schumer also emphasized that local farms would be severely impacted by the crisis. Many small, local, and organic farms depend on farmers markets as an avenue to sell their produce, but as states issue stay-at-home orders and some local governments suspend farmers markets altogether, those small farmers are losing a major revenue streams.

They also are unable to generate revenue through visitor business and experiencing losses both financially and marketing-wise with the cancellation of food-related festivals that often happen in the spring.

Nurseries are also struggling to survive in the midst of the crisis because they are designated as nonessential businesses, while their large-corporation hardware store competitors are allowed to remain open. Schumer urged the USDA to support small business nurseries as they struggle to get through the crisis.

Senator Schumer’s letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Purdue.

Dear Secretary Perdue

"As you know, the agricultural sector has been hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak and will continue to face grave challenges in the coming months. Unfortunately, farmers in my home state of New York are not immune to the ramifications of this global pandemic. New York farmers are experiencing massive economic losses due to reduced demand from restaurants, disruptions in global trade, school closures, and emergency orders that have idled other industries. Farmers are essential businesses who need our support to continue growing food during this crisis; otherwise, we risk our food security long after the pandemic has passed.

"I urge you to act immediately to allocate the $9.5 billion emergency funding provided in the CARES Act I fought hard to obtain to support the agricultural sector and the over 33,000 farms in New York State. Time is short, as the planting season is underway in much of the country. As you decide how this assistance will flow, please give careful consideration to the circumstances of New York State, which has been hit the hardest by COVID-19. My state has a very diverse agricultural industry, populated mostly by small and medium-sized family operations who depend on robust consumer demand in the New York City metropolitan area and thriving international trade for their markets. I have heard many concerns from struggling New York farmers over the past several weeks, and urge you to pay special attention to the following issues:

Dairy Industry

"New York’s dairy industry has been heavily impacted by drastic reductions in school meals, decreased demand from restaurants, and the slowdown in global trade. Prices for milk have sharply declined, making it difficult if not impossible for dairy farms to break even. Both large and small co-ops have been directing farmers to dump milk to balance supply/demand volatility and workforce shortages at processors due to COVID-19 illnesses among employees. At a time when millions of Americans are food insecure we must do everything we can to help our nations dairy farmers get through these turbulent times.

"I urge the federal government to use all available resources to assist the dairy industry during this unprecedented crisis. At a minimum, USDA should immediately use the $9.5 billion emergency fund included in the CARES Act to assist dairy farmers and co-ops through this health crisis and economic downturn by developing a compensatory mechanism to farmers directed to dump milk. In addition, I urge USDA to use funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation to make dairy purchases, perhaps through a voucher system for food banks or COVID-19 displaced workers, to help ensure that people who are experiencing food insecurity and hunger have access to healthful dairy products at their time of greatest need.

"I have also heard concerns from my sheep and goat dairy farmers, who are also experiencing the devastating impacts of the outbreak. I ask USDA to include sheep and dairy goat farmers in any assistance programs you develop.

Specialty Crops

"Farmers who grow specialty crops are also facing devastating hardships. The many New York farmers who sell directly to restaurants have experienced significant decreases in sales over the past month. As demand from restaurants dries up and crops in cold storage reach the end of their freshness, farmers will likely have to have to dispose of their crops, leading to an increase in food waste.

"As an example, cabbage farmers in New York are some of the specialty crop growers who are dealing with the crippling impacts of the outbreak. Several growers in my state have not been able to sell any cabbage at all for the past two weeks. These farms are anticipating millions of dollars in losses for their cabbage harvests and I expect to see similar losses for other specialty crops.

Local Farms and Organic Crops

"Many small, local, and organic farms generate a portion of their income by operating “you-pick” operations, welcoming members of the public onto their farms and allowing them to pick fruits and vegetables for a fee. Under the stay-at-home guidelines, farms are anticipating losing the revenue generated by farm visitors. Similarly, maple producers are experiencing immense losses from the cancellation of events like the NYS Maple Weekend and stay-at-home guidelines that have essentially closed down tourism in the Adirondacks and other maple-producing regions of the state. Aid must take into account the diversity of farm businesses and ensure that farms experiencing losses from direct marketing operations are also eligible for USDA disaster assistance, similar to relief provided to row crop farmers in the past.

Farmers Markets

"Many New York growers depend on farmers markets for a large portion of their income. As states issue stay-at-home orders and implement social distancing guidance, farmers markets have experienced a decrease in visitors and sales. Some local governments have even suspended farmers markets entirely, depriving farmers of a critical revenue stream. This decrease in income is having a devastating impact on small farms and local farmers markets. Again, USDA assistance should ensure that all farms, including diversified, direct marketing operations, have an ability to benefit from COVID-19 relief measures to ensure their financial viability after this current crisis.

Green Industry

"As states close all but essential businesses, nurseries are struggling to survive. Though horticulture and ornamental crops are an important agricultural sector, they are not considered essential because they do not produce food. Classified as nonessential businesses, many nurseries have been forced to close during public health emergency. Meanwhile, their Big Box competitors, often classified as hardware stores – an essential business – remain open. Nursery operations are also experiencing substantial hardship from widespread cancellation of events, weddings, and religious ceremonies. They grew their inventory in anticipation of seasonal demand and now have no market for their products. Please consider ways that USDA can ensure nurseries get the support they need during this crisis.

"Thank you for considering the impacts to New York’s agricultural sector and for doing everything you can to make sure the farmers, dairy producers, and processors we depend on are protected to the greatest extent possible."

