Withholding EV Funds Illegal Finds GAO, Improving Senior Access To Healthcare, Israeli Embassy Shooting, CPSC E-Bike Rulemaking Withdrawn: Sen. Gillibrand

Withholding EV Funds Illegal Finds GAO, Improving Senior Access To Healthcare, Israeli Embassy Shooting, CPSC E-Bike Rulemaking Withdrawn: Sen. Gillibrand

Editor’s note: Senator Gillibrand recently praised the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s decision to make rules regarding electric bike and scooter batteries, which are a major cause of house and apartment fires.  Senator Gillibrand also sent a letter to the new head of the Social Security Administration regarding how they are protecting seniors and their access to benefits.  

GILLIBRAND STATEMENT ON GAO FINDING THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION VIOLATED THE LAW BY BLOCKING FUNDING FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, released the following statement on the Government Accountability Office’s conclusion that President Trump is violating the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 by illegally withholding funding for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program:

“President Trump does not have the right to withhold funds that have already been approved by Congress. This decision affirms that fact. Congress approved the NEVI program with strong bipartisan support when we passed it as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Every state, including New York, is guaranteed this funding. Secretary Duffy must obey the law and release the NEVI funding immediately.”

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $5 billion in funding from fiscal year 2022 through 2026 for NEVI. The program provides funding to states to strategically create an electric vehicle (EV) charging network, which is critical to meeting new demand from American consumers. A 2024 study projected the U.S. would need 182,000 direct current fast chargers to accommodate the growing EV market—nearly triple the current capacity of just over 55,000. But Secretary Duffy issued a memorandum on February 6, 2025 blocking all new obligations of funding for the program—preventing states from using funds provided by Congress and forcing them to pause or cancel thousands of EV charging projects across America.

Gillibrand, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Improve Seniors’ Access to HEALTH Care

Legislation Would Improve Access To Care For Many Of The Over Two Million New Yorkers Enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined a bipartisan group of senators in reintroducing the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, zero-cost legislation to improve access to care for seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. The bill focuses on streamlining the often cumbersome and time-consuming prior authorization process, allowing health care providers to spend more time on patient care rather than administrative burdens.

Advertisement

This legislation would help physicians better serve and improve care for the 32.8 million Americans – including the over two million New Yorkers– enrolled in an MA plan.

“Senior citizens have spent their entire lives contributing to our communities, and they deserve every resource to support their health and well-being,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act will help cut through unnecessary red tape and ensure timely medical care is accessible to older Americans. Seniors should have reliable access to specialist care, mental health support, preventative services, and the treatments they need to live with dignity. I am proud to support this important legislation, and I pledge to continue fighting to expand access to quality, affordable, and timely health care for our seniors.”

Prior authorization is a tool used by health plans to reduce unnecessary care by requiring health care providers to get pre-approval for medical services. However, the current system often results in multiple faxes or phone calls by clinicians, which takes precious time away from delivering care. Prior authorization continues to be the number one administrative burden identified by health care providers, and nearly three out of four Medicare Advantage enrollees are subject to unnecessary delays due to the practice.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act would:

• Establish an electronic prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans, including a standardization for transactions and clinical attachments.
• Increase transparency around Medicare Advantage prior authorization requirements and their use.
• Clarify HHS’ authority to establish timeframes for e-prior authorization requests, including expedited determinations, real-time decisions for routinely approved items and services, and other prior authorization requests.
• Expand beneficiary protections to improve enrollee experiences and outcomes.
• Require HHS and other agencies to report to Congress on program integrity efforts and other ways to further improve the e-prior authorization process.
• Codify and enhance elements of the Advancing Interoperability and Improving Prior Authorization Processes (e-PA) rule that was finalized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on January 17, 2024.
• Result in zero cost to American taxpayers.

In addition to Senator Gillibrand, this legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Fetterman (D-PA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), James Lankford (R-OK), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Andy Kim (D-NJ), John Boozman (R-AR), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Cornyn (R-TX), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ted Budd (R-NC), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Hoeven (R-ND), Rick Scott (R-FL), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Deb Fischer (R-NE), and Chris Coons (D-DE).

Companion legislation was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. John Joyce, M.D. (R-PA-13), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01), and Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA-06).

This legislation is endorsed by 140 health care organizations.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

GILLIBRAND STATEMENT ON SHOOTING OF ISRAELI EMBASSY AIDES

Washington, D.C. – Addressing the shooting of two Israeli Embassy aides outside the Capital Jewish Museum, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement:

“This is antisemitic terrorism, pure and simple. Two Israeli Embassy staffers, murdered on American soil, for no reason other than being Jewish. My prayers are with the victims and their families. I stand with the Jewish community in this moment; we will not tolerate this violence, and this perpetrator will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

SENATORS GILLIBRAND AND SCHUMER, REP. TORRES STATEMENT ON UNITED STATES CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION VOTE TO WITHDRAW E-BIKE SAFETY PROPOSED RULEMAKING

NEW YORK, NY – United States Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer, along with Congressman Ritchie Torres, released the following statement on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) decision to withdraw the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on lithium-ion batteries in micromobility devices:

“As New Yorkers, we know firsthand how destructive faulty lithium-ion batteries can be, causing hundreds of fires, including fatalities, just last year. These unregulated products have killed and injured innocent New Yorkers, while putting our public safety officers, especially our firefighters, in harm’s way. We were pleased with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s initial decision to begin the rulemaking process that would make the lithium-ion batteries safer. However, we are dismayed at their decision to withdraw the notice of proposed rulemaking. We need the CPSC as a partner to help make critical progress in our fight to crack down on unregulated lithium-ion batteries, and we encourage them to reevaluate their dangerous and faulty decision.”

If enacted, the NPRM would start the process to finalize federal regulations for lithium-ion batteries. Additionally, Senator Gillibrand, Senator Schumer, and Congressman Torres authored the bipartisan Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act, legislation that would establish the first federal safety standards for lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes, e-scooters, and other micromobility devices. The House of Representatives passed this critical legislation on April 28, 2025.

Lithium-ion batteries, which are commonly used in e-bikes, electric scooters, and other micromobility devices, are often manufactured abroad without being subject to acceptable safety standards. As a result, they commonly cause explosions and fires that lead to property damage and loss of life.

In New York City alone, the New York City Fire Department reports that rechargeable lithium-ion batteries have caused more than 1,000 fires since 2019, resulting in 523 injuries, 34 deaths and damage to over 650 structures. In 2024, there were 279 e-bike and e-mobility device battery fires in NYC, a dramatic increase from the 30 that occurred in 2019.

Last month, Gillibrand, Schumer, and Torres called on the CPSC to vote in favor of the NPRM on lithium-ion batteries as soon as possible in order to protect the lives of Americans who rely on e-bikes and e-scooters.

Banner Image: EV charging. Image Credit – JUICE