Author Archive

    Rachael Ray Goes To Washington

    Posted May 21st, 2010 by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

    Child obesity is a crisis in this country. Over the last 30 years, child obesity rates have reached historic highs – more than tripling from just 5 percent to nearly 18 percent today. We must make improving child nutrition a top priority. If we fail to get serious about this issue today, we will face [...]

    Posted Under: Uncategorized

    A Step Forward In Food Safety

    Posted March 18th, 2010 by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

    Each year approximately 87 million Americans — 5 million in New York alone — are made ill by contaminated food. Of those, 371,000 are hospitalized with foodborne illness, and 5,700 die. In 2010 America, this is simply unacceptable. The fact is, our food safety laws have not truly been overhauled in more than a century. [...]

    A New Approach To Food Safety

    Posted December 9th, 2009 by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

    As the mother of two young boys, food safety is extremely important to me, as I know it is to all of you. I’m sorry to say though, that right now, the statistics are startling. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every year an estimated 87 million Americans are sickened by [...]

    Posted Under: Uncategorized

    Making Our Children Healthier By Expanding Their Access To Nutritious Food

    Posted November 24th, 2009 by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

    Too often lost in the debate over health care reform is the importance of preventive measures such as exercise and healthy eating to ensure that a doctor’s visit is less likely to be needed in the first place. This is especially true for children whose early brain development and future health depend on good nutrition [...]

    Fed Up: A Back To School Plan For Healthier Lunches

    Posted September 1st, 2009 by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

    While Washington continues to debate the need for a health care overhaul, a related challenge gets far too little attention. Over the past 40 years, child obesity has increased dramatically – rising by 150% among 2 to 5 year olds, 400% among children 6 to 11 years old and more than 300% among young adults [...]

    Gillibrand: Make Child Care Affordable and Take the Burden Off Working Parents

    Posted July 6th, 2009 by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

    More parents than ever are balancing work and raising children. When I was growing up, just over one-third of mothers with young children worked outside the home. Today, it’s nearly two-thirds. The cost of quality child care is steadily increasing across New York. families across New York are paying approximately $10,400 per year for an [...]

    Posted Under: E: Excellent Childcare

    Affordable Autism Treatment for Children

    Posted June 9th, 2009 by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

    Autism affects more American children than pediatric cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined. It’s a heartbreaking disease that approximately 29,400 children in every corner of New York suffer from. Despite autism’s far reach, insurance companies still don’t provide comprehensive coverage for effective treatments, and parents are paying the price – up to $6,000 a month for [...]