Maloney, Gillibrand Applauded For Records

We were both pleased and disappointed when Congressmember Carolyn Maloney declared earlier this month that she would not mount a campaign to challenge U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for the Senate seat to which Gillibrand was appointed by New York Governor David Paterson after Senator Hillary Clinton was named Secretary of State by President Barack Obama. Disappointed because after even a cursory review of Maloney's record it is readily apparent that the Congressmember from the 14th District would be an excellent choice for junior United States Senator for New York, and pleased that Maloney will continue to tirelessly represent her district and in more than a few instances United States citizens from throughout the nation.

Since she was first elected to Congress in 1992, Maloney has been recognized as a national leader with extensive accomplishments on financial services, national security, the economy and women's issues.

She is the first woman to chair the Joint Economic Committee, a House and Senate panel that examines and addresses the nation's most pressing economic issues. As a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, and immediate past chair of its Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee, she has worked to modernize financial services laws and regulations, strengthen consumer protections and institute more vigilant oversight of the safety and soundness of the nation's banking industry. As a senior member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Maloney's legislation has saved hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars.

As co-founder of the House 9/11 Commission Caucus, Maloney has helped to author and pass legislation to implement all the 9/11 Commission's recommendations for improving intelligence gathering.

As a champion of domestic and international women's issues, Maloney has helped to pass legislation that targets the "demand" side of sex trafficking and that provides annual mammograms for women on Medicare. She has worked for passage of the Debbie Smith Act, which increases funding for law enforcement to process DNA rape kits, termed "the most important anti-rape legislation in history".

There is no stronger advocate for New York City in Congress than Maloney. She has doggedly fought for full federal assistance to help the city rebuild from 9/11, most recently helping to secure federal aid to fund the health care needs of those made sick by the toxic air at Ground Zero. She has also delivered significant federal funding for the Second Avenue Subway and East Side Access transportation projects, both of which run through her district.

Her career has been a series of firsts. Not only is Maloney the first woman to represent the 14th Congressional District, she was the first woman to represent New York City's 7th Councilmanic District—and the first woman to give birth while in office during her term in the Council Chamber at City Hall. Described by Gillibrand as "a dedicated public servant and a passionate, effective advocate for the issues she fights for", Maloney will continue to work for legislation that will improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers; indeed, for citizens of every state.

We also applaud Gillibrand for making her mark on the Senate since her appointment to the seat in January. Throughout her time in Congress, Gillibrand made job creation and advocacy on behalf of New York working families her top legislative priorities. Direct job creation leadership initiatives include traditional infrastructure investment, health information technologies and renewable energy production, and aid to New York's manufacturing sector and agriculture concerns. Gillibrand has fought to create jobs now and ensure a growing, clean energy economy for future generations. She has fought hard for property tax relief and has sponsored legislation that would give New York residents a full federal tax deduction for their property taxes. Gillibrand is a voice for the families of New York because she fights for their priorities and listens to their concerns.

The citizens of New York state are well served by Maloney in the House of Representatives and Gillibrand in the Senate. We wish both of them well in their careers and thank them for their continued willingness to address their constituents' concerns and for doing their best to treat those concerns as their own.