Andrea Stewart-Cousins Says NY State Senate is "Ready to Meet the Moment"

Here are remarks delivered by NYS Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins at the opening of the 2026 Legislative Session of the NYS Senate.

These are not times for complacency. These are times that demand clarity, responsibility, and focus.

We are beginning a New Year in a moment when the pressures facing New Yorkers feel heavier and more immediate in their daily lives. Families are opening utility bills they can barely afford. They are walking grocery aisles where prices rise faster than paychecks. They are worried about the cost of housing, health care and the overall cost of living. At the same time, many New Yorkers are watching with genuine concern as hard-won rights and constitutional freedoms are challenged across the country.

That is the reality our constituents are living with. It is the responsibility of the Senate, led by this Majority, to meet it head-on.

Understandably, there is a lot we do not know, and a lot we cannot predict. The uncertainty can feel overwhelming. But if there is one truth about our work, it is that we have been here before and every time, this chamber has risen to meet the moment.

In fact, we have already proven who we are in times of crisis.

When the chaos and division of Trump 1.0 tested the foundations of our institutions, it was this chamber that stepped forward to defend New Yorkers.

We will continue to be a clear and unwavering voice for what New Yorkers deserve from their federal representatives. For example, laws like the Shield Act were not abstract ideas. They are fundamental protections that matter, now, when people need them most. We showed the country that states could hold the line when Washington would not, and that government could still be a force for stability, fairness, compassion, and good.

In moments of crisis, when COVID brought the world to a halt and when a former Governor resigned in scandal, this chamber provided continuity and steadiness. You confronted what was uncomfortable, kept government functioning, and passed critical budgets under impossible conditions. We did it without losing our values or losing sight of the people we serve.

Those moments were not easy. But they reminded us of something essential. We know how to lead in uncertain times. We know how to confront the unimaginable. We know how to govern when the ground shifts beneath us, because we already have.

We know how to work together and reach consensus. We represent every corner of this state, from cities to suburbs, small towns to farmland. We represent districts that are safely Democratic or Republican, as well as districts that are competitive, moderate, and hard-fought. Our strength comes not from pretending one size fits all, but from understanding that New York works best when communities see themselves reflected in the various solutions we advance.

Ideology and principles matter. They guide us. They shape our priorities and our sense of justice. But governing also requires realism. The landscape ahead is complicated. The stakes are high. Navigating what comes next will require discipline, collaboration, and resolve.

In moments like these, we have to be adults in the room. We have to help set the tone and direction for the state. We must give a sense of security to our constituents who are living in unprecedented times of uncertainty. That is what the Senate has done under this Majority’s leadership. When Washington chose chaos, we delivered stability. When Washington offered rhetoric, we produced results. When Washington leaned into division, we focused on improving people’s lives in tangible, practical ways.

That is the standard New Yorkers expect from us as we move into this year.

We know what our communities need. We understand the challenges they face. We see the role the Senate, led by this Majority, must play, not just to respond to this moment, but to shape what comes next.

This session, our work continues to meet the affordability crisis head-on. We will tackle everything from the rising utility costs and the price of groceries, to promoting universal child care. We will continue strengthening a health care system that puts patients first. And we will stand firm in defense of voting rights and equal rights, with one of our central focuses being standing up for communities that are being targeted and marginalized, which includes protecting our immigrant brothers and sisters by advancing the goals of New York for All.

As we open this Legislative Session, let us do so with confidence, grounded in what we have already proven, clear-eyed about the work ahead, and united in our responsibility to deliver.

Because New Yorkers are counting on us. And this Senate, led by this Majority, is ready to meet the moment.

Andrea Stewart-Cousins holds the positions of President Pro Tempore and Majority Leader of the New York State Senate, and she is the Senator for the 35th District. As the longest-serving Democratic Majority Leader in New York State Senate history, and the first woman and African American woman to occupy this role, her tenure is distinguished by significant legislative achievements and a steadfast commitment to addressing the needs of New Yorkers.