Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat for U.S. Senate: News Articles

Making Congress More Transparent

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

As I travel across the state and listen to New Yorkers, there is no question how worried people are about the economy -- if the job they have today will be here tomorrow, if the job they lost is ever coming back, and how they are going to make ends meet and provide for their families. I share these concerns and I'm working each and every day to put New Yorkers back to work, support small businesses and grow our economy for the long term.

But what I also hear from people time and again is that they have very little faith that Congress is working to solve their problems. Frankly, when they look to Washington they see a lot of people who are more concerned about scoring cheap political points than improving their lives and solving their problems.

The fact is, New Yorkers feel they're not being heard, that too much business is happening behind closed doors and too often the system only benefits the special interests that have way too much power. That's why I am traveling the state during August recess to promote my transparency agenda and let New Yorkers know that making Washington work for you is one of my top priorities.

As I wrote back in July, the four pillars of my reform agenda are as follows:

Make Federal Funding Requests Fully Transparent
Reduce Corporate Special Interest Influence on Elections
End Automatic Congressional Pay Raises
Ban Anonymous Holds on Legislation

I'm pleased to report that in late July, the first item on my agenda took a step forward when the Earmark Transparency Act -- which I wrote with Republicans Tom Coburn and John McCain, and Democrat Russ Feingold to create an easily searchable earmark database -- passed out of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Under our bill, every single lawmaker will have to disclose the amount of their initial request, the amount approved by Committee, and the amount approved in final passage. They will also need to disclose the type of organization receiving the funding, what they will use it for, and justify why they need taxpayer dollars to fund their project.

If everyone in America can easily see who and what their lawmakers are requesting taxpayer money for, we can keep elected officials honest, end the days of political, special interest favors, and reduce wasteful spending.

Now that it's passed out of committee, I have asked Majority Leader Reid to bring this bill up for a vote on the Senate floor. Will you help me push this important reform through the Senate and co-sign my letter to Majority Leader Reid?

You can read the full letter below:

Dear Leader Reid,

I write today to request that the Senate consider a bipartisan earmark transparency bill before the end of this Congressional session. Providing more openness and transparency to the earmark process will create greater accountability and more effectively engage our constituents in our efforts to create jobs and invest in our communities.

I, along with 27 of our colleagues, recently cosponsored the Earmark Transparency Act, S. 3335. This bill requires that all earmark requests made by Senators be listed in an easily searchable, public, database. Specifically, the legislation requires the database to include the following information about each federal funding request:

- Amount of initial request made by requestor;
- Amount approved by the Committee of jurisdiction;
- Amount approved in final legislation (if approved);
- Type of organization receiving the request (public, non-profit, or private for-profit entity);
- Project name, description and estimated completion date;
- Justification explaining how the spending item would benefit taxpayers;
- Description, if applicable, of all non-federal sources of funding for the Congressionally directed spending item;
- Requests and supplemental documents submitted to a committee of Congress.

This legislation has broad bipartisan support and it is my firm belief that more openness and transparency will improve the earmark process.

For the last three years, I have listed my earmark requests on my website and I have received positive feedback from my constituents. By providing my constituents with all the information about the requests I make, I've empowered citizens in New York to play a role in the process, articulating what projects they think are smart investments and areas where taxpayer money could be better invested.

As you know, President Obama has called for a single Web site to track all earmark requests and it is my hope that we may be able to create something that can be used during the appropriations process next year.

I realize the Senate schedule will be very busy this year, but I hope that I may work with you to carve out just a small amount of time to consider this important issue.

Thanks for joining me in the fight to make Washington more transparent and our representatives more accountable so that we can restore Americans' faith in their government again.

P.S. When it comes to reforming the way Washington works, I know that at the top of people's list of priorities is filibuster reform. Right now there is no question that the Republicans are abusing the filibuster and I absolutely support reforming it so that we have majority rule in the US Senate. There are a number of legislative proposals I'm considering to accomplish this important reform.

Follow Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@SenGillibrand

Gillibrand says original TARP proposal lacked accountability

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON -- Kirsten Gillibrand was a House member representing a largely rural district in the upper Hudson Valley when Congress authorized spending up to $700 billion to rescue the nation's financial system.

Gillibrand, a Democrat, voted against the October 2008 rescue legislation.

Three months later, she was appointed to the Senate to fill the unexpired term of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Now, she represents the same Wall Street and banking industry interests she voted against as a House member.

But Gillibrand said she doesn't regret her vote against the Trouble Asset Relief Program proposed by President George W. Bush.

"I opposed President Bush's TARP proposal because it lacked accountability and proper oversight, and that was proven exactly right," she said in a statement issued Tuesday. "President Bush was asking for a historic commitment from taxpayers, but his proposal completely lacked adequate protections for taxpayers. I proposed specific changes that would have ensured all taxpayer funds were accounted for and repaid in full with interest."

Two other members of New York's congressional delegation - Democratic Reps. Maurice Hinchey of Hurley and Jose Serrano of the Bronx - also voted against TARP.

Serrano was unavailable for comment.

Hinchey said he opposed the legislation because, at the time, it contained no mechanism for banks to repay the government.

"That changed over time," he said. "We managed to get it improved. I was voting against it in the interest of the vast majority of the people of the country."

Eighty of the banks that received TARP funds have fully repaid it, and more plan to do so. But Hinchey said the economy won't expand unless more banks increase their lending.

He supports congressional action to stimulate lending to small businesses.

"We have too much unemployment," he said. "We need to create jobs."

Gillibrand also backs legislation to encourage more small-business lending.

"Small businesses still do not have adequate access to credit," she said in her statement. "For our economy to recover, we must get small businesses the access to lending they need to grow."

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand pushes for more transparency in government

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Wednesday visited Rochester to talk about transparency measures she is advocating for in the Senate, but recognized that it's not the top issue in voters' minds.

While jobs are number one, "a close second is that government is broken," she said. "I think in order to get our jobs agenda done, we need to change some of these practices like ending the anonymous holds," she said, referring to the accepted practice in the Senate that allows a senator to secretly object to a presidential appointment or legislation.

There are currently 132 such holds on appointments.

Gillibrand, D-Columbia County, spoke in front of the downtown Rochester Public Library. She is seeking her first election to the Senate, having been appointed in January 2009.

Gillibrand has four priorities around transparency, and her plans have been endorsed by government watchdogs such as the Sunlight Foundation and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

In addition to ending anonymous holds, Gillibrand supports the DISCLOSE Act, which would require greater transparency around political advertising by corporations, unions and other organizations.

"We need to make sure they have the same requirements as every candidate running in America," she said.

She is also urging greater transparency for earmark requests and an end to automatic pay raises in Congress.

Gillibrand, who is on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, also visited Geneva farmers on Wednesday to talk about what should be included in the next farm bill, which is up for a vote in 2013. Gillibrand is touring the state for input, and said she would like to see changes in milk pricing.

