Gillibrand says she's ready to get to work

ALBANY, N.Y., Jan. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. Kristen Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said Sunday she plans to "hit the ground running" after she is sworn in as New York's junior U.S. senator this week.

Gov. David Paterson appointed Gillibrand to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by newly-confirmed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. At a meeting Sunday with Clinton, Paterson and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., Gillibrand said the group discussed foreign policy and how best to stimulate the lagging economy, The New York Times reported.

Among her immediate priorities once she gets to the Senate, she said, is ensuring New York benefits from President Barack Obama's $825 billion stimulus plan, due to come before Congress this week.

Gillibrand, a second-term congresswoman from a rural upstate district, had attracted some criticism from many Democrats for being a gun owners' rights advocate. Gillibrand said she would "always support hunter's rights" and that hunting is part of "heritage and culture" of New York state.

However, she said urban gun control issues would become part of her advocacy work.

"There's a lot of concerns in many of our city communities about gun violence, about keeping our children safe and keeping guns out of the hands of criminals," she said. "Those are concerns I share."

Gillibrand is likely to be sworn in Tuesday.