New York City

The lawsuit filed in state supreme court in Manhattan says the counties, which includes Chautauqua County, are interfering with the city’s right to contract with hotels located elsewhere in the state to temporarily house migrants.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, “This lawsuit aims to put an end to this xenophobic bigotry and ensure our state acts as one as we work together to manage this humanitarian crisis fairly and humanely, as we have done from the beginning and as we will continue to do.”

Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel issued a statement about the lawsuit, saying, “The County is aware of a recent lawsuit filed by the City of New York, and we will be unable to comment on pending litigation. Chautauqua County objects in the strongest possible way to the defamatory comments that the actions taken by the County are xenophobic bigotry.”

New York City declared a state of emergency in response to the tens of thousands of migrants bused to the city since last year from states along the U.S. southern border in a political dispute over border security.

Last month, the city said it was receiving 500 migrants per day and expected that number to increase. The City then announced that it would move some migrants to other parts of New York.

Last month, Wendel declared a state of emergency and issued an emergency order prohibiting not only municipalities from bringing and housing people in the County, but also, hotels and motels from housing immigrants without a license, and requiring any municipalities that might bring migrating or asylum-seeking people into Chautauqua County to ensure they will be fully cared for and paid for.

He said in a statement that the declaration was made out of concerns that the county didn’t have the services or the ability to provide additional assistance.

On Tuesday, a federal judge temporarily blocked suburban Rockland and Orange counties from enforcing bans on migrant housing. The judge said the bans illegally discriminate against migrants and violate their rights to travel freely within the state.

New York City’s lawsuit is seeking to strike down executive orders issued by the counties and bar them from being enforced.

The suit was announced the same day that Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that FEMA will provide $104.6 million in funding to help the city care for migrants.

The directive includes brands from more than 20 companies such as Elf Bar, Esco Bar and Eon Smoke.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the companies do not have marketing authorizations and are therefore illegal. The FDA has now placed these products on the “Red List,” which means that CBP can detain shipments without inspecting them.

A 2022 federal survey by the FDA and CDC found that of the 2.6 million youth who regularly use e-cigarettes, more than half of them use disposable products. In March, these three companies sold more than 215 million units across the U.S., accounting for 12 percent of the e-cigarette market – Elf Bar made up the majority of these sales.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announces potential funding increase for NYS hospitals (May 5, 2023)

Changes to Medicare payments could result in Chautauqua County hospitals receiving $14.1 million more a year in federal funding.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed a rules change could have an estimated annual nearly $1 billion impact for increased payments to upstate New York hospitals.

He explained that CMS proposes to amend the Medicare formula for hospitals, which for years have received less than the national average for the services they provide.

The estimated increases for hospitals in the county include UPMC Chautauqua receiving an additional $9,836,225; Brooks-TLC Hospital System receiving $3,444,566; and Westfield Memorial Hospital receiving an additional $850,340.

Schumer said this readjusted number will equate to much better healthcare in the state, “It will mean the ability to have more doctors to be attracted to our hospitals. More nurses, we’ve heard about the shortages of doctors and nurses, but they will be able to be there. It’s going to mean lower waiting times for people. It’s going to mean you’re going to be able to get an appointment more quickly. The amount of money going to our hospitals is well-deserved, is so large that just about every aspect of healthcare will improve.”

Schumer said he’s optimistic the change will be approved in August 2023. He added that hospitals would continue to receive these additional amounts each year and that there are no restrictions on how the funding can be used.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer shares concerns about the House Republican debt ceiling plan.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks on House Republican debt ceiling plan (April 26, 2023)

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks on House Republican debt ceiling plan (April 26, 2023)

House Republicans passed a debt ceiling hike Wednesday.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy pushed his package to raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion through the House in a close vote. But the White House continues to say that it will not negotiate on the issue.

The federal government could default as soon as early June.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted the House’s Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023, calling it a “gut punch” and a “Default On America,” “This plan means fewer jobs, higher costs for the American people, particularly average middle class people, would leave police, first responders, border patrol, and our brave veterans all hanging out to dry. There are dramatic slashes with each of those very necessary functions.”

Schumer said a clean debt ceiling had been passed before in a bipartisan manner twice under President Trump and once under President Obama.

Congressman Nick Langworthy issued a statement on the plan, saying, “Today, I was proud to vote for the Limit Save Grow Act that is the first step to breaking Washington’s addiction to spending and getting our nation’s finances back on track. This plan is a responsible, reasonable framework for spending reforms that the American people are demanding. It’s time for President Biden to stop the games and come to the table to negotiate.”

Schumer said the cuts in the House’s plan are not abstract including the possibility that 2 million New York residents could lose Medicaid coverage, “It slashes federal heating assistance, LIHEAP, that upstate families and seniors use to stay safe. We lose close to a billion dollars in LIHEAP and would reduce the average benefit a household would receive by $400. New York does better with LIHEAP than any other state and it would hurt us dramatically.”

Schumer said there could be a $144 million cut in SNAP benefits for New Yorkers which would affect 53,000 residents in the state.

Moody’s analytics warned that “dramatic” cuts to government spending in the House Republican’s plan would spark a 2024 recession that costs the economy 2.6 million jobs and lifts the unemployment rate near 6%.

A nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office analysis released Tuesday showed the Republican plan would reduce federal deficits by $4.8 trillion over the decade if the proposed changes were enacted into law.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer calls for Federal action on “swatting” calls while visiting Lockport (April 5, 2023)

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is calling for Federal action following a slew of “swatting” calls to schools in New York State over the past week.

Schumer said 36 of these “swatting” calls falsely reporting a mass shooting resulted in police responding to 226 schools across the state last week. At a stop in Lockport, one of the school districts affected by a “swatting” call, he said he called and had written to the Federal Bureau of Investigations about the issue.

