Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand talks slimming down in the latest Self Magazine

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is in the new Self Magazine talking about how she lost 40 pounds over a year span. 

After having her last soon in 2009, Sen. Gillibrand realized that she had a good portion of her baby weight. With help from her husband and her family, she started running for an hour each morning and playing tennis and squash. She even started playing for the Congressional women's softball team and kept a food journal. While she notes that it sometimes hard to find the balance between eating healthy and managing a busy career, she has managed to keep the weight off since 2010. 

To read more about Kirsten's weekly workout schedule or  what eats in a typical day, head over to Self Magazine. 

Emily's List hosts fundraiser in support of Democratic women candidates

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Democratic women were out in full force Tuesday night in Washington, DC. Emily's List, an organization dedicated to getting pro-choice women elected, hosted a fundraiser to support several women senators up for re-election in 2012. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) gave an passionate speech stating "The best way to fight back in this war is to elect more women" calling on the donors to elect more pro-life women in the next election. Others in attendance include Amy Klobaucher (D-MN), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).


To find out more about Emily's List, visit their website. 

Kirsten Gillibrand attends Lifetime Television's 2012 Every Women Counts campaign

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Senator Kirsten Gillibrand attended Lifetime Television's 2012 'Every Woman Counts' campaign at Hofstra University this past weekend. Sen. Gillibrand was part of the panel and training event "Getting Off the Sidelines: A Conversation About the Urgency of Women's Political, Community and Business Leadership Today" were more than 200 college students joined the conversation. 'Every Woman Counts' was launched as a non-partisan campaign in 1992 to encourage women to vote, speak out on their issues, and run for office. To find out more, visit Lifetime. 

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand hosts the first annual “Women’s Economic Empowerment Summit

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand hosted the first annual “Women’s Economic Empowerment Summit" on Monday in New York City. The summit, which included White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett and Sandra Lee, was an opportunity for young women to network with established women in the business arena.  A new mentoring program was also announced at the event which will pair 100 business executives with women who have graduated college less than seven years ago.

Spotlight: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand interviews with Marie Claire

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is featured in the latest issue of Marie Claire Magazine. In a Q & A format, the junior senator from New York explains why she was moved to start Off the Sidelines, why she left her career in law, and her relationship with Gabrielle Giffords.

From Marie Claire:

Gillibrand, 44, has been compared to Tracy Flick, the maniacally ambitious class-president candidate played by Reese Witherspoon in Election. Sure, Gillibrand is driven — and petite and blonde, with a blazing blue-eyed gaze — but she is also hardworking and no-nonsense. Since switching careers from law to politics, she has been instrumental in key measures such as passing the 9/11 health bill for rescue workers and repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." We asked how she made it all happen. 

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand starts "Off the Sidelines" to encourage women to run for office

Political Girl favorite, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, has started a new organization, "Off the Sidelines" to encourage more women to run for office. 

In an article in the New York Times, Sen. Gillibrand explains why its important that more women get involved in politics and how it can change the tone of politics in this country.

"When women's voices are heard, the outcomes are better." - Kirsten Gillibrand

We are so excited that Sen. Gillibrand is speaking out about the importance for women to run for office. Hopefully more women will be inspired and make a difference in their communities and our country. 

We need more To learn more about Off the Sidelines and how to get more involved in politics, visit OfftheSidelines.org. 

Photos: Congressional Women beat Press Corps in Annual Softball Game

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Looks like the congresswomen served it up to the members of the press last night. In the third annual softball game where female congressmen take on members of the press corps, the female legislators came out on top with a win of 5-4. DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Shultz (pictured above with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand) was even named MVP after making the winning run. It was not all fun and games last night as both team went on to raise more than $70,000 to support Young Women's Survival Coalition that works to fight breast cancer in younger women.

Good times!