"We have to stop sending commodity payments to the megafarms," she said.

Gillibrand maintains a double-digit lead over her largely unknown Republican challengers, a Quinnipiac University poll found Wednesday, though only 46 percent approve of the job she is doing and 27 percent of voters don't know which candidate they would support.

Three Republicans, former Nassau County Legislator Bruce Blakeman, former Rep. Joseph DioGuardi of Westchester and economist David Malpass, are competing in a primary to replace her.

Gillibrand will also face former Bronx prosecutor Gail Goode in a Democratic primary.

Faith leaders learn about funding opportunities

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

CATSKILL — Leaders of dozens of faith organizations from the Capital Region and the Hudson Valley heard about grant and loan opportunities available to homeowners and faith-based groups and other community organizations in rural or low-income areas.

The workshop was part of an ongoing initiative organized by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-Greenport, to help faith leaders to use federal programs and grant opportunities to help confront the challenges that face the nation’s black communities.

Rev. Richard Turpin, of Catskill’s Second Baptist Church, which hosted the workshop, said he requested the session while meeting with 200 other faith leaders from around New York and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-Greenport, at a summit held in July in Washington, D.C.

Turpin recalled saying during July’s summit that many grant applicants in large cities have the resources to hire grant writers whereas often those in smaller communities do not hire help and may lose out on opportunities.

“We need to hear regional workshops that address the concerns and the needs of my small community,” he said. “What goes on in Manhattan is not going on in Catskill.”

Turpin said he hoped last week’s workshop in Catskill would be the first of many.

Panelists included representatives from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), the New York Landmark Conservancy and the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).

USDA’s Patricia Snover told the audience of the direct home loans for home improvements available to low-income homeowners in communities with a population of less than 20,000.

Such homeowners aged 62 years old and older could be eligible for grants of up to $7,500 for home repairs and upgrades, Snover said.

Organizations such as health care centers, libraries and other and municipal entities may apply for grants as well, she said, using as an example a loan accepted by the Town of Cairo for the construction of a new library.

USDA’s Ora Giles, who works with faith-based organizations, explained that faith organizations may use government money for specific programs or facilities that are not primarily used for religious practice or promotion.

“No God-talk on Uncle Sam’s dime,” she told the audience.

Giles said some money could be awarded for projects in religious facilities that consist of one room that serves multiple purposes depending on the project.

Some faith leaders in the audience noted that heating or other utility systems serve all areas of their buildings and not just those that are not used for religious purposes.

Julian Adams, a restoration coordinator with the state OPRHP, explained that his office can help homeowners or community leaders preserve historic buildings through the state’s Environmental Protection Fund. Non-profit organizations may apply for fund grants to restore or preserve the character of buildings listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, he said.

Adams said projects for which funds could be used include roofing, window replacement and weatherization, among others.

He said applicants must match grant awards by 50 percent. The match does not have to be in cash, but can be met with in-kind services or donated labor or materials, he said.

Colleen Heemeyer, of the New York Landmark Conservancy, described her office’s Sacred Sites grant, which is a matching grant of up to $10,000 for exterior restoration, and the Robert W. Wilson Sacred Sites Challenge grant of up to $75,000 for “monumental” exterior restoration projects for houses of worship.

Sacred Sites grants are designed to help fund engineering reports and other planning stages for smaller restoration projects and Wilson grants are usually requested for projects with $250,000 budgets or more, she said.

Buildings for which her organization’s grants may be used must be on the National Registry of Historic Places or be recognized as a local landmark, she said.

Heemeyer said her office does not expect awards to go to shovel-ready projects but that those projects will be in contract within 12 to 18 months of their award announcements.

OTDA’s Elise Relyea explained that her office helps individuals utilize social service programs and learn the skills to get and maintain jobs. The office coordinates local organizations and funding sources.

Relyea said her office posts on its website requests for proposals when it is aware of grant opportunities.

She suggested small organizations may choose to form partnerships with other organizations to accomplish their goals or reach target populations.

She answered a question from the audience saying that individuals who have recently been released from incarceration are eligible for the opportunities her office facilitates.

Gillibrand, Hall push for vetsaEUR(TM) business tax cut to be made permanent

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

NEW WINDSOR – A law that allows businesses to receive a 40 percent tax credit on the first $6,000 paid to any veteran they hire who has just returned from Iraq or Afghanistan is due to expire at the end of the year.

In an effort to have that made permanent, Congressman John Hall (D-Dover Plains) and US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) gathered at the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor on Monday.

“Too many Hudson Valley veterans are still coming home to a very bad job market and struggle to find work,” said Gillibrand. “They fulfilled their duty to our country, and now it’s time for us to fulfill our duty to them by making sure they have access to a good paying job.”

Gillibrand said according to State Labor Department and US Census data, there are an estimated 9,500 Hudson Valley veterans who are unemployed.

Gillibrand pushes for bill for congressional transparency

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

WHITE PLAINS — U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand pushed for a bill Thursday that she said would ensure greater accountability and transparency in Congress.

Gillibrand, seeking a full term to the seat she was appointed to last year, urged a Senate vote on the proposal for full disclosure on federal earmarks and special interest campaign donations, and to end automatic pay raises for members of Congress.

Making the announcement outside the White Plains Public Library, the former two-term congresswoman said the bill would help rebuild public trust in government.

"People are very concerned about jobs, how they're going to find a job," Gillibrand told the editorial board of The Journal News later in the day. "But an issue that's really related is the lack of faith people have in their government to address the economy, to address their problems, to be a voice for regular working people."

"And so I really focused on how I can make government more accountable," Gillibrand said. "How I can create greater oversight and greater transparency."

Gillibrand was appointed to the seat by New York Gov. David Paterson in April 2009 after Hillary Rodham Clinton vacated the post to become secretary of state.

Paterson came under fire for giving Gillibrand the nod over hopefuls such as Caroline Kennedy, who had the support of some Democrats.

Three Republican challengers are now vying to unseat Gillibrand — former U.S. Rep. Joseph DioGuardi; former Long Island lawmaker Bruce Blakeman; and David Malpass, a former finance industry executive.

They have criticized Gillibrand for what they characterize as her support for failed economic policies in the nation's capital.

Gillibrand told The Journal News that tax cuts and credits for middle class families and small businesses would help spur the economy.

But she also said greater transparency would help fix faith in a political system "that is broken."

Amsterdam News: "Kirsten Gillibrand has a vision for New York"

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

As this year’s election season is gearing up, candidates seeking the endorsement of the New York Amsterdam News made their annual pilgrimage to the endorsement meetings. The meetings, all held in one day, saw the likes of senatorial, congressional and gubernatorial hopefuls to young men and women running for public office for the first time.

At this point in time, the Amsterdam News is only releasing endorsements for the primary elections. If a candidate does not have a primary, you will not see them mentioned until our final round of endorsements come later in the year.

