Teresa Pike Tomlinson

Civil Rights

Support legislation and policies that condemn LGBTQ human rights abuses, champion international LGBTQ rights, and provide for an asylum process for LGBTQ people who risk persecution in their home country. Learn more

Support funding for healthcare, housing and other relief to improve the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS. Learn more

Support the Equality Act as a top legislative priority, which will amend the Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and sex-based stereotypes, in a wide variety of areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, and credit. Learn more

Support legislation that prevents welfare service providers from discriminating based on religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. Learn more

Support and protect the health, safety, and civil rights of transgender Americans. Learn more

Support the expansion of anti-bullying programs to protect our LGBTQ youth from harassment, violence and death by suicide. Learn more

Support legislation and policies that provide social services to senior LGBTQ Americans. Learn more

Support legislation to ensure that religious freedom laws are not used to discriminate against LGBTQ people. Learn more

Criminal Justice / Public Safety

upport legislation and funding for alternative courts and drug and mental health treatment in lieu of imprisonment. Learn more

Support full reinstatement of the right to vote to every prior felon who has completed incarceration and repaid their debt to society. Learn more

Support legislation that brings about an end to for-profit prisons. Learn more

Support the recommendations of the Task Force on 21st Century Policing and the restoration of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in the resourcing and oversight of law enforcement agencies, particularly regarding excessive use of force incidents and other civil rights issues. Learn more

Support increased civil rights and health protections for incarcerated persons, particularly pregnant women. Learn more

Support legislation that ends the ban on federal PELL grant eligibility for incarcerated students. Learn more

Support increased federal funding for the successful reentry of those who have served their time and repaid their debt to society so as to reduce recidivism, enhance community and human assets and reduce the direct and indirect cost of broadscale imprisonment. Learn more

Support increased resources for the federal prosecution of hate crimes, domestic terrorism and white supremacist organizations. Learn more

Support abolishment of the federal death penalty. Learn more

Support reform of mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent offenses, so that judges and prosecutors can use discretion in sentencing decisions, particularly for first-time offenders. Learn more

Support an end to the abuse of cash bail bonds across America. No one should serve a long jail sentence for nonviolent, minor offenses simply because they are unable to pay bail. Learn more

Support an end to sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine and other drug charge disparities with a racial bias impact. Learn more

Defense / Veterans

Fulfill the intent of the Constitution by advocating for Congress to vote on the merits of all war actions, including the continuing war in Afghanistan. Learn more

Adequately resource the Department of Veterans Affairs to correct administrative inefficiencies and ineffectiveness, hire more doctors and mental health professionals, speed up the wait times for enrollment and screening systems and expand options for rural care. Learn more

Drug Policy

I support removing marijuana from the Controlled Substance Act schedule, so it can be regulated, and taxed appropriately. Learn more

I support regulating marijuana under the appropriate federal agency which can work with states to provide market and interstate commerce continuity, thereby preventing black markets, criminal law disparities, and other market anomalies or unintended effects. Learn more

Economy

Expand opportunities for new and improved sectors within the agricultural economy, including urban agriculture, new cash crops like hemp and marijuana cultivation, value-added products and organic and sustainable farming. Learn more

Support efforts that connect local farms to local market opportunities such as schools, hospitals and retail outlets providing rural communities easy access to fresh and affordable local food while also reducing the carbon footprint of the transportation required to ship food around the world. Learn more

Support legislation that strengthens the African American farming community in Georgia by preventing land loss among their property owners, increasing the eligibility of black farmers for USDA loans and providing funding assistance to African American farmers to help pay legal fees to clear title on generationally handed-down farms. Learn more

Support a revamping of our 20th Century Unemployment Insurance to a 21st Century Reemployment Insurance, thereby facilitating those who are ready, willing and able to work, but have lost their jobs. Learn more

Support investment in our nation’s critical infrastructure, which will put Americans to work on creating and updating our nations’ public assets, such as our transportation and energy systems. Learn more

Support international trade agreements that enhance our access to global markets and benefit American workers and consumers. Learn more

Support legislation, such as the Protect the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which among other protections will enhance the worker’s ability to join a union and collectively bargain, will penalize employers who unlawfully interfere with or seek to stop the right to organize, ensure “fair share” fees so all workers pay some fraction of the value the Union returns to them, and will stop the misidentification of workers as “independent contractors” or “management” in order to deny them benefits or pay. Learn more

