$40 Million In Federal Funding For 16 Airports Across New York State Announced; Impact Of President’s Budget Bill On Local Families: Sen. Gillibrand

$40 Million In Federal Funding For 16 Airports Across New York State Announced; Impact Of President’s Budget Bill On Local Families: Sen. Gillibrand

Editor’s note: We have covered extensively the damage to low-income families that loss of funding for SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, and other programs that help low-income communities will have on the residents not just of New York State but around the country.  Senator Schumer visited Staten Island to talk about this issue as well.  Other states and counties rely more heavily on these programs, while at the same time their states generate less income from taxes and other revenue sources.  Consequently, they need the federal government’s help more than even New York.  So while impact will be felt here, it will be more acute in places like the Appalachian states and other lower income rural communities.  

SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE OVER $40 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR 16 AIRPORTS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE

Major Projects Include Nearly $22 Million For The Albany International Airport And Over $6 Million For The Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee, announced $40,600,450 in federal funding to upgrade airport facilities at sixteen airports across New York State. This federal funding was secured through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that the senators fought to pass, and it will help fund projects that modernize terminals, improve safety, and enhance passenger experience.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law is helping New York’s airports reach new heights! From big cities like Albany and Rochester to our rural communities, New York’s airports are a gateway for commerce and our tourism industry and vital connectors for residents and visitors. That’s why I fought to ensure they have the resources they need to deliver a safe and comfortable experience to travelers,” said Senator Schumer. “This $40+ million in federal funding will help our airports invest in key safety upgrades and modernization efforts. I’ve long fought to boost funding for New York’s airports and am thrilled to deliver federal resources to help our local economies take off.”

“This is a major investment in modernizing airports across our state,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This funding will upgrade some of the most trafficked airports in our state, including ROC and Albany International Airport – which is getting a whopping $21.9 million to renovate its main terminal. I was proud to help pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to secure this funding for our state and will continue fighting to finance critical restoration efforts at airports across the state and the country.” 

A full list of funding recipients can be found below:

GILLIBRAND HIGHLIGHTS IMPACT OF TRUMP’S BIG BEAUTIFUL BETRAYAL ON NEW YORK CHILDREN AND FAMILIES 

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference to highlight the catastrophic impact President Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” would have on New York’s children and families. More than 37 million children nationwide rely on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to access essential health care, and this legislation would threaten their ability to receive behavioral health treatment, vision and hearing screenings, and other basic care. Furthermore, additional and more onerous work requirements for SNAP included in the bill will apply to parents and households with children; this added red tape could force thousands of kids to go hungry when their parents lose access to benefits.

“Republicans’ proposed cuts to SNAP and Medicaid will hurt our kids,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Half of all patients at pediatric hospitals are covered by Medicaid, and thousands of children across the country rely on the Medicaid-funded checkups and mental and behavioral health care they get at school. Harsher work requirements for SNAP will also deprive hungry kids whose parents are struggling to find work of high-quality nutrition. This legislation is a betrayal of our kids and our families, and I am urging my Republican colleagues to reconsider it.” 

School districts across the country receive Medicaid funding to hire school nurses, psychologists, speech language pathologists, and other health professionals. Medicaid also funds the purchase of assistive technology and specialized equipment for students with disabilities. Stripping Medicaid of funding would force schools to lay off health staff and limit services, depriving many low-income kids of some of their only access to health care. Harsher work requirements for SNAP will force kids to go hungry if their parents cannot find work that covers the cost of child care, provides the minimum number of hours, and does not interfere with a school schedule or caring for a sick child.

You can watch the press conference above

Banner Image: Child eating. Image Credit – Providence Doucet