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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 26, 2004

SCHUMER WINS MAYOR BRISCOE AWARD FROM EMERALD ISLE IMMIGRATION CENTER

Award celebrates the close relationship between Jewish and Irish Communities in New York and honors Jewish New Yorkers who have helped support Irish immigration in the US

Senator cited for Schumer Visas, efforts to extend Walsh Visas, posthumous citizenship for Irish soldiers

US Senator Charles E. Schumer tonight was awarded the Robert Briscoe Award from the Emerald Isle Immigration Center. The award is named after Robert Briscoe, who became the first Jewish Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1956. It celebrates the close relationship between Jewish and Irish communities in New York and honors Jewish New Yorkers who have helped support immigration in the United States.

"As the product of a family that immigrated to America, I have always stood up for immigration, for one simple reason – immigrants have and continue to make New York and America a better place,"Schumer said. "When Yogi Berra heard that the Lord Mayor of Dublin was Jewish, he's said to have exclaimed 'Only in America!' Well, only in America would the program to extend the number of Irish nationals who can immigrate here be called the Schumer visa program. Our communities have a long history of living and working together in New York, and my work in Washington is just a small part of our shared struggle."

Schumer received this award today after years of work to expand immigration to the United States from Ireland and help Irish immigrants once they are here. While a Member of the US House of Representatives, Schumer wrote the legislation for the diversity visa program, which created the "Schumer Visas" and set aside visas for Irish immigrants. This year, the diversity visa program will distribute 50,000 visas to applicants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Schumer is currently working in the Senate to extend the "Walsh Visa" program that allow thousands of young people from economically disadvantaged parts of Northern Ireland and the six border counties from the Republic of Ireland to work and train in the United States before returning home.

Last year, Schumer also introduced new legislation to require companies that provide international money transfer services to disclose their hidden costs for those transactions, so that immigrants sending money home can make informed decisions about how much it will cost them. And in late October, the United States government awarded posthumous US citizenship to 28 Irish citizens who died while serving in the US Army during the Korean War. Schumer got the legislation passed last year allowing immigrants who die while serving in the military to be eligible for posthumous citizenship. The legislation also applies to those immigrants killed in action while fighting in Iraq.

Schumer was given his award tonight from Ben Briscoe, son of Robert Briscoe. Rabbi Dr. Alvin Kass, Chief Chaplain of the New York Police Department and Stuart Applebaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union also received awards.

"The late, great Paul O'Dwyer who founded this wonderful organization always said that immigrants in New York City founded two nation abroad in the twentieth century – Ireland and Israel. I am honored to receive this award from the Emerald Isle Immigration Center tonight," Schumer said.

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