I propose a restructuring of our current inefficient civic and economic infrastructure, by directly addressing systemic issues which for generations have perpetuated poverty and suppressed minority prosperity. Doing so will broaden the middle-class, enhance civic stability, create economic stimulus and make America stronger. Fundamentally correcting institutionalized civic and economic bias – whether racial, gender, or income based – is long overdue. Learn more

A New Economic Infrastructure consists of: providing universal healthcare by expanding Medicare and Medicaid while allowing people to keep their private health insurance; establishing a fair wage and a mechanism to have that wage keep pace with inflation; rethinking our tax system to grow the middle-class and strengthen pathways for those climbing out of poverty; ending the racial and gender wealth gaps and finding a way that all of our people have access to capital, power, and prosperity; addressing the trillion dollar impact of climate change; and retooling and retraining our job force to withstand increasing automation and globalization. Learn more

A New Civic Infrastructure consists of: ensuring voter rights in all 50 states; correcting a justice system that results in mass incarceration; stopping the crisis at our border; reforming our immigration system; eliminating education inequity; ensuring we live free of gun violence; supporting basic bodily autonomy for women; and recognizing the equality of all citizens (including LGBTQ+ citizens) to pursue and enjoy our inalienable rights. Learn more

I support HR40 and S.1083, which call for the creation of a panel of experts to determine the best way we can address racial injustices to black Americans stemming from slavery, Jim Crow, redlining, wealth gap, mass incarceration, voter suppression, and other systemic disenfranchisement based on racial heritage. Learn more

Environment / Energy

Advocate for funding of Georgia’s essential agricultural institutions and agencies to keep Georgia’s agriculture industry on the cutting edge. Learn more

Fully fund conservation programs that reward farmers who practice conservation methods related to land management, water conservation and more. Learn more

Secure timely, adequate and easy to obtain relief in the aftermath of natural disasters. Learn more

Reject trade policies that put our farmers and the agriculture industry at an economic disadvantage. Learn more

I support increased funding and public/private partnerships regarding the research for, and implementation of, carbon capture mechanisms. Learn more

I support removing political and regulatory barriers which inhibit the clean energy industry from reaching new customers. Learn more

I support reforms that will correct the carbon producing market through grants, partnerships, incentives and targeted carbon cost assessments, thereby requiring the carbon offenders to absorb the actual cost of their business, instead of passing those costs on to taxpayers in the form of disaster relief and other public costs of climate change mitigation and response. Learn more

I support utilizing Georgia’s abundant forest resources as carbon capture and sequestration mechanisms and building a marketable voluntary carbon registry. Learn more

I support extending federal Investment Tax Credit for Georgia solar power deployment. Learn more

I support accelerating and prioritizing federal investment and public/private partnerships in clean energy sources, and in updated domestic energy and transportation infrastructure, such as smart grids for renewable energy distribution, energy efficient manufacturing and low emissions public transit. Learn more

I support extending the federal sales tax credit for electric vehicles and reinstating a Georgia sales tax credit for alternative fueled vehicles to improve our air quality. Learn more

I support the Climate Action Now Act, which seeks to compel the current administration to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. Learn more

I support a new, clean economy for our state and our nation because it will create millions of jobs as we: 1) construct a new power grid; 2) manufacture turbines and solar energy equipment; 3) expand rail lines and energy efficient transportation infrastructure; and 4) develop programs for replacing lead pipes and weatherizing homes, among other opportunities Learn more

Foreign Policy

I support efforts to prevent the flow of arms and funding to terrorist groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah. Learn more

I oppose unilateral actions by parties on either side of the conflict, which create barriers to peace and a two-state solution. This includes, the building of new settlements in the West Bank and formal Annexation. Learn more

I support Israel’s right to defend itself against any and all terrorist attacks. Learn more

I am committed to substantial US security assistance to Israel, currently set in the amount of $3.3 billion per year. Learn more

I support the transparent and accountable funding of UN agencies that serve the Palestinians’ humanitarian needs, prevent violence, and promote stability for all parties. Learn more

I will support continued funding levels for missile and rocket defense programs, including the Iron Dome and David’s Sling. Learn more

I support sanctions to address Iran’s illicit behavior, including its support for terrorism, human rights abuses, and the Assad regime in Syria. Learn more

I will work to ensure that Israel maintains a Qualitative Military Edge (QME) to ensure that it can confront any threat it faces in such an unstable region. Learn more

The BDS movement is counter-productive to the Mid-East peace process, and does not facilitate a two-state solution; accordingly, I oppose the BDS movement. Learn more

I oppose actions that are counterproductive to the peace process or to the security of Israel, whether pursued at the United Nations and in other international forums. Learn more

