Broome County

Congressman Maurice Hinchey has a proven record of getting results for the communities he represents. Since 1995, he has delivered nearly $4 billion for the 22nd Congressional District, including more than $3 billion for Broome, Delaware and Tioga Counties. In the last two years, Hinchey has secured more than $669 million for projects in the Southern Tier.

These federal investments in our region have created jobs, helped communities provide the infrastructure for economic growth, have made low-cost capital available for business startups and expansion, strengthened our schools and health care systems, promoted our tourism industry and lured new businesses to the area.

Highlights from the 109th Congress included:

Endicott TCE Cleanup

Since 2003, Hinchey has spearheaded the fight to fully investigate and clean-up trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination in Endicott that has leeched into the ground water. Dissatisfied with the tepid response to the dangerous contamination from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and other agencies, Hinchey has aggressively pursued the case, including successfully urging the DEC to reclassify the site as a Class 2 contamination site on the state's Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites, meaning the site poses a significant threat to public health and the environment and mandating new levels of regulatory oversight. Hinchey also brought the attention of the federal government to the site, passing legislation to make the Endicott spill a high-priority investigation for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The action precipitated the drafting of a Public Health Response Plan and a comprehensive health study.
Hinchey continued his efforts in the 109th Congress, bringing the problem of vapor intrusion to the attention of the NYS Assembly and testifying before the Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation in an Endicott field hearing for continued diligence in examining and remediating the health hazards posed by the Endicott contamination.
In a February 2005 letter to New York State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Novello, Hinchey called on the state agency to implement stronger guidelines on TCE exposure. Hinchey's request followed an EPA decision to strengthen the TCE standards for a contaminated site in East Fishkill, which has a much lower population concentration than Endicott.
Hinchey used his position on the House Interior Appropriations Committee in May 2005 to insert language in an appropriations bill requiring the EPA to work with New York State to develop interim protective measures for TCE exposure, until the agency takes its expected action on a new TCE risk assessment in 2007.
Following the release of a NYS DOH/U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) report, a study initiated by Hinchey's 2003 legislation, which detailed increased rates of certain types of cancer and birth defects for the people of Endicott, Hinchey called for more comprehensive studies to determine in greater detail the health risks posed by TCE. Hinchey also urged residents to use the 30-day public comment period to come forward with their health concerns and share their comments on the new report with the New York State Department of Health.
In September 2005, in an effort to get the federal government to focus more on the dangerous health effects of vaporized TCE that have impacted residents and workers in Endicott and elsewhere, Hinchey called for congressional investigations into the toxic substance that has been shown to cause certain types of cancer and birth defects. Hinchey wrote to the chairs and ranking members of two House committees with jurisdiction over toxic contamination, asking for them to hold hearings on the health impacts of TCE and to review how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can better protect the public from the substance.
After Endicott village officials were not notified of a 10,000-gallon chemical spill at the Huron Campus in April 2006, Hinchey wrote a letter to the state DEC and DOH demanding that immediate notification become a part of their normal procedures for dealing with such incidents. The agencies pledged to put more formal notification procedures in place.
In August 2006, acknowledging that the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) process for developing more stringent guidelines on TCE exposure is moving "at a glacial pace," Hinchey urged New York State Health Commissioner Antonia C. Novello to move forward with state regulations to better protect residents from the health hazards posed by the toxic chemical. In a letter to Novello, Hinchey called on the state Department of Health (DOH) to incorporate the results of a recent National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report as it promulgates new guidelines for TCE and to move forward expeditiously with setting a more stringent standard.
Defense Contract for Southern Tier Businesses
The Southern Tier's defense manufacturing industry is the largest segment of the region's private sector employment base. In addition to fighting to secure the Marine One contract for Lockheed Martin and working for Lockheed Martin and BAE System's non-defense contracts, Hinchey has been a champion of other local businesses' federal contracts, including:

Johnson Outdoors/Eureka Tents: In May 2005, Hinchey worked with the Defense Department to secure a $15.9 million contract for Eureka Tents, preventing layoffs at the Conklin facility. The company received an emergency order for 2,510 general purpose tents to be delivered to the Pentagon over the following eight months. In the 2007 Defense Appropriations bill, Hinchey earmarked $2.75 million for additional purchases from Eureka Tents. Of the $2.5 million allocation, $1.65 million will be used for the Marines and $1.1 million will by used for the Army.
L-3 Link: Hinchey successfully earmarked $3 million in the 2006 Defense Appropriations bill for Link Simulation and Training of Kirkwood for its new helicopter gunner simulator project, which will train helicopter crews in door gunnery and crew coordination.
Susquehanna Resources and Environment: The 2007 Defense Appropriations bill includes a $2.5 million earmark, inserted by Hinchey, for Susquehanna Resources and Environment of Binghamton for the continued development and implementation of the company's IMaG Plus ATC system, which will allow the Army to search and retrieve information for constant combat support and situation analysis by human analysts. The Army intelligence community is familiar with the IMaG system, and has tested it extensively. Hinchey has previously secured $5.5 million for the project.

