As Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Sheldon Silver has dedicated his career in public service to improving education, protecting affordable housing, delivering quality healthcare to all New Yorkers and reforming our criminal justice system.

Silver is the leading voice for working families in the state, spearheading the drive to increase the minimum wage. When it became clear the nation was facing a subprime mortgage crisis, Silver pushed legislation to help hard-working New Yorkers keep their homes. As the economy worsened, the Assembly passed legislation extending unemployment benefits. In 2011, working with the Governor and the Senate, Silver helped lead the successful push to revamp the state tax code, cutting taxes on middle-class families while creating a more progressive income tax system.