| Welcome to Kirsten’s New York Minute!
Here’s what she’s been up to this week:
1. Fighting for fair housing
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This week, Kirsten joined 20 of her Senate colleagues in submitting an amicus brief supporting a federal judge’s ruling that the Trump administration’s Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) unlawfully restricted funding to fair housing organizations.
These organizations work every day to protect New Yorkers from discrimination when they rent or buy a home. Without the federal funding Congress appropriated, they could be forced to shut their doors, allowing housing discrimination to go unchecked and leaving families with nowhere to turn.
As the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Subcommittee, Kirsten is fighting to make sure the Trump administration follows the law and delivers housing funds as Congress intended.
Read more.
2. Working to increase access to life-saving cancer screenings
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Millions of women in the U.S. do not have access to preventative screenings that could catch deadly illnesses early and save their lives. That is a national tragedy that demands action.
Kirsten introduced legislation to increase access to breast and gynecological cancer screenings for women who may otherwise slip through the cracks. This legislation would save lives, and Kirsten is determined to get it passed.
Read more.
3. Fighting Trump’s politicization of the military
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Military officers who have earned a promotion deserve to be judged on their qualifications—not on their race, gender, ethnicity, or anything else. However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has repeatedly blocked qualified officers, including women and minority officers, from promotions for political reasons.
That’s why Kirsten introduced new legislation to rein in the Trump administration’s inconsistent and politicized leadership. This bill would protect qualified military officers from being arbitrarily removed from promotion consideration for ideological reasons by establishing clear standards, basic due process, and meaningful independent review.
Read more.
4. WATCH: Kirsten on Trump’s misplaced priorities
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President Trump would rather spend $1.8 billion decorating D.C. in his image than ending his war in Iran or lowering costs for working families. The American people deserve better.
This week on Two Truths and Trump’s Lies, Kirsten outlined four ways that Trump could spend $1.8 billion to help Americans instead of funding his vanity projects: reversing healthcare cuts, funding food assistance programs, bolstering education, and building affordable housing.
Watch here.
5. Helping New Yorkers get their tax refunds
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A constituent from the Finger Lakes region contacted Kirsten for help after a yearslong delay obtaining her federal tax refund.
Kirsten’s team stepped in and contacted the Taxpayer Advocate Service to urge the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to evaluate and process her return. Finally, the IRS issued a deposit in the amount of approximately $7,500 into the constituent’s bank account.
Individual casework is Kirsten’s top priority. If you need help with a federal agency, contact her here.
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