Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is urging Congress to take up a bipartisan campus sexual assault bill after Tompkins County prosecutors reopened their review of allegations involving seven former Cornell University students. In remarks released by her office, the New York Democrat called the allegations “serious and horrific” and said students need better access to trained advocates and fair investigative processes.
Gillibrand made the comments in an NPR interview after District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said his office would present the matter to a grand jury. No criminal charges have been announced, and the allegations in a separate civil lawsuit have not been proven in court.
Gillibrand presses for federal legislation
Gillibrand called for hearings and a vote on the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, a bill she has sponsored with Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley. She said the measure is intended to hold colleges accountable, establish a fair process for students and give people reporting sexual violence access to a dedicated advocate as they navigate a campus case.
The senator said Congress has spent time debating college sports while failing to advance campus safety legislation. She described the issue as one that affects students and parents across the country, not only those connected to the Cornell case.
In the interview, Gillibrand said the first person who speaks with someone reporting sexual assault needs training in trauma and in how to ask questions. She argued that poorly handled initial interviews can discourage people from continuing with a complaint. Those comments were about investigative practices generally, not a finding about how any specific Cornell or Tompkins County official acted.
Gillibrand said colleges may have improved their policies over the past decade, but she believes Congress has not done enough. She called for a system that is transparent and responsive to students who report misconduct while maintaining a fair process for those involved.
Prosecutor's review and civil case remain separate
The civil lawsuit was filed by a former student identified as Jane Doe. She alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted at a Cornell fraternity house in 2024. The suit names seven men and institutional defendants; all will have an opportunity to contest the claims. A grand jury's review is a separate criminal process and does not establish guilt.
Van Houten has said the account in a six-page statement Doe gave Cornell University Police in 2024 differs materially from allegations in the later civil complaint. Her attorney disputes that description. The original statement has not been made public, so the accounts cannot be independently compared from the public record.
Gillibrand said she welcomed the district attorney's decision to reopen the case. She said a grand jury's eventual decision would not change her broader concern that students need reliable systems for reporting sexual violence and receiving support.
Cornell has defended its handling of the case. The university has said its Title IX investigation included a hearing at which Doe and the accused students could present evidence. The civil lawsuit and prosecutor's renewed review will determine their own next steps independently of that campus process.
The senator did not announce a scheduled congressional hearing or vote on the bill. Her request is for lawmakers to take it up; the legislation has not become law.
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