People getting Social Security benefits won't have to file a tax return to get aid in COVID-19 crisis

By Billie Owens

Press release:

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced Friday (April 3) that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has heeded his call and will reverse the guidance issued earlier this week requiring Social Security recipients file a tax return in order to receive the direct cash assistance.

Schumer explained that the reversal is essential to the wellbeing of seniors and disabled New Yorkers because the original IRS requirement of filing a tax return in order to receive the direct assistance would have placed an undue burden on vulnerable individuals, especially seniors, who are already facing tremendous stress as the most at-risk population during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

“After successfully pushing for streamlined payments to New York seniors and most vulnerable in last week’s emergency relief package, the IRS turned around and issued bureaucratic and unreasonable guidance, complicating the process and making it harder for thousands of New Yorkers to quickly get the money they deserve,” Senator Schumer said.

“I’m glad the IRS heeded my call and reversed course, because asking vulnerable individuals living in the epicenter of this global pandemic to jump through unnecessary hoops to get their much-needed cash assistance is irresponsible. The new IRS guidance puts the well-being of these New Yorkers first and achieves the intended goal I so fiercely fought for: get New Yorkers the money they deserve and need to help get through this difficult time as quickly as possible.”

The IRS guidance released on March 30th outlined that Social Security beneficiaries would need to file tax returns in order to receive direct cash assistance, even though the CARES Act explicitly provided the Treasury Department the authority to release cash to those beneficiaries directly.

Schumer opposed the original guidance, saying that the contradicting information only added to the confusion individuals are already facing. The new guidance from the IRS follows the provisions in the Schumer-negotiated CARES Act, providing an avenue for direct cash assistance for the most vulnerable populations.

According to the Social Security Administration, New York has more than 3 million retired and disabled workers receiving Social Security benefits. Below is a breakdown of impacted New Yorkers in each county:

County

Retired Workers on SS

Disabled Workers on SS

Albany

44,140

8,610

Allegany

7,755

1,770

Bronx

126,160

39,975

Broome

32,520

7,395

Cattaraugus

13,290

3,330

Cayuga

12,520

2,590

Chautauqua

23,110

5,245

Chemung

14,500

3,780

Chenango

8,945

2,120

Clinton

12,845

4,025

Columbia

11,595

2,010

Cortland

7,140

1,475

Delaware

8,670

1,615

Dutchess

42,825

8,480

Erie

141,520

30,830

Essex

7,090

1,375

Franklin

7,830

2,065

Fulton

9,405

2,585

Genesee

9,915

2,080

Greene

8,690

2,015

Hamilton

1,360

140

Herkimer

11,305

2,375

Jefferson

14,765

3,530

Kings

238,735

47,025

Lewis

4,080

890

Livingston

10,330

2,090

Madison

10,780

2,100

Monroe

114,385

23,940

Montgomery

9,015

2,145

Nassau

193,170

24,700

New York

194,710

27,880

Niagara

35,840

8,990

Oneida

37,425

8,825

Onondaga

69,845

14,310

Ontario

19,910

3,315

Orange

45,415

10,070

Orleans

6,465

1,630

Oswego

18,035

4,910

Otsego

10,725

1,870

Putnam

13,965

2,225

Queens

251,800

36,485

Rensselaer

24,115

5,190

Richmond

60,895

13,755

Rockland

41,320

5,230

St. Lawrence

16,650

4,610

Saratoga

37,175

5,840

Schenectady

22,935

5,120

Schoharie

5,515

1,125

Schuyler

3,535

740

Seneca

5,765

1,305

Steuben

16,310

3,785

Suffolk

210,475

37,530

Sullivan

11,995

2,890

Tioga

8,655

1,770

Tompkins

12,340

1,925

Ulster

29,810

5,945

Warren

13,170

2,720

Washington

9,990

2,570

Wayne

15,850

3,525

Westchester

128,465

15,680

Wyoming

6,640

1,375

Yates

4,650

820

NYS Total

2,548,783

486,264

Schumer pens letter asking Trump to appoint military officer to lead production and distribution of medical supplies

By Billie Owens

From Senator Charles Schumer's Office:

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer today sent a new letter to President Trump this afternoon (April 2) calling on the administration to immediately appoint a senior military officer as "Czar" to complete and rapidly implement a government-wide plan for the increased production, procurement and distribution of critically needed medical devices and equipment, with full and complete authority under the Defense Production Act (DPA) he originally pushed to invoke.

Schumer says that with more than 85,000 cases of COVID-19 spreading across all 62 counties in New York, that the present personnel are "not up for the job." There's a continued shortage of masks, gowns and other personal propection equipment, and ventilators.

"No one is really in charge of getting these critical items to where they are needed," Schumer said.

He emphasized that as the coronavirus spreads rapidly and its toll grows more severe, a state of affairs further compounded by the administration’s tardy response to the crisis, the immediate appointment of a senior military officer to help remedy the country’s well-documented shortage of protective equipment, tests, and medical supplies is paramount.

Read Schumer’s letter to President Trump here.

Schumer: This month NYS to get nearly $16B in direct federal aid to fight coronavirus

By Billie Owens

Press release:

From the three passed Congressional bills in response to the coronavirus emergency, and the FEMA Major Disaster Declaration, which was aggressively advocated for by Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York State and state-funded agencies have already received, or will soon receive, at least $15.9 billion in direct federal aid.

