Sen.
Schumer: Any Military Cuts Will Not Affect Fort Drum
by Timothy W. Scee II
Special to Newzjunky.com
Published November 24, 2010
WATERTOWN, N.Y. — Thanksgiving
may be just one day away, but for U.S. Sen. Charles E.
Schumer, the 60-year-old seemed to be celebrating two days
early on his birthday, Tuesday afternoon, thanking voters
for their support at the Crystal Restaurant, 87 Public
Square.
“I got a very good margin in Jefferson County,”
Schumer said of the election results. “I was gratified
to get the votes, not only of Democrats, but many
Independents and Republicans.”
The senator, who has held his current office since 1999,
made it clear that Fort Drum would remain operable,
despite potential military cuts at the federal level in
the future.
“Fort Drum is suited for the 21st Century,” Schumer
said. “The 10th Mountain Division, the kind of soldiers,
light infantry that we have there are what’s needed more
and more.”
He added, “Even if there were military cuts, it would
not affect Fort Drum.”
As more proposed housing developments are being eyed,
including Creek Wood Apartments and Neighbors of
Watertown’s 18-19 family housing area at the former
Ogilvie Food site, Schumer said he would “hope to”
work with federal authorities to find additional housing
for when all Fort Drum brigades are expected to return in
2012.
“We have people who have to live, you know, 50 miles
away to find housing they can afford in Oswego, even in
Syracuse,” he said. “What I hope to do is get all of
the federal authorities who are involved with this- both
on the defense side and the civilian side- to come up with
new ideas and programs to help us."
Schumer said he plans to begin his next term with two
ideas in mind: “My focus the next six years will be like
a laser on jobs and the middle class,” Schumer said.
While mentioning a co-sponsored bill with Utah Sen. Orrin
G. Hatch, Schumer said he expects to create more jobs by
its payroll tax breaks for newly-hired employees.
“We passed a law that said any employer, whether it’s
a small employer like people here at The Crystal, or a
larger employer hire somebody who’s been unemployed,
they don’t have to pay the payroll tax for a year,”
Schumer said. “We have to get that extended for next
year.”
Schumer also blamed China for a loss of “thousands”
U.S. manufacturing jobs, claiming the country “doesn’t
play fair.”
“By manipulating their currency, China makes it
impossible for us to compete,” he said. “That is
unfair and it’s got to stop.”
The senior senator said the U.S. Senate would begin work
on a bill Monday, Nov. 29, to regulate China’s
“manipulating” of currency.
