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JAMESTOWN – U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer visited the National Comedy Center Monday morning to discuss a variety of relief bills that were recently signed into law.
Among the bills Schumer discussed was the Save Our Stages Act, which he says he was involved in the authorship. The Act, according to Schumer, included an additional $1.25 billion in aid for independent live venues.
The Senate Majority Leader explains that the Save Our Stages Act will allow venues like the National Comedy Center and Reg Lenna Center for the Arts to ensure that they can continue operating and thriving.
“This museum, the Comedy Museum, has one of the greatest impacts on this county (Chautauqua County) that we know,” Schumer explained. “Second, all of the employees that work here, it’s been very hard for this institutions to keep their employees.”
Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson was also on hand for Schumer’s visit. She confirmed to the Senator that the Museum did, indeed, have layoffs during the pandemic.
Schumer also says that institutions like the NCC draw younger people to the City of Jamestown.
“They add something special to our lives that make younger people want to come here and stay here and everything else,” Schumer added.
Schumer explains that money received by the institutions as part of the Act can be used for a variety of purposes, including rent and utilities as well as payroll.
The Act was included as part of a $900 billion COVID relief package signed into law by former President Donald Trump in December.
Schumer says his visit to Jamestown was part of a yearly tour to all 62 New York counties.
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