As Government Shutdown Continues, NY’s Senator Discusses Disastrous Effects Of Health Insurance Rate Hikes, Legislation To Protect Federal Workers, Sexual Assault On College Campuses

Disastrous Effects Of Health Insurance Rate Hikes, Legislation To Protect Federal Workers, Sexual Assault On College Campuses, Student Loan Default Crisis: Senator Gillibrand 

Editor’s note: Below, you can watch Senator Gillibrand’s complete virtual press conference, wherein she discussed the impacts of the insurance cost rise set to go into effect on November 1st (though its financial impact will begin to take effect in January without these extensions.  Once the rates are locked into the exchange, they cannot be modified.  This is set to occur on the 1st of next month. You can view a more detailed press conference, including other charts and input from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here. 

WITH NEW YORKERS SET TO PAY THOUSANDS MORE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, GILLIBRAND DETAILS IMPACT OF RISING PREMIUMS ON NEW YORK FAMILIES

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) held a virtual press conference to fight for New York families who will suffer from the impact of rising health insurance premiums if Affordable Care Act subsidies are not extended before the end of the year. She called on Republicans to work with Democrats to extend the health insurance subsidies that help many middle-class American families afford care.

“New York families are already struggling with rising costs in Trump’s America. The last thing they need is skyrocketing health insurance premiums putting further strain on their bank accounts,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The families who benefit the most from ACA subsidies are those who are the very backbone of our economy — the families who own mom-and-pop corner stores, the New Yorkers who run farms that have been in their families for generations, and the single parents who work long hours to put food on the table for their kids. We owe it to them to extend the lifesaving tax credits that help keep them afloat. That’s why I’m demanding that my Republican colleagues come to the negotiating table to work with Democrats to reach a deal to extend these subsidies and end the government shutdown.”

Without an extension, Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced tax credits will expire at the end of 2025, causing 20 million Americans—including at least 1.6 million New Yorkers—to see a drastic increase in health insurance costs. In New York, a family of four with a household income of $125,000 per year will see an average increase of over $14,000 in their annual health insurance cost if these tax credits are allowed to expire. Gillibrand emphasized the impossible choices that this will force upon working families and the dire need to reach a bipartisan deal to extend ACA tax credits and end the government shutdown.

Enrollees in New York State are already receiving notices of premium hikes ahead of the start of open enrollment on November 1st, underscoring the importance of extending the subsidies immediately. A county-by-county breakdown of expected ACA premium increases for families of four making $130,000 per year across New York can be found at gillibrand.senate.gov/trumphealthcareincrease.

AMID REPUBLICAN-LED GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, GILLIBRAND, DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO PROTECT FEDERAL WORKERS 

Bill Would Protect Federal Workers From Eviction and Other Challenges As Over 100,000 Federal Employees in New York Go Without Pay

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) alongside 17 Senate Democratic colleagues introduced the Federal Employee Civil Relief Act. The legislation would protect federal workers, federal contractor employees, and their families from foreclosures, evictions, and loan defaults during a government shutdown.

“When Congress fails to do its job, hundreds of thousands of hardworking Americans are either sent home or forced to work without pay. The financial pain this causes is real — families across the country are still expected to pay their bills even as they go without a paycheck,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Whether it’s being evicted or having their cars repossessed, federal employees shouldn’t lose the essentials they rely on because congressional Republicans failed to keep the lights on. I’ll keep fighting to support our federal workers and get this critical legislation across the finish line.”

Cosponsors of the bill in the Senate include Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Mark Warner (D-VA). Companion legislation in the House of Representatives is set to be introduced by U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle (D-PA).

“Republicans control the House, Senate, and Presidency – and they have led our country into a shutdown to avoid bipartisan negotiations or a discussion about the impending Republican-led healthcare crisis. Now, Republicans and the White House are even threatening to not provide legally mandated backpay to workers,” said Leader Schumer. “Unfortunately, there are real people – with real concerns about pay and livelihood – who are being used as political pawns in the Republicans’ attempt to cater to billionaires and special interests. Senate Democrats remain committed to protecting federal workers who are affected by this shutdown. With the passage of the commonsense Federal Employee Civil Relief Act, federal workers could rest a little easier knowing they and their families are protected from foreclosures, evictions, and defaults during this tumultuous period.”

“While the President and congressional Republicans continue to refuse to work with Democrats to stop health care costs from skyrocketing and reopen the government, people are suffering,” said Senator Schatz. “Right now, hundreds of thousands of federal workers, federal contractor employees, and their families don’t know whether they’ll be able to pay rent and make ends meet. Our bill will protect these workers and make sure they aren’t harmed during this shutdown.”

