Here is how New York’s senators voted on select issues during the legislative week ending Jan. 31, as reported by Targeted News Service. The House was not in session. Click here for previous votes.
Defense Secretary
The Senate on Jan. 24, by a 50-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie with a yes vote, confirmed the nomination of Pete Hegseth to be Defense secretary. Hegseth has been a Fox News TV host for the past three years; he was a National Guard soldier for 14 years previously, with deployments to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. A supporter, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), pointed to Hegseth’s commitment to resolve “the lack of internal controls, price gouging and the mismanagement of the taxpayer dollars” at the Defense Department. An opponent, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), said Hegseth “has disparaged military personnel with racist and sexist comments, he has derided diversity in the ranks, and he has openly opposed women in combat roles.”
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Homeland Security Secretary
The Senate on Jan. 25, by a 59-34 vote, confirmed the nomination of Kristi Noem to be secretary of the Homeland Security Department. Noem had been South Dakota’s governor since 2019 and previously was a member of the U.S. House for eight years. A supporter, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), called Noem a decisive, committed leader who “brings both experience and commitment to her new role.” An opponent, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), said at her confirmation hearing that Noem “repeatedly made false claims about undocumented immigrants. Under oath, she repeated lies that misrepresent noncitizens as security threats.”
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Treasury Secretary
The Senate on Jan. 27, by a 68-29 vote, confirmed the nomination of Scott Bessent to be Treasury secretary. Bessent had been CEO of the Key Square Group investment group for nine years and for most of that time was a trustee at Rockefeller University. A supporter, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), said Bessent “brings a wealth of private sector experience in the economy and markets to his new role, as well as a concern for the needs of working Americans.” An opponent, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), called Bessent “an advocate for deregulating Wall Street and letting big banks load up on risk” who also had “no demonstrated track record of fighting to make life better or more affordable for working people.”
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Transportation Secretary
The Senate on Jan. 28, by a 77-22 vote, confirmed the nomination of Sean Duffy to be Transportation secretary. A member of the House representing a Wisconsin district from 2011 to 2019, Duffy has since been a consultant and a Fox News TV host. A supporter, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), cited Duffy’s “proven track record of working with Republicans and Democrats to deliver good infrastructure for the people.”
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted yes
International Criminal Court
The Senate on Jan. 28, by a 54-45 vote, rejected a cloture motion to proceed with consideration of the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act (H.R. 23), sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas). The bill would have required sanctions against foreigners who have helped the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest or prosecute U.S. residents or citizens of U.S. allies that have not consented to ICC jurisdiction. A supporter, Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), said: “We will not cede jurisdiction over our citizens to such a corrupt and blatantly inequitable institution as the ICC.” An opponent, Sen. Margaret Hassan (D-N.H.), said the bill’s sanctions “will make it almost impossible for the United States to engage the court on other issues in our national interest, whether that is prosecuting the atrocities in Sudan or human rights abuses by the Taliban or in Venezuela or Russia’s war crimes against Ukraine.” A three-fifths majority was required for approval.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
EPA Administrator
The Senate on Jan. 29, by a 56-42 vote, confirmed the nomination of Lee Zeldin to be administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Zeldin was a member of the House representing a New York district from 2015 through 2022 after four years in the state legislature. For the past two years he has been a consultant and a director of several nonprofit groups. A supporter, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), said Zeldin would return the EPA “to its original mission of protecting America’s air, water and land without, as he puts it, suffocating the economy.” An opponent, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), said Zeldin would not “be truthful and factual and support and defend our environment and our safety from climate change.”
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Interior Secretary
The Senate on Jan. 30, by a 79-18 vote, confirmed the nomination of Doug Burgum to be Interior secretary. Burgum had been governor of North Dakota from 2016 to 2024; additionally, he is a business owner, investor and was CEO of Great Plains Software, which was purchased by Microsoft in 2001. A supporter, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), said Burgum “has spent his entire career bringing people together to solve problems. He has earned the trust of tribes, businesses, conservationists and working families.”
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