Here are our picks for the 2010 primary election

State Attorney General

Eric Schneiderman

There are five candidates trying to replace Andrew Cuomo as he seeks the governor’s mansion: lawyer Sean Coffey, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice, Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, Insurance Commissioner Eric Dinallo and State Senator Eric Schneiderman.

Overall, the editorial board found this to be a good group of candidates. Richard Brodsky would to transform the attorney general’s office to a place where the average New Yorker would be involved. Kathleen Rice emphasized the local work she has done to build relationships with local politicians in Hempstead and other Nassau County communities. And Sean Coffey has a strong military background that almost landed him a top spot in the Obama administration. Eric Dinallo was a key player in Elliot Spitzer’s attorney general’s office and worked on bringing Wall Street cheats to justice.

But the overall choice of the board was Eric Schneiderman. Schneiderman has been a stalwart defender of the rights for our community. For years, Schneiderman has served the community and the state on many levels. Right out of college, as a deputy sheriff, he started the first comprehensive drug and alcohol treatment program at the local jail.

He later attended Harvard Law School and then clerked for two years in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. He worked in a private law practice for several years, where he represented advocacy and public interest groups before he decided to go back into public service, where he has sat as a New York State Senator since 1998.

While in the State Senate, Schneiderman has been instrumental in passing legislation that directly affects the lives of our community. From A Clinic Access Bill to the legislation to increase the minimum wage, to his most recent legislation focusing on how inmates in upstate penitentiaries were counted by the United States Census, he has been there fighting for us.

As attorney general, Schneiderman says he will to bring real reform to the state. One of these reforms is an innocence unit within the criminal division that, when appropriate, will examine prior convictions to ensure that justice is done.

He will work to protect the environment and make sure that our water is safe, starting with preventing dangerous gas drilling upstate until the methods are proven safe.

He will endeavor to protect the people of the state by reforming unfair market practices in the financial sector while, at the same time, ensuring faith in our own public sector.

His agenda is too numerous to go into in its entirety, but it is aggressive and ambitious. If anyone can accomplish these goals, it is Eric Schneiderman, and that is why the New York Amsterdam News endorses him for attorney general.

U.S. Senator

Kirsten Gillibrand

Kirsten Gillibrand was thrown onto the statewide scene in what some look at as a total political debacle. She was a local congresswoman with little statewide experience and even less recognition. She was appointed to the position of senator by Governor David Paterson after then-Senator Hillary Clinton was appointed to become U.S. secretary of state.

She came in with mixed reviews but, slowly, she has proven to be a diligent and quick learner and is quickly distinguishing herself has the state’s junior senator.

Her position on key issues have been on point, and we see her as having a keen grasp of the needs of our communities and how to address them.

She came in on the correct side of the issues when it came to our community. She now has a keen understanding of what some of the needs are of our communities and how to address them.

Gillibrand has committed herself to investing in job creation across the state, finding unique ways to replace jobs that have left the state with new industries with a true commitment to renewable energy and has pushed for a nationwide effort to rebuild our infrastructure. Her plan also calls for retraining and retooling of our manufacturers to produce new sources of clean, homegrown energy to fuel our economy for the new century.

Through those initiatives, there will be greater investment in New York’s world-class universities and research institutions to develop new technologies to turn our natural resources into renewable fuel. Gillibrand is also pushing for training more teachers in the areas of math and science to ensure the next generation will keep America competitive.

And to keep America and the state competitive, you also need a healthy state. That is why she knows that reforming our healthcare system and investing in education are critical to the long-term health of the economy.

Kirsten Gillibrand has a vision for New York. She has a vision for the future of our children, and she understands that people of color are a critical and unique part of the future. That is why the New York Amsterdam News endorses Kirsten Gillibrand for United States senator.

Congress: 15th Congressional District

Charles B. Rangel

Charles B. Rangel has served the 15th Congressional District for 38 years as its congressman. He is the dean of the New York State delegation and one of the most senior congressmen of the august House of Representatives. At the ripe young age of 80, Rangel can still outpace his younger counterparts. His Empowerment Zone legislation has stood the test of years and continues to help communities across this city and this country.

Recent events have taken some time away from the business at hand for the congressman, however this has not stopped him from continuing his legacy of commitment and work toward helping his beloved New York.

While Rangel no longer chairs the powerful Ways and Means Committee, he still has the stature to create change and to ensure the wellbeing of our communities. He has been a great fighter for all. of us and as he continues to be in the trenches, we must continue to fight alongside him.

As for his primary challengers, there are many, from Adam Clayton Powell IV to Joyce Johnson and Vince Morgan, the latter two of whom have both worked for the congressman. Johnson and Morgan are ambitions, but both hold the congressman in the highest of regard. Yet, they are challenging him to better position themselves down the line.

Morgan has worked for the Empowerment Zone, serves as chair of the 125th Street BID and is a community banker with TD Bank. He has the ambition and the drive to do well in New York City politics. We believe Morgan will do well down the line, but as for our current endorsement, we believe that Congressman Charles B. Rangel continues to be the best person to represent the 15th Congressional District.

That is why once again, the Amsterdam News enthusiastically endorses Charles B. Rangel for congressman on the 15th Congressional District.

Congress: 10th Congressional District

Edolphus Towns

Congressman Ed Towns came to the Amsterdam News editorial meeting straight from a fact-finding mission in Afghanistan. While he had just come from rugged conditions and spent many hours on a plane, the 14-term congressman from Brooklyn takes his national responsibilities seriously as well as his commitment to his community. Towns is chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the main investigative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Congressman Towns’ opponent, Kevin Powell, was scheduled to appear before the Amsterdam News Editorial Board, but cancelled on the day of the endorsement meetings.

Because of his diligent congressional service, the Amsterdam News enthusiastically endorses Congressman Towns.

Part II of endorsements next week.

Colbert Grills Meat Head on Gillibrand's Beef Bill

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

In his "Better Know a Lobby" segment last night, Stephen Colbert sat down with the head of the American Meat Institute, J. Patrick Boyle, to pick his brain about...meat policy.

"The AMI recently opposed a bill introduced by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand that would require the USDA to regulate six additional strains of disease-causing e. coli. Bravo," Colbert said, referring to a bill the senator introduced back in June. "I say we let the market regulate e. coli. Because if you get a hamburger with e. coli, you will never buy that hamburger again."

"I would not encourage you to eat any strain of e. coli," said Boyle.

"But we shouldn't regulate them either?"

"E. coli is intensely regulated," Boyle said.

And so on.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Better Know a Lobby - American Meat Institute

www.colbertnation.com

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2010 Election

Fox News

Stumping for rejuvenation

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand appealed for ideas to rejuvenate the economy, and the manufacturing sector in particular, during a visit with business and labor leaders on Tuesday.

Gillibrand toured General Motors' Town of Tonawanda engine plant, then met with 16 guests from companies, unions, government and economic development agencies.

