Universal Health Care

In a country with this much wealth, we should have a system that ensures every American can get the health care they need. I’ve worked on the Medicaid expansion, that brought coverage to 13.5 million Californians, and I will use that experience to get us to Medicare for All. I am ready to take immediate steps to provide health care relief for the people who need it by strengthening the ACA and laying the foundation for a Medicare For All system that works for all of us.

Women’s Reproductive Rights

Women need to have control of their own bodies, including if and when to start a family. It’s not the government’s place to regulate the most personal, difficult decisions a woman will ever have to make. I support expanding access to comprehensive sexual health education and under a Medicare for All system, all men and women would have access to family-planning services such as birth control, cancer screenings and STI testing/treatment. This is why I stand with Planned Parenthood, as its California health centers provide our low-income neighbors critical and basic reproductive health care.

Senior Care

We have a moral responsibility to take care of our seniors. That includes protecting Medicare and Social Security, ensuring families are able to support aging loved ones with the long-term care they need, and providing a safety net for the generations who came before us. We need to invest in research and finding a cure for devastating diseases like Alzheimer's and Dementia that affect so many of our seniors, and all of those who care for them.

Supporting our Troops Veterans Care

We have to ensure that our troops have the resources that they need, because too often during my time at PATH, I saw veterans living on the streets. As a member of a family of veterans, who benefitted from the G.I. Bill, I support increasing educational benefits and opportunities for veterans. I know that it is imperative that our troops receive the proper mental health and substance abuse disorder treatment when returning from service. We have no greater obligation as a country than to take care of the men and women who have risked everything to protect us. Our veterans deserve the best possible care at every stage of their lives.

Mental Health Treatment

One in seven Americans will experience a serious mental health condition at some point in their lifetime. The impact this has on our society cannot be understated, and we need to address it as such. We have to de-stigmatize the issue, and ensure that every single American is able to get the care they need. Mental health must be included in all discussions of health care access.

Addiction

Drug overdoses killed more Americans last year than the worst year ever for gun deaths (1993), HIV (1995), car crashes (1972), or the entire Vietnam war. Treatment options are dangerously unavailable or costly, and the epidemic has touched nearly every American family in some way at this point, including mine. We need to treat it as the public health crisis it is, and provide the resources accordingly.

Environment

Protecting the planet is not just an environmental issue, but a human health issue. Our families and communities need clean air, water and a non-toxic food supply so we can flourish for generations to come. In 2015, the Department of Defense informed Congress the implications of climate change included aggravating global issues such as poverty, social tensions and food shortages. These are all threats to vital human health and sustainability we must take seriously and should inspire us to do whatever it takes reverse the damage done to our environment.

Right here at home, the Aliso Canyon gas blowout is an example of how non-renewable energy sources and corrupt energy companies can have a detrimental effect on our environment. We must shut down this facility now and move to 100% clean energy, get off fossil fuels, and stop building new power plants.

Special Needs

Several members of my family on both sides have special needs, ranging in age from children to seniors. I know the demands that families face as caretakers, and that we as a community need to come together and provide support and resources at every stage of life. I know first hand how our system can do a better job of ensuring that people with special needs have high quality education, and every opportunity to achieve the highest possible level of self sufficiency in life. It’s vitally important that the federal government adequately funds community resource centers, programs, education, and the support necessary for these Americans and I'm ready to be an advocate for this in Congress.

Gun Safety

As a lifelong gun owner, I am ready to be a sensible voice in the debate around gun violence. I believe that respecting the Second Amendment and advocating for gun safety measures are not mutually exclusive, which is why I am proud to have the distinction as a Gun Sense Candidate from Moms Demand Action. Like we already have in California, I support a federal ban on assault weapons, high capacity magazines and bump stocks, as well as increasing waiting periods, raising the minimum age to purchase all weapons, and expanding our current background check system. These measures can have a significant impact on reducing gun violence, while also adequately retaining the right to bear arms. It’s time to move past inflammatory politics and take steps now to curb gun violence, because protecting our kids and our communities is something we can ALL agree on.

Law Enforcement and Public Safety

As the daughter of a police officer I understand the vital service that our law enforcement officials provide for us on a daily basis. We need to provide fully for our peace officers so that they can protect our communities while also addressing the underlying causes of crime such as poverty.