“Federal workers should not have to pay the price for the Trump Administration’s decision to shut down the government. While the President and congressional Republicans refuse to save Americans’ health care and fund our government, federal workers are left without a paycheck, worrying that they won’t be able to pay their mortgage or rent,” said Senator Durbin. “I’m joining my colleagues to introduce the Federal Employee Civil Relief Act to ensure that federal workers are protected from the impact of Republicans’ shutdown.”

“For nine months, Donald Trump has taken a sledgehammer to our federal workforce, intimidating and purging hardworking public servants as he consolidates power. Now, he’s threatening to use the Republican shutdown to inflict even more pain,” said Senator Padilla. “California has one of the largest federal workforces in the country, and we must ensure they can pay their bills and stay in their homes through any future shutdown.”

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“Our federal workers should not be at risk of losing their homes, falling behind on loans, or failing to meet insurance and childcare payments because of this shameful Republican shutdown. This legislation would help protect our dedicated civil servants from financial harm caused through no fault of their own as we work to responsibly fund the government without handing a lawless president a blank check or allowing a massive spike in health care costs for families across America,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“Patriotic, hardworking civil servants shouldn’t be punished because of Republicans cruelty and inability to govern. I am proud to join in fighting to protect our civil servants – including the over 260,000 civil servants in Maryland – so they don’t lose their homes, health insurance, or cars,” said Senator Alsobrooks.

“Instead of negotiating with us to ensure our government works for the American people, Trump is forcing millions of workers through a needless government shutdown and threatening to withhold their backpay despite signing the law guaranteeing it himself,” said Senator Duckworth. “The longer this shutdown continues, the more harm they’ll cause to federal workers across the country and their families. Our bill would help protect federal employees until Republicans finally come to the negotiating table and help find a bipartisan solution that meets the needs of the American people, addresses the health care crisis and reopens our government.”

“Federal workers provide essential services to our government and our country, and their livelihoods should not be used by Trump and Republicans as a bargaining chip in this shutdown,” said Senator Hirono. “These workers shouldn’t be punished for a shutdown that they had no control over, and I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Federal Employees Civil Relief Act. This legislation would help hundreds of thousands of federal employees, ensuring that they have a chance to keep up with their bills and continue to support themselves and their families.”

“During a government shutdown, federal employees and contractors are forced to work without pay, leaving many trying to figure out how they’re going to pay their rent, mortgage, car payment, or other bills,” said Senator Kaine. “That’s why I’m introducing this legislation to help protect these federal workers and contractors from losing their home or defaulting on payments during a shutdown.”

“Missing even one paycheck can put immense stress on federal employees and their families, including young children,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “These public servants are not responsible for Washington’s dysfunction, and they should not lose their homes or suffer long-term financial consequences because the government has shut down.”

“Federal workers and contractors should not suffer because President Trump and Republicans refuse to negotiate a bipartisan government funding bill that adequately addresses the health care crisis,” said Senator Booker. “Congress must act to ensure these workers are protected from penalties resulting from delayed mortgage, insurance, or student loan payments caused by this Republican-led shutdown, during which they are not receiving pay. I will continue to fight for relief for our hardworking federal workers and contractors, and for a funding bill that puts the American people first.”

“Federal workers make our government work for New Mexico families — from caring for our veterans to maintaining our public lands and keeping our communities safe. They shouldn’t have to suffer because Republicans in Congress refuse to come to the table and work with Democrats to lower health care costs,” said Senator Heinrich. “Every hardworking New Mexican deserves the dignity of financial stability and security. The Federal Employees Civil Relief Act will help ensure that the folks who keep our country running aren’t left wondering how they’ll pay their bills or keep their homes during Trump’s manufactured crisis.”

“Through no fault of their own, hundreds of thousands of dedicated public servants in Virginia have been furloughed or are currently working without pay. That creates real financial strain for families trying to keep up with mortgages, student loans, and other bills. This legislation will help ensure federal workers and contractors aren’t forced to bear the cost of a shutdown they didn’t cause,” said Senator Warner.

The legislation addresses the threat of federal workers and contractors losing their homes, falling behind on student loans and other bills, having their car repossessed, or losing their health insurance because they have been furloughed during a shutdown or required to work without pay. The Federal Employee Civil Relief Act would protect impacted workers from:

• Being evicted or foreclosed;
• Having their car or other property repossessed;
• Falling behind on their student loan payments;
• Having negative effects on their credit history;
• Falling behind on paying their bills; or
• Losing their insurance because of missed premiums.

The protection would last during and 30 days following a shutdown to give workers a chance to keep up with their bills. The government shutdown, now in its second week, impacts thousands of federal workers and federal contractor employees in all 50 states.

