While I appreciate Secretary Hagel's taking positive steps to enact reform, we need more than just words or retraining. It's increasingly clear that the military justice system is not working for its victims and the chain of command is incapable of policing itself when it comes to a zero tolerance reality for these serious crimes. Enough is enough. It is time for Congress to move forward now with bold reform that puts victims first.

In March, as Chair of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, I held the first Senate hearing on sexual assault in the military in almost ten years. One of the issues I asked military officials about was the case of Lt. Col. James Wilkerson who, last year at the Aviano Air Force Base in Italy, was convicted by a five-person jury of aggravated sexual assault and sentenced to a year in jail, forfeiture of all pay and dismissal from the Air Force. After his conviction, Wilkerson's commander, Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin, proceeded to dismiss the case entirely, and re-instated Wilkerson to the Air Force.

Gillibrand announced Sunday morning new legislation that would allow student borrowers currently repaying their federal student loans to refinance at a lower interest rate.

As WCBS 880’s Monica Miller reported, businesses and homeowners are getting a break on their loans, and Gillibrand thinks college graduates should be too.

“Getting a college degree is the gateway to the middle class in this country,” Gillibrand said. “It’s the gateway to be able to buy a home, start a family, provide for your family.”

But that is all being hampered by crushing loan debt, she said.

“More city graduates and middle class families are burdened by student loans than ever before and are struggling to repay a higher amount of debt than ever before,” Gillibrand said in a statement. “Our young people should be able to refinance in the same way that our businesses and homeowners do.”

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) – the first woman to give birth twice while serving in Congress – said the female lawmakers rely on one another for support.

“There’s some days that I think, ‘Okay, I have this figured out.’  And then the next day it feels like it’s all fallin’ apart,” Rodgers said. “And that’s where it’s good to be able to talk with other working moms on Capitol Hill that understand, that can relate to you, and give you those words of encouragement.”

The women said there are many unique challenges that come with being a working mom in Congress – including picking up their children from school between Congressional votes and flying back to their home districts with young children in tow.

But Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), mother of two, believes motherhood gives them a unique perspective in Washington, and encouraged more women to seek public office.

“I want more women in government. I want more women members of Congress,” Gillibrand said. “Because even though we shouldn’t have to be the bearers of these issues, we passionately are, because we see it. We see the challenge every day.”

According to the Defense Department’s own estimates, an astounding 19,000 sexual assaults occured in 2011. Of those, only 3,192 were reported, and of those, only 240 proceeded to trial. A system where fewer than 1 out of 10 reported perpetrators are held accountable for their alleged crimes is a system that is broken. We simply must do better. 

That’s why I’ve taken it upon myself as Chair of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel to crack down on perpetrators of sexual assault in the military and reform the way the military handles assault convictions. Last year, at the Aviano Air Force Base in Italy, Lt. Col. James Wilkerson was convicted by a five-person jury of aggravated sexual assault and sentenced to a year in jail, forfeiture of all pay and dismissal from the Air Force. Yet his commander, Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin, proceeded to dismiss the case entirely, and re-instated Wilkerson to the Air Force.

It was in the wake of this injustice that I held the first Senate hearing in almost ten years on the issue of sexual assault in the military last month, where we heard from a panel of sexual assault survivors as well as military officials. I felt it was incredibly important to hear the voices of some of the men and women who've experienced sexual assault, but also hear the perspective of the military itself. What I heard from the military officials was not enough, and made it more clear to me than ever that we absolutely must reform the way the military handles these cases.

There are no words to express my sadness and outrage over the loss of so many young innocent lives.

Politicians have rushed to offer words of sympathy for the victims, but Americans expect more from us.

And they deserve more from this Congress.

Congress has ducked a serious national debate over common-sense gun laws for too long. While there may be nothing we could have done to have stopped this deranged individual from killing and terrorizing so many people, how many more tragedies must we live through before we say enough is enough?

We have an obligation to act and prevent tomorrow’s senseless deaths by coming together and ensuring that guns stay out of the hands of criminals and the dangerously mentally ill.

Gun violence became very personal to me when my friend, Rep. Gabby Giffords, was nearly killed at the hands of a mentally ill gunman while conducting the same type of “Congress at Your Corner” event I have done dozens of times in my career. Six people that day, including 9-year-old Christina-Taylor Green, had their entire futures taken away from them.

