New York City

January 26, 2010 – Washington, DC – After hearing news that the Bronx was one of the communities with the highest hunger rates in the nation, Congressman José E. Serrano today called for an immediate effort to increase access to food and food assistance.

“We feared that this recession could have an effect on our hunger rates in the Bronx, which were already too high, and now we have learned that our fears have become reality. We must take immediate steps to combat this problem, in all ways that we can.    » read more »

Statement From Governor David A. Paterson And Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg

JANUARY 19, 2010 -- This afternoon New York State's Race to the Top application was filed with the federal government.

"Today is a sad day for the children of New York, for the tens of thousands of students on wait lists for charter schools and for the thousands more who need and deserve better educational choices. We are disappointed that we may now miss out on an opportunity to receive unprecedented federal funding for our schools and our children. It is unthinkable that after being advised to make specific changes to enhance our application, the Legislative Leaders could not come to an agreement on legislation that would have significantly increased our competitiveness.    » read more »

United States Attorney Charges Former Democratic Majority Leader of Yonkers City Council, Former Yonkers Republican Party Chief, and Attorney with Public Corruption Crimes; Former Yonkers City Councilwoman Sandy Annabi Allegedly Received More Than $160,000 in Secret Payments

January 6, 2010 -- PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; JOSEPH M. DEMAREST, JR., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI"); and PATRICIA J.    » read more »

Electricity Systems Now Talking to Each Other Thanks to Smart Grid Technology

LINDEN, N.J. -- December 08, 2009 -- Two major Northeastern US power grids, in New Jersey and New York City, are now talking to each other and dispatching energy more efficiently and reliably using breakthrough GE smart grid technology and capital, the company announced today.

Three massive “variable frequency transformers” are converting up to 315 megawatts of electricity – enough for up to 300,000 homes – from the power system in New Jersey and feeding it to New York City.    » read more »

Funding Addresses Security Needs Of High-Threat, High-Density Urban Areas and Assists Them In Preventing and Responding to Acts of Terrorism

December 8, 2009 -- Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency has allocated a total of $151,579,096 to New York City and Long Island for the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI).

UASI grants are part of the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) designed to enhance the ability of state, territory, local and tribal governments to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks and other disasters.    » read more »

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, the Brady Campaign, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence Join Lawmakers to Introduce Gun Trafficking Prevention Act

November 24, 2009 -- New York, NY - Joined by some of the nation's top anti-crime leaders, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Carolyn McCarthy today announced a new measure authored by Gillibrand and McCarthy aimed at eliminating the steady flow of illegal guns into New York.    » read more »

10 Most Prescribed Drugs Marked Up 213% Higher Than in Canada

11.22.09 -- New York City – Representative Anthony Weiner (D – Brooklyn and Queens), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee and Representative Carolyn Maloney (D – Manhattan and Queens), following news reports that drug companies have been raising drug prices for the most popular drugs in anticipation of health care reform passing, released a new study showing drug companies charging New York consumers 213% more than Canadians for the ten most prescribed drugs.    » read more »

November 16, 2009 – Washington, DC – Congressman José E. Serrano today announced that several local groups had been awarded matching grants by the IRS to fund their Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Serrano helped to start and fund this vital grant program when he became chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the IRS’s budget.

Included in the latest funding list are the following Bronx organizations: Food Bank for NYC/Food for Survival, Inc. in the Bronx ($115,000); The NYC Financial Network Action Consortium ($90,000) and SEEDCO ($50,000).    » read more »

Top 10 Ways NYC Benefits from Health Care Reform

11.08.09 -- New York City – Today, Representative Anthony Weiner (D – Brooklyn and Queens), a member of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee and Co-Chair of the Caucus on the Middle Class, released a new study on the impact of the health reform bill which passed the House of Representatives late last night on New York City.    » read more »

Urge City to make commitment to keep Center in Coney Island indefinitely, beyond lease expiration of May 2010

October 16, 2009 -- NEW YORK, N.Y. – Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Councilman Domenic Recchia, State Senators Diane Savino and Carl Kruger, and Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny expressed thanks to Robert Doar, Commissioner of the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA), for his willingness to maintain services at the City’s Coney Island Food Stamp Center.    » read more »

October 15, 2009 -- The New York City Department of Education's test-based promotion and retention policy, which identifies and provides support for struggling students, has demonstrated positive effects for student achievement in fifth grade that continue into seventh grade, according to a new RAND Corporation study issued today.

Researchers found that the policy helped students boost their performance on state assessment tests, a critical step toward advancing to the next grade level. The study also found that students retained under the policy didn't suffer negative social or emotional effects as a result of repeating a grade level.    » read more »

Mayor Bloomberg proclaims New York City Wind Energy Day as AWEA rings NASDAQ Closing Bell

October 13, 2009 -- New York City – As the Honorable Michael Bloomberg offers an official proclamation declaring Wednesday, October 14, to be “New York City Wind Energy Day,” the wind energy industry descends on New York City’s Times Square for the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) two-day Wind Power Finance & Investment Workshop. Featured activities will include AWEA ringing the NASDAQ Closing Bell, as well as the premiere of a wind power video in Times Square.    » read more »

October 9, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. -- Reps. Mike Castle (R-DE) and Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), House architects of the Gun Show Loophole Closing Act (HR 2324), today praised Mayor Bloomberg's undercover investigation by the City of New York of illegal sales of firearms at gun shows in three states, and the report's recommendation for closing the gun show loophole.

Reps. Castle and McCarthy believe that now is the ideal time for HR 2324 to gain traction in Congress as Senator Frank Lautenberg introduced similar legislation and on the 2008 Presidential campaign trail, the concept enjoyed the bipartisan support of both candidates.    » read more »

Major Boost For High Threat Areas, Transit, And Ports; House and Senate Set to Approve DHS Funding Bill Next Weeks

October 9, 2009 -- (New York, NY) – In light of Najibullah Zazi’s efforts to stage a terrorist attack against New York City's mass transit system, U.S. Representative Joseph Crowley and U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced today that New York City is in line to receive millions in additional security funding to protect our city against terrorist attacks.    » read more »

NJ Senator Is Author of Legislation To Require Background Checks At Gun Shows

October 7, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), the author of legislation to close the gun show loophole, today applauded a City of New York investigation that exposed overwhelming evidence that criminals and terrorists can easily access firearms at gun shows.    » read more »