Friends:

Let me start by thanking you for your ongoing support of Kirsten and Off the Sidelines. To call this last year “unprecedented” would be an understatement—but time and again, this team has come together to fight for our shared values at home and in Washington.

Today, I wanted to update you on Kirsten’s work in the Senate. If you have just a few minutes, I hope you’ll read this piece, from The New York Times Editorial Board, in support of Kirsten’s Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act.

Or take some time to learn more about several of her top priorities in Congress, including ensuring that children and families have access to the food and nutrition they need, passing a national paid family and medical leave program, and protecting consumers—especially seniors.

Thank you for all you do,
Stefanie

Enhanced Child Tax Credits

Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, nearly all working families will begin receiving automatic monthly payments of $250-$300 per child beginning in July. This is a historic investment in American families that will lift millions of children out of poverty.

At a news conference, Kirsten outlined the details of the enhanced Child Tax Credit, which would benefit 87% of children under the age of 18 in New York State. Families that filed tax returns in 2019 or 2020 will receive this tax relief automatically. Kirsten urged families who did not earn enough income to file taxes in previous years, or who welcomed a new baby or child into their family in 2021, to visit childtaxcredit.gov to secure this vital benefit.

The new Child Tax Credit is set to expire at the end of this year. Kirsten is working hard to pass President Biden’s American Families Plan, which would extend the new Child Tax Credit for years to come.

Paid Leave for All

Behind the scenes, Kirsten has been working with White House and Senate leaders to ensure that a national paid leave plan is included in infrastructure negotiations.

Kirsten first introduced the FAMILY Act, which would create America’s first national paid family and medical leave policy, in 2013—and she’s been leading the fight ever since. Today, we’re closer than ever to seeing paid leave for all Americans become a reality.

Fighting Hunger

Kirsten traveled to Albany County to promote the Universal School Meals Program Act of 2021, her legislation to provide free breakfast, lunch and dinner to all schoolchildren, regardless of income. Not only would this legislation deliver immediate relief to food insecure families, it would also reduce the stigma associated with receiving free school meals that prevent so many children from taking advantage of the current program.

She also introduced the Closing the Meal Gap of 2021 in an effort to support vulnerable families struggling with food insecurity. 

Military Justice Reform

Beginning on May 24, Kirsten has taken to the Senate floor every day the chamber is in session to fight for service members and survivors of sexual assault in the military.

Kirsten’s Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act would overhaul the way in which the military handles sexual assaults and other serious crimes. But despite a filibuster-proof majority of Senators in support of the legislation, the ranking Democrat and Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee continue to block the legislation from receiving a full floor vote.

And this fight is about protecting civil liberties for all service members, not only survivors of sexual assault and harassment. Black and brown service members are up to 2.6 times more likely to be prosecuted for crimes than their white counterparts. Take a look at this new Washington Post opinion piece by Rep. Anthony Brown about how the criminal justice reform movement cannot ignore the military.

Protecting Consumers

Kirsten re-introduced her Data Protection Act, which would create a new government agency to enforce and regulate federal privacy laws.

New polling from Data for Progress found that a vast majority of voters are concerned with the privacy and security of their personal data. This is especially true for parents, who are concerned about their children becoming addicted to, or radicalized by, online content. The Data Protection Act would help address the data privacy crisis looming over the everyday lives of Americans and hold bad actors accountable.

Kirsten also continued her fight on behalf of protecting consumers from scams, particularly seniors, with events with New York State Attorney General Letitia James on Long Island and in Poughkeepsie. 

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