I have seen too many parents’ lives shattered, from Binghamton to Brooklyn.

I will never forget the faces of slain 17-year-old honor student Nyasia Pryear-Yard’s parents, whom I met just weeks after being sworn in to the Senate.

My own two boys are ages 9 and 4, the same ages as many of the children attending Sandy Hook Elementary School when the gunfire rang out.

As a mother, and a lawmaker, I will not allow these tragedies, and the roughly 34 gun violence related deaths that happen every day, to go unanswered. We can no longer sweep the conversation about access to guns under the rug, it is time to demand real solutions.

But in Washington, old and tired political battles have prevented progress. Like far too often in this town, partisans talk past each other, and nothing gets done. The moment someone proposes a solution, it is labeled pro-gun or anti-gun, people run to their respective corners, and nothing is accomplished.

Keeping our children safe from the scourge of gun violence is not a Republican or a Democratic principle; this is an issue for all Americans. There is no political ideology that finds this loss of life acceptable.

The mothers, fathers and reasonable gun owners of America need to take back this conversation.

• Red Cross Shelters
• Warming Centers in New York City
• Overnight Shelters in New York City
• Suffolk County- Huntington Area Warming and Feeding Centers
• Nassau County Warming Centers
• Westchester County Shelters

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is playing a critical role in the Hurricane Sandy disaster recovery effort. As the Red Cross continues to mobilize resources and relief workers to respond to Hurricane Sandy’s impact, your help is desperately needed to provide essential aid including shelter, meals, basic health care, emotional support and other emergency services.

To make a donation to the Hurricane Sandy relief effort, you can go to the following sitehttp://www.redcross.org/hurricane-sandy or you can call 1-800-REDCROSS. To learn of other ways you can help, including volunteering, you can visit the following site http://www.redcross.org/support. To find out more on the specific efforts of the American Red Cross of Greater New York Region, please visit http://www.nyredcross.org/. 

United Way

The  United Way of New York City and United Ways along the Eastern Seabord have established the United Way Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund to address near-term and long-term recovery needs of communities most affected by the hurricane. Contributions to the Fund will be used by United Ways in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, DC and West Virginia to address recovery needs in communities that FEMA has declared disaster areas. We give our sincere thanks to United Way of New York City who will manage the regional fund.

Visit www.UWSandyRecovery.org to donate to the Fund. You can also use your phone to text RECOVERY to 52000 to make a $10 donation.

There are three things we'd like you to consider doing to help out:
1. On your website, add a link to the United Way Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund –www.UWSandyRecovery.org, and information about the text-to-give option – text RECOVERY to 52000 to make a $10 donation.
2. Promote the Fund link and text-to-give option in social media (use #sandyfund)
3. Promote the use of 2-1-1 and 211us.org for people seeking help as well as seeking opportunities to volunteer.

2-1-1s: Connect with Human Services as well as Volunteer Opportunities

Hurricane Sandy has battered countless United Way communities up and down the Eastern Seabord and across the Northeast. United Way 2-1-1s have been activated by Governors or State Offices of Emergency Management in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, Vermont, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, Virginia and North Carolina. Please encourage your family and friends affected by this storm to reach out to United Way 2-1-1 for assistance, and whether they are affected or not, 2-1-1 can help connect people with volunteer opportunities. Visit www.211us.org to connect with your 2-1-1 online and follow @211us on Twitter.

Food banks in New York City and Long Island need help with donations

In the next several days they will need water and food that New Yorkers can store and eat without requiring refrigeration and heating. Examples of these types of foods are: peanut butter, tuna in foil packages, bread, crackers, energy bars, canned fruits, etc.

All of the charities would also appreciate monetary donations and most have websites where this can easily be done. In many cases monetary donations are a higher priority over the longer-term as this allows the organizations to target resources where they are most needed.  Please note that many of the organizations are currently experiencing trouble with their phones.

Below is the contact information for food banks in New York City and Long Island.

City Harvest: Donations can be made online at http://www.cityharvest.org/donate-funds/ or over the phone at 646.412.0643 between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. To make a food donation, please contact: Racine Rodriguez at 347.443.8413 or rrodriguez@cityharvest.org.