Income Inequality

Last year, the wealthiest 10% of families in the US held 76% of the total wealth in our country, while the bottom half of the population accounted for just 1%. We need to close that gap, and ensure that the wealthy pay the same percentage of their income in taxes as the rest of us do. If we did that, we would have all the resources we’d need to invest in rebuilding the middle class and ensuring a strong future for our country.

Local Jobs

At the federal level, we should create incentives for local governments to attract and retain industries and employers that make the most sense for that community, provided they demonstrate public-private partnerships to train and hire local community members in living-wage jobs. In our district, that includes film, green energy, technology, and more. Extra incentives should be provided to those communities that connect the jobs to re-entry or to other underprivileged populations.

Education

Education is the pathway to self-sufficiency in America. Everyone should have access to a good education – from preschool to college – no matter where they come from or what their family can afford. We must ensure the prosperity of our public school system, we must listen to administrators and teachers about the issues in their classrooms and consult with schools directly when drafting policies that affect them. I also support universal preschool, which is shown to decrease the K12 achievement gap across all American youth.

Public Education

The federal government has to fully fund the education mandates they set at the national level and we ultimately have to protect our public schools from privatization. Investing in these programs across the country provides critical funding aimed at supporting the nation’s neediest students; our poor, rural, and minority students and students with special needs. These funds help supplement what states are able to invest to give these children a level playing field and equitable access to an education that will help foster their growth as citizens of the future.

Affordable Housing and Homelessness

The growing homelessness crisis is a direct result of the shortage of affordable housing and skyrocketing rents in our communities. In my experience at PATH, I also know that homelessness disproportionately affects people of color, survivors of domestic violence, single-parent households and veterans -- all populations we must do better in serving. It is estimated that California has 1 million units of housing less than it needs, and we must address our nation's housing crisis at the federal level.

Immigration

Rebuilding the middle class includes achieving real immigration reform that protects our country while valuing the people who have lived and worked alongside us for years. Our friends and neighbors – no matter where they were born or how they got here – should be granted the opportunity to work for a better future for themselves and their families. We have to provide a clear path to citizenship for our dreamers and protect measures to keep families together. We can do this while also strengthening our borders against national security threats as well as the trafficking of sex workers, drugs and weapons. I know if we can get beyond partisan politics on this issue, we can work together to make real progress on immigration.

Criminal Justice Reform

Too many people are stuck, unable to move into the middle class, because of a failed criminal justice system that disproportionately impacts people of color, poor people, those who have suffered from addiction or mental health disorders, and those who have simply made mistakes. We need a system that focuses on rehabilitation and provides people who have served their time with the opportunity to become self-sufficient, contributing members of society again.

Labor and Unions

After World War II, America enjoyed one of the most prosperous and expansive middle classes the world has ever seen — and a large part of that was due to the fact that union participation was higher than ever. I believe protecting our ability to organize, unionize and collectively bargain is vital to maintaining a sustainable economy. We need to ensure workers are treated fairly and with the dignity they deserve in their efforts to achieve American Dream.

Childcare

A lack of access to childcare shouldn’t be the barrier to people being able to get and keep a good job. We need to ensure that parents can provide for their families and thrive in the middle class. Universal preschool would be a strong first step, but it would not be the last.

Small Businesses

Small businesses employ most Americans -- but they are largely ignored in policy decisions and corporations gain the most in terms of tax cuts and regulatory relief. Expansion in health care access has contributed to more people starting or expanding their own small businesses and providing economic development right in their neighborhoods. Medicare for All, reinstating small-business deductions cut by the GOP and stronger education systems will help our small businesses thrive.

Campaign Finance Reform

If we want a government that represents the will of the people and not special interests, we have to reform the way in which we finance our campaigns. This includes tax rebates for small dollar donors and public financing pathways that make it possible for service minded individuals to run competitive campaigns against political insiders.

Lobbying

We must put an end to the revolving door between the capitol and lobbying firms by banning former members of Congress and their high-paid staff from becoming lobbyists for five years.

Corporate Responsibility

America is a great place to enjoy economic freedoms not afforded in other countries. With that freedom comes a responsibility to give back to the people and the country that make so much prosperity possible. That is why I believe in creating policies that incentivize businesses to act in a socially responsible manner, to reinvest profits here at home and to share prosperity with their highly productive workforces. Measures like these can ensure record breaking corporate profits finally do find their way back into the pockets of hard working Americans.