June 2006 Flooding
As heavy rains continued to fall on June 28, 2006, Hinchey urgently appealed to Governor Pataki to immediately request a Major Disaster Declaration from President Bush, which clears the way for emergency federal funding. The next day, he led the New York congressional delegation in calling on President Bush to immediately send federal aid and support to the 13 counties severely affected by the severe floods. When the president failed to designate all of the affected communities as federal disaster areas, thereby limiting the aid available, Hinchey successfully pushed the Administration to expand its declaration.
Hinchey has continued to work to ensure a full recovery for the region's flood-damaged communities and devastated families and to prevent future devastation. In July, in an effort to bring long-term solutions to local flood disasters, Hinchey and 11 of his colleagues called on a House panel to hold special congressional field hearings in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey to identify ways in which the federal government can assist with flood prevention in the Delaware and Susquehanna River Basins. In their letter to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Hinchey and his colleagues noted how a federal investment in flood prevention measures now will save lives, property, and hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs and aid in the future. Approximately $213 million in National Flood Insurance claims have been paid in the last two years for damages in the two river basins. Hinchey has also worked to help New York's farmers recover from the flooding, announcing $2.25 million in federal farm aid in August and working for additional funding for the Emergency Watershed Program, which relieves imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fires, windstorms, and other natural occurrences.

Federal Highway Authorization Projects
Hinchey has fought to increase the federal government's investment in our transportation infrastructure, which improves public safety, increases economic development opportunities and alleviates the burden of expensive repairs on local taxpayers. Among the projects for which Hinchey secured funding in the 2005 reauthorization of the Federal Highway Act are:

Front Street Gateway Reconstruction: Hinchey secured a $4 million transportation authorization earmark to reconstruct Binghamton's Front Street from Prospect Street to Main Street. The project will include new pavement, sidewalks, curbs, bicycle accommodation, traffic signals as necessary, and other design elements currently under consideration to distinguish it as a "Gateway Street." The project length is approximately 1.5 miles.
Interstate 86 Upgrades: The transportation authorization bill provides $12 million to complete the highway upgrades necessary to convert sections of Route 17 in Broome, Delaware, Sullivan and Orange Counties to interstate standards. These earmarks are part of the more than $10 billion that New York State is expected to receive for highway projects as a result of this law.

Binghamton University
Recognizing that the success of Binghamton University and its research efforts is one of the most important elements of the Southern Tier's economic recovery, Hinchey has worked to secure federal funding for the university's major technology projects. In the past two years, he has successfully earmarked $3 million for the Small Scale Systems Packaging Center, which develops and evaluates new materials, products and processes for key microelectronics applications, and provides a vital link between research and the manufacturing and assembly of microelectronics that integrates devices into systems. Additionally, Hinchey worked with the university and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to secure a $200,000 grant for BU's City Coordination Project, which is an initiative designed to help boost the City's revitalization efforts.

Kilmer Building Redevelopment
In July 2006, Hinchey secured $3.19 million in two federally-guaranteed loans to finance the two-phase redevelopment of the Kilmer Building at the corner of Chenango and Lewis Streets in Binghamton. Hinchey has worked for years to facilitate the redevelopment of the Kilmer Building. The two new loans come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development program. The renovated building, which has been vacant since 1987, will contain a restaurant, a retail store, and office space.
Hybrid Bus Replacement
Hinchey has been a champion of BAE Systems' hybrid diesel engine products, which were developed for the U.S. Armed Forces but are being tested for the domestic public transit market. By securing federal research funds for alternative fuel products, Hinchey has been able to support BAE Systems' continued operations in Johnson City and provide Broome County with the ability to replace aging, polluting diesel vehicles. In the past three years, Hinchey has delivered $3.5 million for Broome County to use and test advanced hybrid buses.
Deposit Wastewater Improvements In a Fiscal year 2005 appropriations bill, Hinchey successfully earmarked $250,000 for the Village of Deposit to upgrade its outdated wastewater treatment plant. He followed up the earmark with a $500,000 federal grant to make desperately needed repairs after the plant was damaged by a September 2004 tropical storm.
Historic Preservation Projects
As a member of the House Interior Appropriations subcommittee, which determines the annual allocations for federal historic preservation programs, Hinchey has delivered funding to protect and restore some of the Southern Tier's great landmarks, including:

Goodwill Theater: In 2004, Hinchey earmarked $72,750 for Johnson City's Goodwill Theatre for interior renovations to the historic theater.
Roberson Museum: Hinchey earmarked $100,000 in 2005 to renovate and repair Roberson Mansion, home of the Roberson Museum and Science Center in Binghamton.