New York can and should put these funds to work to fight the coronavirus public health emergency and to address its budget challenges.

CARES ACT/Coronavirus 3: $10.2 Billion

  • State Relief Fund: $5.1B
  • MTA: $3.8B

Education funding going directly to NYS:

  • Education Stabilization Fund: $1.16B
  • Child Care Community Grants: $162.4M

Coronavirus 2 Families First Legislation:

  • FMAP: $5.2B ($6.7B in aid shared with NYC/counties that pay a share of Medicaid)

FEMA Disaster Declaration: $426 million

  • New York State has obligated $426 million from the Disaster Relief Fund for COVID-19. Congress just appropriated $45 billion in new dollars for the DRF which will ensure that New York State gets billions in FEMA reimbursement for COVID-19.

TOTAL IN MARCH: $15.9B

$5.1 billion in state and local aid via State Relief Fund

Despite strong opposition from Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who pushed for no state & local aid, Sen. Schumer secured substantial support for New York and its largest municipalities. The CARES Act provides $7.5 billion in aid to New York governments, including $5.2 billion to the state, $1.5 billion to New York City, and proportional amounts to the largest counties. Secretary Mnuchin, on a 3/26 call with the nation’s governors, pledged to give maximum flexibility on the implementation of this legislation, and to allow for a broad range of expenses and rapid deployment of funds to states in need.

$3.8 billion to the MTA

The MTA is primarily funded via New York’s budget. Schumer fought massive GOP opposition to secure $25 billion in Federal Transit Administration formula funds and maximized New York’s share.

$5.2 billion in Emergency FMAP aid

On March 14, Congress passed the second coronavirus response legislation, which provided $6.7 billion in Emergency FMAP aid to New York State ($5.2 billion) and the counties and NYC ($1.5 billion), which share the Medicaid payment burden. The federal share of Medicaid payment was increased to 56.2 percent. There is no legal or procedural barrier to New York accepting these funds.

$1.16 billion in the Education Stabilization Fund and $162.4 million in Child Care Grants

These two streams of funding address critical needs at the state and local level. The Education Stabilization Fund includes primary, secondary and university levels.

MORE ON FMAP

As part of the Coronavirus 2/Families First legislation, House Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi included a “Maintenance of Effort” (MOE) provision to guard against (mainly Republican) states that are hostile to Medicaid from receiving billions in aid and then cutting the Medicaid program.

The Cuomo administration has indicated it wishes to cut costs in its Medicaid program next year and has made a number of cost-cutting proposals via its Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT), which must be approved, rejected or altered by the legislature in the budget.

Some of the MRT proposals, like provider cuts, do not run afoul of the MOE, others, like program cuts, may run afoul of it. It is important to note that New York has indicated it is voluntarily delaying the potential provider cuts.

To guarantee receiving the $5.2 billion in FMAP funds now, it could also choose to delay the proposed program cuts, until the eFMAP funds are dispersed, as part of the pending budget.

ADDITIONAL WAYS THE CARES ACT WILL HELP NEW YORK MEET FINANCIAL CHALLENGES

States Access to Treasury Lending: As part of the $450 billion that we have authorized for use by the Treasury to inject capital into our system and provide needed liquidity to many different industries, we insisted that one such vehicle specifically provide liquidity to state and local governments. The Secretary committed to including an explicit reference to the importance of such a facility in the text of the bill.

The bill states that the Secretary shall “seek the implementation of a program or facility… that provides liquidity to the financial system that supports lending to States and municipalities.” Therefore, we believe that the Fed is likely to establish a facility in which market participants that will provide lending to states and municipalities at low-rates and generous terms. The establishment of this facility will provide states with access to much needed capital and serve as another resource for them to help stabilize their budgets and unforeseen needs.

FEMA: New York State has obligated $426 million from the Disaster Relief Fund for COVID-19. C-3 just appropriated $45 billion in new dollars for the DRF which will ensure that New York State gets billions in reimbursement for COVID-19.

FEMA eligible expenses (partial):

  • Management, control and reduction of immediate threats to public health and safety
  • Emergency medical care
  • Movement of supplies and persons
  • Security and law enforcement
  • Communications of general health and safety information to the public
  • Search and rescue to locate and recover members of the population requiring assistance

Schumer delivers $40B+ for New Yorkers with passage of 'Corona 3' bill

By Billie Owens

Press release:

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer formally announced today (March 25) the expected passage of the latest COVID-19 emergency package he directly negotiated, delivering $40B+ dollars to the state and its citizens.

In reaching an agreement, the Senate will help New York address the coronavirus crisis, support our local communities, and most importantly put workers first.

“This is not a moment of celebration but rather one of necessity,” Senator Schumer said. “The more than $40 billion dollars of additional help on the way to New York is essential to save lives, preserve paychecks, support small businesses, and much more.

"These critical dollars will inject proverbial medicine into our state, city and localities throughout Upstate New York, to deliver much-needed resources, right now, that can help combat the coronavirus. Like all compromise legislation, this bill is far from perfect — but it now does much more for this state, its people and its future than what we began with.”

'Unemployment Insurance on Steroids'

First, this relief package includes a dramatic and historic expansion and reform of the unemployment insurance program, something Schumer has called "Unemployment Insurance (UI) on steroids." He conceived this plan with an understanding of how the modern New York economy functions and to provide more generous benefits during this crisis to a greater number of New Yorkers, including those who have non-traditional employment like freelancers and gig workers.

