Sen. Gillibrand Announces Legislative Priorities For A Democratic Senate Majority

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has announced her legislative priorities for a Democratic Senate majority.

Gillibrand held a press conference Tuesday following historic Democratic gains in the midterm elections, during which both the House and the Senate flipped from Republican to Democratic control. With this new majority, Gillibrand said she is focused on lowering costs and bringing relief to working Americans, saying,

“Last week, voters across the country made clear that they are ready for change. But the real work is just beginning. With a Democratic Senate majority, I am laser-focused on lowering costs to bring much-needed relief to working Americans who have struggled to make ends meet under the Republican trifecta. That starts with ending the war with Iran, halting President Trump’s tariffs, making healthcare more affordable, protecting Social Security, developing commonsense guardrails for artificial intelligence, and combating Trump administration corruption.”

Gillibrand’s top priorities for the Democratic majority include:

1. Ending the war with Iran: Gas prices in New York are over 40 percent higher today than they were at the start of the war more than eight months ago. Ending the war with Iran is critical to get these prices under control. Gillibrand has voted 14 times on War Powers Resolutions to end the war with Iran.
2. Halting President Trump’s tariffs: Gillibrand’s Banning Antiquated Duties and Delivering Equitable American Levies (BAD DEAL) Act would repeal all tariffs levied under Section 338 of the Tariff Act and refund Americans for all duties paid under this authority. This includes President Trump’s 50% tariffs on Canada, which are driving up costs in New York.
3. Restoring access to healthcare and bringing down healthcare costs: Gillibrand cosponsors myriad legislation to restore access to healthcare and lower healthcare costs, including the Health Care Affordability Act, which would restore and permanently extend the enhanced premium tax credits offered for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans. She also supports legislation to reverse Republicans’ Medicaid cuts made through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, restore coverage under New York’s Essential Plan, expand Medicare eligibility to individuals under 65, and cap prescription drug costs.
4. Developing commonsense guardrails for artificial intelligence: Gillibrand introduced the Secure and Accountable Military AI Act, which would impose strong restrictions on certain uses of AI by the Department of Defense, including by banning the use of AI to launch nuclear weapons.
5. Protecting Social Security: If Congress does not act, seniors could see their Social Security benefits cut by about 20% in just six years. Gillibrand’s Social Security Expansion Act would extend the solvency of Social Security for 75 years by requiring the wealthiest American households to pay their fair share of payroll taxes.
6. Combating Trump administration corruption: Gillibrand’s No Stock Act would ban senior government officials, including members of Congress, the president, the vice president, Supreme Court justices, and their spouses and dependents, from holding or trading covered financial assets.