Those participating in a round-

table discussion cited access to capital, brownfields cleanup and renewable energy technology as avenues to job growth.

The meeting's host has fared better than many manufacturers lately. The Tonawanda engine plant this year was awarded two new engine lines, projects that represent a combined investment of $825 million.

"This plant is a shining example of what can be done, of what the future looks like and how to continually remake your products so you can be at the cutting edge and be the best in the industry," Gillibrand said.

But manufacturing as a whole has faced tough times. About 30 percent of the U.S. jobs lost since December 2007 were in that sector, the Democratic senator said.

In the Buffalo Niagara region, manufacturing employment has declined from an annual average of 92,600 in 1990 to just 50,300 last year, according to the state Department of Labor. Through June this year, the average was 47,300 manufacturing jobs.

Arthur Wheaton, an automotive expert at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations in Buffalo, told Gillibrand that more manufacturers would be successful if they emulated the labor-management cooperation at the GM Tonawanda plant.

"They're not just leaders in Western New York, they're leaders globally," he said.

Bill Robbins, president of RubberForm Recycled Products, a start-up in Lockport, said access to capital remains a pressing issue for small businesses such as his. Federal dollars for research and development also would provide a boost, by paving the way for new products, he said.

"We need some help because we need to grow," Robbins said.

Gillibrand agreed that access to capital remains difficult and said she is backing a community bank lending bill that would encourage more lending.

"If we're not getting lending, we're not stimulating growth," she said.

Gillibrand said there are numerous programs that provide federal grants to support "green" projects, and she called for more applicants from New York State.

"It's in our hands," she said. "We just have to ask for it, because we have such compelling work here."

Anthony Caruana, the Town of Tonawanda supervisor, said brownfields hold potential for future growth. Using federal money to create infrastructure on cleaned-up sites would help attract businesses to those properties.

Christopher Knospe of Greatbatch, which has about 700 area employees, called for making the research-and-development tax credit permanent, rather than subjecting it to constant renewals. "We invest about 10 percent of our gross revenue in R&D," he said.

Gillibrand agreed with Knospe, adding that creating that type of predictability for the tax credit would give investors more confidence in areas like renewable energy.

The senator also said it is vital for domestic manufacturers to be the innovators in renewable energy technology, so that other countries don't get a leg up. "We have to keep the manufacturing here, or we will never compete in these new markets," she said.

Protect our seniors from fraud

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Every year thousands of elderly New Yorkers are given a ride for their money.

In Queens alone, some 60,000 seniors are scammed each year to the tune of $21 million, a new study shows. Nationwide, the Federal Trade Commission estimates, one in five seniors fall victim to scammers.

These are scary statistics. But it gets worse: a majority of elder abuse is perpetrated by family members looking to steal from their own relatives, according to city experts in the field.

How could they?

Life is hard enough for senior citizens in New York City; they must struggle daily with stairs, public transportation, complicated trips to the doctor, air pollution and more. Adding insult to injury, this year the Bloomberg Administration cut funding to dozens of beloved senior centers that served as anchors for communities across the city. (We won't even go into the country's long-term crisis over Social Security).

Despite these challenges, seniors marshal on.

The last thing they need is a nosy relative or friend searching for the perfect way to rip them off. Because when it happens, seniors are in a terrible position to defend themselves- especially when the scammers are trusted family members.

Criminals know just how to take advantage of trusting seniors, both over the phone and online. Too Too often seniors give out their personal information over the phone when someone calls pretending to represent the Social Security Administration or another government agency.

The swindle can happen in a matter of minutes; once identity thief's are in possession of a person's social security number and other vital information, they're off to the races. In many cases seniors have no idea what happened until they receive bills or are subject to unexpected inquires from real taxation or law enforcement authorities.

By then, it can be too late. And remember, the stakes are high.

As Senator Kirsten Gillibrand pointed out on a recent visit to a senior center in Queens, the country's senior citizen population, swelled by aging baby boomers, is worth trillions of dollars. To financial fraud artists, elderly people are low-hanging fruit.

This situation must change. A piece of legislation authored by Gillibrand in the Senate would create several useful tools to help fight financial fraud against seniors.

It would establish a consumer education system and send funds to states for fraud prevention programs; increase penalties for scammers targeting the elderly; and create a “National Senior Fraud Awareness Week” in May to bring more attention to the issue. (A similar bill was passed by the House of Representatives).

These are productive measures. But they don't tackle the problem of delinquent family members looking to soak their aging relatives for easy cash. These individuals need to learn respect for their elders, plain and simple. No law can teach that.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand - A Breath Of Fresh Air!

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

In January, 2009, when Gov. Paterson appointed Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand to the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton, my first reaction - like many others - was Kirsten who?

Almost everyone was rooting for the coronation of Caroline Kennedy. Appointment of Gillibrand was like a major letdown.

But guess what? I was wrong, and so were many others who wanted Caroline to get the nod.

My transformation came about this morning when Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (pronounced kar-stan jilli-brand) came to the D&C Editorial Board Meeting. I did not expect to see such a warm, focused and extremely well-prepared person willing to answer every single question honestly and completely. Her command of the issues was remarkable, as was her common-sense approach to act on them.

She is one of the very few politicians I have come across who had a good grasp of the various angles of every issue, and her reasons for supporting or opposing it. There was a candidness rarely seen in politics. A logical and sensible approach to such issues as:

Gun control,

Immigration Reform,

Job Creation, with SBA financing small businesses through community banks,

Allowing savings and loan institutions to lend upto 25% of their capital (leverage),

Regulatory Reform Bill,

Help to dairy Farmers to eliminate their consistent losses (price:$15/CWT, cost: $17/CWT, net loss $2/CWT),

Getting rid of Derivatives,

Children Nutrition Bill,

Making foster children eligible for school lunch,

Addressing childhood obesity with targeted programs,

Inspection of meat for eColi, and posting recalls at grocery stores and MANDATORY notification to schools,

Ant-trafficking bill for guns,

Granting waivers to states, so that they can use the grant funds when they do not have matching funds,

Grant Guide for State so that they can apply for all the grants,

The “opportunity cost” of deficits- the interest payment that could instead be used for important things,

Doubling Child Care tax credit

Leaving retirement age unchanged,

Social Security contribution rates to go to all income brackets,

No unfunded mandates like “No Child Left Behind”,

More dollars for infrastructure,

Property Tax deduction whether tax return is itemized or not,

Simplification of Tax Code; everyone paying their fair share of taxes,

Economics of Immigration (how many Agriculture workers needed), 5+5 year work visa,

DREAM Act,

Employer Tax Credit for offering English as second language,

A defined and uniform process towards earned citizenship,

Permanent Renewable Energy Tax Credit for using alternative energy,

And many, many others. Her answers to my questions:

Q: Why not use the profits on the return of TARP money to finance SBA for loans to small businesses through community Banks?

