504 Democratic Club: Questionnaires (Candidate for United States Senate Kirsten Gillibrand's 2010 response)

Candidate Name: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

Contact Person: Sarah Benzing

Campaign Address: 15 West 26th Street, Suite 4R, New York, NY 10010

Endorsements:

United State Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
United State Representatives:

Gary Ackerman
Michael Arcuri
Tim Bishop
Yvette Clarke
Joe Crowley
Eliot Engel
John Hall
Brian Higgins
Maurice Hinchey
Nita Lowey
Dan Maffei
Michael McMahon
Gregory Meeks
Scott Murphy
Jerrold Nadler
Bill Owens
Charles B. Rangel
Paul Tonko
Ed Towns
Nydia Velazquez
Anthony Weiner

Michael McNulty
New York State Senators:

Eric Adams
Neil Breslin
Thomas K. Duane
Ruth Hassell-Thompson
Shirley Huntley
Jose Peralta,
Malcolm Smith
Antoine Thompson
Michael Arcuri

New York State Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari
New York State Assembly Members:

Carmen Arroyo
Jeffrion Aubry
William Boyland
Richard Brodsky
Karin Camara
Nelson Castro
Barbara M. Clark
Marcos Crespo
Denny Farrell (Former New York State Democratic Party Chair)
Adriano Espaillat
David F. Gantt
Deborah Glick
Tim Gordon
Richard Gottfried
Ellen Jaffee
Hakeem Jeffries
Charles Lavine
Vito Lopez (Kings-Democratic Chairman)
Jack McEneny
Grace Meng
Joan Millman
Daniel O'Donnell
Felix Ortiz (Chair of the New York State Puerto Rican-Hispanic Leg Task Force)
Crystal Peoples
Phil Ramos
Bob Reilly
Jose Rivera
Naomi Rivera
Peter Rivera
William Scarborough
Mark Schroeder
Matthew Titone
Michele Titus
Darryl Towns
Helene Weinstein

New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio
Comptroller John Liu
Former Mayor David Dinkins
Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum
Comptroller Bill Thompson Jr.
Borough Presidents:

Brooklyn: Marty Markowitz
Bronx: Ruben Diaz Jr.
Manhattan: Scott Stringer
Queens: Helen Marshall

City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn
City Council Members:

Maria del Carmen Arroyo
Gale Brewer
Fernando Cabrera Daniel Dromm
Julissa Ferreras
Lewis Fidler
Robert Jackson
Letitia James
Liz Krueger
Jessica Lappin
Melissa Mark-Viverito
Rosie Mendez
Annabel Palma
Domenic Recchia, Jr.
Ydanis Rodriguez
James Van Bramer

Former City Council Member Dr. Una S.T. Clarke
Century Democrats
College Democrats of New York
Community Free Democrats
EMILY's List
Hudson City Democratic Committee
Village Independent Democrats
Women's Campaign Forum
AFSCME Local 264 & AFSCME
Council 35 CSEA
National Association of Letters Carriers
National Federation of Federal Employees
New York State Law Enforcement Officers Union
New York State Pipe Trades Association
New York State PEF
New York State Council of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
New York State United Teachers
Office and Professional Employees Union
Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)
United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1500
United Steelworkers District 4
Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now PAC
Hudson Valley Chairs Caucus
Human Rights Campaign
NARAL Pro-Choice New York
NARAL Pro-Choice America
Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Robert Kennedy Jr.
Gloria Steinem
Reverend Al Sharpton
Democratic County Committee Chairs: Albany, Allegany, Bronx, Broome, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Kings, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Nassau, New York, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Rockland, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schoharie, Schuyler, Schenectady, Seneca, Steuben, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westchester, Wyoming, Yates, & Former County Chairs Cattaraugus
Former DNC Chair Howard Dean
New York State Comptroller Carl McCall
Mayor of Syracuse Matthew Driscoll
Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano
Albany President Pro Tem-Albany Common Council Richard Contr
Co Executive Mike Breslin
Comptroller Michael Conners
Rensselaer County Legislators Flora Fasoldt, Peter Grimm, Keith Hammond, Ginny O'Brien, Brian Zweig
Yonkers City Council President Chuck Lesnick
Yonkers City Council Member Patricia McDow
Suffolk County Legislature Majority Leader Jon Cooper
Chair of the Rockland County Legislature Harriet Cornell
Westchester County Legislator Ken Jenkins (Chair, Yonkers Democratic Committee)
Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings
Binghamton City Councilman Sean Massey
Village of Green Island Mayor Ellen McNulty-Ryan
Westchester Legislator John Nonna
City of Hudson Mayor Richard Scalera
Chair of Empire State Price Agenda, Inc.
Frank Selvaggi
Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton
Binghamton City Council Majority Leader Bob Weslar

How have you incorporated people with disabilities into your campaign?

My office welcomes everyone who comes in to the campaign to help regardless of disability. My campaign has dedicated volunteers with disabilities who come to the office weekly to help with the campaign. We have made sure to give each volunteer a responsibility that fits with their talent and skill, and fills an important need for the campaign. We have also set up our phone banking area to be wheel chair accessible, to assure the participation of one of our best volunteers.
If there is a Campaign office(s), is it wheelchair accessible?

Yes, our campaign headquarters at 15 West 26th Street in Manhattan is wheelchair accessible.
What personal and professional experience have you had with people with disabilities in your personal life and in the workplace?

