KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND
Recommended by
Denise King

1/22/09

APPOINTED by Gov. Paterson January 23, 2009

JAN 23, 2009
VIDEO Paterson appoints Kirsten Gillibrand as NY's next US Senator

JAN 24, 2009
Ellen Malcolm. president of EMILY's List, responses to Gillibrand pick

NYS 20th District Bio

Gillibrand for Congress

APPOINTED by Gov. Paterson January 23, 2009

Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the Agriculture Committee.

On the Armed Services Committee, Representative Gillibrand serves on the Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities subcommittee and the Seapower subcommittee.

On the Agriculture Committee Representative Gillibrand serves on the Livestock, Dairy and Poultry subcommittee, Conservation Credit Energy and Research subcommittee and the Horticulture and Organic Agriculture subcommittee.

Congresswoman Gillibrand founded the Congressional High Tech Caucus with Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX) with the goal of ensuring that the United States remains at the forefront of emerging technologies and high tech industries.

During the administration of President Clinton, Gillibrand served as Special Counsel to the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Andrew Cuomo.

At HUD she played a key role in furthering HUD's Labor Initiative and New Markets initiative, working to strengthen enforcement of the Davis-Bacon Act and drafting new markets legislation for public and private investment in building infrastructure to revitalize lower income areas across the nation.

Denise King's comments: The hardest working member of Congress in NY should be partnered with Chuck Schumer to make an incredible team for all of the state.

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CAROL BELLAMY
Recommended by
JoAnne Myers

1/19/09

NYTimes Article

Carol Bellamy blog/articles

VIDEO: Fighting for Children

UNICEF bio

Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF 1995- 2004.

Prior to joining UNICEF, Ms. Bellamy was Director of the United States Peace Corps. Having served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 1963 to 1965, she was the first former volunteer to run the organization, which works in more than 90 countries.

Ms. Bellamy spent 13 years as an elected public official, including five years in the New York State Senate (1973-1977). In 1978, she became the first woman to be elected President of the New York City Council, a position she held until 1985.

Ms. Bellamy has had a distinguished career in the private sector. She was a Managing Director of Bear Stearns & Co. from 1990 to 1993, and a Principal at Morgan Stanley and Co. from 1986 to 1990. Between 1968 and 1971 she was an associate at Cravath, Swaine and Moore.

Ms. Bellamy earned her law degree from New York University in 1968. She is a former Fellow of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, and an honorary member of Phi Alpha Alpha, the U.S. National Honor Society for Accomplishment and Scholarship in Public Affairs and Administration. Ms. Bellamy graduated from Gettysburg College in 1963. She was born and raised in the New York area. She is a Mets fan.

Ms. Bellamy is CEO and President of World Learning and President of its School for International Training. World Learning, based in Vermont, is one of the world's first private, non-profit, international educational organizations.

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CAROLYN MALONEY
Recommended by
John Carney

1/18/09

Endorsed by
National Organization for Women (NOW) Political Action Committee and
Feminist Majority Political Action Committee

12/4/08

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney website

Author of
Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

From NOW & Feminist Majority PAC endorsement letter:

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney is a leader in the U.S. House of Representatives and will be a leader in the Senate. In her more than 16 years of public service as a Member of Congress and in her 10 years of service as a New York City Councilwoman, Maloney has demonstrated a keen awareness and creativity for solving legislatively a myriad of problems faced by U.S. women and women worldwide. Chair of the Joint Economic Committee of the House and Senate, she is a prolific legislator who is an expert on financial, security, and economic issues, as well as women's issues.

"Sen. Hillary Clinton leaves big shoes to fill, and Carolyn Maloney has what it takes. She knows how to tackle big issues and is willing to take on entrenched interests," said Kim Gandy, president of NOW. "She is a tireless advocate for her constituents, and one of the most effective legislators in the House."

"I have worked with many legislators over the course of several decades. Congresswoman Maloney gets things done whether in the majority or the minority," said Eleanor Smeal, Feminist Majority President. "She is an effective legislator who never takes no for an answer when it comes to fighting for women of the world or the citizens of New York."

With only 16 women out of 100 senators, the women of New York, the nation and the world need Carolyn Maloney's determination, tenacity, creativity and keen legislative skills to address the countless issues facing women, workers and families. Maloney has authored and passed key legislation including expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Debbie Smith Act for processing of DNA evidence/rape kits; she has a 100 percent rating from the Children's Defense Fund; is a leader on reproductive issues in the U.S. and internationally; and is a leader in the fight to end gender apartheid in Afghanistan.