The Federal Employee Civil Relief Act is supported by the National Treasury Employees Union, International Federal of Professional and Technical Engineers, National Federation of Federal Employees-IAM, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, UNITE HERE, LIUNA (Laborers’ International Union of North America), and the Transport Workers Union.

“On behalf of our members, we strongly support the Federal Employees Civil Relief Act. This bill provides essential protections for federal workers who, through no fault of their own, face severe financial hardship during a government shutdown. No public servant should be at risk of eviction, repossession, or losing health insurance simply because they are working without pay or furloughed,” said Everett Kelley, President of AFGE.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

Gillibrand, Grassley Reintroduce Legislation To Combat Sexual Assault On College Campuses, Improve Accountability, Transparency For Higher Education Institutions

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) reintroduced the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, legislation that would help combat sexual assault on college and university campuses. The bipartisan legislation would improve the way institutions of higher education address and report incidents of sexual assault that take place on their campuses, and it would protect both survivors and accused students by ensuring that schools have a uniform and fair process for investigating and conducting campus disciplinary proceedings. The legislation would also create new resources and support services for survivors and set new notification requirements for both survivors and accused students involved in the campus disciplinary process.

“Sexual assault on college campuses remains a serious and persistent problem, and it is up to us in Congress to protect survivors and make sure these crimes are handled with fairness,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The bipartisan Campus Accountability and Safety Act would strengthen the support network for survivors and increase accountability for schools by creating a standardized process for investigating instances of sexual assault. This will help survivors get the justice they deserve and ensure a fair process for everyone involved. I’m proud to lead this legislation and committed to working across the aisle to get it passed.”

“Across America, inconsistent enforcement mechanisms are failing to treat sexual assault crimes with the seriousness they deserve,” said Senator Grassley. “We’re taking action to change that. Our legislation creates a coordinated approach to address incidents of sexual assault on college campuses. It would inform university protocols for handling reports, and it would strengthen recovery resources for survivors and empower them to know their rights.”

Specifically, the Campus Accountability and Safety Act would:

1. Increase transparency and reporting requirements under theJeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Actby mandating that the institution’s website include campus safety policies, an annual security report, instructions for filing a complaint, and statistics of sexual misconduct allegations on campus.
2. Create sexual and interpersonal violence specialists at each institution to serve as confidential aides for victims.
3. Ensure that sexual and interpersonal violence specialists are well-trained by requiring training created by the Department of Education.
4. Ensure that individuals who report sexual misconduct in good faith are not punished for any physical violence or assault as a defense, or alcohol or drug use, that is revealed by that report.
5. Expand the VAWA Campus Grant Program to also address sexual harassment on campuses.
6. Require the comptroller general to study the effectiveness of VAWA grants and submit a report to Congress within 2 years of enactment.

Senator Gillibrand has fought alongside survivors of sexual assault for over a decade, working to build a broad bipartisan coalition dedicated to justice and fairness. During the 117^th Congress, she led the effort to fundamentally change the military justice system alongside Senator Grassley. Their legislation to remove judicial functions and prosecutorial decisions from the chain of command for certain serious crimes, including sexual assault and domestic violence, and put them in the hands of professional military prosecutors was included in the FY2022 and 2023 defense bills. Additionally, Senator Gillibrand successfully ushered her bipartisan Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, which Senator Grassley also cosponsored, to passage in 2022. This crucial legislation prevents perpetrators from being able to push survivors of sexual harassment and sexual assault into the secretive, biased process of forced arbitration. Senator Gillibrand also leads the bipartisan Tax Fairness for Survivors Act, which would remove the federal tax penalty on settlements, awards, and judgments paid to survivors of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

GILLIBRAND, COLLEAGUES PRESS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO ADDRESS STUDENT LOAN DEFAULT CRISIS AND PREVENT ECONOMIC DISASTER

Nearly 280,000 New Yorkers are at risk of student loan default

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) is pressing the Trump administration to provide relief for New Yorkers at risk of defaulting on their student loans.

Senator Gillibrand joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), and 68 other members of Congress in calling on the Trump administration to address the ongoing and unprecedented wave of student loan delinquencies and defaults, which threatens the financial stability of millions and could have disastrous effects on New York’s economy.

Recent data suggests that over 5 million student borrowers are likely in default, and almost a third of borrowers – including over 279,000 New Yorkers – are delinquent. The resumption of required monthly payments on federal student loans, combined with Republicans’ fervent opposition to measures to ease the burden on student borrowers, have created an anticipated “default cliff” that would threaten the broader economy by suppressing consumer spending and locking families out of housing and other financial opportunities as their credit scores plummet. When a student borrower defaults on their loan, their obligation to repay the loan is accelerated, and they may experience further consequences, including wage garnishment, having their federal income tax refund offset, or being subject to litigation to compel repayment.

