Where I Stand...
Strengthening Our Economy & Promoting Job Growth
I believe government's role in the economy is to promote job growth and spur innovation through proven, sound fiscal policy. I will work in a bipartisan manner to advance policies that help local businesses succeed so we can create good-paying jobs the Commonwealth and in the 29th District. This includes giving priority to Virginia companies for state contracts. Ultimately, we must create a business climate and living environment where companies are eager to move their businesses to Winchester, Frederick County and Warren County. That means working to make Virginia open for business. A crucial component of this is ensuring all Virginians equal rights and protections under the law, and allowing people to make their own healthcare decisions. Rather than ostracizing possible employers, I will work to make Virginia welcoming to the business community. I also stand with the Chamber of Commerce and support expanding Medicaid, which could very easily create up to 30,000 additional jobs.
FWomen’s Rights & Issues
Women should have the right to decide about their own health care and reproductive options, while being fully covered by adequate & accessible health insurance. I am a strong support of “Equal Pay for Equal work, because women in Virginia still make 77 cents to the dollar compared to men. I will fight for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, which would make Virginia the 37th state in the country to ratify the amendment. The constitution states that “all men are created equal” and we must assume they actually did mean “men,” excluding women from the text of our constitution.
Ensuring Quality Healthcare for All
400,000 Virginians do not have health insurance because they fall into our Commonwealth’s coverage gap. This includes children, the elderly, and even 25,000 veterans and their spouses. This is why I support expanding Medicaid -- to bring Virginian taxpayer dollars from Washington and back to the Commonwealth to close this gap. It is not only the right thing to do, but it is fiscally responsible, which is why even states with Republican governors have done it. By not accepting these dollars, we are losing $4.4 million dollars a day. According to the Commonwealth Institute's most recent study, there are approximately 2,500 residents of the 29th District who are caught in the "coverage gap". I pledge to work to bring affordable healthcare coverage to all Virginians.
Making Public Education a Top Priority
Our area is continuing to experience growth. This has put stress on our school systems; creating much larger class sizes and other issues that aren’t ideal for learning. In Richmond, I'll fight to protect and expand education funding, and return our fair share of funding back to our district. I strongly believe in the importance and strength of our public school system, which is why both of my children go to our local public schools. I further pledge to work to enhance our K-12 system so that all children have the same opportunity to succeed, our teachers are paid the salaries they deserve, our students have access to the materials and the type of learning environment that is so critical for their success.
Strengthening Our Economy & Promoting Job Growth
I believe government's role in the economy is to promote job growth and spur innovation through proven, sound fiscal policy. I will work in a bipartisan manner to advance policies that help local businesses succeed so we can create good-paying jobs the Commonwealth and in the 29th District. This includes giving priority to Virginia companies for state contracts. Ultimately, we must create a business climate and living environment where companies are eager to move their businesses to Winchester, Frederick County and Warren County. That means working to make Virginia open for business. A crucial component of this is ensuring all Virginians equal rights and protections under the law, and allowing people to make their own healthcare decisions. Rather than ostracizing possible employers, I will work to make Virginia welcoming to the business community. I also stand with the Chamber of Commerce and support expanding Medicaid, which could very easily create up to 30,000 additional jobs.
Fighting for Women’s Rights & Equality
Women should have the right to decide about their own health care and reproductive options, while being fully covered by adequate & accessible health insurance. I am a strong support of “Equal Pay for Equal work, because women in Virginia still make 77 cents to the dollar compared to men. I will fight for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, which would make Virginia the 37th state in the country to ratify the amendment. The constitution states that “all men are created equal” and we must assume they actually did mean “men,” excluding women from the text of our constitution.