In this time of financial crisis, Maloney has extensive experience as chair of the House Financial Services Committee's Financial Institutions Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over the nation's banking system. She is also a senior member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

John Carney's comments: Representative Carolyn Maloney would be my pick. She has spent ten years on the New York City Council and sixteen years in the congress so she understands how government works. I'm not one of those who advocates inexperience as a plus. She's been a strong advocate for corporate responsibility and human rights. She's the author of a book on gender inequality Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated true words, no matter how many people want to deny it.

Politically speaking it would not endanger a seat in the house as her district is known for electing democrats.

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ELIZABETH HOLTZMAN
Recommended by
Dave Channon, JoAnne Myers

1/18/09

Congressional Bio Guide

Feministing Interview

Former U.S. Congresswoman and member of the Nixon Impeachment Panel, Elizabeth Holtzman, joined forces with journalist Cynthia L. Cooper to publish, The Impeachment of George W. Bush: A Practical Guide for Concerned Citizens.

Elizabeth is the youngest woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress and won national attention for her role on the House Judiciary Committee during Watergate.

Reflecting on her past experiences, and the present actions of the current administration, Elizabeth states there are many similarities between the impeachable offenses of President Nixon and President Bush.

Read Feministing Interview.

Dave Channon's comments: The only one I could be sure would support impeachment of Bush. She (Liz Holtzman) does not let "politics" get in the way of justice.

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ANDREA STEWART-COUSINS
Recommended by
Kathleen Dittus

1/17/09

NYS Senate Bio

Senator Stewart-Cousins is an advocate for human rights, quality education, accessible and affordable health care, youth development, environmental protections, and, making government more open, transparent and accountable to all of our citizens.

First elected to the New York State Senate in 2006 to represent Greenburgh, Mount Pleasant and Yonkers, Andrea Stewart-Cousins brings years of community involvement and experience in public service on behalf of all of the residents of the 35th district in Westchester County.

Prior to being elected to the Senate, Ms. Stewart Cousins served for a decade as a Westchester County Legislator representing Yonkers. Throughout her tenure (from 1996-2006), she was elected Majority Whip and Vice-Chair – authoring and passing such landmark legislation as: Westchester County’s first human right’s laws; living wage laws; smoke-free workplace laws, tougher gun laws, laws that prosecute “predatory lenders,” and tax cuts for seniors and veterans. As Chair of the Health Committee, Ms. Stewart-Cousins was responsible for bringing the “Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program” to Westchester County – after a successful pilot of this program in Yonkers. This model has since become a national cornerstone of enhanced community/medical rape crisis assistance.

In 1992 as Director of Community Affairs for the City of Yonkers, Andrea Stewart-Cousins created an internship program for the hearing impaired and for children in working families. She has advocated for and contributed to the revitalization of the City of Yonkers and was a founder of the original “Art on Main Street,” as well as a co-creator of “River Fest”, which – in its fifteenth year – is a widely attended multi-cultural, ecologically oriented city-wide celebration.

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SHIRLEY ANN JACKSON
Recommended by
Julie McQuain, JoAnn Chamberlain

1/16/09

RPI Profile

RPI President's Page

VIDEO: Shirley Ann Jackson speaks at The Future of US Energy Policy

VIDEO: Beyond the price at the pump

Dr. Jackson is the first African-American woman to receive a doctorate from M.I.T. — in any subject.

She is one of the first two African-American women to receive a doctorate in physics in the U.S.

She is the first African-American to become a Commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

She is both the first woman and the first African-American to serve as the chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the first African-American woman to lead a national research university.

She also is the first African-American woman elected to the National Academy of Engineering, and the first to receive the Vannevar Bush award.

In 1995 President William Clinton appointed Dr. Jackson to serve as Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

Shirley Ann Jackson is the 18th President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, and Hartford, Conn., the oldest technological university in the United States.

Julie McQuain's comments: Dr. Jackson is President of RPI, past president of AAAS and chaired the Nuclear Regulatory Commission during the Clinton Administration. She encourages girls to study science and advocates for increasing the number of women professionals in science careers. Her appointment would raise the IQ in the Senate, double the number of African American Senators and maintain the number of women serving in that body. Her appointment would add a rational, science-based voice to the urgent work of solving our most critical climate and energy challenges.

JoAnn Chamberlain's comments: Shirley Ann Jackson advocates a level playing field of government support and subsidies so alternative energy sources' can truly compete in the marketplace with oil, coal and nuclear sources. We need senators who will vote on progressive energy policy.

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