Issues
Healthcare
As a pediatrician, I came to Congress to fight for quality, affordable healthcare because I was hearing from too many patients who were worried about the future of their care. I believe that access to healthcare and life-saving treatments should not be partisan, and I am committed to guaranteeing affordable care for every American.
That’s why I am excited that the Inflation Reduction Act is now law—it helps address those concerns, among other things. The bill gives Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices, so seniors pay less, cracks down on drug companies that gouge patients, and caps annual out of pocket medication costs for Medicare recipients. It also caps the cost of insulin at $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries. For someone using two vials per month, this will save an estimated $1,300 per year. The law also caps health care premiums at 8.5% of a family’s income—cutting premiums in half for the average 8th district family.
Moving forward as a co-chair of the Health Care Task Force for the New Democratic Coalition, I am working to build on the Affordable Care Act and expand access through a public option. And as someone with Type 1 Diabetes, I have seen first-hand how the cost of prescription medications continue to rise. I will continue to work to bring down the cost of prescription drugs, so families don’t have to choose between paying for medication or paying the bills.
Public Safety
Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community. I have heard from police chiefs, police officers, constituents and elected officials about concerns of rising crime rates and officer staffing shortages felt across our district. That is why I have championed investments into local police departments to ensure our communities stay safe and secure. Listening to the needs of our local officers, I am proud to have supported increases in law enforcement funding and public safety investments including grants for small departments to hire and retain new police officers, body worn cameras, and de-escalation and domestic violence response training. We must ensure that our police departments have the resources and training they need to keep themselves and families across their communities safe.
Our police officers stepped up to protect and serve, but many times the complex issues of mental health crises, drug overdoses, or homelessness require assistance beyond what is in law enforcement’s scope of practice.We need to get the right resources to police and move to models that ensure people get the help they need. With the right policies, we can strategically and safely deploy mental health workers with police officers where necessary and allow local police officers to focus more of their attention on fighting crime. Ultimately, we all want to do what’s right for our families and our communities. I will continue to work with my colleagues in both parties to ensure our police have the resources they need to keep everyone safe.
Agriculture
As the only Member from the Pacific Northwest on the House Agriculture Committee, I am honored to be a voice for our region and our proud farming heritage. Washington State’s climate, rich soils, and large-scale irrigation make it one of the most productive growing regions in the world, enabling farmers to produce over 300 different crops each year. We are the nation’s top producing state of apples, pears, and cherries – many of which are grown in Washington’s 8th Congressional District. Our growers produce top-quality fruits that are in high demand around the globe, with roughly one third of our crops exported each year.
I know that certainty in trade and access to new export markets is critically important to our farmers and growers in order to make strategic, on-the-ground investments. We also need fair and predictable rules that level the playing field between small farmers and big agribusinesses. Supporting local food production, such as family farms, farmers’ markets, institutional procurement of local food, and other local marketing channels, will help sustain agriculture in our communities and encourage healthy eating. Additionally, we need to increase investments in agriculture research that help our farmers lead the way as responsible stewards. Changing weather patterns and the associated impacts of climate change require mitigation and adaptation solutions. Whether it is preparing for a prolonged drought, changing growing seasons, or unexpected reductions in farm labor, we must ensure we are prepared for the future.
Education
I am the daughter of a public school teacher, the parent of a public school student, and the proud product of public schooling from elementary through medical school. I believe that a good, public school education is part of the American dream, and every child should be guaranteed a high-quality education, regardless of their zip code. That’s why I am a fierce advocate for improving and sustaining our public schools, in our district and across the country.
As a pediatrician and as a mom, I know that access to quality early childhood education is one of the best investments we can make to improve outcomes for our children. I also understand the importance of quality higher education programs and educational equity. We know that when we support teachers, the next generation benefits too. I believe that in our consideration of higher education, we should never lose sight of the importance of community colleges, trade schools, and apprenticeship programs. These programs provide paths to good-paying, middle-class jobs that are vital to our community. As your Representative, I will continue to advocate for high-quality education, and the needs of our district’s educators, parents, and students.
Environment
The 8th District is home to some of the most beautiful wilderness, parks, and recreation areas our country has to offer, including Mt. Rainier National Park. I believe that preserving these spaces for future generations is critical to the environment, the health of all families, and Washington’s economy. I am proud to support public land and water conservation funding for areas in the 8th District like the Issaquah Creek and the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.