“As millions of borrowers face the threat of default, the federal government has a responsibility to step in,” said Senator Gillibrand. “A student loan system that pushes people into delinquency instead of helping them build stable futures is broken and unsustainable. I’m proud to join my colleagues in calling on the administration to act swiftly to provide relief and ensure borrowers have a fair chance to get back on their feet.”

“If the administration fails to act, millions of Americans will be pushed to financial ruin, and Trump and Republicans will own this economic catastrophe. It’s time for Secretary McMahon to focus on commonsense solutions, instead of hiking costs for families at every turn,” said Senator Warren. 

“Every day this Administration fails to act, more borrowers—especially low-income, Black, and brown borrowers—are pushed closer to financial catastrophe,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “This isn’t just a policy failure—it’s a moral one. If Trump and Republicans truly cared about working families and following through on their promises to lower costs, they would act now before it’s too late.“

Rather than address this problem, the Trump administration has used the powers of the federal government to deepen the crisis. For instance, since January, the Trump administration has fired over half of the Department of Education’s staff, including workers at Federal Student Aid (FSA) who are responsible for resolving problems with student loan repayment. The administration has also created a backlog of nearly 1.1 million unprocessed income-driven repayment (IDR) applications, taking away borrowers’ access to affordable monthly payments that would significantly drop borrowers’ risks of default.

“[T]his default cliff threatens not only individual financial hardship but also has broader economic implications that warrant immediate intervention and mitigation strategies,” wrote the lawmakers.

The coalition urged the Trump administration to take the following steps to address the default cliff:

• Clear the nearly 1.1 million borrower backlog of IDR applications and abandon its plans to mass deny nearly 500,000 IDR applications;
• Create an interest-free temporary default prevention forbearance to protect borrowers who cannot afford their monthly payments;
• Reverse all recent decisions that have increased costs for borrowers and raised the likelihood that they enter default or delinquency;
• Begin a strong outreach campaign, in coordination with members of Congress and key stakeholders, to borrowers who are at risk of entering default or who do enter default; and
• Pause the forced collections process until the above steps have been implemented and until the Education Department implements robust guardrails against predatory and illegal collections practices.

“The student loan default crisis is a significant threat to millions of American families and the broader economy. Congress and the Administration have a responsibility to ensure that federal student loan programs support rather than undermine economic opportunity and stability,” concluded the lawmakers. 

The coalition requested that, in order to inform their legislative responsibilities regarding the federal student loan system and the functioning of the Education Department, the Department provide answers to the lawmakers’ questions by October 25, 2025, including what steps it is taking to protect against and address the rise in federal student loan delinquencies and defaults.

“Instead of bringing down costs, President Trump and Secretary McMahon are working double time to push millions of struggling borrowers off of an unprecedented default cliff that will be economically disastrous for families and the broader economy,” said Protect Borrowers Policy Director, Aissa Canchola Bañez. “Americans with student loan debt deserve an Administration that protects borrower rights and ensures that student loan borrowers get the relief they are entitled to under the law. The last ten months have demonstrated that the Trump Administration cares more about lining the pockets of their wealthy friends rather than shielding working families from economic ruin. We applaud Senator Warren, Representative Pressley, and their colleagues for holding the Trump Administration accountable and calling on them to take action to protect borrowers and their families from the largest mass student loan default events in modern history.”

Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) also joined in signing the letter.

Representatives Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03), Becca Balint (D-VT-AL), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), André Carson (D-IN-07), Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Gil Cisneros (D-CA-31), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-05), Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Dwight Evans (D-PA-03), Cleo Fields (D-LA-06), John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Ro Khanna (D-CA-17), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08), Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Emily Randall (D-WA-06), Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Luz Rivas (D-CA-29), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Terri Sewell (D-AL-07), Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12), Mark Takano (D-CA-39), Bennie Thompson (D-MS-02), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-07), Maxine Waters (D-CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24) also joined in signing the letter.

Senator Gillibrand has been a staunch advocate for workers and families navigating rising costs and unprecedented economic uncertainty. In September, she called on the administration to reverse its plan to reject 460,000 borrowers’ applications for more affordable monthly loan payments under income-driven repayment plans. Earlier this year, Senator Gillibrand publicly opposed the Department of Education’s decision to suspend forgiveness under the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) program, which denied student debt relief to student loan borrowers who have been in repayment for over 20 years under IBR.

To read the full text of the letter, click here.

Banner Image: ACA subsidies panel. Image Credit – Sen. Gillibrand