Top 123 Quotes & Sayings by Kirsten Gillibrand

Use your voice on the local level where it has the potential to be more widely heard.

While we can never truly repay the debt we owe our heroes, the least we should do for our brave veterans is to ensure that the government takes a proactive approach to delivering the services and benefits they have earned, so they can access the care they need and so richly deserve.

Doing right by our seniors isn't just about making the right decisions today - it's about ensuring that every generation of Americans can have a strong and secure future.

If we expect our children to thrive at our colleges and universities, and succeed in our economy once they graduate - first we must make quality, affordable early childhood education accessible to all.

The press pool was taking bets on how many months I would last. There was nobody in the state who thought I had any shot at being a good senator.

Women in America must be trusted to make their own medical decisions and have access to the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion.

If one of my colleagues wants to block a bill, they should stand up in front of the American people and explain why.

As Congress focuses on comprehensive health care reform, one thing needs to be clear: We cannot fix health care if we do not address America's nursing shortage.

I'm fighting to make childcare more affordable for working parents so they can continue working and advancing their careers, closing wage gaps that for too long have held women back from the fair economic opportunities they need.

One of the primary reasons I first ran for Congress was to be a voice for our troops, veterans and military families.

The American people deserve to know that their elected leaders play by the exact same rules that they play by and that their lawmakers' only interest is what's best for the country, not their own financial gain.

By running, you're making that commitment that says, 'I'm dedicating myself to public service.' Win or lose, you're making that statement, and you actually are taking a step in that direction.

Like all Americans, I will never forget where I was the morning of the 9/11 attacks.

Nurses are on the front lines of our care. And they need to be at the foundation of health care reform. Let's get health care done - and done right - by ensuring the amount of nurses we need to provide quality care for all.

Instead of marginalizing women, Congress must get to work on policies that can foster job creation and fuel economic growth.

Discriminatory wage practices undermine women's ability to provide for their families and survive on a decent retirement income.

For me, getting off the sidelines means women making a difference by letting their voices be heard on the issues they care about.

For many of the brave men and women who have fought on the front lines, returning home means trying to navigate a complicated and bureaucratic Veterans Administration benefits system.

When mothers earn their fair share, young children have greater access to quality health care, educational opportunities, and safe communities. By ending the wage gap, we will help ensure that every child can achieve his or her God-given potential.

Sometimes you're going to run because you want to elevate an issue. Sometimes you're going to run because you want to do public service, and it's a way to not only tell the community what you care about what you want to achieve, but you're making a commitment.

I believe transparency in government is key to restoring our nation's faith in its elected leaders.

I went to the Women's Campaign School at Yale; I went to Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Training, women's campaign fund training. I got to know the district really well by talking to the county chair, getting to know politics, working on some local races.

I have always stood up to protect women's access to safe and legal abortion, birth control and health care at Planned Parenthood.

I find that when you open the door toward openness and transparency, a lot of people will follow you through.

Along with a livable wage, many parents are desperate for quality affordable child care.

If we're going to be able to provide access to quality, affordable health care to every American - we need to have the trained health care professionals inside hospitals to provide that care.

As we all know, there is no harder or more rewarding job than being a mom.

We can work with anybody. I mean, we passed the 9/11 health bill with Tom Cotton. Most people would assume I wouldn't be able to work with Tom Cotton and Rand Paul and Ted Cruz.

I was a tennis player in high school and college.

I look at each nominee. If they suck, I vote against them. If they're worthy, I vote for them.

While we can't begin to repay the debt we owe our veterans for their brave service, we can certainly take steps to ease the physical, psychological and financial hardships they may be experiencing.

My hope is that in the future, women stop referring to themselves as 'the only woman' in their physics lab or 'only one of two' in their computer science jobs.

I have not been in Washington very long, but I've been there long enough to be shocked by how antiquated some of our laws have become.

America is the only high income nation without a paid family leave program. This means that if you or a family member gets sick, there is no guarantee that you can take the time you need to take care of yourself or your loved one, leaving already vulnerable families in the position of making hard decisions in cases of illness.

A strong and dedicated mentor can help a young woman get her foot in the door, get a promotion and get a raise.

When we create hope and opportunity in the lives of others, we allow love, decency and promise to triumph over cowardice and hate.

Empowering women in the workforce is a key to growing the economy and having a thriving middle class.

The brave men and women who have served - and those who continue to serve - our armed forces have selflessly sacrificed for our nation, and we owe it to them to provide the best services and protections available when they're overseas and after they return home.

The men and women who lived through and came to our rescue on 9/11 were not Democrats or Republicans or Independents. They were Americans first and foremost, and so were the people they saved.

When they return home from serving our country, our National Guard and Reserve members shouldn't have to be confronted with red tape in order to access the benefits they've earned fighting for our country.

Obesity puts our children at risk of developing serious diseases - such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and depression. It keeps our children from performing their best at school.

I've never lived through a moment in history where people are using their voices and becoming strong advocates for what they believe in.

The government can take smart steps to give all kids the healthy start they need to reach their full potential.

A bright future for the nation depends on the health and prosperity of rural America.

Health care should be a right; it should never be a privilege. We should have Medicare for all in this country.

Americans are guaranteed the constitutional right to legal abortion in Roe v. Wade, and it's past time for Republicans to stop using the issue as a political football. In fact, it's past time for Republican politicians to stop interfering in women's personal lives, period.

For American families, Universal pre-K is an essential piece of the puzzle that not only allows their kids to get a good start, but it also allows mothers to remain on the job earning a paycheck and helping our economy grow.

When women earn more, families are stronger, and children have better access to quality health care and education.

There is no greater call to service than that of our brave men and women who serve our country in combat across the globe.

In addition to being an economic security issue, the failure to pay women a salary that's equal to men for equal work is also a women's health issue. The fact is that the salary women are paid directly impacts the type of health care services they are able to access for both themselves and their families.

The horrific damage of 9/11 did not end when those buildings came down.

We must do everything we can to help our service members and veterans transition into civilian life once they return home, and that means preparing them for the tough job market.

Hardworking men and women deserve not only job security, but also a paycheck when they need to take time off to care for a loved one.

A strong mentor can help a young woman find and advance in the career of her dreams that otherwise may have seemed impossible.

When I was first elected to the House in 2006, it was important to me to send a clear message to the people of NY-20: I wanted to be a representative for the people and shed some light on their government, so I became the first member of Congress to post my schedule, my financial disclosures and my earmark requests all online.

Sexism is alive and well in politics, as it is in all industries.

If everyone in America can easily see who and what their lawmakers are requesting taxpayer money for, we can keep elected officials honest, end the days of political, special interest favors, and reduce wasteful spending.

Communities in every corner of America struggle to fill nursing vacancies to provide care for everyone who needs it.

I love celebrating Mother's Day. Since I was a kid, it was a special day to tell my mother and grandmother how much I love them. Now that I'm a mom, it is a special day to spend with my children.

It's time to focus on real solutions that will create jobs and build our economy for real strength and stability - not just for the fortunate few, but for every American.