Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives - Washington 9th Congressional District in 2018 Washington 2018 General Election.
View your personalized ballot, check your voter registration, make a plan to vote, and research every name and measure on the ballot with BallotReady.
Get StartedMy platform for racial justice is informed by the policies put forth by Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Movement for Black Lives, and Campaign Zero. If elected, I will use my position to demand justice for communities of color. Learn more
Currently, anti-LGBTQ discrimination is legal on a federal level, and its impacts are devastating. LGBTQ people can be denied healthcare, housing, and basic services, leading to disproportionate rates of illness, homelessness, and violence. Congress must pass comprehensive anti-discrimination protections to ensure that all Americans have equal access in all areas of life, regardless of gender or sexuality. Learn more
Tribes must have the ability to prosecute non-Native people who commit crimes on tribal land, and have greater jurisdiction over prosecuting all crimes, including family disputes. We need to encourage the continual development of the U.S. Department of Justice Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information to provide tribes with access to national crime information systems for both civil and criminal purposes. Learn more
The invasion in Iraq was one of the worst foreign policy blunders in modern U.S. history. After ten years, 1.3 million Iraqi, Afghani, and Pakistani lives, as well as 6000 Americans, have been lost. This war has cost us $9.4 million per day. Let's spend that money taking care of our veterans, not endangering them. Learn more
Stop sending our troops to fight unnecessary and interventionist wars in the Middle East, which lack both congressional sanction and a basis in international law. Learn more
As a nation, we have a moral obligation to provide the best quality care to those who have put their lives on the line to defend us. Reports of unacceptable wait times at many VA medical facilities mean that not all veterans have access to timely health care. We have an obligation to take care of the women and men who were sent to fight our wars overseas. I will fight every day for the following policies to take care of our veterans Learn more
Close Guantanamo Bay, limit the National Security Agency's reach into American lives, abolish the unconstitutional use of torture, and remember the values of personal freedom that makes America truly exceptional. Learn more
End the Presidential Authorization for Use of Military Force that my opponent, Adam Smith, voted in. This will require all military action to be debated in Congress and include clearly defined goals and exit periods. War is serious, and we must follow a path that protects us from warmongers in office. Learn more
Politicians have been talking about this problem for decades, yet we've made no real progress. This is why I support tuition-free public colleges and universities, and an immediate effort to relieve the massive hindrance of student debt to our to our young workers. If we want the best workforce in the world, we need to invest in our people, and that's exactly what I will do in Congress. Learn more
We must fight to fully fund the Bureau of Indian Education and strengthen self-determination to enable culturally tailored learning unique to each tribal nation and help to retain qualified teachers for Native youth. We should build upon the integrated work of the Generation Indigenous Initiative to ensure that every Native American child can reach their full potential. We should fight for plans that allow students to refinance federal debt, lower interest rates, triple federal work-study jobs, and provide for free tuition at all public colleges and universities. Learn more
The debate is over, and the scientific jury is in: global climate change is real, it is caused mainly by emissions released from burning fossil fuels and it poses a catastrophic threat to the long-term longevity of our planet. If we do nothing, the planet will heat up five to ten degrees Fahrenheit by the end of this century. That would cause enough sea level rise from melting glaciers to put cities like New York and Miami underwater – along with more frequent asthma attacks, higher food prices, insufficient drinking water and more infectious diseases. Learn more
I will fight for an aggressive transition to green energy. This will create jobs in green manufacturing, as well as helping us meet our carbon emission targets under the Paris Agreement. Learn more
Prohibit the United States from agreeing to provisions in international trade deals that would raise drug prices or extend the monopoly period when a brand name drug company has no generic competition. Learn more
A major reason why the fight against the disastrous Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is important is because it would significantly increase prices for HIV/AIDS drugs for some of the most desperate people in the world. At a time when prescription drug prices are skyrocketing, the TPP would make a bad situation even worse by granting new monopoly rights to big pharmaceutical companies to deny access to lower cost generic drugs to millions of people. Learn more
We must prioritize diplomacy over war. Our interventionist wars in the Middle East have cost thousands of servicemen and trillions of dollars, as well as the deaths of millions of civilians in the attacked countries, to little benefit in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Yemen. This must end. Learn more