A; Good idea.

Q; Why not SBA provide capital for University Tech Transfer start-ups to avoid their “Valley of Death”?

A: It should.

Q: Are you going to bring back Glass-Steagall Act?

A: No, but making sure that banks operate with reasonable leverage (and not 41 to 1, that caused the mess).

When Editor Jim Lawrence asked about what her new ideas are to protect Social Security, her answer was she is putting forward several. And then she asked if Jim Had any ideas to offer. This created one of the rare bursts of laughter in the room!

It is very interesting to note that Sen. Gillibrand had been doing a lot of very important work for the constituents during the past 18-1/2 months, but we had no inkling of it. Was this intentional, or by chance?

Whatever the answer, I came away from this meeting feeling very impressed with Sen, Gillibrand. She is one person we should be watching in future.

A Presidential run?

Who knows!

At track, Senator talks jobs, local issues

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Among the throngs of racing fans at the Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., was surrounded by a crowd of television cameras and reporters as she greeted constituents.

"Talking to people, seeing what's on their mind," she said about her visit.

Amid the topics she said constituents at the track were talking about: jobs and government transparency.

"How we can turn the economy around," she said.

When speaking of government transparency, Gillibrand said earmarks and meetings should be posted online.

As far as local issues, Gillibrand said she is working on setting up meetings with farmers to hear their concerns on agricultural issues.

She also discussed high-speed rail in the state. The federal government recently awarded $150 million for high-speed rail in New York.

Though the money has not yet been allocated, the senator said that she hopes to bring commuter rail to the area.

In April, the senator met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to discuss New York's portion of a plan by President Obama to bring high-speed rail to the U.S. in a system similar to the country's interstate highway system.

The state's plan includes short-distance commuter rail lines, one of which may run between Saratoga Springs and Albany.

Gillibrand was also asked about U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, who's facing House ethics charges.

"I think it's only fair that he get his say," she said about Rangel.

Gillibrand is running for election in November to the Senate seat she was appointed to last year by Gov. David Paterson.

Three Republican candidates are running in a September primary: Bruce Blakeman, a former legislator; former U.S. Rep. Joe DioGuardi, who already has the Conservative nomination; and David Malpass, an economist and former official in the U.S. Treasury and State departments.

Gillibrand urges permanent tax credit for hiring vets

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) Wednesday called on Congress to make permanent a tax credit for businesses that hire recently discharged military veterans.

The current version of the Veterans Work Opportunity Tax Credit expires Dec. 31. Gillibrand wants to eliminate the need for Congress to reauthorize the bill each year.

She said she finds it "extremely disturbing for men and women to come back from Iraq andAfghanistan and not have jobs."

The bill gives employers a maximum tax credit of $2,400, equal to 40 percent of the first $6,000 earned by a qualified veteran. The program is limited to veterans who were discharged within five years of the date of hire.

While the existing version of the bill limits eligibility to veterans who received four weeks of unemployment benefits in the previous year, the new version of the bill would eliminate that restriction.

The proposed bill preserves a requirement that veterans must have served a minimum of 180 days of active duty, or must have been discharged with a service-connected disability. The new version would also require the Defense Department to educate exiting veterans about the credit.

Gillibrand did not immediately have available an estimate of the number of veterans on Long Island who would qualify for the program. She said there are about 12,000 unemployed veterans overall on Long Island.

Kirsten Gillibrand: A Visit With Our Junior Senator

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

I really didn’t know her.

She was that upstate Congresswoman without much seniority who overnight became our U.S. Senator. She was appointed by an accidental Governor who clearly had bungled the process. Her Democratic district and her apparent centrist beliefs clearly were conservative for us downstate liberals.

She had a political mentor who appeared to scare any opposition from challenging her in the Democratic Primary. People who I know, like Long Island Congressman Steve Israel and Manhattan-Queens Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, flirted with a run and felt the pressure. Harold Ford and others explored a challenge but at the end of the day, joined the long list of almost-rans.

Most of us who observe the political game believe elected officials must win their seats, that new-comers and freshmen deserve spirited challenges and that easy rides just shouldn’t happen.

Kirsten Gilibrand and Mike Schenkler

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who has served a year and a half as the junior senator from New York, has a free ride to the Democratic line and totally outguns her little known Republican rival. Basically, when the Senator’s staff called for a sit down, I knew that Gillibrand was going to be our Senator for a longtime to come.

I already knew that her positions on several issues had moved to the left – to my liking — shortly after leaving a smaller conservative district to represent the entire state. Not in keeping with my typical approach to grill a candidate, I decided to get to know the Senator and try to judge the person and not the political animal.

Well this person is a political animal.

The diminutive, attractive, young Gillibrand is bright, glib, knowledgeable and full of energy. She referred to politics as “a blood sport.”

Her maternal grandmother, Dorothea “Polly” Noonan (1915–2003), was a women’s rights activist who was a leader of the Albany Democratic machine and the closest confidant of longtime Albany mayor Erastus Corning. “As a 10-year-old girl,” Gillibrand later said, “I would listen to my grandmother discuss issues and she made a lasting impression on me.”

For a newcomer, her knowledge of the economy was impressive as she responded non-stop to a series of questions and took control of the conversation with a command one expects from New York’s Senior Senator. She has travelled the state and is aware of, and committed to, addressing the different economic demands of each region.

What captured our imagination was the reform agenda of the nation’s newest Senator.

Senator Gillibrand has led by example, becoming the first Member of Congress to post all of her federal funding requests, official daily schedule and personal financial disclosure on her own website.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visits the Trib last week. (Clockwise from left): editor Brian Rafferty, Associate Publisher Michael Nussbaum, Senator Gillibrand, Press Secretary Glen Caplin, Publisher Mike Schenkler, Gillibrand’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Brian Simon.

Now, she has joined Republican Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and John McCain (R-AZ) to author bipartisan legislation that creates an easily searchable database which makes the federal earmark process fully transparent and easy for citizens to access.

To help keep elections fair and honest, Gillibrand is pushing legislation to reverse the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court that allows special interests—including even foreign-controlled corporations—to spend limitless amounts of money to influence elections.

From 1991 to 2007, Congress voted to raise its own pay 11 times, for a total increase of $63,600 in their annual salary. Gillibrand is a cosponsor of legislation to permanently end the automatic pay raise for Members of Congress.

Together with 67 of her colleagues, Senator Gillibrand has written to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), calling on the leaders to once and for all end the practice of Senators putting anonymous holds on legislation.

Finally, Gillibrand expressed her desire to greatly curtail the effectiveness of the filibuster by allowing a decreasing percent of members to end debate on successive votes.

In a May 2008 New York Times article, Gillibrand was mentioned as a “young Democratic dragon slayer who won in [a] Republican district” in the context of possibly becoming the first woman to be elected President.

While we were impressed with our compelling chat, we’re not ready to sign onto that. However, we look forward to watching one of the nation’s youngest Senators blossom and come into her own over the next six years.