The extended and expanded UI program in this agreement increases the maximum unemployment benefit amount by $600 per week above one’s base unemployment compensation benefit and ensures that workers who are laid off or out of work, on average, will receive their full pay for four months, a full quarter.

It ensures that all workers are protected whether they work for small, medium or large businesses, along with the self-employed and workers in the gig economy, who might travel from Long Island or Upstate to work in the city each day. The $260 billion dollar plan will deliver at least $15 billion directly to New York. Payments of $1,200 for individuals and $2,400 for couples accounts for another $15.5B to New York.

'Marshall Plan for Hospitals'

The second major priority of Schumer’s negotiating was to deliver a Marshall Plan for our hospitals and other medical facilities so they can provide necessary care during this pandemic. Schumer was able to create this plan and include more than $150 billion for it nationally. Given the New York is the national epicenter of the pandemic, billions of dollars will begin flowing to New York right away.

The money will be available to fund efforts critical to defeating the virus. That includes a massive new grant program for hospitals and health care providers, personal and protective equipment for health care workers, testing supplies, increased workforce and training, new construction to house patients, emergency operation centers and more.

Additional funding is also dedicated to delivering Medicare payment increases to all hospitals and providers to ensure that they receive the funding they need during this crisis, and new investments in our country’s Strategic National Stockpile, surge capacity and medical research into COVID-19.

Stablizing the Ones Hardest Hit

Third, Schumer, a proud fighter for state and local governments, negotiated a special program to deliver relief to those entities, to help stabilize the ones hardest hit by the virus, like Westchester. An expenditure relief fund of roughly $150 billion dollars will deliver at least $7.5 billion to New York, with more than $168 million going to Westchester County, over $159 million headed toward Erie County, and more than $128 million for Monroe County.

Small Business Rescue Plan

Fourth, Schumer, a longtime champion of small businesses across New York negotiated a small business rescue plan that allocates more than $375 billion to forgivable loans and grants to small businesses and nonprofits so they can maintain their existing workforce and help pay other expenses during this crisis, like rent, a mortgage or utilities.

The self-employed, independent contractors, and sole proprietors are eligible for assistance. New York, with its 2.2 million small businesses and tens-of-thousands of nonprofits can expect to see billions of dollars once companies and organizations begin to apply for those funds.

NYS small businesses that currently have more than 19,000 existing SBA loans will also have relief from the burden of paying those loans with a new policy of the SBA instead paying the principal, interest, and fees for a six-month period.

'Emergency Appropriations'

Finally, Schumer negotiated several “emergency appropriations” totaling $180 million that range from:

  • Billions for hard-hit airports;
  • Expanded benefits to SNAP;
  • Increased Community Development Block Grants, which helps all our municipalities;
  • Funding for child care, of which New York would receive an additional $162 million;
  • Nutrition for seniors;
  • Nearly $1 billion dollars to help heat homes when income becomes a problem
  • And $1.5 billion for the National Guard to support to the hardest hit States and territories, like New York where approximately 2,200 members of the National Guard have been activated, amongst other things. New York will see tens of billions od dollars from this account, as well.

Since Sunday, Schumer made several significant improvements to the bill that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell first introduced. Here are some of the improvements:

  • Four months of more unemployment insurance instead of 3 months;
  • $55 billion increase in the Schumer "Marshall Plan" for our Health Care System;
  • $6.3 billion for the Strategic National Stockpile for critical medical supplies, personal protective equipment, and life-saving medicine;
  • $150 billion for a state and local Coronavirus Relief Fund;
  • $10 billion for SBA emergency grants of up to $10,000 to provide immediate relief for operating costs once a small business or nonprofit has applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan;
  • $17 billion for SBA to cover six months of payments for small businesses with existing SBA loans;
  • $30 billion in emergency education funding and $25 billion in emergency transit funding;
  • $30 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to state and local governments, as well as private nonprofits providing critical and essential services;
  • $30.75 billion for grants to provide emergency support to local school systems and higher education institutions to continue to provide educational services to their students and support the ongoing functionality of school districts and institutions;
  • Make rent, mortgage and utility costs eligible for SBA loan forgiveness;
  • Ban stock buybacks for the term of the government assistance plus one year on any company receiving a government loan from the bill;
  • Establish robust worker protections attached to all federal loans for businesses;
  • Create real-time public reporting of Treasury transactions under the Act, including terms of loans, investments or other assistance to corporations;
  • Add a retention tax credit for employers to encourage businesses to keep workers on payroll during the crisis;
  • Provide income tax exclusion for individuals who are receiving student loan repayment assistance from their employer;
  • Eliminated $3 billion bailout for Big Oil;
  • Eliminated “secret bailout” provision that would have allowed bailouts to corporations to be concealed for six months;
  • Saved hundreds of thousands of airline industry jobs and prohibited airlines from stock buybacks and CEO bonuses.

Schumer pushes NY-specific measures into COVID-19 bill, unlocking nearly $2 million for GC

By Billie Owens

Press release:

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced today that the Senate has passed another bipartisan emergency legislative package to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19), sending the bill that will deliver billions of dollars to New York, and millions to the counties, to President Trump for his signature.

Schumer successfully pushed to include a cost-sharing provision in the legislation so New York’s counties, which pay part of Medicaid’s costs, benefit from the increase federal Medicaid support. Schumer has successfully championed this provision in prior disaster response legislation, including after 9/11, Hurricane Sandy and the 2008 financial meltdown.