The Met Council: To make an immediate difference, text the word SUSTAIN to 20222 and reply YES to make a $10 donation directly to Met Council. You can also easily make your gift online (www.metcouncil.org). Volunteers are greatly needed to hand out food and water to seniors who are without electricity. Please call before you arrive, but participants should arrive at 171 Lexington Avenue and be prepared to climb stairs. Please bring a flashlight to use, there is no lighting. Please also bring bottles of water, batteries, apples, and bananas to distribute to our low income seniors.  There will also be a collection spot at 171 Lexington Avenue to drop off bottled water.  If you would like to provide essential supplies to those in need, please ship them to the Met Council Food Warehouse at 5361 Preston Court, Brooklyn, New York 11234. The pressing needs are currently for these items: Toothbrushes, toothpaste, toiletries, diapers, wipes, baby formula, canned vegetables and fruits, nuts, hand sanitizer, peanut butter, and parmalat milk.  They are unable to accept additional items at this time.

Food Bank of NYC: The warehouse is located at Hunts Point Cooperative Market, 355 Food Center Drive Bronx, NY 10474. Their phone is 718.991.4300.  They need volunteers at their warehouse.

Island Harvest: The following items are needed: bottled water, vitamin water, healthy snack bars, peanut butter, crackers, pop-top food cans such as tuna and chili.  If you would like to donate, please call the Emergency Food Collections Center at 631-873-4775. Donations can be dropped off on weekdays before 3PM at Hauppauge Warehouse, 40 Marcus Blvd, Hauppauge. You can also call the Emergency Food Collections Center at 631-873-4775.

Long Island Cares: Is accepting donations at The Harry Chapin Food Bank, 10 Davids Drive (Harry Chapin Way), Hauppauge, NY 11788-2039.  You can also call (631) 582-FOOD or emailinfo@licares.org.

Sustainable Long Island: You can make a donation at http://sustainableli.org/ or by calling (516) 873-0230.

Tips to Consider Before You Donate:

• Give to only charities you know and trust.
• Check a charity before you donate. See the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance at http://www.bbb.org/us/charity/.
• Be alert for charities that seem to have sprung up overnight.
• Ask if the caller is a paid fundraiser, who they works for, and what percent of your donation goes to the charity vs. the fundraiser.
• Don't give out personal or financial information unless you know the charity is reputable.
• Never send cash. You can't be sure the organization will receive your donation, and you won't have a record for tax purposes.

Appearing with state Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn) at the New Lane Shores senior houses in Rosebank, Ms. Gillibrand also urged Congress to reauthorize the Older Americans Act, which Ms. Gillibrand said provides crucial services to seniors.

Ms. Gillibrand told the seniors that her number-one issues are strengthening Medicare and Medicaid, and making sure Social Security is there for future generations.

"These issues are all fundamentally important to me," she said.

She told seniors that she wanted no changes in Social Security, except perhaps to have those who earn less than $100,000 pay a smaller percentage into the system.

"That's a better idea than changing the age" threshold for Social Security, Ms. Gillibrand said.

Ms. Gillibrand said the Older Americans Act would provide critical in-home care, nutrition, housing, transportation and social services programs for seniors.

There are approximately 87,000 seniors on the Island, according to a release from Ms. Gillibrand's office, and an estimated 30,000 people who will reach the age of 60 over the next five years.

The legislation, she said, would allow more seniors to "age in place" by living in their home communities in their golden years.

"It will make a great deal of difference protecting our seniors," Ms. Gillibrand said.

If reauthorized, the bill would allocate funding for senior programs for the next five years.

"Senator Gillibrand is leading efforts to ensure our seniors have proper nutrition, are safe from scams and can live independent full lives," said Ms. Savino. "Older Islanders have a friend and I have a partner ensuring all of our futures are truly golden."

Going table-to-table in the center's cafeteria, Ms. Gillibrand also told seniors that she also opposed companies shipping jobs overseas, and companies "getting tax breaks right now they should not be getting."

She also said that increased infrastructure spending on roads and bridges would help the U.S. fully emerge from the economic recession.

She said that creating a growing economy "is the best way to pay down our debt."

