Kirsten Gillibrand

Biography
Kirsten E. Gillibrand was sworn in as New York's Senator in January 2009, filling the seat of the current Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton. Prior to her appointment to the United States Senate, Gillibrand served in the United States House of Representatives, representing New York's 20th Congressional District, which spans across ten counties in upstate New York.

Throughout her time in Congress, Senator Gillibrand has been committed to open and honest government. When she was first elected, she pledged to bring unprecedented transparency and access to her post. And she did, becoming the first Member of Congress to post her official public schedule, personal financial disclosure, and federal earmark requests online.

Economy
From the day she was first elected to Congress, Senator Gillibrand has made economic development and job creation her highest priority. In Congress she proposed a comprehensive plan to bring good-paying jobs to her congressional district and succeeded by helping bring new high tech jobs to a part of the state that badly needed it. She will bring this same hard-working approach to the U.S. Senate.

Education
Senator Gillibrand believes that a good education is a critical foundation for future success. She has been a strong supporter of legislation to make college more affordable. Last year, Senator Gillibrand voted for the largest increase in student aid since the GI Bill. In addition, she sponsored the College Affordability Tax Relief Act, to allow families to deduct up to $10,000 of the cost of college tuition from their federal taxes. Senator Gillibrand offered an amendment to the America COMPETES Act to provide scholarships for students who go into critical fields like engineering, technology, and mathematics.

Health Care
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand believes that the high cost of health care is a serious problem for families and for employers, who struggle with the high cost of providing health insurance for their employees. The problem is getting worse - more than 47 million Americans, including more than 2.5 million New Yorkers, are uninsured and millions of families and businesses are struggling with skyrocketing health care costs. In Congress, she has always fought hard to expand health care access and protect the coverage for those at risk of losing it. In the Senate, she is working with President Obama to reform our health care system and provide affordable, quality care to every single American.

Immigration
Senator Gillibrand knows that our current immigration system is broken. That is why she has called for comprehensive immigration reform and plans to work with President Obama and his Administration for substantial reforms.

Veterans
As a Member of the Armed Services Committee in the House of Representatives, Senator Gillibrand established herself as a great friend of America's veterans and their families. She worked to improve the lives of millions of Americans currently serving and their families. In the Senate, Senator Gillibrand will continue that charge, standing up for those who serve in the Armed Forces.