The Schumer-backed emergency measure delivers billions to New York and its counties immediately, while the state, city and local governments works to contain the virus’s spread and cover mounting costs in new "hot spots."

“Enhanced FMAP funds are so important because they are immediate and flexible. The state – which gets billions and the most of any state in the nation – and counties use the money they save on whatever they want, alleviating pressure from the crisis,” Senator Schumer said.

“New York is the national epicenter in the coronavirus fight and this bill will ensure New York and its counties have the tools, the dollars, and the federal resources to go at the virus with full force. I am proud to deliver this support that will unlock billions for New York state and send money directly to counties on the front lines of this battle as we all work together to contain the virus’s spread and cover mounting costs.”

Schumer explained that statewide dollars related to healthcare funds known as “FMAP," unemployment benefits, and meals for seniors who might become homebound were included in the final bill, and said all of this will mean billions for New York. Schumer called on Leader McConnell to work with him last week to send the measure to President Trump’s desk ASAP.

“This passed in the Senate with bipartisan effort because we recognize the challenges that states, especially New York, are facing in the coronavirus battle,” added Schumer. “These are dollars for New York healthcare, free testing, paid emergency leave, unemployment insurance, meals for homebound seniors, and other critical efforts that are needed to sustain the mission.”

Schumer said he scored the haul by temporarily adjusting the state’s Medicaid reimbursement rate. Right now, the federal government pays 50 percent of expenses for Medicaid in New York. Under the deal, the feds would temporarily pay approximately 56 percent.

New York Essentials

+$6B in healthcare funds for New York -- Schumer explained, once signed by President Trump, on an annual basis, the bipartisan deal will deliver more than $6 billion in critical healthcare dollars to New York in the form of what is called “FMAP,” which encompasses the state’s Medicaid program. That program is jointly funded by the federal government and the states. FMAP is a matching rate enacted in 1965 that determines the federal funding share for state Medicaid programs.

The federal government matches state funds spent on Medicaid, based on the state’s FMAP, which varies by state. For example, New York’s FMAP is 50 percent. This means that for every dollar spent on Medicaid in New York, New York’s share of the cost is fifty cents (this 50 cents, in turn, is split between the State and Counties and localities), while the federal government chips in the other 50 cents.

Only some states have FMAPs of 50 percent and New York is one — Schumer’s efforts increased the federal share of New York’s Medicaid program to 56.2 percent, thereby dropping the state’s share to 43.8 percent. This delivers more federal dollars immediately to the state and localities, to the tune of more than $6B annually.  

The Breakdown

State share: $5.26 billion

NYC share: $1.038 billion

Counties share: $436 million

  • Genesee County: $1.9 million

​The Medicaid program plays a critical role in helping states respond to disasters and public health emergencies like the coronavirus. For example, Medicaid was able to provide enhanced funding and coverage in response to the Zika virus outbreak in Puerto Rico. There are also millions of Americans who depend on Medicaid for access to essential health care, including vaccines and diagnostic tests.

Recognizing that New York State and localities are in dire need of direct fiscal aid and are forced to share the cost of Medicaid, Schumer in 2009, fought to make sure that New York State counties and localities received direct aid from FMAP through the financial crisis, a roughly $12B package. Even farther back, in 2003, Schumer was successful in getting a share of FMAP for states during an economic downturn, of $10 billion in fiscal relief through a temporary FMAP increase that lasted five fiscal quarters. 

$1B for people who might find themselves out of work—Schumer explained, once signed by President Trump, the Act will also deliver more than $1B in additional unemployment benefits to states, unlocking tens of millions of new dollars to help New York as the virus’s economic impacts risk taking effect. This emergency package would also waive certain measures, such as work search requirements or waiting weeks to those who have lost their jobs over the spread of coronavirus, or those who have been diagnosed. Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs provide unemployment benefits to eligible workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own, and meet certain other eligibility requirements.  

$15M dedicated specially to New York seniors who might need meals—Schumer explained, once signed by President Trump, the emergency bill will also include a special pot of $15 million for meals homebound seniors might require. The funds would be in addition to a larger federal tranche of hundreds of millions that would deliver more resources to local food banks and pantries. Schumer said the meals for seniors is especially important because these folks are most vulnerable to the virus and might need to remain socially isolated for a certain duration.

In addition to this bill, Schumer also negotiated and passed an emergency $8.3 billion coronavirus supplemental signed by President Trump last week that will deliver hundreds-of-millions to New York State, New York City and New York institutions as they wage the fight and ramp up virus testing measures. Moreover, yesterday, at Schumer’s urging, President Trump heeded the call to enact a national emergency. The disaster declaration will allow FEMA to provide emergency protective measures to the state at a 75 percent federal to 25 percent state cost share for a wide range of eligible expenses and activities.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act also delivers billions in free coronavirus testing, paid sick leave for workers, strengthens food assistance by $1B.

As of 8 a.m. today, March 18th, the New York Department of Health reported more than 1,300 cases in New York state, with 17 deaths.

While the immediate health risk to the majority of the American public is thought to remain low, Schumer has emphasized that the challenges of community spread have already begun to strain New York state and local government responses, particularly health departments, which is why this latest measure is so critical.