I support a two-state solution with a Jewish state living in peace and security next to a Palestinian state, and I believe such an agreement can be reached through negotiations. Learn more

Support policies that rebuild and restore traditional alliances with allies of the United States. Learn more

Restore America’s reputation as a stalwart, trusted member of any international treaty or agreement. Learn more

Restore America’s role as chief diplomat and ensure we are engaged in the important decision-making discussion that impact our global assets, our safety and security and our economic prosperity. Learn more

Ensure that the United States once again partners with democracies around the globe to place freedom, human rights, prosperity and stability at the forefront of our foreign policy. Learn more

Support policies and efforts to bring the long-standing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to a safe, stable and honorable end. Learn more

Support policies which recognize that we are all connected and that the peace and prosperity of one nation inures to the benefit of all nations. Learn more

Government Reform

I support legislation to correct the damage caused to the Voting Rights Act by the Shelby County v Holder case, restore Justice Department pre-clearance, and expand the protections of the Voting Rights Act to all 50 states. Learn more

I support Congressional efforts to ensure our elections are free from interference by foreign governments or their agents. Learn more

I support efforts to ensure the integrity of the voting process and improve our election security, including hand-marked paper ballots as the superior alternative for every election, given that they can be audited after disputed election outcomes. Learn more

I support efforts to make voting easier for early voting and Saturday voting efforts. Learn more

I support efforts to expand the right to vote to as many eligible people as possible by providing for automatic voter registration and same day registration. Learn more

I support efforts to end voter suppression and gerrymandering tactics that dilute the basic democratic concept of “one person, one vote,” and which disproportionately affect minorities, the elderly, and other vulnerable communities. Learn more

I support the restoration of voting rights to previously incarcerated persons who have served their sentences and paid their debt to society. I oppose the use of fees and fines as a poll tax. Learn more

Guns

Gun Violence and Public Safety Learn more

Domestic Terrorism Prevention Learn more

Repeal Bad Law Learn more

Mental Health Restrictions and Screening Learn more

Closing the “Boyfriend Loophole” Learn more

Lift Limitations on ATF/Law Enforcement Learn more

Responsible Gun Owner Requirement Learn more

No Fly, No Buy Learn more

Closing the Charleston Loophole Learn more

Assault Weapons Ban Learn more

Extreme Risk Protection Orders (or “red flag” laws) Learn more

Background Checks on All Gun Sales Learn more

Healthcare

I will work to lower the Medicare eligibility age to 55 and offer a public option for people to buy-in to Medicare insurance coverage through the ACA healthcare exchanges. Learn more

I will seek legislative amendments to allow the federal government to take over full funding of Medicaid expansion throughout the United States thereby stopping individual state’s veto of the program. Learn more

I will move to protect and strengthen the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Learn more

I will lead the effort to achieve universal healthcare coverage. Learn more

Immigration

I believe there should be a path to citizenship for those people who work hard, pay taxes, and want a better life. Learn more

I believe in the revamping of our visa process and in finding a fair and just way to resolve those who have overstayed their visas. Learn more

I believe DREAMers, or those eligible under the stringent DACA standards, should be made citizens without delay. Learn more

I support restoring aid to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador so as to stabilize their communities and address the root problems of violence and poverty at the source, instead of at our southern border. Learn more

I believe we need to invest in a speedy and just asylum review process, and in a humane family placement program for refugees. Learn more

I believe we need to invest resources in effective, secure, smart borders, not a costly, ineffective and symbolic “wall.” Learn more

I believe that a functional migrant worker system is essential for Georgia’s agricultural and hospitality industries, and I will assist Georgia industries in reaching an effective restructuring of our immigration system. Learn more

I will work to immediately end any policy that separates families or places refugees/migrants in cage-filled detention centers. Learn more

Infrastructure / Transportation

Support initiatives that strengthen rural communities to ensure Georgia’s hardworking farmers have access to transportation, processing facilities, rural broadband expansion, health care services and related infrastructure needed to be successful and maintain a desirable quality of life. Learn more

Wages / Job Benefits

Reform the H2-A guest worker program to ensure farmers have access to a skilled and reliable workforce and propose a market-based visa program. Learn more

Support legislation that provides everyone access to basic benefits such as healthcare, paid sick time and family leave. Learn more

Support raising the minimum wage to a living wage of $15 an hour with an automatic Cost of Living Adjustment so that 1) we recognize the base sustainable wage for our working families; 2) we understand that decent wages enhance the work force, the employer, and the economy; and 3) we ensure our country’s minimum wage never again falls beneath the poverty level for full-time employees. Learn more