• New York Assembly (1974-1980)
• House of Representatives (1980-1998)
• U.S. Senate (1998-present)
• Major Legislation: Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act

Chuck Schumer has been the senior Senator from New York since 1999, serving beside Hillary Clinton. In 2005 he became chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and in 2006 was elected to the new post of Vice Chairman of the Senate Democratice Caucus, ranking him third in the Democratic power structure.

Early Life

Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer was born into his Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York on November 23, 1950. His parents Selma Rosen and Abraham Schumer placed Chuck into the public schools of Brooklyn, where he graduated valedictorian from James Madison High School in 1967 with a 1600 on the SAT. Schumer attended Harvard College and became interested in politics, campaigning for Eugene McCarthy in 1968. Continuing his education at Harvard Law School, Schumer earned his Juris Doctor in 1974. He passed the New York State Bar Exam a year later but ended up entering politics instead. In 1980 Schumer married Iris Weinshall atop the north tower of the World Trade Center; they have two daughters, Jessica and Alison, and live in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

A Life in Politics

In 1974, immediately after graduating from Harvard Law, Schumer was elected to the New York State Assembly. At 23, he was the youngest member of the state legislature since Theodore Roosevelt. Schumer served three terms in that capacity and has never held a job outside of politics since.

In 1980, Schumer won the predominantly Democratic 16th District of New York after the seat was vacated; he was re-elected eight times and his district was renamed twice, from the 16th to the 10th and finally in 1993 to the 9th.

To the Senate

1998 saw the 55% win of Schumer's for the Senate seat of New York. Schumer was re-elected in 2004 with 71% of the vote.

Senate Committee Assignments

• Senate Finance Committee
• Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
  • Economic Policy Subcommittee
• Senate Judiciary Committee
  • Administrative Oversight and the Courts Subcommittee, Ranking Member
• Senate Rules Committee
• Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Chairman; raises funds, and recruits candidates, for the Democratic Party

Major Legislation

• 1993: Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (Brady Bill): Schumer was leading sponsor of this Bill that required handgun purchasers to wait five days before receiving a gun to allow a background check. status: In 1998 the National Instant Check System (NICS) was implemented, making the five day wait more or less moot. However, it has been adapted to take account for the electonic check system.

• 1994: Authored the Omnibus Crime Bill, putting 100,000 new policemen on the street, enforced the "three strikes and you're out" sentencing and created after school programs for troubled teens. As of 2000, the Crime Bill's COPS program had put 11,461 new officers on the streets of New York. (Source: Senate) status: signed into law by President Bill Clinton.

• Federal Assault Weapons Ban: Co-writer of the ten year ban; outlawed the manufacture and importation of 19 types of semi-automatic weapons, including the Uzi, AK-47 and Tec-9. status: Expired in 2004, as of August 2, 2007, a re-instatement Bill was in the House gaining support.