Gillibrand Requests New GAO Report To Investigate Toxic E. Coli Infecting American Beef

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Domestic and Foreign Marketing, Inspection, and Plant and Animal Health and the first New Yorker to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in nearly 40 years, formally requested a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report to investigate the underlying causes of toxic E. coli strains that so frequently contaminates beef made for American families. More than 100 beef recalls have occurred in … Continue Reading

After Nearly 40 Years, Albany Navy Vet Finally Receives War Medals

Albany, NY - After nearly 40 years, an Albany navy vet finally received the war medals he deserved. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand helped secure the medals, which arrived just in time for this week's Flag Day ceremony at South Mall Towers, where an Albany police officer and Navy veteran Eric Sprague proudly presented the honors to the 63 year-old soldier. The Albany resident, who wore the same flight suit he donned during his Vietnam-era service, received the National Defense Service Medal, … Continue Reading

With Up To 50,000 Gang Members In New York, Gillibrand Announces New Legislative Agenda To Combat Gang Activity

Washington, DC - With as many as 50,000 gang members in New York, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is announcing a new legislative agenda to combat gang activity, keep at-risk youth out of gangs, and keep our communities safe and economy growing. Senator Gillibrand's plan increases resources for law enforcement to fight gang activity, toughens penalties for gang-related offenses, expands access to effective mentoring programs to keep children out of gangs, and brings community leaders together … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Fights To Prevent Foreclosure For Thousands In Hudson Valley Who Are Out Of Work And Struggling To Remain In Their Homes

Washington, DC - As families across New York and around the country struggle to find work after losing their jobs through no fault of their own, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is advancing legislation to provide temporary mortgage relief for struggling families to stave off the threat of foreclosure. The Homeowners' Relief and Neighborhood Stabilization Act would provide $4 billion in foreclosure mitigation funds - $3 billion for loans for up to 24 months for out of work homeowners so they … Continue Reading

With Summer Vacations Nearing And Tourism Still Lagging, Senator Gillibrand Unveils New Effort To Promote Tourism In The Region

Buffalo, NY - With summer vacations nearing and tourism still lagging, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held an event at the Darwin Martin House with local tourism leaders and unveiled new efforts to help promote New York tourism, one the state's leading industries and job generators. The cornerstone of her agenda is the Travel Regional Investment Partnership (TRIP) Act, which would create a competitive matching grant program within the U.S. Department of Commerce to promote domestic tourism … Continue Reading

With Summer Vacations Nearing And Tourism Still Lagging, Senator Gillibrand Unveils New Effort To Promote Tourism In The Region

Rochester, NY - With summer vacations nearing and tourism still lagging, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a roundtable at the George Eastman House with local tourism leaders and unveiled new efforts to help promote New York tourism, one the state's leading industries and job generators. The cornerstone of her agenda is the Travel Regional Investment Partnership (TRIP) Act, which would create a competitive matching grant program within the U.S. Department of Commerce to promote domestic … Continue Reading

Atlantic Senators Seek Preparedness In Case BP Oil Spill Hits East Coast

WASHINGTON - With some communities along the eastern seaboard concerned that the BP oil spill could reach their waters, a bipartisan group of Atlantic Coast U.S. Senators wants to coordinate preparedness between their states and federal response agencies. In a letter to the heads of the relevant federal departments, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and 21 of his East Coast colleagues asked specifically for: Immediate communication with all Atlantic Coast state emergency preparedness agencies … Continue Reading

Senators Urge Overhaul Of Child Nutrition Reauthorization Bill As The House Unveils More Robust Plan

Washington, D.C. - As the House of Representatives unveiled their Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, along with six of her colleagues, sent a letter to Senate Leaders, urging them to overhaul the Senate version of the legislation to include a significant increase in the reimbursement rate for school meals. Joining Senator Gillibrand are Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Al Franken (D-MN), Tim … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Statement On UN Security Council Vote To Implement Sanctions Against Iran

Washington, DC - As the U.N. Security Council voted to implement new sanctions against Iran, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement: "I commend President Obama, Secretary Clinton, Ambassador Rice, and their team for their work and determination to pass international sanctions. While many of us would have liked to have seen stronger sanctions, this move by the UN Security Council demonstrates international solidarity … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Convenes Summit Of NY College And University Presidents In Washington To Announce New Agenda To Expand Higher Education In NY

