Here is how New York’s two senators voted on select issues during the legislative week ending Aug. 8, as reported by Targeted News Service. The House was not in session. Click here for previous votes.
Small Business Advocate
The Senate on Aug. 1, by a 52-44 vote, confirmed the nomination of Casey Mulligan to be Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the Small Business Administration. A professor at the University of Chicago for three decades, Mulligan was chief economist for the White House Council of Economic Advisors for part of the first Trump administration. A supporter, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), said his “unique mix of academic success and real-world experience makes him an ideal candidate for this job.” An opponent, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), said Mulligan “rejects regulations that protect the environment, safeguard fair treatment of workers, and keeps products from injuring consumers.”
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Fish and Wildlife
The Senate on Aug. 1, by a 54-43 vote, confirmed the nomination of Brian Nesvik to direct the Fish and Wildlife Service. Nesvik directed the Wyoming Game and Fish Department for five years before retiring last September; he had been at the agency since 1995 and was also an officer in the Wyoming Army National Guard for more than three decades.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Reorganizing Agriculture
The Senate on Aug. 1, by a 53-42 vote, rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 3944), that would have barred funding to reorganize the Agriculture Department (USDA) under a plan released in late July, and require a public review of the plan. Van Hollen said Agriculture should “take a step back and provide a transparent, informed, carefully considered plan for any such reorganization before implementing it.” An amendment opponent, Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), said Congress had “a good process” for review, and “we do not need to overly handcuff the USDA as they work to make this transition, which is a transition that we should make.”
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted yes
VA Reorganization
The Senate on Aug. 1, by a 50-45 vote, rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 3944), that would have required the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department to provide Congress with a report on its planned workforce cuts. Ossoff cited possible large-scale firings in fiscal 2026 at the VA, and said “if there are going to be significant reductions in force at the VA, we should know how it affects veterans’ benefits.” An amendment opponent, Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), said no such firings were planned, and that another amendment regarding VA staffing procedures provided sufficient oversight.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted yes
VA, Agriculture and FDA Spending
The Senate on Aug. 1, by an 87-9 vote, passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 3944), sponsored by Rep. John Carter (R-Texas), to provide $435 billion to fund the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department, and $18 billion for military construction programs, in fiscal 2026. The bill would also fund the Agriculture Department, and Food and Drug Administration, in fiscal 2026. A supporter, Susan Collins (R-Maine), said the military provisions would address housing and other key infrastructure needs, and help “ensure that veterans receive the care and benefits they have earned through their service to our country.” Collins added that the non-military provisions support “our farmers and rural communities; the safety of our food supply; critical federal nutrition programs like the WIC Program; and medical research and advancements.”
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Spending on Congress
The Senate on Aug. 1, by an 81-15 vote, approved an amendment sponsored by Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 3944), that would provide fiscal 2026 funding for the federal government’s legislative branch. Mullin said it “meets the needs of Congress and supports our agencies, especially the Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police, in a very fiscally responsible manner.” An opponent, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), said the amendment’s 6 percent spending increase, higher than the increase for other areas of government, was excessive.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Uruguay Ambassador
The Senate on Aug. 1, by a 51-44 vote, confirmed the nomination of Luigi Rinaldi to be ambassador to Uruguay. Rinaldi has operated his own building and road construction company in the New York City area since 1990; he attended a Uruguayan university in the early 1970s.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
HUD General Counsel
The Senate on Aug. 1, by a 51-43 vote, confirmed the nomination of David Woll to be the general counsel for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Woll has been a lawyer in the Justice Department, HUD, and then Treasury Department for 25 years, including a year as deputy general counsel at HUD.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Education Department
The Senate on Aug. 1, by a 50-45 vote, confirmed the nomination of Nicholas Kent to be the Education Department’s Under Secretary. Most recently Virginia’s Deputy Education Secretary, Kent had been an official at two education trade and accreditation groups.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Diplomacy with European Union
The Senate on Aug. 2, by a 53-44 vote, confirmed the nomination of Andrew Puzder to be U.S. Representative to the European Union (EU). Puzder was the CEO of CKE Restaurants, which includes the Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. chains, for nearly two decades, after time as a lawyer in Missouri.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
U.S. Attorney in Florida
The Senate on Aug. 2, by a 52-44 vote, confirmed the nomination of Jason Quinones to be U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida for a four-year term. Quinones had been an Air Force lawyer, Justice Department lawyer, including six years in the Southern District; and, since early 2024, a state trial judge for Miami-Dade County, specializing in domestic violence cases.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
U.S. Attorney for D.C.
The Senate on Aug. 2, by a 50-45 vote, has confirmed the nomination of Jeanine Pirro to be U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., for a four-year term. Pirro was a lawyer, district attorney, and then judge for Westchester County for three decades. A supporter, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), said: “Her job in the interim role where she is stationed now has been heralded. She boosted morale. She has the support of the D.C. Police Union and the National Fraternal Order of Police.” An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), said: “Pirro has proven to be a willing accomplice in weaponizing the justice system to protect President Trump’s allies and go after his enemies.”
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
EPA Finances
The Senate on Aug. 2, by a 50-45 vote, confirmed the nomination of Paige Hanson to be Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A financial manager at the EPA for most of the first Trump administration, Hanson was CFO at Common Sense Society, a nonprofit civics and education group, from 2021 to 2024.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Portugal Ambassador
The Senate on Aug. 2, by a 52-42 vote, confirmed the nomination of John Arrigo to be Ambassador to Portugal. Arrigo has run a group of Stellantis (Chrysler, Jeep and other brands) car dealerships in South Florida for three decades.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Cybersecurity
The Senate on Aug. 2, by a 59-35 vote, confirmed the nomination of Sean Cairncross to be National Cyber Director, a post that involves advising the president on strategies and policies for cybersecurity. Cairncross had been the CEO of Millennium Challenge Corporation, a senior advisor to the White House, chief operating officer of the Republican National Committee for the 2016 campaigns, and a lawyer in Washington, D.C.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