Vestal Law Enforcement
Hinchey used his position on the House Appropriations Committee to secure a $220,000 earmark in the Science-State-Justice-Commerce Appropriations bill in 2005 to fund the purchase of a firing range trailer that will allow for handgun, shotgun, and rifle training for the Vestal Police Department. Since the Town of Vestal has no firing range, the police department has been forced to use a privately-owned outdoor range in Tioga County. This has resulted in the loss of training time due to travel time and the department also incurs significant overtime costs because of the limited availability of range time. Many times the department has to pay overtime to keep the road patrols for the town at minimum levels during the range periods. Additionally, officers are also sometimes forced to train in less than favorable weather conditions due to the lack of available range times.
NYRI Power Line Proposal
Hinchey has been a vociferous opponent of New York Regional Interconnection's (NYRI) proposal to construct a high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line from Oneida County to Orange County. Immediately after the proposal was announced in May 2006, Hinchey wrote to the U.S. Department of Energy, calling on the agency to reject a request for a special federal designation for NYRI that could expedite and facilitate the construction. NYRI requested that the DOE designate a 200-mile corridor running from Marcy to New Windsor as a National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC), which could preempt New York State's authority over the review and approval of transmission lines, and would directly conflict with an existing federal mandate to preserve a scenic and environmentally important part of the state. Hinchey opposed this designation based on the fact that one of the two currently proposed routes for the transmission lines runs through the federally protected Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River Corridor. The following month, the Department of Energy agreed and denied NYRI's request for an early designation. Hinchey also submitted testimony to the New York State Assembly's Standing Committee on Energy strongly opposing the NYRI proposal and highlighting how federal and state deregulation of the electricity industry has set the stage for this and other similar proposals.

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It is a privilege and our great good fortune - to be members of your constituency. Your courage and conviction regarding basic human and democratic issues are inspiring and heartening, as expressed in your great letter of March 19. With your leadership we dare to hope and believe: we and those cherished principles will survive. Thank you!
Roy & Amy Godes

Keep up the good work. I appreciate your honesty, integrity and courage.
Karen & Peter Goertzel

Thanks for your work for peace!
Bill McCabe

Thank you for being one of the few congressmen to speak out against this illegal and criminal war.
Harriet & Ed Nadel

Thank you for having the courage to vote against this invasion.
Gloria Phillips

Your stance in opposition to this war, to the attack on our civil liberties, and the other acts of the Bush administration that you have outlined, make us feel truly represented. We are horrified that this Congress has surrendered its prerogatives and powers. We are proud that you have had the courage to support our constitution, our democracy and have opposed "preemptive" war.
Bernard & Elizabeth Rosen

Thank you for your tireless efforts to unseat Bush and bring back sanity and responsibility to the White House. Help us reverse the course the President has chosen.
Dorothy Ross

It is such a relief to hear from a politician what we know to be true of the Bush administration. Please, please continue to speak the truth in these dark days. We need you.
Nancy & Polly Piore

I can barely express the relief I feel in the midst of a government turning inside out - to have my very own representative who behaves like an educated man and understands something of the chaos the administration has invited the whole world to share. Thank you.
Marguerite Matthews

Thanks for your outstanding position on the war!
Ross & Lucille Pattison

This gift is a direct consequence of Mr. Hinchey's courageous stand against Bush's dirty little war in Iraq.
John Hussey

You are one of the few voices of reason in this world of chaos - Please shout if that is what it takes to be heard.
Judith & Robert Schneller

It was wonderfully refreshing to hear you speak out against the recent policies of the Bush Administration. It is a message that needs to go out to the entire public. Thank you for your courage. Please continue speaking out.
Cheryl Papa

Hinchey Rocks!
Nora Edison

The letter enclosed is truly masterful. I'm sending it to many people - it sums up what should have been done and what we must do in the future to prevent further destruction of what our country has always stood for. Best of luck to all of us.
Jean Cinader