Confirmed Cases of Coronavirus In New York (8 a.m., March 18)

New York City

1,399 (10 deaths)

Albany

36

Allegany

1

Broome

1

Chenango

1

Clinton

1

Delaware

1

Dutchess 

20

Erie

7

Genesee

1

Greene 

2

Herkimer

1

Jefferson

1

Montgomery

1

Monroe 

14 (1 death)

Nassau

183 (1 death)

Niagara

1

Oneida

2

Onondaga

2

Ontario 

1

Orange

32

Putnam

2

Rensselaer

1

Rockland

30 (2 deaths)

Saratoga

14

Schenectady

5

Suffolk

116 (3 deaths)

Sullivan

1

Tioga

1

Tompkins

3

Ulster 

8

Westchester

538

Wyoming

1

Schumer, Gillibrand announce $9.2 million in DOT funds for Upstate roads ruined in storms last fall

By Billie Owens

Press release:

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has granted Upstate New York counties devastated by the Halloween storm last year, $9,200,000 in federal funding through the Emergency Relief (ER) program.

The $9.2 million will go toward repairing roads and highways in Upstate New York, both of which were seriously damaged during the flooding, including those in the NY-27 Congressional District.

“This grant is good news for everyone in Upstate New York," Schumer said. "Last Halloween, our state, from one corner to the other, saw severe damaged after being ravaged by heavy rain, flooding, and tempestuous winds.

"This federal aid will finally begin the process of healing and recovery for these Upstate communities and ease the burden of natural disasters on New York taxpayers."

Senator Gillibrand said: “I’m grateful we could deliver federal aid to communities across Upstate New York that are still suffering from the extensive damage caused by the Halloween storms. This grant is an important first step in ensuring these communities get the resources they need to rebuild.”

During the Halloween storm, 12 counties received at least 3 inches of rain, which is nearly a month’s worth in most Upstate areas, and 27 counties received flood warnings and flash flood warnings.

Furthermore, winds blew between 60 and 70 miles per hour, knocking down countless trees, destroying private property and leaving hundreds of thousands of Upstate New Yorkers without power.

In the Mohawk Valley, hundreds of residents were evacuated and many properties remain uninhabitable. The storm even tragically took the life of a priest, Father Tom Connery, in Herkimer County, who was trapped in his vehicle during one of the flash floods.

In Western New York, floodwaters and wind caused millions in damage across the Lakes Erie and Ontario shorelines.

Schumer and Gillibrand have long advocated for federal recognition of the disaster and called repeatedly for funding to begin repairs. The DOT funding will go toward the 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, and 27 Congressional districts.

Schumer details $8.5B emergency plan to fight coronavirus in the U.S.

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer today released a detailed proposal for $8.5 billion in emergency funding to fight the spread of coronavirus in the United States.

“Congress must act swiftly to confront the threat of this global health crisis,” Schumer said. “This proposal brings desperately needed resources to the global fight against coronavirus.

"Americans need to know that their government is prepared to handle the situation before coronavirus spreads to our communities. I urge the Congress to move quickly on this proposal. Time is of the essence.”

With no plan to deal with the potential public and global health crisis related to the novel coronavirus, the Trump Administration made an emergency supplemental appropriations request on Monday.

It was too little and too late — only $1.25 billion in new funding. For context, Congress appropriated more than $6B for the Pandemic Flu in 2006 and more than $7B for H1N1 (Swine) flu in 2009.

The administration’s request also asked Congress to reprogram funding dedicated to fighting Ebola — still considered an epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the second-biggest Ebola epidemic ever recorded, behind the West Africa outbreak of 2014-2016) — to deal with the coronavirus, which would make American people and the world less safe.

America must prepare for — and aggressively combat — all infectious diseases with urgency and vigor. In order to do so, we need a comprehensive plan and robust resources to execute a mission.

Thus far, the Trump Administration has failed to develop a plan and request the appropriate resources from Congress. Many of our states and cities have been left to foot the bill. The Schumer Supplemental request will address these problems.

1. $1.5B for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention—Including for the Infectious Disease Rapid Response Reserve Fund (IDRRRF​)and Global Health Security

a. CDC is at the front lines of America’s domestic and international response to the coronavirus. This funding is needed to strengthen critical support to state and local health departments, bolster laboratory work, and more.

Other activities, like the evacuation of American citizens from China, deployment of CDC staff to states and ports of entry, and the purchase of protective and laboratory equipment and supplies, have been supported by the IDRRRF, depleting this fund.

2. $3 billion for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund

a. The Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund helps drive our nation’s medical and public health preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters and public health emergencies. These funds would ensure our Department of Health and Human Services has the resources need to do the job and help contain the spread of this new virus.

3. $2 billion set-aside for State and Local Reimbursement

a. State and local health departments are on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak. Many cities, like New York, have already spent millions on personnel, lab equipment, and supplies. Additional expenditures are expected to include supplies for hospital triage and isolation spaces, as well as lab testing. Additionally, there’s significant need for staff and other resources to support the public health and healthcare response, including implementing the federal quarantine order. These activities require around-the-clock staffing, temporary housing, transportation, cleaning contracts, and wrap-around services.

4. $1B for the USAID Emerging Health Threats—Emergency Reserve Fund

a. The global health community is actively fighting the dual threats of Ebola and coronavirus in the midst of a potentially severe influenza season. This global response is a resource intensive effort. The international effort, led by the United States, is severely underfunded. The Emergency Reserve Fund allows USAID to respond to emerging health threats that pose severe risks to human health.

5. $1B for the National Institutes of Health—Vaccine Development

a. For the preclinical and clinical development and testing of vaccines and other medical countermeasures for the coronavirus.