Come back and visit soon, Senator.

MSchenkler@QueensTribune.com

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand looks to continue tax cuts

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Staten Island Advance/Michael McWeeneyU.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, center, announces a new push to make tax cuts permanent for businesses that hire veterans during a press conference in the Labetti Post, Rosebank. She is flanked by Assemblyman Michael Cusick; Joseph Benedetto, Labetti Post commander; Linda Baran, president & CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Comerce; John DeVito, third junior vice commander of the Disabled American Veterans, Halloran Memorial Chapter 34; veteran Robert Miller, Carmen Cognetta; veteran Malik Abbas; Assemblywoman Janele Hyer-Spencer, and Councilwoman Debi Rose, from left.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Touting statistics that show one in five young Staten Island veterans is unemployed, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand pressed her case yesterday for an extension of a tax cut for businesses that hire the returned soldiers.

"The least we can do is make sure that when the veterans come home, they can provide for their families," said Ms. Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), speaking at the Labetti Post, in Rosebank.

The senator helped establish the Work Opportunity Tax Credit last year as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, allowing for businesses that hire new veterans to receive a 40 percent credit on the first $6,000 paid to each veteran. The law is due to expire at year's end and Ms. Gillibrand is pushing to extend it indefinitely.

The extension of the bill includes some changes.

The requirement of at least four weeks' unemployment benefits in the previous year has been eliminated.

Also, the Defense Department is required to advertise the credit, as well as document veterans' eligibility: The requirement remains a minimum 180 days in active duty (the time need not be consecutive) or discharge with a service-related disability.

And veterans must have been discharged from the service within the last five years.

Businesses like United Parcel Service, JCPenney and Barnes & Noble have availed themselves of the tax credit over the last couple of years.

"UPS has hired over 1,000 veterans ... and has been able to collect $500,000 in tax credit because of this program," said UPS district security manager Pat Moran.

Veterans were in attendance yesterday to show their support for the bill. Robert Miller, who did two tours in Iraq as a paratrooper, is pursuing a degree from the College of Staten Island.

"It is nice to know that with this bill, there is extra incentive to hire me," he said.

City Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore), said, "Our veterans have sacrificed so much for us; this effort shows reciprocal support.

"We need to show our veterans that we appreciate all of their service."

Ms. Gillibrand stressed that the program pays for itself: "The immediate cost is around $100 million a year but is paid back when the veterans pay their income taxes."

Also in attendance were Assemblywoman Janele Hyer- Spencer (D-East Shore/Brooklyn), Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-North Shore), Councilman Mathieu Eugene (D-Brooklyn) and Linda Baran, president and CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce.

BRADY CAMPAIGN ENDORSES KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND FOR U.S. SENATE

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Contact: Peter Hamm, Brady Campaign, 202-289-5792, phamm@bradymail.org

BRADY CAMPAIGN ENDORSES KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND
FOR U.S. SENATE

Washington, D.C. - Leaders of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence today announced the organization's endorsement of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) for election to the United States Senate.

"In less than two years on the job, Senator Gillibrand has already become a leader in the United States Senate, voting against the gun lobby's extremist agenda and introducing strong, sensible legislation to make it harder for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons," said Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign. "We want the people of New York to know that we enthusiastically support Senator Gillibrand's campaign for the U.S. Senate."

Michael Wolkowitz, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Brady organization and a longtime New York City entrepreneur and activist, said Senator Gillibrand has shown a genuine commitment to reducing gun violence.

"She is someone that I consider a strong ally who I trust to do the right thing when it comes to strengthening gun laws in this country," Wolkowitz said. "Senator Gillibrand is standing up to the gun lobby and fighting for the safety of New York families."

"I am honored to have the support of the Brady Campaign," Senator Gillibrand said. "The Brady Campaign has been at the forefront of the effort to rid our streets of illegal guns and keep our communities free of gun violence. I look forward to continue working together to make New York safe for our families for years to come."

Some political observers and New York journalists questioned Gillibrand's record on guns when she was appointed by New York's Governor to fill the remainder of the term of former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton, when Mrs. Clinton was confirmed as the U.S. Secretary of State. But Helmke noted that she has established a solid record on sensible gun laws as a U.S. Senator, voting against extreme gun lobby amendments on numerous occasions, and teaming with Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) in authoring important legislation to combat illegal gun trafficking.

Two-thirds of guns used in gun-related crime in New York come from out of state. Senator Gillibrand and Congresswoman McCarthy's legislation increases jail sentences for gun traffickers, straw purchasers and kingpins of criminal networks, and empowers law enforcement with the tools and resources they need to keep criminals behind bars, without infringing on the Constitutional rights of law-abiding gun owners.

"On common sense gun laws, she truly represents the vast majority of New Yorkers," Helmke said, "and she will be a strong voice for reducing gun violence in the years to come if she is returned to the United States Senate."

***

WATCH Senator Gillibrand announce the Gun Trafficking Prevention Act with the Brady Campaign.

***

As the nation's largest, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence, the Brady Campaign, with its dedicated network of Million Mom March Chapters, works to enact and enforce sensible gun laws, regulations and public policies. The Brady Campaign is devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities.

Gillibrand Pushes To Extend Incentive To Hire Vets

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

NY1 VIDEO: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and other local leaders on Staten Island are pushing to make a tax credit given to businesses who hire returning vets permanent.

For more on Kirsten's proposal to make these tax credits permanent, go HERE.

Gillibrand attends the BlogHer conference, stresses organization

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand met with a group of 25 of the web's top female political bloggers Friday evening as part of the BlogHer Conference, a two-day gathering of 2,400 female bloggers.

The freshman New York Democrat, one of Washington's most web-savvy politicians, used the appearance to press other women to run for office, a rallying cry heard throughout the conference.

“We need you,” Gillibrand told the bloggers. “You don’t have to be afraid [of politics] just because it is a blood sport.”

A frequent blog contributor herself, Gillibrand discussed her experience in the Senate, and specifically the fight against the Stupak amendment – a crucial sticking point for liberal Democrats that turned the debate over health care reform legislation on its head. Gillibrand expressed surprise at the lack of grassroots coordination from women to protest the amendment and pointed to the debate as one where women could have been better organized, and more effective.

The Stupak amendment contained language that would have tightened restrictions on abortion funding, a provision Gillibrand opposed.

“BlogHer is not just a conference,” Gillibrand told CNN. “It's a community of millions of concerned women who are engaged in the same issues that I'm working on in Washington, from creating fairness in our economy, to a safer world for our children.”

And while Gillibrand discussed issues like fair pay for women, the bloggers did what they do best: blog. You can see the results here and here.

“I'm glad that Sen. Gillibrand understands the potential power on politics of women online,” said Joanne Bamberger, a blogger who attended the meeting. “I hope more women elected officials realize our power and meet with us one on one.”

