Kirsten Gillibrand in CNN Kfile

On Gun Control: 2008: signed amicus brief to overturn DC handgun ban

Gillibrand fought vigorously in defense of gun rights, including the right to own handguns. She signed an amicus brief that argued for overturning a handgun ban in Washington, DC, and that private gun ownership was a guaranteed right unconnected to service in a militia.

At the same time, Gillibrand co-sponsored legislation that would revoke the city's gun control laws. The core of the proposed bill made it so that Washington, DC would not be allowed to pass any laws restricting firearm usage and ownership that exceed existing federal rules, repealed the city's ban on semi-automatic weapons, most registration requirements for possession of firearms and a ban on owning ammunition.

Gillibrand's support for such measures was key in her earning the backing of the NRA in her 2008 bid for re-election. Gillibrand boasted of the "A" rating on her House website.

Source: CNN KFile, "Gillibrand overturning DC handgun ban" Mar 26, 2019

On Gun Control: 2009: Fight gun violence; 2010: "F" rating from NRA

[As a Representative, she supported anti-gun control measures.] After her appointment to the Senate in January 2009, Gillibrand moved away from her record on gun rights. "There's a very big difference between making sure hunters can hunt in upstate New York, and fighting against gun violence," Gillibrand said. "And those are values and views that I've always held--that we do need to fight against gun violence. We do need to keep guns out of the hands of criminals." When a 2009 vote came on an amendment to ease firearm restrictions in DC, Gillibrand voted against it. By September 2010, her NRA grade changed from an "A" to an "F."

Speaking at the launch of her presidential campaign, Gillibrand singled out the National Rifle Association as an example of special interests. "Right now, special interests are displacing the voices of the people of this country," Gillibrand said. "The NRA stops popular, common sense gun reform, while stray bullets kill children in our communities."

Source: CNN KFile, "Gillibrand overturning DC handgun ban" Mar 26, 2019

On Immigration: In House, took hardline for border security, ICE funding

Running for the House in 2006, Gillibrand called securing the border "a national security priority." In a 2007 interview, Gillibrand said "you have to close the borders" as a first step to "right size" immigration. In an interview in May 2007, Gillibrand said the borders needed to be closed.

She co-sponsored a bill expressing displeasure at states giving driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants and then co-sponsored a bill to prevent it. She voted in favor of an amendment to increase border fencing and technology by almost $90 million. She also voted in favor of an amendment to increase ICE funding by $9 million to work with local law enforcement to identify and remove undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes.

A page put up on her website for her 2008 re-election campaign boasted about her record, adding that the congresswoman believed that English should be the official language of the United States.

Source: CNN KFile, "Abolish ICE," on 2020 Democratic primary Jan 31, 2019

On Immigration: Hadn't understood issues, changed views in Senate

In January 2009, Gillibrand was appointed to replace Clinton, who had been confirmed to be President Barack Obama's new secretary of state. Her appointment was met with backlash from New York-based immigration activists. Gillibrand sought to quell the concerns by meeting with immigration groups. Gillibrand moved in the Senate to support policies advocated by activists, including in March 2009, when she signed on as a co-sponsor of the DREAM Act.

Gillibrand was asked about her past positions in a 2018 interview with 60 Minutes, where she said, "I just didn't take the time to understand why these issues mattered because it wasn't right in front of me. And that was my fault. It was something that I'm embarrassed about and I'm ashamed of."

Source: CNN KFile, "Abolish ICE," on 2020 Democratic primary Jan 31, 2019

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