Sen. Charles Schumer was in Great Neck Thursday to push for the enforcement of existing federal limousine laws in the wake of deadly crashes.

Sen. Schumer said many stretch limo companies can skirt around existing license laws by exempting limos from getting "commercial vehicle" status.

The push comes after a limousine service operator was charged last week with criminally negligent homicide in a crash that killed 20 people upstate. The driver in that crash did not have a commercial driver’s license.

"Right now, there is a law on the books that says if your vehicle carries more than nine people, you need a special commercial driver’s license,” said Sen. Schumer. “In cases like this, because the limo has been stretched, no one is looking at them, and the license requirement is never enforced."

Sen. Schumer made his statement surrounded by family members of the girls who were killed in the limo crash on the East End in July 2015. The driver in that crash did not have a commercial driver’s license. 

“I need a reason why my daughter isn't here anymore,” said Paul Schulman. His daughter Britney and three others were killed in the 2015 crash.

“You should not be able to drive a vehicle of that size if you aren't properly trained on it. They don't know how to handle it. It's obvious,” he said.

The senator called on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to force every stretch limo to be driven by someone with a commercial license. He said the FMCSA could face cuts in Senate-approved funding if it fails to enforce the law.