"I come from a proud family that has been involved in public service for as long as I can remember. I want to work for you. We need to create more living wage jobs, improve our schools, and make public safety, gun control in particular, a top priority. With over two decades as a city employee, I know what it takes to find solutions, navigate complicated governmental agencies, and get things done."
LIST OF ISSUES
PUBLIC SAFETY
We deserve to feel safe in our own communities, but crime has gotten out of control. While there have been some legislative changes like banning chokeholds, requiring officer intervention in instances of excessive use of force, and improving tracking and reporting for such incidents much more criminal justice reform is needed.
As your future senator I will:
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Demand federal funds to hire more police officers and add more FBI and ATF agents to help ensure we get illegal guns off our streets;
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Advocate for stricter sentences for gun crimes;
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Increase investments in officer training and officer safety, that includes de-escalation and domestic violence training;
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Increase funding and grants, for officer recruitment and officer retention;
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Identify strategies to bring investment and job opportunities to some of our most disadvantaged communities;
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Identify and increase community-oriented policing grants; and
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Expand investments that focus on poverty, mental health, and addiction treatment programs.
HOUSING
Despite efforts at the local and state level, in Chicago and Cook County, we have a housing affordability gap of over 100,000 units, with many low and middle income families still facing major hurdles when it comes to finding safe, affordable, and stable housing.
As your future senator I will:
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Demand that congress invest hundreds of billions of dollars to identify affordable housing solutions for all
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Expand rental assistance programs;
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Advocate for investments in the federal Housing Trust Fund;
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Increase investment in the Public Housing Capital Fund to help rebuild, repair, and preserve public housing; and
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Identify creative solutions to incentivize the creation of all kinds of housing.
HEALTHCARE
Too many of our neighbors and community members still aren’t covered by healthcare or can’t afford the coverage they need despite significant gains made under the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion and despite America being a rich nation.
As your future senator I will:
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Create a public health insurance option for all and opposing Medicare from becoming a voucher program;
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Bring down costs through greater competition in the insurance marketplace, saving seniors, vets and many more tens of billions of dollars in prescription costs over the coming years;
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Support the Lower Drug Costs Now Act;
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Expand vision, hearing and dental coverage;
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Further invest in Federally Qualified Health Centers;
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Codify the right to choose with strong pro-choice legislation;
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Support the Women’s Health Protection Act, which preempts the extreme anti-abortion laws;
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Support access to reproductive health care;
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Increase support and funding for essential services like Planned Parenthood.
ENVIRONMENT
Our black and brown communities are often hit the hardest by the impacts of climate change including: wild swings in water levels, droughts, torrential rains causing sewage problems and flooding, lead pipes, industrial waste and pollution.
As your future senator I will:
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Significantly increase investments in building electric vehicle charging stations;
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Improve the electrical grid to utilize renewable energy sources;
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Create new tax incentives for renewable energy producers in solar and wind;
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As a result of these legislative changes we will cut emissions, become carbon neutral by 2050, and create well-paying clean energy jobs
EQUAL RIGHTS
Everyone deserves equal rights regardless of gender, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic status, and race; and while we have come a long way more work remains to be done to ensure equal access to health care; equal access to safe, affordable housing; equal access to marriage; equal access to high quality education; and equal access to high paying equitable jobs.
As your future senator, I will:
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Strong advocate of LGBTQ+ rights and Pro-Choice
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Push for Passing the Paycheck Fairness Act, to eliminate pay disparities and close the gender wage gap;
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In addition I will protect those rights and work to expand and strengthen them
ECONOMY
CoVid-19 exasperated many of the economic inequalities in our society and while the Paycheck Protection Program, American Rescue Plan, and other Covid-19 relief legislation aided families, rising gas and grocery prices have further created substantial hardships in our community and to our neighbors and friends.
As your voice in the senate, I will:
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Create regulatory frameworks that protect consumers;
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Significantly increase investments in pandemic preparedness and response initiatives;
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Invest more in pandemic and virus research to prepare and prevent future outbreaks;
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Highlight safety first when it comes to all dangerous pathogen research;
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Support the Earned Income Tax Credit and other safety net programs;
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Extend the enhanced child tax credit;
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Pass the Paid Family and Medical Leave at the federal level;
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Investing in major child care expansion, subsidies, and high-quality prekindergarten programs;
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Support Universal Basic Income program for all to address wealth inequality and reduce poverty;
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Support building dual STEM, and job training programs that help minorities and women get a chance to develop skills and enter the workforce ; and
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With results highlighting a new generation of skilled workers, investment in infrastructure and clean energy, and creating economic growth and prosperity.
VETERANS
Veterans and our brothers and sisters who join our military and put their own lives at risk everyday deserve to have our unconditional support.
As your future representative in the senate, I will:
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Pass legislation to enhance health care services and disability benefits;
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Support legislation to allow dependents of service members with TRICARE to remain on their parents’ health insurance policies for longer; and
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Ensure veterans have access to services, benefits and supports they deserve and fought to protect for us.
UNIONS
As a former union member, I know firsthand the essential role our unions serve in providing stability and support of a well-paid job.
As your future representative in the senate, I will:
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Continue to support workers, labor unions, collective bargaining rights and the Protecting the Right to Organize Act;
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Push for major investments in domestic manufacturing in all sectors; and
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Advocate for the America COMPETES Act, would invest in scientific research, manufacturing in our supply chain and as a result make it and our economy more resilient.
IMMIGRATION
In Chicago, the immigrant community actively participates in many ways making up about 427,600 homeowners and 110,000 entrepreneurs. They make critical contributions to the local economy with $5 billion in both state and local taxes and $9.6 billion in federal taxes. They are indispensable members to our labor force.
As your future senator, I will:
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Pass legislation that provides a pathway to citizenship for documented Dreamers;
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Support access to healthcare via health insurance options that can be purchased for the entire family on the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace;