Democratic incumbent Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is seeking re-election this year and on the 16th, she held a roundtable event with Chinese media at the New York Chinese Community Center, introducing legislative successes during her term that benefit the Chinese community. These include legislation to combat gun violence, expand healthcare coverage for veterans exposed to toxic substances in combat zones, anti-hate crime laws during the pandemic, and the “National Defense Authorization Act” which provides full university scholarships.
In the upcoming November elections, Kirsten Gillibrand will face a challenge from Republican candidate Mike Sapraicone.
At the roundtable event with Chinese media, Senator Gillibrand highlighted that the gun violence legislation aims to prevent illegal firearms from entering New York state and categorizes gun smuggling as a federal offense. This legislation has led to the confiscation of over 3,000 illegal firearms and the prosecution of more than 450 smugglers. Additionally, the bill includes mental health funding to help New York communities address violence-related mental health issues.
Senator Gillibrand also mentioned the “National Defense Authorization Act” covering the Cyber Service Academy scholarship program, which has been open for applications for over a year. High school students who are U.S. citizens and interested in military service and internet technology can apply for this scholarship.
Several prestigious universities in New York, such as SUNY, CUNY, NYU, Pace University, New York Institute of Technology, Fordham University, and St. John’s University, are participating in the program.
Given the current national security focus, the Department of Defense has a high demand for talent proficient in languages such as Chinese and Cantonese. Accepted high school students will receive a full scholarship to these universities and, upon graduation, will be required to work for the Department of Defense or federal intelligence agencies in a civilian capacity for as many years as they received the scholarship, with a maximum mandatory work period of five years. More information can be found at https://tinyurl.com/4t664x5b
Senator Gillibrand mentioned that the program has 1,000 spots annually, with only 700 applicants in the first batch, of which 250 were accepted. She encouraged high school students in the state to apply for this scholarship program.
Senator Gillibrand also addressed the issue of food stamp fraud among Chinese residents. She successfully secured funds from the Department of Agriculture to reimburse victims of food stamp fraud, ensuring that low-income families do not lose the opportunity to purchase food.
Media director Evan Lukaske stated that while funds for food stamp fraud reimbursement have a time limit, victims can contact Senator Gillibrand’s office for assistance, reporting to her office via email to help them restore their benefits.
Senator Gillibrand highlighted several upcoming legislative priorities, including advocating for national paid leave policies, amending the “SALT deduction law,” and establishing a stable regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies and blockchain. She emphasized the importance of cryptocurrencies to immigrant communities, as they provide a lower-cost method for sending money abroad.
Regarding the November elections, Senator Gillibrand expressed optimism about the Democrats winning the House of Representatives, mentioning that the grassroots of the Democratic Party have made millions of phone calls and visited over 500,000 households. She believes the Democrats have a strong chance of flipping the House in the November elections.
As for the presidential election landscape, she mentioned that Vice President Harris and former President Trump are in a very close competition in national polls. Although Harris leads in national polls, the race remains tight when looking at individual states. Senator Gillibrand plans to participate in campaign activities to support Harris in states like Pennsylvania.