Schumer also announced a three-point plan that he says will combat these threats that includes:
– Calling on the FBI for a full investigation and to hold those involved accountable
– Pushing for $10 million to go toward more federal resources to help tackle swatting
– Asking that the FBI track swatting as its own crime

“Swatting” has been a growing trend in recent years in which a phone call or false report is made to unsuspecting resident’s home, a school, or other public place in order to evoke a police or SWAT team response. Reports indicate that this string of ‘swatting’ hoaxes may have come from outside the U.S.

Schumer said these false alerts are not only terrifying for the victims, but they can also cost law enforcement thousands of dollars, delay response to actual emergencies, and have even resulted in injury or death of innocent bystanders. In 2014, on Long Island, one fake swatting bomb threat ended up costing police nearly $100,000 dollars.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist meets with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in Washington D.C.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist discussed workforce development concerns with representatives in Washington D.C. on a recent trip.

Sundquist was in the nation’s capitol for the National League of Cities‘ lobby day where he was able to meet with Congressman Nick Langworthy and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

He said part of day was spent discussing the Infrastructure Act and the concern from the White House over there being enough people to do the work of building new roads, bridges, and more, “And there was a really great discussion from senior leadership officials in the administration on how can cities be the driving force for workforce development? And how can we create models that can replicate across this country to train people to work on those items, that infrastructure, rebuilding our infrastructure across this country.”

Sundquist said one workforce development model is being worked on with the construction trades here in Jamestown, “The City Council allocated over a million dollars in workforce development funding. Half of that going to construction trades and the other half going to workforce development in terms of manufacturers, and other builders, and things like that. So, we’re working through that process now and we’re hoping to make sure that our workforce is on the cutting edge for what’s to come.”

Sundquist also discussed the importance of SNAP benefits and the need for the return of Essential Air Service to the Jamestown Airport with representatives.

Hear his comments on those topics and more on tonight’s Community Matters at 5:00 p.m. on 107.9 FM and streaming online at wrfalp.com

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announces broadband access expansion funding for NYS (March 29, 2023)

New York State is receiving $100 million for broadband access expansion.

The new federal investment comes from the $10 billion in the American Rescue Plan’s Capital Projects Fund.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said getting the American Rescue Plan act passed was one of his first acts as majority leader and that the fruits of that labor are being realized, “New York will receive $100 million in federal funding to help expand broadband and close the digital divide for communities across our great Empire State. It’ll connect over 100,000 families, homes, and businesses to affordable, high-speed internet.”

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said investing in the internet can create enormous economic opportunity, “It has lifelong impacts, especially for kids. Research suggests that it leads to business creation, lowers unemployment rates, creates jobs, raises property values, and improves life and health outcomes in our communities. One study found that every dollar invested in rural broadband could generate $3 to $4 of local economic impact.”

New York’s Affordable Housing Connectivity Program is a competitive grant program designed to fund high-speed, reliable broadband infrastructure to and within low-income housing buildings.

CPF funds will be used to upgrade internet access in affordable housing units. New York has submitted its plan to the U.S. Department of Treasury for review.

Last year, New York enrolled a record one million qualifying households in the federal Affordable Connectivity Program, a nationwide subsidy to expand broadband access to low-income households. The federal program, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provides discounts of up to $30 a month toward internet service for eligible low-income households.

Dave McCoy, Pierre Chagnon, PJ Wendel, Chuck Schumer, and Mark Geise

Chautauqua County officials recently met with U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer in Washington DC to discuss needs of the county.

County Executive PJ Wendel, County Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon, Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency CEO and Deputy County Executive of Economic Development Mark Geise; and County Watershed Coordinator Dave McCoy went over ongoing community, business and infrastructure needs.

Schumer said in a statement, “Whether it is securing millions for our local and county governments in the American Rescue Plan or delivering critical investment to keep our waters clean, airports humming and harbors bustling, I always have the people of Chautauqua County at the top of my mind – and will always fight to make sure their voices are heard in Washington. I am eager to continue to work closely with the County Executive Wendel and leaders across Chautauqua to continue to deliver federal investment that will help breathe new life into our downtowns, energize our rural areas and farms, and preserve Chautauqua County’s natural beauty for generations to come.”

Senator Chuck Schumer holds up letter he has sent to major railroad companies (March 7, 2023)

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is demanding answers from major rail companies just as Norfolk Southern released a six-point safety plan Monday four weeks after the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

Norfolk-Southern said their six-point plan is based on the preliminary findings of the National Transportation Safety Board as they continue investigating the derailment.

The February 3 derailment caused a fire and sent a cloud of smoke over the town, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate while railroad crews drained and burned off toxic chemicals. It has prompted calls in Congress to pass new railroad safety legislation.

While the NTSB’s investigation is ongoing, the agency has determined a wheel bearing was in the final stage of overheat failure before the crash.

Schumer outlined some of the 10 points of his letter to Norfolk Southern, CSX, and the other major railroads in a media call, “What notification do you provide to the state and local responders and now, more importantly, what changes will you make with notification in light of the recent derailment in Ohio? Two, how will you ensure local responders have the appropriate resources to respond to a train derailment? It’s not the railroads that have to respond, but local first responders.”

Schumer has requested a response to his letter within 30 days.

A bipartisan railway safety bill by the senators from Ohio would boost safety requirements for trains carrying hazardous materials, call for more frequent inspections of rail cars, increase fines for safety violations and greenlight $27 million to examine possible other safety improvements.

The bill would also require more frequent use of sensors that detect overheated wheel bearings.

Meanwhile, Norfolk Southern’s CEO Alan Shaw has agreed to testify on the Ohio train derailment before the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Thursday, March 9.

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