NEW YORK ― Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) has launched an exploratory committee to begin raising money for a possible 2020 presidential campaign, she said Tuesday during an appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

“I’m filing an exploratory committee for president of the United States ― tonight!” Gillibrand told host Stephen Colbert, eliciting cheers from the studio audience.

Asked why she was running, Gillibrand replied, “I’m going to run for president of the United States, because as a young mom I am gonna fight for other people’s kids as hard as I fight for my own, which is why I believe health care is a right and not a privilege.”

“It’s why I believe we should have better public schools for our kids ― it shouldn’t matter what block you grow up on, and I believe that anybody who wants to work hard enough should be able to get whatever job training they need to earn their way into the middle class,” she said.

Gillibrand went on to argue that any president hoping to accomplish those goals would have to take on “systems of power” that currently stand in the way, including “institutional racism,” “corruption and greed in Washington,” and “special interests that write legislation in the dead of night.”

“I know that I have the compassion, courage and the fearless determination to get that done,” the senator said.