I have a number of friends whose lives are impacted by disabilities. Their personal experiences impact my perspective and views -- they help me recognize the role that government and policy can play in improving their lives. A good example is my friend David Carmel who has influenced my understanding of stem cell research.

Like so many Americans, my view of stem cell research is not only informed by a profound belief that science can advance our capacity to heal -- but also because of a friend or loved one whose life might be changed for the better.

My friend David was injured in a car accident a number of years ago, paralyzing him from the waist down. David has devoted his life to work in the area of stem cell research. He understands that advances made in this area may affect his life, but moreso the possibility of improving treatment outcomes and the lives of millions of Americans. Talking with David, seeing his dedication, and learning about his work has increased my understanding of and commitment to this critical research.
What type of jobs would you be willing to hire and to provide reasonable accommodation (e.g. flex or part time) for staff members with disabilities?

We have many part-time legislative and outreach staff and would be willing to accommodate any qualified candidates regardless of disability.
While in public office and/or prior to this campaign, what have you accomplished in regard to advancing disability rights? This can include work towards accessible housing, transportation, employment, health care, education, and including people with disabilities in the political process?
- I care deeply about protecting the rights of people with disabilities, and I have devoted a considerable amount of time and effort while in public office fighting to expand and defend these fundamental rights.
- I am a strong supporter of the CLASS Act, which will make it easier for people with disabilities to live fully independent lives. This bill passed as part of the historic health care reform bill. I am a cosponsor of the Complete Streets Act, which would ensure that federally funded transportation projects include accommodations for people with disabilities, and I fought to bring federal funds to New York to move our rail stations above and beyond the minimal accommodations required by the ADA.
- During the health care debate, I fought to strengthen Medicare and expand Medicaid-two programs that provide a tremendous amount of support for people with disabilities. I have proposed and advocated for a plan to provide a much needed cost-of-living adjustment for people who receive Social Security Disability Income.
- I have fought to ensure that children with disabilities have access to a high quality education. I introduced the National STEM Education Tax Incentive for Teachers Act in the Senate, which would provide tax incentives to teachers who work in schools that serve children with disabilities.
- I am a strong advocate for increased job training and placement for people with disabilities, especially our heroic veterans who return home with disabilities.
Will you commit to only attend and/or sponsor events that are accessible to people with disabilities including providing written materials in alternate formats, providing assistive listening systems, and sign language interpreters, as well as ensuring that locations are accessible to people who use mobility aids, like wheelchairs and walkers?

YES.
Do you pledge to use your office to affirm or strengthen, rather than weaken, civil rights protections to persons with disabilities?

YES.
How do you propose your active involvement/availability to the disability community?
1. Will there be a specific person in your office responsible to this community?
2. Will have regular office agenda meetings on these issues?
3. What would you do to have direct contact with our community?
There is currently a legislative staffer who handles disability policy issues and I would be open to forming a working group on disability community issues. I currently have many working groups including groups for both seniors and autism.
How will you work closely with the disability community to assure passage of vitally needed legislation? What will be your strategy?
- Drafting, introducing, and passing important legislation requires a multi-pronged strategy that utilizes all available resources.
- I have a tremendous amount of respect for the national, state, and local disability rights groups that have blazed the trail for disability rights legislation and ordinances, and I will continue to actively engage with these groups for advice, organizational support, and guidance. I will reach out to individual activists and constituents with disabilities to hear their stories and learn what problems they face in their own communities. I will conduct provide outreach and educational services to inform all of my constituents about the needs and rights of people with disabilities, as much of the opposition and indifference to disability rights is due to simple lack of available information. Finally, my staff and I will put together persuasive reports and materials to help convince my colleagues to support disability rights legislation.
- I will continue to fight to protect and expand disability rights, and I know that any successful effort will include support from grassroots advocates and organizations. Change is never easy, but together we can succeed in fully protecting the rights of people with disabilities.
If you are an incumbent,
1. Is your office accessible to persons with disabilities?
  
  YES.
2. What oversight have you performed regarding implementation of programs/legislation passed previously?
  
  My offices are in full compliance with ADA guidelines and I will ensure this is the case throughout my career.
The IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) Fairness Restoration Act would permit parents and guardians who successfully bring an action or proceeding which enforces IDEA to be awarded expert witness fees and certain other expenses. Will you sponsor this legislation?

I strongly support the IDEA Fairness and Restoration Act, and I would be proud to sponsor it in the Senate.
The proposed Community Choice Act would allow persons with disabilities and older Americans equal access to community based attendant supports rather than nursing home placement. Will you sponsor this legislation?

I am a proud to be an original cosponsor of the Community Choice Act in the Senate, and I am eager for the opportunity to help pass this important piece of legislation into law.
Persons with disabilities have historically been under-represented within the Democratic Party leadership. According to the 2000 census, persons with disabilities comprised 20.6% of New York State residents and 23.1% of those 18 years and older. Previously, we were told that only those groups included in the Voting Rights Act were included in the goals and timetables for delegate selection. Yet the lesbian and gay communities were included for the first time at the 2000 convention and again at the 2004 and 2008 conventions. Would you support a campaign to set a goal that 10% of the total New York State Delegation to the 2012 Democratic National Convention be comprised of persons with disabilities?

YES.

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