Schumer pushes feds to declare health emergency for coronavirus to access and beef up funds to fight it

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Amid the unpredictable spread of the potentially fatal coronavirus, which has already been confirmed in three cases domestically, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer revealed today (Jan. 26) that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot access a special federal funding account known as the "Infectious Disease Rapid Response Reserve Fund" until the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), led by Secretary Alex Azar, officially declares a “public health emergency” related to the coronavirus.

Schumer made the case to affirm this emergency declaration and further revealed that in the recent budget deal he just negotiated, he was able to increase the very account relevant to combatting the coronavirus from $50 million to $85 million.

“If we have learned anything from the risks that new viruses pose to public health it is that a ‘stitch in time saves nine,’ and the more we can do to be proactive, the better off the public will be,” Schumer said.

“The CDC has been doing a tremendous job so far at being proactive and working around the clock to protect public health, but if we are going to make sure they can sustain this pace and remain at-the-ready should the outbreak get worse, they will need immediate access to critical federal funds that at the present time they remain unable to access.

"That is why, today, I am urging HHS to follow the CDC’s proactive lead: declare a formal public health emergency for the coronavirus. In doing so, HHS will unlock tens of millions for the CDC to access.”

Schumer explained that in the recent budget deal he just negotiated, he and Representative Nita Lowey, the chairwoman of House Appropriations Committee, were able to increase the account needed to combat the coronavirus from $50 million to $85 million.

Schumer explained exactly what the Infectious Disease Rapid Response Reserve Fund dollars will help the CDC achieve.

“The critical thing about these specific dollars is that the CDC has full discretion," Schumer said. "The agency can use them for whatever activities it deems appropriate, so long as they inform Congress. This kind of flexible funding needs to be unlocked now should this outbreak worsen."

Schumer said the dollars could also be used by the CDC for, amongst other things:

  • Epidemiological activities, such as contact tracing and monitoring of cases;
  • Additional or enhanced screenings, like at airports;
  • Support for state, local, and tribal health departments;
  • Public awareness campaigns
  • Increased staffing.

Schumer explained that the sole purpose of his push today is to ensure the feds have the dollars necessary to wage a proactive and ongoing war against this developing outbreak. Even though the current risk to the American public remains low, Schumer said the federal funds must be unlocked now so that the CDC has them at-the-ready.

He added that, thus far, the CDC’s work has been critically important and that the agency will need immediate access to more funds if coronavirus continues to infect more Americans. He made the case for the emergency declaration as he detailed what happens next at the federal level amid this developing outbreak.

Schumer also confirmed today that a SUNY Stony Brook professor, who was visiting family in Wuhan, China, has been unable to return to the United States as a result of China’s lockdown. Schumer said today that he has worked with the State Department and Embassy officials to ensure the SBU professor is in constant contact with U.S. officials. Schumer said the United States is working on arranging a flight home for the SBU professor.

The novel coronavirus (termed “2019-nCoV” by CDC) can cause a wide range of symptoms, from those similar to the common cold to more severe respiratory illness that can be fatal. There is currently no direct cure-all, but a vaccine is currently under development at the National Institutes of Health.

According to the Washington Post, Chinese officials first detected this new strain of the virus on Dec. 31 in Wuhan, China. They initially linked it to an unsanitary food market where seafood and mammals were sold for human consumption. Scientist said people who were sickened were likely to have eaten something infected with the virus.

To date, there are nearly 2,000 confirmed cases in China, more than 50 reported deaths, and confirmed cases across 10 countries. The first case in the United States, discovered in Washington State, was confirmed on Jan. 21st, and there have been reports of a second case in Illinois and a third in California.

In response to this outbreak, travelers from Wuhan, China are being screened for symptoms associated with the virus at five U.S. airports, including JFK. Additionally, China has placed travel restrictions on several cities and banned large public gatherings in an attempt to contain the virus.

To protect against infection, the CDC recommends basic hygiene techniques such as frequent hand washing, staying hydrated, and coughing into one’s arm or a tissue. If there’s a fear of animal transmission, CDC officials urge people to wash hands after contact with animals and thoroughly cook any meat before consumption.

Schumer calls on feds to end delay of care and benefits for Vietnam vets with Agent Orange conditions

By Billie Owens

On Monday, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer called on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to finally prioritize the health and well-being of Upstate New York veterans and finally end the years-long delay of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) effort to add additional diseases to the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list.

In Western New York, there are approximately more than 32,000 Vietnam-era veterans. Statewide, there are more than 240,000 of them.

2016 National Academies report found suggestive evidence that bladder cancer and hypothyroidism were associated with veterans’ service, as well as clarified that veterans with “Parkinson-like symptoms” (Parkinsonism) should be considered eligible under the presumption that Parkinson's disease and the veterans' service are connected.

Following this report, former VA Secretary David Shulkin announced that he would add these conditions to the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list in the near future, which would allow Vietnam War-era veterans stricken by these illnesses to receive additional health care benefits, disability compensation, and care benefits to surviving spouses and dependent children and parents.

But that announcement never came after OMB blocked the move.

In addition to the failure to include bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, and Parkinsonism on the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list, the VA has also yet to act on a 2018 National Academies report that found sufficient evidence of association between exposure to herbicides and hypertension.

Even though Schumer secured a provision in the recently passed budget deal requiring the VA to issue a report to Congress in consultation with OMB on the delay in adding these conditions to the presumptive conditions list, he said this is not nearly enough. He urged the agencies to take the necessary steps to ensure that the over 240,000 New York veterans, who risked their lives to defend their country, receive the health care and benefits they need and deserve.

