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New York Becomes Only to Offer Free Four-Year College

Apr
10
2017

New York will be the only state in the country to cover four-year college tuition for residents after the program was included in the budget package approved Sunday night.

The state's Excelsior Scholarship program will be rolled out in tiers over the next three years, starting with full coverage of four-year college tuition this fall for students whose families make less than $100,000.

The income cap will increase to $110,000 in 2018 and $125,000 in 2019.

"With this budget, New York has the nation's first accessible college program. It's a different model," said Governor Andrew Cuomo Saturday in a statement. "Today, college is what high school was—it should always be an option even if you can't afford it."

According to...| read more ››

Schumer announces filibuster to stop Gorsuch Supreme Court appointment

Mar
23
2017

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer took to the Senate floor Thursday morning to announce his widely expected opposition to Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court -- and to say that Democrats will try to block his nomination.

“After careful deliberation, I have concluded that I cannot support Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court,” said Schumer, D-N.Y. “His nomination will have a cloture vote. He will have to earn 60 votes for confirmation. My vote will be no, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.”

By saying Gorsuch’s nomination will have a cloture vote, Schumer indicated that Democrats will try to block Gorsuch’s nomination through a filibuster -- which they can do unless Gorsuch...| read more ››

GOP health care plan would harm NY children, advocates say

Mar
18
2017

A children’s advocacy organization contends the American Health Care Act — the proposed replacement for Obamacare — would be devastating for youngsters in New York who are covered through Medicaid and the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program.

House Republicans are seeking support for a bill some have dubbed Trumpcare, which calls for deep cuts in public forms of insurance as the GOP attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, former President Barack Obama’s signature legislation.

“What we’re saying is that currently there are slightly more than 2 million kids covered by Medicaid and CHIP in New York, and both of these programs receive a significant amount of federal money,” said Benjamin Anderson, director of health policy for the Children’s Defense...| read more ››

Schumer: Trump cuts endanger 3,000 LI jobs at Brookhaven Lab

Mar
17
2017

Brookhaven National Laboratory would lose critical funding under President Donald Trump’s proposed budget, endangering nearly 3,000 jobs at the Upton lab, Sen. Chuck Schumer said Friday.

Standing inside one of BNL’s research centers, the National Synchrotron Light Source II, the senator decried a proposed $3 billion in cuts to the federal Department of Energy, saying critical research would be undermined and the local economy harmed.

BNL received more than $537 million last year from the department offices that have been targeted for reduced funding, Schumer and lab executives said.

“It’s a cut to knowledge, it’s a cut to research, and it’s a cut to good-paying jobs here on Long Island,” said Schumer, the Senate’s top Democrat. “It’s a cut to...| read more ››

Suffolk police: Violent crime down in 1st quarter of 2017

Mar
15
2017

Crime in Suffolk County, already at historic lows in 2016, is down 7.2 percent so far this year, Police Commissioner Timothy Sini said Wednesday.

Violent crime — categorized as murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault — dropped by nearly 25 percent through March 11 compared to the same period last year, Sini said during a news conference at Suffolk police headquarters in Yaphank.

“We’re targeting the right people, we’re targeting the right spots and we are collaborating with the community to solve problems,” he said. “That is why you see reductions in crime across the board.”

Sini said the opiate epidemic remains the biggest challenge facing Suffolk police. His cops have executed 54 drug-related search warrants this year compared to...| read more ››

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