Statement from Ellen R. Malcolm on Governor David Paterson's Appointment of Kirsten Gillibrand as New York's Next U.S. Senator

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Ellen R. Malcolm, president of EMILY's List, issued the following statement on New York Governor David Paterson's appointment of Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to fill the remainder of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s term in the U.S. Senate:

"I applaud Gov. Paterson's appointment of Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to the United States Senate. In Congress, Gillibrand has been a leader for women and families, fighting for progressive policies such as equal pay and expanded health care for children. She has pioneered government accountability and transparency by becoming the first member of Congress to post her schedule online for all to see, and has championed economic development in a region hard-hit by the economic downturn. Gillibrand has dedicated herself to being a powerful voice for her constituents -- using her position on the Armed Services Committee to fight for veterans and her slot on the Agriculture Committee to protect upstate farms. We look forward to her continued leadership for the people of New York and women across the country.

"Today there are just 13 Democratic women in the U.S. Senate -- and for every woman in Congress, there are still more than five men. We are nowhere near a representative democracy that rightfully includes the full participation of half the population. EMILY's List and our members commend Gov. Paterson for his appointment and his understanding that there is still work to be done to ensure that women have an equal voice in government."

In the 2007-2008 cycle, EMILY's List raised more than $43 million to support its mission of recruiting and supporting women candidates, helping them build strong campaigns, and mobilizing women voters to turn out and vote. EMILY's List and its members directly contributed more than $9 million to EMILY's List candidates for federal and gubernatorial office. With more than 100,000 members across the country, EMILY's List is one of the largest political action committees in the nation. Since its founding in 1985, EMILY's List has worked to elect 79 pro-choice Democratic women to the U.S. House, 15 to the U.S. Senate, nine governors, and hundreds of women to the state legislatures, state constitutional offices, and other key local offices.

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