Chairwoman, Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel

Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York

 

Responsibilities

  • Gillibrand chairs a subcommittee with jurisdiction over matters relating to military and DoD civilian personnel policies, including military healthcare, education, and compensation and benefits.

Legislative Committees/Caucuses/Bills

  • Member of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee.
  • Chair of the Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Local Food Systems, and Food Safety and Security Subcommittee.
  • Member of Emerging Threats & Capabilities Subcommittee.
  • Member of Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research Subcommittee.
  • Member of Commodities, Risk Management and Trade Subcommittee.
  • Co-sponsored the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act of 2021 that would remove sexual assault cases from military jurisdiction.

Political/Professional Career

  • Member of the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2009.
  • Selected as the New York state senator after Hillary Clinton vacated the seat to accept an appointment as President Barack Obama’s Secretary of State in 2009.
  • Won a special election in 2010 to keep the senatorial position. Reelected to full terms in 2012 and in 2018.
  • Ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020.
  • Up for reelection in 2024.

Education

  • UCLA School of Law, J.D. degree – 1991.
  • Dartmouth College, Bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude – 1988.

Personal

  • Born Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik on December 9, 1966, in Albany, NY. Grew up in upstate New York.
  • Married British venture capitalist Jonathan Gillibrand in 2001. They have two sons.
  • Her father, Douglas Rutnick, was a lawyer and lobbyist. Her mother, Polly Noonan Rutnik, also worked in the law. Her maternal grandmother, Dorothea “Polly” Noonan, was involved in Albany politics. Two siblings.