Press Releases
News for New York's Fifth Congressional District

• Ackerman Moves Revised Version of TRIA Extension Through House
  (Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, along with the Committee’s Chairman Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), today moved through the House, a revised bill to renew the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA). The measure includes several important provisions that were contained in the original House-passed bill but not included in the Senate-passed version of the legislation.
• Ackerman & Boustany Urge Secretary Rice to Adopt Pragmatic Steps at Annapolis Conference
  (Washington, DC) - U.S. Representatives Gary Ackerman (D-NY), the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, and Charles W. Boustany, Jr., (R-LA), are this afternoon sending a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to express Congressional support for the Bush Administration's efforts to convene an international meeting in Annapolis, Maryland about the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and to urge a number of practical steps to bolster the prospects for its success.
• Ackerman Commends Senate for Passing Terrorism Insurance Bill
  (Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Senior Member of the House Financial Services Committee, today applauded the Senate’s renewal of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), the federal government’s post 9/11 terrorism insurance program critical to rebuilding Ground Zero and other sites attacked by terrorists. However, Ackerman insisted that a final bill contain the more expansive provisions in the House-passed version.
• Ackerman Introduces Resolution Condemning Martial Law in Pakistan
  (Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, today introduced a resolution that condemns the imposition of martial law in Pakistan. The measure also calls on President Bush to suspend military assistance to Pakistan.
• Ackerman Secures Funds For Queens and Long Island Projects
  (Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Queens/L.I.) today secured millions in federal dollars for projects in Queens and Long Island. These include funds to help silence the blaring horns the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) is required to blast each time its trains pass through the quiet community of Little Neck, Queens; money to create a visitor’s center at the former Queens home – now a museum – of the late Louis Armstrong, the legendary jazz musician and funds for the annual operating budget of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point on Long Island. Ackerman obtained the money in the final version of the 2008 Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill. The measure passed the House late today by a vote of 270 to 147.
• Ackerman Blasts Bush for Unrest in Pakistan
  (Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, today made the following opening statement concerning the unrest in Pakistan during a hearing held by the Foreign Affairs Committee. The hearing was entitled “Democracy, Authoritarianism and Terrorism in Contemporary Pakistan.”
• Ackerman Brings Federal Money Back to Queens
  (Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Queens/L.I.) today announced that he has secured $640,000 to support projects in Queens as part of the 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education appropriations bill. The legislation passed the House of Representatives late last night. Ackerman's efforts will help the Zucker Hillside Hospital to modernize parts of its physical infrastructure, and will allow Queens Theater in the Park to help connect immigrant youth to the performing arts, one of New York's most dynamic industries.
• Ackerman Announces Federal Grant Opportunities for Fire Prevention and Safety
  (Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Queens/L.I.) today announced that the Department of Homeland Security is accepting applications for fire-safety funding under its Fire Prevention & Safety (FP&S) grants program. Those eligible to apply include fire departments and national, state and local organizations involved in fire prevention and fire safety activities. Examples of fire safety activities eligible under the program include public safety education campaigns, juvenile fire setter interventions, media campaigns, and arson prevention and awareness programs. Both private and public nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for funding under the program.
• Ackerman Praises Senate's Passage of Terrorism Insurance Bill
  (Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Senior Member of the House Financial Services Committee, today praised the Senate Banking Committee’s renewal of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), the federal government’s post 9/11 terrorism insurance program critical to rebuilding Ground Zero. Ackerman championed the program’s renewal in the House Financial Services Committee—which renewed the measure on August 1—and he helped win passage of TRIA’s extension in the full House which approved the bill on September 19.
• Ackerman Measure Condemning Syria and Iran's Interference in Lebanon Passed by House
  (Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) today led debate in the House of Representatives on his resolution condemning Iran and Syria for the campaign of murder, terror and intimidation they have instigated against the government and people of Lebanon. Ackerman, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, introduced the resolution, his second regarding Lebanon, following the recent visit of Sa'ad Hariri, the son of murdered former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, and the leader of Lebanon's parliamentary majority. Ackerman’s resolution passed this evening by a vote of 375 to 5.
• Ackerman Meets in D.C. with Armenian Genocide Survivors from Queens after Voting to Label the Killings of Millions of Armenians as Genocide
  (Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Queens/L.I.), Senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today welcomed the committee’s passage of a resolution that labels the World War I-era killings of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide. These atrocities, which occurred under the Ottoman Empire in Turkey, took place from 1915 to 1923.
• Ackerman Blasts Bush for Vetoing Children's Health Care Bill
  (Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Queens/L.I.) today blasted President Bush for vetoing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), legislation that would have provided critical health coverage for 10 million children. Ackerman issued the following statement after the President’s veto.
• Ackerman Hails Passage of Federal Flood Protection Bill; Measure Extends Protections to Queens and Long Island Homeowners and Condo-Owners
  (Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Queens/L.I.) today hailed the passage by the House of Representatives of legislation that extends added flood and wind protection to homeowners throughout the country, addressing many of the homeowners i