Getting Big Money Out Of Politics

We have to reduce the undue influence of big money on our politics by abolishing Super PACs - entities that sponsor political activities without donor limits and donor disclosures.

Women in Government

Women make up more than half of our population, yet only 20% of Congress is comprised of women. If we want a government more representative of the public’s values and perspectives, we need more women weighing in on all policy decisions. It’s inexcusable that in 2018 we are so far from gender parity and the only way to ensure women have a voice on the floor is to elect them and give them a seat at the table. Women’s issues extend far beyond reproductive rights. We need to be working towards equal pay for women, ensuring access to affordable childcare and make sure women aren’t being hit with unfair taxes on feminine products. It’s time to level the playing field and claim our voice in government and I’m ready to lead that charge in Congress.

Racial Justice

Through my work at PATH I became intimately familiar with the ways in which our broken system disproportionately affects people of color in a negative way. For example, in LA County, nearly 50% of the homeless population we served was African American, despite the fact they only make up less than 10% of the total population. If we are going to live up to the ideals of American freedom and give every single person in this country a fighting chance to flourish, we have to be aware of the ways in which racial injustices are perpetrated through the criminal justice system, education, housing and in the workplace. I’ve spent my career being a voice for the most vulnerable populations in our communities and I’m ready to continue to be a voice in Congress, but I can’t do it alone. Let’s work together to build a more just and equitable society.

LGBTQ

I’ve identified as bisexual since I was a teenager and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more voices from the LGBTQ community in Congress. I am proud to be endorsed by Equality California, Equality PAC, the LGBTQ Victory Fund and the Stonewall Democratic Club, and if elected, I will be the only openly bisexual woman in the House of Representatives. The federal government has no business in restricting basic human rights based on sexual orientation and I am ready to protect equality at every turn in Congress.

Millennials in Government

As millennials, we’re stuck with having to live with the long term consequences of decisions career politicians won’t be around to experience. Millennials now make up the largest voting bloc in the country and it’s our time to step up. Our generation has the opportunity to be the change we want to see in the world if we turn out to vote for issues like income inequality, affordable housing, education, health care for all and the environment. These are the top challenges our generation is having to face head on and I believe we’re the ones to make real change happen. This country needs millenials to turn out in a big way this election and I’m ready to be your voice, but I can’t do it alone, we have to do this together.^[32]

Economy

Middle class families still face huge financial challenges and declining wages after years of slow job growth. Government policies that increase the cost of doing business and get in the way of job creation have taken their toll on the people least able to afford it. Only by unleashing the private sector through smart tax incentives and rolling back expensive red-tape can we begin to restore America’s economic strength. Southern California has tremendous potential for new middle-class jobs particularly through the aerospace sector. While in the State Senate, I successfully championed a tax credit that will allow California to build the next generation Air Force Stealth Bomber and will bring thousands of new middle class jobs. We need to replicate this model for all industries because it’s clear that we are more competitive when taxes are reasonable. Our nation has produced one of the most robust and innovative economies in world history. However, until we reverse the policies that are holding it back through over-regulation and taxation, Americans will continue to see median incomes decrease and unemployment numbers increase.

Education

Decisions about the best way to educate students should be made at the local level where parents have a voice for their children, which is why I have consistently fought for local control throughout my career. Every community has unique needs, which make one-size-fits-all policies ineffective. Instead, we need to empower local schools and hold them accountable for their results. We must also provide stable funding so class sizes remain small and educational support services remain intact. Public schools must also reflect the needs of our modern economy by offering more opportunities for career technical education or trades to serve students looking to join the workforce immediately. Finally, we must look at strategies for fixing higher education so it can remain an option for middle and working class families who have been squeezed by rising tuition costs.

Immigration

Americans are rightly frustrated that our nation’s borders are still not secured after years of talk from Washington politicians and unelected bureaucrats. Reforming immigration laws is not possible until we are confident that all the points of entry into our country are no longer vulnerable to individuals entering illegally. The US has already seen previous attempts to deal with illegal immigration fail because the border has never truly been secured. While we should recognize that we are a nation of immigrants and modernize these laws to better meet the needs of our economy, we cannot continue to allow unchecked, illegal immigration to continue. I will fight to secure America’s borders first, and only after this is accomplished can we begin a broader overhaul of our immigration laws.