Washington, DC - Today, Senator Gillibrand convened the first Washington, D.C. summit of college and university presidents from around New York. During meetings with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and nearly 80 college and university presidents from across New York, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced her new agenda to rebuild New York's economy by creating more higher education opportunities, and fostering innovation at New York's colleges and universities to create … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Fights For Subpoena Power For BP Oil Spill Investigation

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today joined nine of her Senate colleagues to introduce legislation to grant subpoena power to the bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, which President Obama created by executive order on May 22. Congress has previously granted subpoena power to presidential commissions investigating national crises, including the Warren Commission and the Three Mile Island Commission. "Our … Continue Reading

Gillibrand, Schumer, Bishop Blast FEMA Decision To Deny Long Island Disaster Funding – Call On NYS To Appeal Immediately

Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles E. Schumer and Congressman Tim Bishop blasted the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) decision to deny Long Island needed federal dollars to recover from heavy storms this spring. Officials are requesting that FEMA recognize the storms beginning March 13 and ending April 12 as a single weather system, since the damage is cumulative from several storms. Two other northeast states received disaster declarations by … Continue Reading

Gillibrand To EPA: Don’t Let Gulf Oil Spill Workers Follow The Same Fate As 9/11 Workers

Washington, DC - As British Petroleum (BP) dumps unprecedented levels of chemicals into the Gulf of Mexico to disperse the oil, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is urging Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to use her legal authority to force BP to disclose confidential information related to the chemicals used in the dispersants. There are growing concerns over the confidential chemical make-up of the dispersant being used in the Gulf and its potential … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Asks Secretary Of State To Help Preserve Ancient Jewish Burial Grounds

Washington, DC - With historic Jewish cemeteries across Europe being desecrated, vandalized, or redeveloped, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to encourage embassies and local governments abroad to preserve these burial sites, which represent thousands of years of Jewish tradition and are the few ancient European Jewish burial grounds still in existence. Moving or disturbing these sites is a … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Statement On Latest Developments In Middle East

Washington, D.C. - In response to the latest developments in the Middle East and specific comments from the UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, issued the following statement: "I am greatly concerned by public statements earlier today from a UN official that displays an alarming rush to judgment against Israel before the facts have been gathered and ignores Israel's basic … Continue Reading

Ahead Of Memorial Day Weekend, Senator Gillibrand Announces New Effort To Help Prepare New York Veterans For The Jobs Of Tomorrow

New York State -- Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced landmark bipartisan veteran's employment legislation that would prepare New York veterans for the jobs of tomorrow. Currently, more than 21 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are unemployed. The Veterans Employment Act of 2010 is the first bipartisan legislation that would address skyrocketing veteran's unemployment rates with a series of proposals to improve job training, help veterans … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Joins Amicus Brief In Support Of Rights Of Military Families

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today joined many of her Senate colleagues on an amicus brief filed today in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of Marine Lance Corporal Matthew A. Snyder's family in the case of Snyder v. Phelps (No. 09-751). The case concerns an ugly protest at the funeral of Marine Lance Corporal Matthew A. Snyder, who was killed in Iraq in 2006 in the line of duty. After Matthew was killed, members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Hails Passage Of DADT Repeal Measure In Senate Armed Services Committee

Washington, D.C. - As the Senate Armed Services Committee today passes a measure to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement: "I applaud my colleagues on the committee for doing what's right, and voting to put America's national security before all else. "'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is wrong for our national security and is inconsistent with the moral foundation upon which our country was founded. Each time we discharge a member of our Armed … Continue Reading

Gillibrand To CEO: Come Back To The Table And Negotiate With Mott’s Workers

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today urged the CEO of Dr. Pepper Snapple Group to return to negotiations with workers at the Mott's facility in Williamson. After several months of negotiations, Dr. Pepper Snapple broke off negotiations and workers at the plant went on strike. This current impasse and strike does not just affect Mott's workers, but could have a ripple effect in the Upstate economy, including on the important apple industry and the hard working farmers in the … Continue Reading

Gillibrand Statement On Meeting With Solicitor General Kagan Today

Washington, DC -- U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today met with Solicitor General Elena Kagan, nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court. Photos of the meeting in Senator Gillibrand's Washington office are available here. Following the meeting, Senator Gillibrand issued the following statement: "Solicitor General Kagan is clearly an extremely brilliant and strong New York woman, who is not always focused on being right, but on getting it right. I know she would bring a greater degree of dialogue … Continue Reading