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Office Seeking: U.S. Senate, New York
Position Held: U.S. Senator, Appointment
Primary Election Date: September 14
Progressive Credentials:
- Voted for health care reform to ensure that health insurance becomes a right, not a privilege
- Co-Sponsored Employee Free Choice Act to ensure workers are protected
- Voted for the economic stimulus package
- Opposed President Bush's No Child Left Behind legislation
Why We Like Her: Kirsten Gillibrand has stood with President Obama to move forward on an aggressive economic recovery plan. She has also spoken out in favor of the public option for health care reform and supports doubling the Child and Dependent Care Credit, and eliminating or permanently fixing the Alternative Minimum Tax.
Candidate Quote: "New Yorkers are tired of inaction and partisanship ... They want solutions that will lower costs for families and businesses, and that is exactly what President Obama's health care reform plan will deliver."
Candidate Website: http://www.kirstengillibrand.com/
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Raised in upstate New York, Kirsten Gillibrand was first introduced to public service by her grandmother, a women's rights activist who organized Albany women to make a difference. Gillibrand attended Dartmouth College, majoring in Asian studies and graduating magna cum laud. After her undergraduate studies were complete, she received her Juris Doctor degree from the UCLA School of Law in 1991.
Senator Gillibrand began her professional career during the Clinton administration, where she served as Special Counsel to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Andrew Cuomo. Following that, she served as an associate at one law firm and a partner at another, working on a wide range of legal and policy-related issues. She handled many cases pro bono, including representing abused women and their children, and serving as a legal advocate for tenants seeking safe housing after lead paint and unsafe conditions were found in their homes.
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