And the event's co-founder stressed that female bloggers occupy an important and powerful space online.

“I think Senator Gillibrand really said it best last night: Women who raise their voices, individually and collectively, have the power to change the world,” BlogHer co-founder and chief operating officer Elisa Camahort Page wrote in an email to CNN. “If you want to get your message out, influence others or understand future needs, listening and talking to women may be your shortest path.”

Gillibrand is no stranger to the blogging and technology community. She frequently contributes to blogs focused on women, like BlogHer, the Motherhood blog and Moms Rising.

In the social media world, Gillibrand was the first senator ever to hold a video chat on Facebook and tweets regularly @SenGillibrand. During the health care debate she conducted a conference call with BlogHer bloggers.

Gillibrand Sponsors High-tech Showcase

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Some of Long Island's largest and most powerful business and technology organizations will join others from across the state in Washington, D.C., today in hopes of securing some business from the federal government.

Officials of the Long Island Forum for Technology, the Morrelly Homeland Security Center, Brookhaven National Lab, the Advanced Energy Systems at the State University at Stony Brook, and Cold Spring Harbor Labs will take part in the second-annual High-Tech Innovation Showcase, sponsored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

"This is not just a trade show," said Ray Donnelly, who is representing both LIFT and the Morrelly Center. "One of the downsides of a trade show is that you get a lot of people walking around kicking the tires. But this is a much more targeted effort."

The organizations from the Island, New York City and other parts of the state will meet and show off their products to an array of federal law-enforcement and technology agencies.

The event is to take place in the Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building. Donnelly said the Long Island group has high hopes, despite the setting. The Caucus Room has been the site of Senate investigations into the sinking of the Titanic, the Teapot Dome Scandal, and the Watergate scandal.

GillibrandaEUR(TM)s wide appeal

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

When Hillary Clinton announced that she would give up her Senate seat to become President Obama’s secretary of State in late 2008, few Democrats worried about her successor being reelected to a full term in 2010 in one of the bluest states of all.

So when Gov. David Paterson surprised many political observers by selecting Kirsten Gillibrand, a relative unknown, little did Empire State Democrats know that come 2010 the political climate would have changed so dramatically that Paterson’s pick would look increasingly prescient. New York may not yet be a red state, but polls show its independents and moderate Republicans are not much different from their counterparts in other states in their frustration with the incumbents in Washington.

The fact is, if you had to invent a Democrat who has the capability appealing broadly to the center — once she becomes better-known, which she surely will — I can’t think of anyone better than Gillibrand. In a little more than one term in the House and about 18 months in the Senate, Gillibrand has established herself as a serious progressive Democrat with appeal to political independents and even some conservatives — exactly the purple tint Democrats will need to be sure the state elects a Democrat.

In 2006, Gillibrand ran for the House from an Albany-suburban and rural district widely seen as a safe conservative Republican seat, with a popular incumbent, John Sweeney. Yet, showing the broad appeal just mentioned, including among rural voters who valued their right to gun ownership (now constitutionally upheld by the Supreme Court), she won, 53-47. Then in 2008, Rep. Gillibrand proved her broad appeal was for real, winning by a landslide, 62-38.

As a senator representing the entire state, Gillibrand has consistently supported the Obama administration’s key legislative initiatives: the $787 billion stimulus bill, the president’s national healthcare proposal and the strengthened financial services regulatory legislation.

One theme of her first few months in the Senate that has quickly emerged — not surprisingly, a theme that has transcendent bipartisan appeal — is transparency and reform of the often dysfunctional Senate. For example, she has co-sponsored — along with leading conservative Republican Sens. John McCain (Ariz.) and Tom Coburn (Okla.) — the “Earmark Transparency Act,” which requires all earmarks to be posted on the Internet, with full disclosure concerning who is making the request, for how much money, for what purpose and benefit and whether there is private money also involved in financing the project.

Also significant has been Gillibrand’s bipartisan effort to end the “secret” or “silent hold” rule in the Senate, which allows a single member out of 100, without revealing him- or herself, to prevent legislation from being voted upon. She and a group of 67 senators wrote the majority and minority leaders a letter asking for an end to this practice — or, at the very least, requiring senators seeking to exercise the “hold” privilege (a privilege I still cannot accept) to be fully transparent.

Thus, Gillibrand’s brand of progressive centrism should not only be successful in her New York Senate campaign but could serve as a model for other Democrats looking to escape what many political observers believe will be an anti-Democrat, anti-incumbent deluge in the fall congressional elections.

Mr. Davis is a Washington D.C. attorney and principal in the legal crisis management firm of Lanny J. Davis & Associates. He served as President Clinton’s special counsel in 1996-98 and as a member of President George W. Bush’s Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board in 2006-07. He is the author of Scandal: How ‘Gotcha’ Politics Is Destroying America (Palgrave Macmillan 2006).

Some Haitian Adoptions Still Stalled In America

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

In the days after Haiti's devastating earthquake, television news crews beamed back pictures of unspeakable suffering, including children at orphanages with not enough food and water to eat and drink.

In some of those pictures, would-be mothers and fathers in the United States saw the children they had already agreed to adopt, sleeping outside in tents, their caretakers too afraid to let them sleep inside their damaged buildings for fear of another aftershock.

Between January and April of 2010, eleven hundred children in the process of being adopted by Americans were rescued from the rubble and delivered to the states *before* their adoptions were finalized. The kids were brought in as refugees on special Humanitarian Parole visas, but the emergency actions that were used to get them out of the disaster zone, are now keeping them from applying to become United States citizens right away.

Three-year-old Johnny and four-year-old Marie moved in with Liz and Joshua Daby of Rochester, New York less than two weeks after the earthquake. The Dabys also have two biological children, 6 year old Emma and 4 year old Josiah. Considering Johnny and Marie could be years away from becoming American citizens, the Dabys fear their family could be ripped apart if anything were to happen to them before the process is complete. "We have a plan for Emma and Josiah if anything were to happen to us but I don't know right now what that would mean for these guys," says Liz.

Lawmakers in Washington, are trying to change that. U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) have introduced the Help H.A.I.T.I. (Haitian Adoptees to Immediately Integrate) Act of 2010 which would allow these children to apply for U.S. Citizenship immediately upon completion of their adoption.

Right now, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires the Haitian children who entered the U.S. on Humanitarian Parole to remain in the country, in their would-be parents custody, before they are allowed to apply for citizenship. The Help HAITI Act of 2010 would eliminate that two year wait. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York says that would ensure parents that their children will be allowed to stay in the states should they die or become incapacitated, "God forbid something happens to them while the child is going through this process - that child could be sent back to Haiti," she says. "We want to make sure when these families adopt children from Haiti that they know these children are now theirs and they can become citizens right away."

A version of the Help Haiti Act of 2010 has already passed in the House of Representatives. Senator Gillibrand hopes for a full Senate vote on her version within the next two weeks.