Thanks for saying, "Dissent is the Essence of Democracy"!!!
Ruth Blizard

Keep up your great work. You are a beacon of hope and light in these most difficult and dark days. You display tremendous courage speaking out against the madness of this war, and your voice rings out on behalf of working families who want peace.
Charles Vogel

Thank you for your letter of the 19th of March. It expresses exactly my opinion. Our invasion of Iraq, without endorsement by the UN is contrary to International Law and has created widespread hate against the U.S. among many nations. But in spite of my opposition to this policy, I also fully support our men and women in the field.
Dr. Hans A. Bethe

In this depressing and alarming time, it gives us hope to read a letter from our representative that we wholeheartedly support. Please keep up your strong and courageous work.
Paul & Harriet Tomasko

I feel relief that there is at least one voice of sanity in Congress - someone who cares about our country, our civil rights, our responsibilities as citizens of the world. It is hard and depressing to see our government controlled by bullies who appear to care only about power and increased wealth for their cronies. May you succeed in your public service.
Sally Jennings

Congratulations on your courageous critique of Bush's war in Iraq and his administration's misplaced domestic priorities.
Sanford Gutman

Thank you for being one of the few elected officials who has maintained his integrity!
Diane Brown

Thank you Maurice for being brave and honest enough to take a stand on Bush's destruction of environmental, economic and global diplomacy policies that have served Americans well - until now.
Patricia Adams

I received a copy of your March 19 letter from my daughter. Although I am not a constituent, it is a joy to make a contribution to the campaign treasury. Please add my name to your mailing list.
Sally Baughman

How on earth did the American public have their attention switched from Osama bin Laden, the 9/11 alleged mastermind, to Saddam Hussain? It is one of the greatest scams ever pulled on a people, it is disturbing to see so many fell for this stunt. Thank you for keeping some sanity in this conflict.
Trudy Weber

I'm proud to support a legislator like you. Bush and his administration is destroying our international relations, our environment and our economy. You have a tough job but fight on and encourage your fellow congressmen to do the same.
Bob Schumann

Thank you for standing up and speaking out when so few do. Please keep me on your mailing list.
Prof. Patricia Hunt-Perry

Thank you for your correct and courageous stand against the U.S. attack on Iraq. We have no right or legitimate reason to invade and conquer.
Dooley Kiefer

Bravo for the action that you took in the House of Representatives. I am hopeful that the president will take the recommendation seriously.
Jacquelyn Efram

Good work, Maurice. Thank you!
Nancy Gabriel

Maurice is my hero.
Betty H. Eickler

THANK YOU, MAURICE!
LINDA BIEMER

Thank you, Congressman, you have always kept faith with the Constitution.
Anne McCabe

BRAVO Maurice!
Your courage is so remarkable.
Tara and Ned Sullivan

Well, let me tell you something. This is the first step of a new majority in this Congress taking the right kind of action on the basis of our obligations and responsibilities under the Constitution to stand up to the actions of this administration and to put this country back on the right track. Not just in the case of what is going on in Iraq, even though that is so terribly disastrous, but the consequences here in our own country, the intimidation of people, the internal spying, the elimination of habeas corpus, all of the impingements on the American Constitution, based upon the culture of fear cultivated purposely by this administration for their own personal and political objectives. No one in the previous leadership, no one in the previous majority, stood up to this administration in any kind of a constructive way.
~Rusted View Blog

I am proud to call you my Representative. I have not heard any national politician to date publicly state the case for the Iraq tragedy as boldly and honestly as you did tonight. Although I have heard you speak about Iraq often here in the Hudson Valley, seeing and hearing you speak about Iraq on the floor of the House gave it much more importance and prominence. You summed up by emphasizing that this resolution of no confidence was only a first step in bringing this terribly misbegotten military adventure to an end. Please continue to use your position and influence to bring as wise and early an end to this war as possible.
Dick Ernenwein

By now, I am no longer surprised at the incisiveness and clarity with which Congressman Hinchey tackles the awesome problems facing our nation. His hearkening back to Bush's infamous State of the Union address which propelled us into this gruesome war stimulated the following version of the old miners' song, "Sixteen Tons":

He spoke sixteen words and what did we get?

A war in Iraq and deeper in debt.

St. Peter, don't you call me -- I've still got work --

Gotta rid TV of that self-satisfied smirk.

Henry Foner

Both Sally Luther and I are thrilled with Maurice's wonderful work he is doing in Congress.
John Neumaier

Thanks, Maurice, for continuing to stand up to the evil in the White House.
Roberta Wallitt

Thank you, Rep. Hinchey for speaking out about this. We are fortunate to have you as our Representative in Congress!
Janice Viola

Hinchey for President
Rokki Carr