Rebecca Parson

Education

In Congress, I will fight for: Free tuition at public colleges and universities throughout the country, just like the University of California system had until the 1980s. A one-time cancellation of all student debt. Learn more

Free school breakfast and lunch for all children in public pre-K, public kindergarten, and public K-12 schools. Ending “teaching to the test,” so we treat our teachers with the respect they deserve and allow children to enjoy school again. Learn more

Free, universal preschool for children between ages three and five—similar to what is already provided in Oklahoma.  Free, universal childcare, so we can create new jobs, have earlier intervention for kids who need it, and increase opportunity for mothers, who disproportionately quit or stall their careers to care for their children. Greater regulation of childcare centers, so all children enjoy the same high levels of enrichment and safety. Learn more

All teachers’ right to collectively bargain and earn a decent wage with acceptable class sizes and resources, so they can do the best job possible teaching our kids. Protecting parents’ right to homeschool their kids. Learn more

Environment / Energy

The Green New Deal to transition our economy to 100% renewable energy by 2030. Learn more

Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through a fair and just transition for all communities and workers. Justice and equity for vulnerable communities on the front lines of climate change, especially communities of color, indigenous communities, poor people, and rural communities. Ensuring workers in the fossil fuel industry have a job waiting for them in the new clean economy by increasing funding for clean-job training programs. Learn more

Supporting local efforts to create change in how food is grown, processed, and delivered, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of our food supply while ensuring that an abundant supply of low-cost, nutritious food is always available. Learn more

Foreign Policy

Ending military assistance and the U.S. sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia — and end our support of the war in Yemen. Prioritizing diplomacy over war. As the daughter of a Foreign Service Officer, I was raised to see the value of diplomacy, and America must use this as its first tool before war. Ending the Presidential Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs), including the Iraq, Gulf War, and Cold War AUMFs. Learn more

Closing Guantanamo Bay and abolishing torture. Rejecting trade agreements that don’t protect workers’ rights or address climate change. Ending sanctions that harm everyday people, who should not suffer because of the actions of their government. Learn more

Withdrawal from Iraq, since the Iraqi parliament has voted to expel U.S. troops. The only area we should stay in — if the Kurds request us to — is northern Iraq in order to prevent a further rollback of Kurdish autonomy in Rojava and the KRG. Full withdrawal from Afghanistan, including the “shadowy combination of clandestine Special Operations forces, Pentagon contractors and covert intelligence operatives” that will likely remain under President Biden’s withdrawal order. Learn more

Government Reform

Let all voters participate in open primaries, so independent, people-funded candidates have a fair chance. Let voters rank their top candidates (ranked-choice voting), so independent candidates have a real shot at winning instead of being “spoilers.” Automatic voter registration nationwide, as was recently enacted in Washington. Learn more

Ban members of Congress and their senior staff from becoming lobbyists for several years after they leave Congress. Close the revolving door of corruption. Learn more

Stop donors from hiding behind super PACs. End gerrymandering and stop the creation of absurd district boundaries that politicians create solely to ensure their own reelection and give their political party an unfair advantage. Learn more

Make it illegal for politicians to take money from lobbyists. Ban lobbyist bundling. Learn more

Guns

In Congress, I will fight for: Banning bump stocks and eliminating hellfire switches from all federal firearms permits. Requiring free safety training and continuing education for all licensed firearm owners. Learn more

Empowering judicial removal of firearms possession rights from convicted domestic violence offenders. (Due to a strong correlation between past domestic violence and mass shootings.) Enacting nationwide waiting periods for purchase of all firearms. Mandatory and universal background checks, including at gun shows. Learn more

Full federal funding to modernize and optimize existing background check systems, and make them compatible across all 50 states. Banning high-capacity magazines. Requiring de-escalation training for all law enforcement professionals. Discouraging the release of the names of mass shooters, so their hate-based communities don’t glorify them and use their fame as inspiration. Increasing funding for mental health services as part of Medicare for All, since 60% of gun deaths are by suicide. Learn more

Healthcare

Ensure the Veterans Affairs health system and the Indian Health Services continue to operate as they do now. Reduce the costs of healthcare in the United States while increasing the quality of care. Ensure you never have to choose between your rent/mortgage and your medications. Learn more

In Congress, I will fight to: Reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals by allowing for the importation of drugs from Canada and for Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices on behalf of American workers. Include dental and vision in Medicare for All. Learn more

Ensure your complete freedom to choose your doctor, dentist, and other providers, without worrying whether they're in-network. With single-payer health care, they're all in-network! Eliminate co-pays and deductibles, so you can go to the doctor when you’re sick without worrying about how you’ll pay for it. Include mental health treatment in Medicare for All. Learn more

Include drug and alcohol treatment in Medicare for All, so alcoholics and addicts get the help they need, when they need it.  Make sure that those who can afford it may pay for supplemental coverage, such as cosmetic surgery, not covered under Medicare for All. Learn more

Housing

An end to often-racist and always-exclusionary single-family zoning by providing federal funding incentives to towns, cities, and counties that enact pro-density zoning. Severe financial penalties for municipalities that criminalize the existence of homeless people, e.g., laws against loitering, sleeping in cars and parks when the shelters are full, and feeding the homeless. We must end the war on the poor. Learn more

Declaration of housing as a human right. Massive investment in public housing and anti-gentrification community land trusts, so housing always stays affordable and community-controlled. Learn more

In Congress, I will fight for: Universal rent control nationwide, so landlords and developers can’t raise rents at unreasonable, life-threatening rates. Just cause for eviction, so tenants’ stability — and sometimes our very lives — can’t be threatened by the whims of a landlord.  National grace period of 14 days for payment of rent, so being as little as $100 short on rent doesn’t jump start someone into homelessness. It’s much easier to keep someone out of homelessness than to get them out of it. Learn more

Wages / Job Benefits

Millions of good, $15+ per hour, union jobs to ensure prosperity and economic security for everyone in the United States in the new green economy. Learn more

In Congress, I will fight for:   Making it easier to form and join a union through measures such as a majority sign up process. Learn more

A starting salary of $60,000 for all public school teachers. Learn more