Seniors said they felt confident that Ms. Gillibrand heard their concerns.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat, won handily in the 2010 special election to serve out the balance of Hillary Clinton’s Senate term. Ms. Gillibrand has been a steady voice of reason in Washington, fighting for farmers, battling to retain crucial food stamps. She worked hard to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, voted against extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, and has become a strong advocate for women’s issues. She was a key sponsor of legislation to end insider trading by members of Congress, and she has spoken out against President Obama’s slow withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Because Gillibrand doesn’t mind rattling cages for myriad groups such as the middle class, women, people of color, veterans and farmers, she is the Democrat and Chronicle’s choice for election to her first full six-year term.

Gillibrand, elected to serve the balance of Hillary Clinton’s second Senate term after having been appointed by former Gov. David Paterson to the job in 2009 when Clinton was named secretary of state, is being challenged by Republican Wendy Long.

Long, of Manhattan, like Gillibrand is a lawyer and graduate of Dartmouth College. She has impressive career credentials, having served as law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and a federal appeals court judge. A strong proponent of judicial restraint, Long played key roles in helping win U.S. Senate confirmation of Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and John Roberts.

"Really our community banks haven't recovered on the level that we need to in many parts of our state," Gillibrand said to a gathering of about a dozen chambers of commerce.

Gillibrand singled out financial heavyweight M&T Bank with praise for its pace of lending. "But on the community bank level, for very, very small businesses that wouldn't qualify for a loan from M&T Bank, that's a real challenge for them. Getting capital is very, very difficult."

Flanked by fellow Democrats including U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey and Nyack Mayor Jen Laird-White, Gillibrand said women-owned small businesses are among the fastest-growing segments of the economy, but start with one-eighth of the capital.

“What we have to do in Congress is create a better environment for which they can grow,” she said at the news conference at 77 S. Broadway.

In addition to tax relief for capital gains on investments in small businesses, the Success Act of 2012 would double from $5,000 to $10,000 existing deductions for startup costs and allow owners to write off up to $500,000 in new equipment purchases.

“These are just good ideas,” Gillibrand said. “I know we can pass this bill hopefully between now and the end of the year to have an impact on our economic growth.”

The women’s clothing and accessories store is owned by Maria Luisa Whittingham, a resident of Upper Nyack who was recently named Woman of the Year by the Rockland Business Women’s Network.

There have been congressional hearings and table-thumping “zero tolerance” pronouncements, yet tens of thousands of service members are still victimized every year, by the Pentagon’s own admission.

But finally, a reform effort is gaining traction — the result, lawmakers and advocates say, of women speaking out in lawsuits against the government and two powerful film documentaries that have caught the attention of Capitol Hill.

A widening sex-abuse scandal at Lackland Airforce Base in Texas — where 15 male instructors have been charged or are under investigation for sexually preying on 38 young female trainees — has also put the issue back on the front burner.

In an interview this month, incoming Air Force Chief Mark Welsh III conceded sexual assault “has the potential to rip the fabric of your force apart. I think it is doing that to a certain extent now....I’m not an expert in this. I don’t know how to fix it, but I won’t quit working on it.”

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who has introduced several of more than two dozen reform bills now pending in Congress said the time for change is now.

Gillibrand is sponsoring the Small Business Start-up Support Act to urge Congress to increase the tax deduction for start-up costs from $5,000 to $10,000.

New businesses face a number of major expenses in the first year of operation, Gillibrand said Monday at a news conference with Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. in the Bank Note Building in Hunts Point.

“For too many who have the next great big idea, this challenge becomes too daunting and they aren’t able to get their businesses off the ground,” she said. “(This bill) would help spark growth here in the Bronx.”

Under the bill, eligible expenses would include training fees at business incubators, market research studies, advertisement, and employee training fees, among other expenses.

“(This is) not a democratic idea. It’s not a Republican idea,” Gillibrand said. “It’s just a good idea. And it’s the kind of idea that can make a difference and help these businesses create the jobs that we desperately need in our communities.”

The hope also is to spark new tech start-ups. According to a recent report by the Center for an Urban Future, the city is the country’s second largest tech center after Silicon Valley.

“The high tech industry is the future of our economy and it’s what we need to make sure the Bronx can flourish,” said Gillibrand.

