U.S. House of RepresentativesCandidato para Distrito 2

I have already established a significant legislative footprint in Congress in my relatively short tenure.  

Preventing gun violence has been a high priority for me since being elected to Congress. From the beginning of my tenure, I have been an unrelenting advocate for common sense gun reform.  I have introduced or co-sponsored a variety of bills to that effect.  This year, I consolidated all of my advocacy efforts into the UP Initiative, which I believe is the most significant accomplishment of my term thus far.

Furthermore, I have drafted legislation that addressed major problems locally, including the massive piles of pet coke that were a great nuisance on the southeast side of the city.  I also helped to complete the endeavor of my predecessor and dedicated Second District constituents in facilitating the designation of Pullman as a National Park designation. 

But despite my active legislative work, the delivery of quality constituent services has always been a top priority for me.  This was the hallmark of my state legislative office, and something that I have maintained steadfastly.   

I am on the record as saying that we should not put more Americans in harm’s way for another prolonged conflict on the ground.  Nevertheless, I have been supportive of the United States’ efforts with the international community to provide technical and strategic advice on the ground and measured air support campaigns that protect our international partners, degrade ISIS and are in the security interest of Americans at home.   

As for a vote today, our generals have not made that recommendation, nor has this Congress has called for such action.  We must be very mindful of not repeating the mistakes of 2003 and the vote for the war in Iraq.  Should ISIS strengthen its power and/or pose additional threats to our immediate security, I would be open to considering all options.  

I believe that there are preventative steps that can be taken diplomatically to disincentivize the spread of global terror.  That said, it is critical that we work with our allies in the region to eradicate spread by ISIS.  

No, I do not.  Contrary to the inflammatory rhetoric about immigrants during this campaign season, our vetting system for refugees is already quite stringent.  Furthermore, the recent “lone wolf” attacks on U.S. soil have been committed by American-born and bred Muslims, which underscores the fact that a blanket restriction on the admission of Muslims would have been futile.

I supported the terms of the Iran Nuclear agreement.  I supported the terms because with this deal, Iran’s stockpiles of enriched uranium will be reduced.  The country will be opened up to strict monitoring, including on-the-ground nuclear inspectors, and the pathways to a nuclear weapon will be blocked and enforced by the United States and the international community. 

We must be vigilant and ensure that Iran remains compliant.  I also believe that we must fight against domestic attempts to undermine the deal, including Senator Cotton’s Heavy Water amendment, which merely stokes distrust and undermines diplomacy efforts.  

I strongly believe that we must ensure that our border security is strong and robust.  However, building a wall to “keep out” immigrants from Mexico and other Central American countries is wholly implausible.  Perhaps more importantly, it is an ill-conceived, xenophobic reaction to a complex problem.  I do, however, support legislation to prevent the deportation of Dreamers. 

I believe that the federal government must continue to have a say in any scheme that disproportionately impacts minority voters.  Historically, the DOJ has identified and dealt with states like Texas that have had a long, well-established pattern of discrimination against minority voters.  I do believe that there may even be room for federal assistance to ensure that all voters have proper identification.  

I do not believe that federal public lands should be given to states to control, nor do I support the opening of public lands for the exploration of fossil fuels. 

Our tax code must be revised to restore basic fairness, which includes ensuring that the wealthiest Americans are not paying a lower tax rate than middle-class families.  The code must also be made simpler.  I believe that we must close tax loopholes, like limiting inversions that reward companies for shifting profits and jobs overseas.  We must allow for profits earned abroad to be repatriated so those funds can go towards rebuilding our infrastructure and funding vital support programs.  I also believe that Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit must be made permanent and expanded to help working families.

Contrary to the looming concerns about the solvency of Social Security, the recently released 2016 Trustees’ Report has shown that the program will still be able to pay full benefits for close to 20 years, after which point there may be a significant shortfall, assuming there are no efforts by Congress to shore up the trust funds.  

Nevertheless, too many attempts have been made to dismantle or severely limit Social Security and other eligibility programs, purportedly as a cost-saving measure.  But we cannot solve our nation’s long-term fiscal challenges and the growing costs of health care by simply unloading those costs and financial risks onto the elderly, the poor and disabled individuals. 

As such, I oppose proposals like turning Medicare into a voucher program, allowing states to cut Medicaid benefits, or any resolution to turn Medicaid into a block grant program, thereby shifting the entire burden of increasing health care costs onto the states.  

I believe in marriage equality.  I am also opposed to subjecting minors to the harmful practice of conversion therapy.  I support the guidelines of the Department of Justice and the Administration in allowing transgender students to using the bathroom that matches their gender identity.

Among the most important actions Congress can take would be the passage of comprehensive background check legislation, which is supported by the majority of Americans irrespective of political affiliation.  This is an important first step in the promotion of common sense gun legislation. 

I support it.  The GAO has reported that between February 2004 and December 2014, individuals on the watch list attempted to purchase firearms or explosives on 2,233 occasions — and more than 90 percent of the time, they cleared a background check and received approval to buy. In light of the recent frequency of attacks domestically and across the world, there is no excuse that suspects who are banned from flying should remain eligible to purchase firearms.

As I have steadfastly maintained, I believe that the Affordable Care Act should be left intact.  The ACA has been an exceptionally important tool in providing coverage to millions of uninsured Americans around the country, especially for middle-income Americans who previously made too much to qualify for Medicaid, but too little to afford insurance premiums not covered by their employers.  Certainly, there are aspects of the Act that need to be fine-tuned or corrected.  As such, I am willing to improve upon the Act in a way that protects its integrity, while addressing some of the unintended issues that arose after its implementation.

No, I do not. I believe that raising the age of eligibility for Medicare would shift costs from the federal government to states, to individuals, and increase total health care spending. 

I support a woman’s right to choose, and I support the Democratic platform fully.  

I support the President’s proposal of making two years of community college free.  However, I think that we must also extend a similar opportunity for students attending private universities; specifically, we should extend the equivalent of what subsidy they would have received had they attended a community college in the area.  Helping only community colleges could be a detriment to private colleges, particularly HBCUs.  Among the ways to pay for the federal portion of this burden would be to cut defense spending and become more targeted about the federal loans that we currently offer. 

Many economists have cited the increase of federal student aid as a major source of the precipitous increase in tuition.  To the extent that student loans and grants are driving up tuition, we must refund our public higher education system while requiring schools that take the cash to lower their prices, hopefully creating market pressure for private colleges to do the same.

I support efforts that will reduce the cost burden on students and provide greater value.  For example, I agree with the President that we must change how Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Perkins Loans and Work Study are administered, by updating the otherwise antiquated formula that rewards colleges for longevity with program but provides no incentive to keep tuition costs low.  I also agree with the President’s focus on reducing the amount of campus-based aid to those institutions that are not responsible in restraining tuition increases.