Just last week, Schumer called recently confirmed OIRA Administrator Paul Ray directly and implored him, as the chief overlooking all federal government regulations, to immediately prioritize our veterans’ healthcare, take a personal interest in expanding their health benefits and add these conditions to the Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions List.

“It’s unfathomable that the administration is refusing to do right by our nation’s veterans, including the more than 240,000 New York veterans that bravely served during the Vietnam era, and has unilaterally blocked the VA from expanding healthcare benefits to those exposed to Agent Orange,” Senator Schumer said.

The Right Thing to Do

“After years and years of kicking the can down the road, it is high time for the federal government to accept the substantial proof linking bladder cancer, hypertension, hypothyroidism, and Parkinsonism to Agent Orange exposure, and add these conditions to the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list.

"It is absolutely incumbent on the administration to do everything within its power to clear a path for the VA, add these conditions to the list of Agent Orange illnesses, and finally allow veterans who are currently suffering access to the healthcare and benefits they rightly deserve; it’s not just the right thing to do, but it’s the very least we owe the brave New Yorkers who served and defended our country.”

In March of last year, Dr. Richard Stone, the executive in charge of the Veterans Health Administration, testified before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee that the recommended new presumptive conditions would be added within 90 days, which also never happened.

Furthermore, this past October, email communications between the VA and the White House revealed that the delays were at the behest of the OMB Director Mick Mulvaney and White House advisors, who were reportedly concerned about the potential cost of adding diseases to the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list.

Emails explaining the decision to hold off on adding the conditions to the presumptive conditions list can be found here.

Exposure to Herbicide 'Agent Orange' Inflicts 'Presumed Diseases'

Schumer 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 is scientific evidence linking Parkinsonism, bladder cancer, hypertension and hypothyroidism to Agent Orange exposure, they are not currently on the VA’s list of recognized conditions.

Schumer said that is absolutely crucial that the roughly 240,000 Vietnam-era veterans in New York State receive the healthcare benefits they need and deserve.

“Adding these diseases to the Agent Orange Presumption List would only benefit the brave service members who were exposed to this chemical during the Vietnam War and are suffering from its harmful effects,” Veterans Outreach Center Executive Director and Army veteran Laura Stradley said. “Veterans Outreach Center stands with our veterans, and we support the laws that allow our brothers and sisters to access much-needed healthcare, services and support.”

Schumer sounds alarm on GPS companies' failure to add at-grade railroad crossing data to their navigation systems

By Billie Owens

Press release:

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged leading technology companies that produce GPS applications to add data on all 5,358 New York State at-grade rail crossings into their programs without further delay. 

Writing to the chief  executive officers of the 10 most common GPS manufacturers that still have yet to implement the changes, Schumer explained that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), in 2016, recommended that these corporations, which include Google, INRIX, HERE Technologies, MapQuest, Omnitracs, OpenStreetMap US, Sensys Networks, Streetlight Data, Teletrac Navman, and United Parcel Service of America, include this information on at-grade rail crossings in their navigation systems.

The push for the added data follows a tragic accident in California that took the life of an engineer and injured 32 others. Since then, in New York State alone, between 2017 and 2019, there were 12 deaths and 44 injuries from at-grade rail crossing crashes.

Schumer explained that without this critical information, everyone who travels New York State, via train or automobile, is put squarely in harm’s way, and argued that given the near-universal commuter dependence on navigation applications, the GPS companies must incorporate this critical geographic data into their apps with all due haste.

“In today’s world, the use of portable GPS is a daily necessity for Upstate New York drivers to travel to and from work, to see families, to recreate, to shop and to drive almost anywhere," Senator Schumer said. "However, without data on perilous at-grade rail crossings included in these GPS applications and maps, countless drivers are left to venture blind into perilous—and potentially fatal—situations.

"That’s why today I’m urging the leading providers of portable navigation systems, from MapQuest to Google, to immediately add all 5,358 New York at-grade rail crossings—both public and private—to their systems. Even one preventable death from such an accident is one too many, and with 12 in New York alone since the NTSB first issued this vital recommendation, there is no more time to waste.”

Schumer explained that in 2015, the NTSB investigated a fatal crash in Oxnard, Calif., in which a train collided with a truck that had become lodged on the train track. The NTSB concluded that the driver, who was relying on a GPS application, misinterpreted the available audio and visual cues, causing him to turn onto the railroad tracks.

Schumer said that at the time of the crash, lights and gates at the crossing were not active because no train was approaching at the time.

Given those facts and details, NTSB recommended that navigation applications include grade crossing-related geographic data “to provide road users with additional safety cues and to reduce the likelihood of crashes at or near public or private grade crossings.”

Since the NTSB recommendation was issued, Schumer highlighted, there were 273 at-grade railroad crashes across the United States in 2017, the last year that data is available. Furthermore, in just New York State between 2017 and 2019, there were 12 deaths and 44 injuries from at-grade rail crossings.

Schumer argued that as New York State and the entire country make every effort to move towards zero traffic fatalities, even one preventable death is unacceptable, let alone 12. Schumer said without these vital safety improvements, commuters, train operators and pedestrians will continue to be at risk as they travel on roads that intersect public and private grade crossings.

In conclusion, Schumer urged the GPS companies to add all 5,358 at-grade crossings into maps and programs at once, to improve safety on New York State roads and highways and, inevitably, save precious lives.

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