Gillibrand: Federal fishing rules hurt LI industry

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Federal rules and fisheries management have leftNew York fishermen with dwindling shares of fish stocks and must be changed before a vital Long Island industry fades away, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said at a roundtable in Montauk Sunday.

"The rules are unfair to New York" fishermen, said Gillibrand, who is on the November ballot. "The numbers need to be rectified. We need our fair share of the stock."

Twenty people representing commercial groundfish trawlers, lobster boats, charter captains and local lawmakers briefed the upstate senator on what they said were injustices largely ignored by lawmakers.

"We get no support from our congressional delegation," saidMontauk charter captain Joe McBride. "There has to be a change."

Gillibrand joins a long line of lawmakers who have vowed to fight for fishing interests.

"It's a real sad industry and we need a new friend," said SuffolkLegis. Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk). "These issues haven't gone away."

Conservationists and regulators say the rules are needed to rebuild species historically depleted by overfishing and other factors. Sen. Charles Schumer has sponsored legislation aimed at lengthening timetables for rebuilding fish stocks to reduce harm to local economies. Gillibrand said she will work to advance the measure.

Commercial fish landings at the Shinnecock commercial dock in Hampton Bays fell to 6.1 million pounds in 2006 from 17.5 million in 1995, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Montauk landings were down 10 to 15 percent from the late 1990s, and commercial ground-fishing permits for New York have dropped from a high of nearly 400 in 1992 to just above 100 in 2008.

Fishermen said restrictions have hit New York harder than regions such as New England or the mid-Atlantic, which have higher shares of species, some of which thrive in federal waters off Long Island. Lobsterman Al Schaffer took aim at a five-year moratorium on catching lobsters in southern New England, including all the waters around Long Island. Two days after the plan was tabled, Schaffer said he and his son Nolan caught nearly 800 pounds of lobsters in waters reported to be depleted.

Most of the focus was on New York's relatively low quota on staple species.

"I'm fishing next to boats from all the other states, and they can take ten times the amount of fluke that I can," said Montauk commercial fisherman Chuck Weimar. Gillibrand said she'd create a state working group to reverse the low allotment and press the case with the U.S. Commerce Departmentand the New York Attorney General's office, which has already filed suit on the issue for recreational groups.

Sports fishermen complained about restrictive size limits on fish that they said damage species meant to be protected, because many undersize fish are thrown back in the water dead.

"If the fish die, there's no purpose in it," Gillibrand said, asking the group to compile data on the trend to make a case before regulators.

East Hampton Town Supervisor Bill Wilkenson asked Gillibrand to work to alter rules that have worked against decades of fishermen.

"I don't think we can punish this group any longer with the sins of their fathers," he said. "This community wants its share of fish."

Gillibrand Wants Facts On Terrorist Release

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is calling for a full investigation into oil giant BP and its alleged involvement in the release of the Lockerbie bomber.

New evidence suggests BP pressured the British government to help release Abdel AlMegrahi in exchange for Libyan drilling rights. Al-Megrahi was convicted in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Scotland in 1989. Among the dead were 189 Americansp

Sen. Gillibrand spoke with Good Day NY on Wednesday, a day after British Prime Minister David Cameron condemned Al-Megrahi's release.

"What the prime minister agreed to do is start a document review what we urged him in that meeting is to do a full review. We need the facts. We need to make sure that profits were not put before people. From what we see there is no way this terrorist should be free," said Gillibrand.

The junior senator from New York says Al-Megrahi should be sent back to prison but that the focus is on getting the facts about his release.

"We can hope that would be the outcome, but the most important that we get the facts. This is also about how we're going to fight terrorists abroad. We don't want to see terrorists released for any reason. We need to know the rule of law will hold."

Gillibrand aids war veteran in debt snafu

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

A Middle Village Army veteran recently exhaled a sigh of relief after learning he no longer owed tens of thousands of dollars to the federal government due to a Department of Veterans Affairs accounting error.

At the urging of his daughter, Jennifer, and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York), the VA agreed to waive the $24,000 debt it had said Korean War combat veteran Anthony Novak owed following several years of pension overpayments.

“This is such a huge weight lifted, I couldn’t be happier,” Novak said in a statement. “It was simply impossible for me to pay this debt. I thank Senator Gillibrand for all her help.”

The VA terminated Novak’s pension in 2009 and sent letters, complete with payment forms attached, claiming he owed the money. Novak is handicapped and suffers from several ailments, including major heart surgery, treatment for throat, bladder and skin cancer, including having his voicebox replaced with a speaking apparatus. He feared he’d lose his vital VA health benefits.
“I’m laughing [at the letters] because that’s a joke,” Jennifer Novak told the Chronicle this week. “He’s 75 years old — where would he have that kind of money laying around?”

Jennifer Novak “knew there was nothing we could do,” so she wrote a letter to Gillibrand’s office about six months ago asking for help. After Gillibrand’s inquiry, the VA said it realized that in 2007, Novak’s Social Security payments had increased to roughly $1,000 per month between 2001 and 2007, which exceeded the VA’s monthly income cap to qualify for its roughly $800 per month pension. The VA also realized it had failed to decrease his monthly pension during the seven-year period, so in order to recoup, it cut off payments to Novak and hit him with the retroactive debt.

Gillibrand cited Novak’s poor health and financial constraints in asking the VA to reconsider the debt, which it did.

According to Gillibrand, the VA has instituted a process of regularly checking both veterans’ Social Security benefits and their VA pensions to ensure they are not wrongfully overpaid and do not end up with an exorbitant amount of debt.

“It is unfair to punish our veterans, levying debt that would strip them of their basic standard of living,” Gillibrand said.

Jennifer Novak thanked the state’s junior senator for her efforts, and reminded those in similar situations that aid is available.

“Writing letters does help,” she said.

Gillibrand eyes crackdown on Medicaid, Medicare fraud

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) Wednesday will introduce a bill to crack down on Medicaid and Medicare fraud, a problem that each year costs New York State $5 billion, including about $755 million on Long Island, an aide said Monday.

The proposed bill would double criminal penalties for fraud, toughen fraud prevention and set up a five-year pilot program to verify Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement claims.

"By creating more transparency and more accountability in Medicare and Medicaid, we can save taxpayer money and protect services for seniors and people who need them," Gillibrand said in a statement.

Medicaid and Medicare fraud is estimated at $80 billion a year nationally. The federal government has identified New York City, Miami and Los Angeles as high fraud areas.

A similar bill, without the pilot program, has been introduced in the House.

Gillibrand's bill would double criminal penalties for making false statements on Medicaid or Medicare claims from $25,000 to $50,000 in fines and from five to 10 years in jail.

For equipment suppliers and service providers considered risky, the bill would require criminal background checks, fingerprinting and random site visits to prevent fraud. It also would require the government to create a five-year pilot program to establish a process to verify beneficiary's reimbursements.