The Full Roster

Congressional Member Team

Captain - Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL)Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA)Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD)Captain - Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO)Captain -Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC)Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI)Rep. Kathy Hochul (D-NY)Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA)Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA)Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA)Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH)Captain - Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)Rep. Betty Sutton (D-OH) Congressional Member Coaches:  Rep.  Joe Baca (D-CA)Rep.  Kevin Brady (R-TX)Rep.  Joe Donnelly (D-IN)Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO)Rep. Dan Webster (R-FL)

Press Team

Captain Dana Bash, CNNChristina Capatides, ABC NewsJennifer Bendery, Huffington PostJessica Brady, Roll CallCaptain Carrie Budoff Brown, PoliticoLeigh Ann Caldwell, C-SPANJulie Davis, BloombergErika Dimmler, CNNElise Foley, Huffington PostKasie Hunt, PoliticoJill Jackson, CBSBrianna Keilar, CNNStephanie Kotuby, CNNJackie Kucinich, USA TodayLisa Lerer, BloombergAbby Livingston, CNNGregory Simmons, ABC NewsLynn Sweet, Chicago Sun-TimesShawna Thomas, NBCCaptain:Trish Turner, FoxAmy Walter, ABC News, Press Coaches: Dave Espo, APCarl Hulse, New York Times 

Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, Susan Collins, and Amy Klobuchar sport blue and white for "Senate Seersucker Thursday"

AP

So today is "Seersucker Thursday" at the Senate. The tradition, started by former Sen. Trent Lott, was a way for Senators to take break away from their suits and ties and enjoy some more comfortable clothes in the summer heat. Spotted taking part were Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AL). What do you think of the tradition? Yea or Nay?

Politicos celebrate the life of Geraldine Ferraro at funeral yesterday

Sens. Dianne Feinstien and Kirsten Gillibrand sponsor bill repealing DOMA

AP

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), along with 15 other Democrats  announced the introduction of a Senate bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act yesterday on Capitol Hill. 

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand pens letter in Huffington Post

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand wrote an op-ed letter in Huffington Post yesterday decrying the Republicans attempt to restrict women's reproductive rights. The bill would ban the use the use of taxpayer dollars for abortions but recently came under fire this week because it wanted to change the definition of rape which is currently exempted from the restriction. In their new proposal they wanted to change it so that only "forcible rape" were included. Sen. Gillibrand is also asking everyone to sign a petition to stop the bill from moving forward.

They have introduced HR3: The No Taxpayer Funded Abortions Act, which would restrict women's access to affordable reproductive care and even deny care to women when their lives are in danger. This bill would severely undermine women's rights. I hope you'll join me in fighting this dangerous piece of legislation by signing this petition and sending a message to Washington that we must preserve and protect a woman's right to choose. Even as Republicans lament that the government is being too intrusive in people's lives, it seems that the very personal, private and often painful issue of ending a pregnancy is one area they are determined to regulate. Tragically, the consequences of this intrusiveness could prove disastrous to the health and well-being of women across America.

You can read the rest of the letter here.

Photo of the Day: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand chats with Rand Paul

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Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand sat next to Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) at yesterday's State of the Union address. In the spirit of bipartisan, many members of Congress sat next to a member of a different party.

Hmmm, I wonder what they talked about?

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand featured in Newsweek

Alessandra Petlin for Newsweek

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is featured in Newsweek this week in story called "Senator Surprise." While we have always kept our eye on the junior senator, it looks like others are starting to notice. The article focuses on her two big legislative wins in the lame duck session as well as how she has stood by her friend Rep. Gabrielle Giffords with the recent tragedy in Tucson. 

From Newsweek:

The junior senator from New York has just hung up with Mark Kelly, husband of Gabrielle Giffords, the House member shot in the head in Tucson. Gillibrand is quite close to Giffords and was among the handful of lawmakers to accompany President Obama to the memorial service for victims of the shooting. She was at her friend’s bedside when the wounded congresswoman opened her eyes for the first time. Since then, at Kelly’s behest, Gillibrand has been making the media rounds to help humanize “Gabby” and put a personal face on the tragedy. Meet the Press, Good Morning America, Face the Nation, The View—it’s the kind of exposure an ambitious lawmaker would ordinarily revel in. But these are not ordinary circumstances, and Gillibrand looks exhausted and emotionally wrung out. Her husband, Jonathan, she says, is having an especially rough time. Asked about the shooting, he noted simply, “I worry about her every day, and I always have.”

