U.S. House of RepresentativesCandidato para Distrito 11

Bill Foster is part of the status quo. He uses every opportunity he can to grow our government and raise our taxes, and I fundamentally disagree with that. We’re the greatest nation on earth not because of our government programs, but because the free enterprise creates opportunity, opportunity creates jobs, and jobs change people’s lives.

When I am elected, I won’t turn a blind eye to my colleagues who serve as democrats, nor will I vote in lock-step with my own party leadership. I’ll be your voice and work to improve the lives of all Americans.

Yes.

America’s national security readiness is severely lacking, and I do not believe we provide the necessary support to our military and law enforcement community.

Whether this administration admits it or not, we are at war with ISIS. The first thing we need to do is prevent terrorists from entering the United States. We need to close the gaps in our transportation and immigration systems to keep radical islamic terrorists from reaching our shores. Here at home, we must have an effective counter-insurgency plan to prevent homegrown radicalization.

The current debate on accepting refugees is unique to the Middle East and countries in collapse. The immigration and refugee crises around the globe need to be addressed at their roots. 

As it stands, our allies like Jordan, are overwhelmed by a wave of refugees that place stress on its security and public services. America should be working to assist those refugees abroad for a speedier return to their homes.

I don’t want America to turn away from its long-standing position of being a beacon of hope for those who are persecuted, but the Syrian refugee crisis is unique and requires a unique response.

Never had I thought I’d see an American President work so hard to strike a deal with a foreign nation that has declared itself an enemy of us. Although I support efforts to reduce the nuclear arsenal around the globe and to limit the ability of other countries to procure such weapons, this deal has come at a great cost to us and we will pay the price for years to come.

Throughout the process, our traditional allies in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia, repeatedly warned us of what would happen if we released billions of dollars held up due to sanctions. As the single largest state sponsor of terror, it is clear that the flood of money into the Iranian government’s coffers will find its way to Hezbollah, Syria, Iraq and into Yemen. 

Aside from its stated determination to wipe Israel off the map and bring down America, Iran has an extensive history of meddling into the affairs of Middle Eastern countries as it seeks to be the dominant power in that region. I believe the deal made benefits Iran far greater than the rest of the world. I would absolutely support additional sanctions where it would help to limit Iran’s harassment on the global stage.

Like any sovereign nation, we expect our borders to be respected. Additionally, we deserve to have them secure to protect our way of life as the protection of U.S. citizens is a basic function of the federal government.

Unfortunately, because of bipartisan failed leadership in Washington, our borders remain porous with no real consensus in sight on how to resolve the problem. We are faced with a very serious national security threat that also perpetuates a broken immigration system.

New leadership is the only way this problem is going to be solved. I will work across the aisle to create a realistic plan, deserving of the expectations of all Americans, that can pass the US Congress.

I believe that requiring identification prior to receiving ones’ ballot is not burdensome so long as the states make it a priority to provide voters with acceptable forms of identification at no additional cost.

Growing up, my family often visited our national parks, and this is a source of enjoyment my husband and I have shared with our children as well. I support the free market and continued exploration for energy sources that keeps America independent of foreign suppliers, and while I don’t see the need to provide control of federal lands to states, this is an issue I am open to revisiting.

Tax reform needs to promote economic growth while being fair and easy to understand. With a 35% corporate tax rate, and a top federal tax rate on small corporations & companies (the drivers of job creation) at over 44%, we are literally driving our Nation out of competitiveness against other developed countries.

The U.S. tax code is over 73,000 pages long. It’s not fair for anyone. We need a flatter, fairer, simpler tax code that gives hard working taxpayers a fair shake. 

Instead, the U.S. tax code has become a punitive tool used by Washington politicians to further their pet projects at the expense of taxpayers, and this is why we need new leadership in Congress. The effect is devastating to Illinois families and small businesses as they struggle to abide by the code, file their taxes, and maintain financial stability.

This grim reality of Social Security solvency underscores the fact that politicians in Washington, like Bill Foster, can no longer pretend this issue isn’t one of critical importance. 

In order to avoid the disruptions in benefits earned by retirees, widows and those with disabilities, we need to act now to save it. 

In order to fulfill commitments, the government must cut spending, raise taxes, or borrow more money. All options are on the table, but, with the current gridlock in Washington, we won’t see any progress to resolve this challenge. This is why we need new leadership representing us in Congress. Bill Foster will not work with those who disagree with him to find the common ground necessary to support our current and future retirees. 

The Supreme Court has already decided the marriage issue. It’s time to move forward, which is why my campaign is dedicated to protecting religious freedom. The Obama Administration’s mandate to local school districts on this transgender bathroom issue is a perfect example of the government overreach that I do not support. This issue should not be handled at the federal level—it should be decided locally, based on the values of each individual community.

As a mother, it breaks my heart that children are being killed all over this nation at the hand of gun violence, but we must note that although Illinois has some of the strictest gun laws, Chicago has already had 439 deaths as a result of shootings this year. We need to enforce the laws on the books, not make more laws. We need to start addressing problems at the root—whether it’s extremism, an individual’s poor mental health, or drug-related crime—and treat those problems directly.

I absolutely support preventing those on the “no-fly” list from buying firearms, but only under the circumstance that there is a method by which one can challenge their status on the “no-fly” list in the courts. This country can no longer afford to treat the symptoms of our problems. In the case of tragedies related to gun violence, we need leaders to get at the root and put forth real, tangible solutions.

Current national healthcare policy has proven to be an abject failure. The Affordable Care Act is a drain on employers by decreasing competition in the insurance marketplaces and increasing costs associated with compliance through increased premiums, less choice, and bureaucrat-driven decisions.

I believe that unwinding the worst of the ACA will allow us to adopt consumer-driven policies that will decrease costs, increase competition, and allow critical decisions on care to be made between patients and their doctors, not at the Washington level.

For future retirees, I do.

Medicare and Medicaid are profoundly important programs for the health care and well being of millions of Americans. Regrettably, the bleak financial state of these programs continues to drive the out-of-control spending that we see in Washington, and threatens to limit access for beneficiaries in the near future as they face insolvency.

This grim reality underscores the fact that politicians in Washington, like Bill Foster, can no longer pretend this issue isn’t one of critical importance. In order to avoid the disruptions in benefits to our current seniors and strengthen the program for future generations, we need to act now to save it. 

I oppose the use of public funds for Planned Parenthood and other groups that perform or advocate abortion. There are nearly 200 health care providers in our district alone, and more than 30 mammography facilities in the Chicagoland area. I believe in funding these kinds of women’s centers because they’re actually providing the types of services women need access to.

I oppose this proposal, given the unfunded obligations Congress continues to make forcing us to spend too much money, tax our citizens too much and continually delivering sub-par services for the cost we pay. We simply don’t have the resources to do this.

America holds over $1.2 trillion in outstanding student loan debt. This is in large part a result of bipartisan efforts to encourage higher education through a funding mechanism that holds young Americans back upon graduation.

I believe that the federal government’s student aid programs encourage higher tuition costs. I will work to make student loan interest rates tied to market-based interest rates similar to the Smarter Solutions for Students Act of 2013.