Debt and Government Spending

During the past ten years, the national debt has more than doubled and now stands at a staggering $19 trillion—more than $61,000 for every American. The unsustainable debt currently being passed on to our children is morally wrong and is a blatant act of generational theft. Making sure we right this wrong and stop spending ourselves down the road of bankruptcy must be a top priority in Washington. There is no excuse; we need a long-term plan to pay down our debt. It is time to balance the federal budget by providing real leadership and bringing common-sense back to government spending habits. This can be accomplished by prioritizing our programs that provide essential core services, and either eliminating or streamlining those that do not. While it may not be easy, we can longer afford to keep running up the bill on our nation’s youth.

Taxes

The cause of our national debt is not a lack of tax revenue—instead it was created by a spending addiction in Washington. As unemployment remains stubbornly high in an economic recovery that is still fragile, now is not the time to increase taxes on Americans. Instead, we must pursue comprehensive tax reform by lowering tax rates and in turn eliminating deductions and credits. With the tax code now stretching over 70,000 pages long, the need to simplify our system so that it benefits a shrinking middle class has never been greater. Upward mobility should not be something that is unique to those who can afford the most expensive accountants. By having a fairer, simpler tax code with lower rates, we can start to once again increase the size of our middle class – enhancing economic growth and providing higher tax revenues over time.

National Security

The world is safest when America is a leader in international affairs. Unfortunately we have witnessed what happens when we abandon this leadership role as violence, instability and chaos have increased globally under the current administration—look no further than the rise of ISIS as a global terror organization. In order to restore our position as a global leader, we need to ensure we have a strong military, effective intelligence services and the courage to confront threats. While serving in the army, I saw first-hand how important our presence in the world was for maintaining peace and protecting national interests. In the face of growing, international threats, making smart investments into our national security apparatus is more critical than ever. Failing to do so only emboldens aggressive nations and the spread of terrorism, which will cost exponentially more if conflict arises. Strong national defense must continue to be a focus in Washington because we must give our men and women in uniform the resources they need to protect us.

2nd Amendment Rights

Our nation’s founders enshrined the right to bear firearms in the Constitution, which means the government has no right to enact arbitrary restrictions. Undermining the 2nd Amendment by crafting gun control laws aimed to reduce violence rarely results in safer communities. Instead, it is responsible gun owners who pay the price as criminals rarely comply with the laws enacted to keep firearms out of their hands. There is no law Congress can pass to stop gun violence, however we must examine better policing strategies and mental health services in order to provide a more direct path to solving the problem of gun violence.

Social Security

We must act to ensure that Social Security is preserved and protected for current and future retirees; there is no doubt about this. That means that everyone who is currently receiving Social Security payments must continue doing so, and we should also take steps to ensure that the program is available for future generations.

Unfortunately decades of inaction by both political parties has put our Social Security system directly in harm’s way. In 1945, there were approximately 42 workers paying into the system for every retiree receiving Social Security benefits. Currently, there are only about 3 workers for every retiree, and soon there will be only 2 workers for every beneficiary. The program is paying out far more than it is bringing in and its trust funds will be exhausted by 2035. This means that in two decades, Social Security will become insolvent because it will not be able to pay out one hundred percent of promised benefits to retirees. This is unacceptable.

Many believe that even the slightest mention of Social Security reform is politically unthinkable, and feel the best course of action is to ignore this problem or let future generations sort it out. This line of thinking is irresponsible and will endanger our children’s future. Instead, what we ought to do is set politics aside and work on a bipartisan solution that will preserve Social Security for current and future generations.

This will not be a simple process, and we will need to pursue several approaches to address this multi-faceted problem. For example, the House is currently working to eliminate costly Social Security fraud and abuse by closing a loophole in the disability insurance program that allows individuals to receive both unemployment insurance and disability payments.

Additionally, by addressing the current pay structure we can ensure public funding is appropriately dispersed among those living on a fixed income. Just because someone spent their career working 9-5, and earning 9.50 an hour, doesn’t mean they should be subjected to a poverty-stricken retirement at less than $950.00 per month.

Protecting and preserving Social Security for future generations is extremely important, and will require bipartisan cooperation. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the House on ensuring our most reliable safety net is around for the retirees of today and tomorrow.^[33]

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