You can check out the rest of the article here.

PoliticalGirl TV: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on "The View"

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand was on "The View" yesterday and the ladies talked about her rise in the Senate.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: How your favorite Political Girls spent the day

Jill Biden and Vice President Joe Biden along with their granddaughter, Natalie Biden wrote letters to soldiers in their hometown of Wilmington, Del.
California Attorney General Kamala Harris spoke at an annual Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast in Los Angeles, CA.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand attended the 25th annual Brooklyn tribute to Martin Luther King Jr at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, New York.

Sunday Brunch: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz on Face the Nation

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz were guests on CBS’s “Face the Nation” this morning. They talked about how to achieve civility in the upcoming congressional session in light of the shootings in Tuscon. They also spoke about the new proposal of Democrats and Republicans sitting together in the chamber instead of divided by party lines at the upcoming State of the Union.

Glimmer of Hope: Rep. Giffords opens her eyes

Speaking to the country Wednesday night, President Obama shared that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords had briefly opened her eyes. Surrounded by her husband and family, as well as Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, the recovering Congressman opened her eye lids.

“Gabby opened her eyes for the first time. “She knows we are here. She knows we love her, and she knows we are rooting for her," stated President Obama.

Senator Gillibrand also stated, " We had been telling her that she was inspiring the country with her courage and that we couldn’t wait to take her out to pizza and a weekend away. Then after she heard our voices and the encouragement of Mark and her parents, she struggled briefly and opened her eyes for the very first time. It was a miracle to witness."

Girl Power

These three three women, Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz were all on hand when Rep. Gabrille Giffords opened her eyes. The picture shows them walking into the hospital, and moments later, surrounded by her husband and family, Rep. Giffords opened her eyes for the first time!

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz in 2009.

Girl power at its best!!

Oath of Office: Kirsten Gillibrand

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was sworn in yesterday with her husband Jonathan and their son Theo by her side.

11 Women to Watch in 2011

At the beginning of the 2010 election cycle, many commentators and pundits believed that this was the year to run as a woman. We saw a record number of women run and a lot of excitement around their candidacy. Yet after the midterm elections were over and done, we saw the numbers for women in Congress not increase since 1987! Despite those odds, we are keeping our eyes on a couple of women who could do amazing things in 2011. Here are our 11 Women to Watch in 2011.

Terri Sewell - freshman Congresswoman out of Alabama, is the first African American woman to be elected from the state. With the same pedigree as the First Lady Michelle Obama, undergraduate degree from Princeton and law degree from Harvard University, she is definitely one to watch.

Kirsten Gillibrand - after lobbying successfully for the passage of the 9/11 Act and repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", this freshman senator solidified herself as a force to be reckoned with. And after winning her election by a landslide this past November, she proved that she deserved to walk in Hillary Clinton's footsteps.

Elizabeth Warren - recently featured on the Political Girl for her photo opt in Vogue, she was recently appointed by President Obama to as Assistant to the President and Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury on the Consumer Financial Protection, she is charged with protecting the American people for another failure of the Wall Street banks.

Kamala Harris - the newly elected District Attorney of California is already making the media rounds with a profile in Politico and an upcoming spread in Harper's Bazaar, however she has made it clear that her first priority is keeping the residents of California safe.

Michelle Rhee - When she stormed into Washington, DC 3 years ago she had the city buzzing by firing hundreds of students and closing over 20 schools. With the defeat of DC Mayor Adrian Fenty in September, she decided to leave the post and recently announced on Oprah that she was starting Students First, an organization to support student reform around the country.

 


Find out who else made the list by clicking below!