Albany --- At a time of federal attacks on healthcare funding, New York legislators should take action to protect and expand healthcare access by sponsoring and voting on New York Health this session. The Green Party of New York wholeheartedly endorses the New York Health Act (A. 4738/S.4840) which would guarantee healthcare for all New Yorkers and calls on the Legislature and Governor to make the bill into a law immediately. Party officers pointed out the just-introduced Republican AHCA would have significant negative impacts on coverage for New Yorkers and health care cost for state government, and that Gov. Cuomo’s budget proposal has no plan to deal with changes to the ACA. The New York Health Act would solve these problems, cover all New Yorkers and lower costs.  Continue reading

Albany, NY -- The Green Party of New York said today that the bill passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Cuomo yesterday was a betrayal of democracy and environmental stewardship. Party officers stated that the law, which essentially bans local legislation on the 5-cent fee, shows how deeply in the pockets of lobbyists the Legislature and the Governor are, and that the need for home rule on issues like these has never been greater. The Greens – part of the coalition to pass the legislation in NYC – also said that plastic bag fees work and that the arguments made by State Senator Simcha Felder and his cosponsors were disingenuous to the public and their actions harmful to the environment. Green officers said that if the Legislature and Governor were truly concerned about the costs of the fee, they would move quickly to ban plastic bags entirely as California and Hawaii have done. Continue reading

The Green Party today said that if Assembly Speaker Heastie is unwilling to recognize the right of NYC to enact a law restricting plastic bags, then he should enact a statewide ban on plastic bags. Continue reading

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Albany – The Green Party of New York denounced Senator Schumer’s Monday evening vote in favor of Mike Pompeo as CIA Director. Citing Pompeo’s own statements that CIA officials who engaged in torture were “patriots” and that he would be open to altering a 2015 law prohibiting the government from using interrogation techniques not listed in the Army Field Manual, his portrayal of the “War on Terror” as a religious conflict between Muslims and Christians, claims that Islamic leaders are potentially complicit in terror because they don’t speak against it, and appearances on anti-Muslim radio programs - Green officers questioned why New York’s senior senator would vote to confirm Mr. Pompeo. Continue reading

Albany, NY - The Upper Hudson Green Party Statement of Support for Workers on Strike at Momentive Performance Materials Continue reading

Albany, NY – The Green Party of New York called the Cuomo tuition-plan unveiled today wholly inadequate and said the reports of it making college free or affordable-for-all were false. The Greens pointed out that Cuomo's plan does not cover the $14,000 in yearly room, board and fees and would still leave students with $55,000 worth of debt from SUNY/CUNY 4-year schools. Party officers also said that it does nothing to address three decades worth of funding cuts at state schools. The Green Party called on Governor Cuomo and the Legislature to fully fund state schools and make college completely free, including tuition, room, board and fees so that students leave with no debt, as they do in most other nations, and to return to a program of open admissions so that college is truly open to all. Continue reading