U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer released the following statement regarding the Department of Interior’s decision to change their security procedures to increase the safety of visitors to the Statue of Liberty. Last week Schumer and New York Police Department Commissioner Ray Kelly asked them to revise their policy that would have screened visitors after they had taken the ferry ride to Liberty and Ellis Islands, and revert to the pre-sandy routine of screening everyone at Battery Park. Today, DOI announced that they were making that change. Schumer’s original release can be found HERE. The letter from Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, announcing the change, can be found attached.

“Thanks to the Department of Interior and Secretary Jewell’s quick decision and the help of New York City and the NYPD, we can maintain the maximum safety for visitors without interfering with the July 4th opening date. This solution wisely avoids any trade-off between speed-of-opening and optimum security procedures. I told Secretary Jewell, that we in New York appreciate her commitment to security and to re-opening access to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The Statue of Liberty is vital to maintaining our pre-eminence as the tourist capital of America, and with these procedures in place, it can continue to safely draw people from around the world. I’d like to thank Secretary Jewell for her time, consideration and quick work. It’s clear New York and Lady Liberty have a friend in her.”

(YWN Desk – NYC)