I agree with the UN resolution demanding an end to illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The Israeli government must also end the blockade of Gaza, and cease developing settlements on Palestinian land. Both sides must negotiate in good faith regarding all other outstanding issues that stand in the way of a durable and lasting peace in the region. In the meantime, all sides must strictly adhere to the tenets of international humanitarian law in order to avoid escalating the conflict yet again. Learn more
I support the agreement between the U.S., Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia regulating Iran’s nuclear weapons program, because it has the best chance of limiting Iran’s ability to produce a nuclear weapon while avoiding another war in the region. Learn more
Expand our global influence by promoting fair trade that protects workers rights, addressing global climate change, providing humanitarian relief and economic assistance alongside the United Nations, defending the rule of law, and promoting human rights. Learn more
According to a Princeton study public policy in our country has no correlation with public opinion, and that’s no accident; the ability of corporations and wealthy donors to influence our politicians by giving them money is protected by judicial review as Constitutional. This must change if we are to make progress on any issue important to everyday Americans. I will sign on to the American Anti-Corruption Act, if elected. Learn more
We must honor the treaties and federal statutes that are the foundation of the trust relationship. We need to maintain a White House Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs to ensure that tribal issues are consistently addressed and coordinated throughout the federal government. Learn more
Require de-esclation training for all law enforcement professionals. 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) Learn more
Demilitarize our police forces at all levels. Learn more
Banning high capacity magazines. Learn more
Getting corporate money out of politics, including that of the NRA. Learn more
Full federal funding to modernize and optimize existing background check systems, and make them compatible across all 50 states. Learn more
Mandatory background checks including at gun shows. Learn more
Required and affordable safety training and continued education for all licensed firearm owners. Learn more
Ban bump stocks and eliminate hellfire switches from all federal firearms permits. Learn more
In 2015, nearly one in five Americans between the ages of 19 and 64 – 35 million people – did not get their prescriptions filled because they did not have enough money. In the wealthiest country in the history of the world, Americans should not have to live in fear that they will go bankrupt or die because they cannot afford to take the medication they need. Learn more
Medicare for All is, morally and financially, the right thing to do. In the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, we can afford to provide our people with healthcare. We know that the single-payer healthcare systems used in nearly every developed nation on Earth improve health outcomes, reduce administrative burden, and cost less per capita than the system we use now, while providing healthcare to everyone. Learn more
Healthcare is a human right. We should support a Medicare-for-all system that would complement the healthcare provided by the Indian Health Service. We need to work to fully fund the Indian Health Service, strengthen regional management and recruitment of committed IHS health care personnel, demand audits of IHS operations, and ensure that Native Americans have adequate, safe, and affordable access to primary care providers, including oral health and mental health practitioners as well as substance abuse treatment options. Learn more
We need to fight to end the AIDS epidemic by doubling the number of people on HIV treatment worldwide by 2020. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has been an incredibly successful program, currently supporting antiretroviral treatment for more than 9.5 million people. But that is only a fraction of those worldwide who need treatment. More than 22 million people with HIV/AIDS do not have access to the medicine and support services they need. Learn more
We need to fight to expand the highly successful Ryan White HIV/AIDS program which provides HIV-related services for those who do not have sufficient health care coverage or financial resources. It was unacceptable that at the height of the Wall Street crash, many states had long waiting lists for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. Especially when so many people were losing their jobs and their life savings, people should not have had to wait for the life-saving treatment they needed. Learn more
We need to build on the implementation of President Obama’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy by significantly expanding access to mental health and substance use disorder services by protecting and expanding community health centers, which provide key behavioral health and substance abuse services to more than 1.3 million patients. We must also support access to mental health services at community mental health centers. Learn more
Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. To truly ensure every American has access to quality, affordable health care, we need to fight for a Medicare-for-all, single payer system. Until that happens, we must make sure insurance companies and providers are not discriminating against those with HIV/AIDS, including when it comes to drug coverage. Learn more