I am also committed to urgent action around climate change. With each successive year, temperatures are rising, weather gets more extreme, and wildfires become increasingly catastrophic in Washington State, threatening to destroy our communities, farms and public lands. I am proud to serve on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, which both have wide jurisdiction over issues impacting our environment. I am also a member of the Congressional Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, a group committed to acting swiftly and methodically to fight the impacts of climate change. I will continue to work with my fellow members of Congress and the Administration to pass innovative legislation that recognizes the real social cost of carbon, supports the creation of clean energy jobs, and encourages research and development in clean energy technology.
Jobs
Families across the country are struggling to make ends meet, and for all but the wealthiest few, wage growth has been stagnant for decades. I understand the need to boost rural economies, support unions, and increase opportunities for job training, registered apprenticeships, and local entrepreneurship. And as our economy changes with increasing automation, we need a workforce ready for the 21st Century. We need to invest in our public schools with programs that foster critical thinking and emphasize science and technological skills. And we need bipartisan legislation that will boost and diversify rural economies, invest in rural broadband, and promote healthy competition.
During this Congress, I helped bring several pieces of landmark legislation into law that will employ millions of workers to strengthen our manufacturing, infrastructure, supply chain, and energy sectors, among others. The Inflation Reduction Act will incentivize companies to create hundreds of thousands of clean energy jobs to secure America’s energy grid and combat climate change. Through vital investments to transportation infrastructure, drinking water, broadband, and our communities at large, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will create good-paying union jobs every year for the next decade. The bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act strengthens U.S. manufacturing and ensures that we stay globally competitive, bringing thousands of jobs back to the American semiconductor industry.
I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished in the 117th Congress, but there is still more work to be done. We must build on this momentum to continue job growth and protect the rights of these working Americans.
Seniors
After a lifetime of work, seniors deserve a secure retirement and the peace of mind that the benefits they have earned will continue to be there for the rest of their lives. As your Congresswoman, I am committed to ensuring that the over 96,000 seniors in our district get the benefits and care they deserve when they retire.
I’m a proud supporter of the Inflation Reduction Act, legislation signed into law that brings relief to seniors regarding their health care and prescription drug costs. The Inflation Reduction Act gives Medicare the power to finally negotiate lower drug prices, so seniors pay less, cracks down on drug companies that gouge patients, and caps annual out of pocket medication costs for Medicare recipients. After a lifetime of paying into Medicare, we must make sure seniors can afford the care they need to stay healthy and independent.
I also understand the needs of seniors living on fixed incomes and will fight to protect the promise we’ve made to current and future retirees. Social Security is important not only for today’s seniors, but for our children and grandchildren who, if nothing changes, will see less than 75 cents on the dollar of their earned benefits when they retire. In order for seniors to retire with dignity and security, we need to ensure the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund.
We’ve made substantial progress this year to alleviate the burden of high prescription drug prices, but there is still more work to be done. I am a staunch supporter of strengthening Social Security and Medicare because these programs are an investment in all Americans’ futures.
Veterans
One of my favorite parts of being a Member of Congress is the opportunity to meet so many Veterans, particularly Vietnam-era Veterans as a Department of Defense Commemorative Partner, which allows me to distribute lapel pins to Vietnam Veterans in order to honor and thank them for their service. Meeting with Veterans allows me to hear their stories and thank them for their service on behalf of a grateful nation. Every story is different, but there are certain themes that have emerged: patriotism, service to our country, a deep connection to fellow Veterans, concern about the current state of our democracy, and wounds - both physical and emotional - that many Veterans brought home. If you are a veteran of the Vietnam War, I would be honored to meet with you. You can view more information here.
This is one of the reasons that it has been so important to me to stand up for all Veterans as a Member of Congress. I have worked with my colleagues in both parties to provide assistance to those who so bravely served our country.
Those who dedicated their lives to serving our country deserve the best possible care when they return. We have not always understood the impacts of toxic substances on the health of Veterans. The science is clearer now, and many Veterans affected by exposure to toxins are not receiving the benefits they deserve.
As a doctor, I care deeply about the wellbeing of our service members returning home. Hearing stories about Veterans being forced to wait weeks for an appointment or be asked to drive hours to a specialty care appointment is upsetting. I am proud to have supported a significant increase in funding to address many of the problems facing the Veterans Administration and investments to support mental health and suicide prevention programs, opioid treatment, housing, rural health care and caregiver support. If you dedicated your life to protecting our country, it’s our responsibility to make sure you and your families receive the best service and care possible.