Democratic Representative for 41st Congressional District of California
Issues & Political Concerns
Time for Change
Health and Senior Care
Our health is our most important asset. Patchwork approaches to health care reforms are not working. California families pay $5000 per year for insurance premiums. 30% goes directly to insurance companies and not to patient care. With surging health care costs it will become increasingly tougher for employers to provide health care benefits. We can prevent the health care catastrophe if we work together. Our plan ensures that health services are appropriate, effective, and focused on consumer needs. Lower prescription drug price and open more day care centers for seniors who cannot stay at home alone.
The Environment
Many of our kids are growing up with childhood asthma because of our high air pollution. I strongly believe in the scientific consensus that climate change is real and man-made. I will fight back against any attempts to undo international agreements on climate change like the Paris Climate Accord. We must incentivize investments in clean energy sources and move away from polluting fossil fuels. The fastest growing industry in our nation is wind energy and solar’s not far behind - the future of our economy is in green energy. I'll work to promote greater onservation and innovation through tax credits.
Education
Improving public education is the single most important step we can take to strengthen the economic and social fabric of our society. Ensure access to affordable, equitable, high-quality universal pre-kindergarten education. Fight to make college more affordable and accessible. Too many students are crippled with high debt loans right as they start their careers. I will fight to make community college and vocational training programs tuition-free and invest in our public universities so more students have access. We must provide more counseling and tutoring services for middle and high school students.
Immigration
Immigrants in our community are our friends, classmates, and neighbors - they’re American in every way but on paper We should be providing them a pathway to citizenship. I know we can help our Dreamers, we just need the political will do it.
I also believe we need comprehensive immigration reform that includes securing our borders. We must make real investments in technology at our southern border and at our ports to protect our country from drug smugglers and human traffickers. We have to keep our country safe, and we must do it in a humane way that upholds our values.
Women's Issues
About half of all households are headed by single women. We must pass legislation to ensure that all women receive comparable pay for comparable work, have the right of reproductive choice and birth control coverage. We must increase funding for more affordable childcare centers.
Opioid Crisis and Homelessness
We also know that homelessness is a huge problem in our communities. I believe we must tackle this problem head on. I support fighting homelessness by investing in mental health and substance abuse services and providing job training opportunities for our homelessness neighbors. Majority of homeless are veterans, mentally ill, and foster youth.
The Economy
Sustainable economic growth is crucial for preservation of our prosperity. We have to conduct audits of all department's budgets to identify unnecessary spending and eliminate the agencies that duplicate services and have programs that are costly and not working. Create more well paid jobs in high tech and renewable energy sector.
Campaign Finance Reform
Corporate greed and Super PACs are corrupting our political system. Corruption in DC stands in the way of getting some of the most important things done like lowering prescription drug costs. We need to clean up our election system and make Congress work for our families, not special interests. Our elected officials should assure citizens that they will listen with the same attentiveness, whether they contribute money or not, whether they are part of a PAC or not.
Infrastructure
We must expand transportation methods, such as buses and carpools, and give tax credits to employers who provide vouchers for public transit. Introduce additional conservation measures and new technology, which will reduce the demand for water, electricity, and fuel usage.