I will fight for increased local control over the administration and operation of tribal housing programs and for full funding of the Indian Housing Block Grant Program. Learn more
Housing is a human right. In the richest country in the history of the world, we can end the injustices that leave many Americans without a roof over their heads. I will fight to make housing affordable for all Americans Learn more
Dismantle inhumane deportation and private detention centers. Learn more
Protect sanctuary cities. Learn more
Provide whistleblower visas for immigrants to report labor violations. Learn more
Abolish ICE and establish a Department of Citizenship, Refugees, and Immigration Services under the department of labor. Learn more
Protect DACA and offer a path to citizenship for all immigrants. Learn more
I will co-sponsor the House version of the Rebuild America Act, which will create more than 13 million public sector jobs by investing in our crumbling infrastructure. Learn more
As millions of Americans lost their life savings after Wall Street’s recklessness crashed the economy in 2008, Social Security was paying full benefits. My platform aims to fight for all of us who have been disadvantaged or have left the work force. Learn more
Recent treatment of Puerto Rico by the Congress has made it clear that Puerto Rico is essentially a U.S. colony. Puerto Ricans live under harsh austerity measures imposed on them by a Congress in which they have no representation. This is unacceptable in a democratic society. Learn more
Despite the progress that has been made over the past two decades, we unfortunately still live in a world where people with disabilities have fewer work opportunities and where the civil rights of people with disabilities are not always protected and respected. I will fight for the following rights to protect the rights of people with disabilities Learn more
Many of the achievements that have been made for women’s rights in the 20th century have been under attack by the Republican party — denying women control over their own bodies, preventing access to vital medical and social services, and blocking equal pay for equal work. I will fight everyday to ensure women's rights are advanced, not regressed Learn more
Stop corporations from shifting their profits and jobs overseas to avoid paying U.S. income taxes. Create a progressive estate tax on Americans who inherit more than $3.5 million, and enact a tax on Wall Street speculators who caused millions of Americans to lose their jobs, homes, and life savings. Learn more
Breaking up the huge financial institutions whose recklessness and fraudulent behavior during the subprime mortgage crisis crashed the American economy in 2008. 3 out of the 4 largest financial institutions in the country are at least 80 percent bigger today than they were before the bailout, and it's time to ensure that our tax dollars never have to bail out a bank that's "too big to fail" again. Learn more
Injured workers have experienced in the last several years a massive effort to limit workers compensation benefits. This has directly harmed hardworking people and their families. We must pass a Workers' Bill of Rights Learn more
A pool of unemployed workers that are ready to work for lower wages and worse benefits is a deterrent that most corporations use. A federal jobs guarantee creates a nationalized competitor in the marketplace that will create good-paying union jobs by rebuilding our infrastructure, provide quality public childcare, and establish community clinics to help care for the disenfranchised in society. I believe that a necessary pre-requisite to this is to establish federally guaranteed and free education in colleges and universities to ensure that our workforce remains highly educated and highly skilled. Learn more
Make it easier to form a union, with a simple majority of workers voting in favor. Right now, long delays and procedural hurdles give employers plenty of time to whip up campaigns against unions, threatening location close-downs or worker firings. Learn more
Enact a federal law that repeals the Taft-Hartley Act. This laws allow workers to get all the benefits of their local union without paying union dues, which is a back-door attack meant to defund unions. If no one pays their dues, unions have no way to provide any union benefits - to anyone. And that means lower wages Learn more
Enforce penalties on companies that violate labor laws by firing workers who try to organize a union or intimidating others. These moves are illegal, but nowadays are only penalized by forcing employers to repay some wages to the fired workers, a punishment so light that many employers treat it as just a cost of doing business. I will vote to increase penalties in order to shut down this illegal behavior. Learn more
I will co-sponsor a new Child Development Act, which will provide high quality public childcare for all Americans, while also creating good jobs in the public sector. Learn more
In Congress, I will propose a Federal Jobs Program that would provide everyone provide anyone a job in the public sector, a plan similar to the Works Progress Administration which helped end the Great Depression. Every job offered under this Program will pay living wage and include adequate benefits. Learn more
View your personalized ballot, check your voter registration, make a plan to vote, and research every name and measure on the ballot with BallotReady.