Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference to share her legislative priorities and goals for the 119th Congress. Gillibrand was recently named to the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee for the 119th Congress. She will also serve as the ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee and as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
“As we enter a new Congress, I am firstly focused on the economy – delivering funds for infrastructure projects that create and support good-paying jobs; securing federal support for nonprofits and other organizations that help working class New Yorkers; and working across the aisle to make 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave available for every American who needs it,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I will fight to expand my Cyber Academy program to help young people afford a college education and secure stable employment. As ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, I will continue my work to protect Social Security and Medicare and bring down the cost of prescription drugs. I also plan to reintroduce my bipartisan legislation to fight age discrimination in the workplace. And finally, as a champion for accountability and transparency in government, I will work to pass legislation to ban stock trading by members of Congress, senior executive branch officials, and their spouses and dependents. I look forward to a productive 119th Congress delivering for New Yorkers.”
Gillibrand’s priorities for the 119th Congress include:
- Securing federal funding for New York’s roads, bridges, and public transit projects.
- Passing the FAMILY Act to make 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave available to everyone who needs it.
- Bringing down the cost of prescription drugs, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and protecting seniors from financial scams as ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee.
- Fighting age discrimination in the workplace by passing the Protecting Older Americans Act, legislation that would invalidate forced arbitration clauses that prevent age discrimination victims from seeking justice and public accountability.
- Expanding the Cyber Academy program to help young people get an affordable college education while simultaneously filling critical national security positions in the federal government.
- Mandating government transparency and accountability by passing bipartisan legislation to ban members of Congress, the president, vice president, senior executive branch members, and their spouses and dependents from holding or trading stocks.
- Continuing to fight for 9/11 first responders and survivors by passing the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act, which would provide permanent and mandatory funding for the World Trade Center Health Program.
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