The legislative bill tracker GovTrack.us gives the bill a 1 percent chance of passing the GOP-controlled House, where it was introduced by Rep. Rush Holt, D-NJ.

Gillibrand made the same pitch a month ago at SUNY Stony Brook.

Gillibrand's agenda to address invasive species includes legislation that would add the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to a task force on algal blooms and hypoxia. The coalition will be tasked with formulating an action strategy for controlling and monitoring algal blooms and hypoxia.

Gillibrand also called on the Army Corps of Engineers to wrap up its interim report by October on how to prevent Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes.

According to a news release, it would take 20 years for Asian carp to get from the Great Lakes to other lakes.

She vowed to combat gas price gouging through the support of investigations that would serve to “create more accountability and transparency,” a connecting theme in her many remarks.

In response to the release of the president’s tax returns in April, and his likely Republican opponent Mitt Romney’s refusal to do the same, Gillibrand said she seeks to “lead by example,” but that “every candidate will make their own determination about what’s best for their constituents and what level of transparency and accountability they should be under.”

Since she was first elected to public office, Gillibrand has consistently made public her earmark requests, meetings and personal finances.

“As this debate has continued to grow, it seems to me that people have lost faith in Washington, and so they are looking for more transparency, more accountability,” she said.

Continuing her theme of accountability, Gillibrand lashed out at the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens’ United, blaming the court’s ruling for the current lack of campaign funding transparency, with a specific focus on the anonymity surrounding broadcast campaign advertisements.

“Tens of millions of dollars are being spent across the country, and they are mostly being spent on negative ads,” Gillibrand said. “The people who watch these ads look at Washington and say ‘Washington is even more broken than it’s ever been before.’ It undermines people’s confidence in government.”

Their disclosures come as pressure builds on Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney to release more of his returns.

Within the same 24-hour period, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand became the first Senate lawmakers to post their income tax returns on their official government websites.

Schumer released his 2011 tax return, while Gillibrand released five years of returns dating to 2007, when she began her congressional tenure as a member of the House.

“The more I kept reading in the press about this debate about presidential taxes, the more I really thought it was the right thing to do,’’ Gillibrand said in an interview. “I thought it was an additional step I could take to lead by example.’’

Gillibrand considers her decision a natural next step in her efforts to make government more transparent. During her first year in the House, she created a “Sunlight Report’’ on her official website. The report made her the first member of Congress to post all her requests for earmarked spending, her schedule and her annual personal financial disclosure report.

Earlier this year, Gillibrand was a leading Senate advocate for passage of the STOCK Act, which requires members of Congress, top administration officials and federal judges to publicly report most financial transactions of $1,000 or more within 45 days.

The legislation, first proposed in 2006 by Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-Fairport, gained momentum this year as lawmakers focused on restoring public confidence in Congress.

But not for her reelection — she’s got millions in her campaign chest and is leading her Republican opponent in the polls by a 2 to 1 margin. Gillibrand instead raised money for three Democratic women who have a good shot at unseating House Republicans.

As the crowd munched on salmon sandwiches and mixed greens, Gillibrand told them that the women “come from very red states and very red districts, but these are the kinds of seats that we can actually win to find that common ground, bring together and move this country forward.”

There are just 17 women serving in the Senate and 75 in the House, a slight drop from earlier years. Gillibrand told her donors that she wants more women in the House and Senate, because “if we had 50 percent of women in Congress, we would not be debating contraception. We would be debating the economy, small business, jobs, national security — everything but.”

With that, the room of mostly middle-aged and older women cheered, and some even pounded the conference table in approval.

The fundraiser Monday at the New York offices of the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine raised more than $100,000 to be split between Christie Vilsack, the former Iowa first lady running against Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa); Tammy Duckworth, a veteran of the Iraq war hoping to defeat Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) in the Chicago suburbs; and Val Demings, a former Orlando police chief challenging Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.).

The new student aid form was rolled out by the Obama administration Tuesday. It’s intended to disclose the full cost of a college education, including direct and indirect costs for the entire anticipated course of study, according to Gillibrand.

Gillibrand is working toward requiring all schools that accept federal money use the form. This legislation would also establish uniform terminology on financial aid forms, Gillibrand said.

“What we’ve seen is students just don’t have an easy way to compare what’s being offered, and also there’s not clarity about what’s being offered and all the costs,” she said in a telephone press conference.

Effects would be felt at Cornell University and Ithaca College.

Ithaca College’s undergraduate class of 2012 borrowed an average of $23,849 in federal student loans alone, according to the college. Undergraduate tuition increased 4.9 percent for the 2012-13 academic year, bringing the freshman class’ total estimated cost of attendance to $50,400, according to the college’s website.

Attendees filled the fourth-floor atrium at 800 Westchester Ave. at an event hosted by the Westchester County Association, a business advocacy group based in White Plains.

Gillibrand told the association’s members and guests that one of her priorities is transforming New York into a leader in 21st-century technologies.

Gillibrand spoke of “enormous opportunities” in advanced manufacturing in Westchester County such as the opening of Acorda Therapeutics’ new headquarters in Elmsford on Thursday after locating in the county in 1998 as a small start-up.

Several tax cut provisions expired at the beginning of this year and Gillibrand, along with several other senators, is working on a bill to extend the cuts. In addition, the Small Business Tax Extenders act would provide incentives to invest in small business stock, and increase deductions for start-up expenses.

“We have to help our businesses grow. Everyone knows the American dream is started by a strong middle class, and the middle class is strengthened by small businesses, by our agricultural sector, by our manufacturing sector. So a common sense bill like what we're talking about today can literally make the difference,” said Sen. Gillibrand.

Among her ideas: more fresh produce in places like the Bronx, a safety net for farms growing New York-centric products like apples and even a definition for a burgeoning Brooklyn backyard product, honey.

The efforts are part of a broader push by Ms. Gillibrand, a Democrat, to shift American food and agricultural policy using her position as the first New Yorker in four decades on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. The committee shapes the farm bill and has jurisdiction on issues ranging from futures markets to food stamps. Most of its members are from the Midwest and South, leading to a focus on protecting large farms that grow commodity crops such as corn, wheat, rice and soybeans.

"Most people don't look at New York and realize that it's an agricultural state," Ms. Gillibrand said in an interview. "We have a fundamental interest in what does agricultural policy say and how is it shaped."

Ms. Gillibrand's agenda is more complex than that of many of her agriculture committee colleagues. She represents a state with lots of agriculture and a large dairy industry, but no dominant crop. Meanwhile, New York has more people relying on food stamps than every state except three.

Ms. Gillibrand got her start in agriculture issues when she served in the House of Representatives, where she represented a largely rural upstate district. She was appointed to fill Hillary Clinton's seat in 2009 when the former first lady became secretary of state. She easily won the race to fill out the rest of Mrs. Clinton's term in 2010 and is heavily favored in this year's election, which would give her a full six-year term.

She also has a personal interest in food, which she often discusses in the context of taking care of her two young sons, Henry and Theo. During a recent interview in her Capitol Hill office, Ms. Gillibrand said she does her family's grocery shopping and tries to get her boys to eat healthier by awarding them points for eating fruits and vegetables. "I'm a mom," she said. "And I worry about my kids getting the kinds of foods that will help them grow."

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand took to the Senate floor Wednesday in an emotional bid to stave off $4.5 billion in cuts to programs that feed the hungry in this year's farm bill.

The New York Democrat was the lone member of the Senate Agriculture Committee to vote against the farm bill, which aims to save around $24 billion over 10 years, largely by reducing food aid and replacing farmers' subsidies with a crop insurance program.

Gillibrand offered an amendment to restore the aid, which comes from the "heat and eat" program in which some states grant automatic food-stamp eligibility to people who can't afford to heat their homes.

"Under this bill, families in New York that are already struggling will lose about $90 a month for food that goes onto their tables," Gillibrand said. The senator recalled one mother describing how her son would scrounge extra food from school lunches so the family could have something for dinner before they finally qualified for food stamps.

"Ninety dollars a month may not sound like a lot to some people. But I can tell you that if you're a parent who's trying to protect your children and feed them good, wholesome, nutritious food, it means everything in the world," said Gillibrand, noting that in New York state alone, some 300,000 people would lose enough food aid to leave them hungry one week a month.