What We're Fighting For
Putting MI4 First: Restoring Public Service in Public Office
Public office should be about serving the people who entrusted you to represent them in office, not self-interest. Too many politicians use their positions to cozy up to the richest people in the country to get power, rather than use their power to effectively serve their communities.
I know what true public service looks like. As a Congressional staffer, I listened when constituents called, showed up when they needed help, and worked to deliver real results. That’s the standard I will bring to Congress. Instead of locking my doors and catering to wealthy donors, I will open my office to the people, hold regular town halls, and return constituent services as a priority. Representation starts with showing up and I will always show up for Southwest Michigan.
Tackling the Climate Crisis
Our farms, lakes, and forests are treasures worth protecting. Michiganders are already leading the way through innovations in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and land and waterway restoration. With bold leadership, we can take those local efforts to the next level: safeguarding our natural resources, reducing pollution, and creating new jobs right here at home.
Policy Priorities:
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Protect Michigan’s Great Lakes and waterways from pollution, and restore their health for future generations.
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Invoke the Defense Production Act to supercharge our transition to renewable energy.
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Rein in reckless expansion of hyperscale data centers. Give communities–not big tech billionaires–the power to make decisions about our water and energy.
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Expand renewable energy options, like community solar, to deliver affordable, reliable energy and local jobs.
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Put sustainable farming and clean manufacturing incentives in the hands of Michiganders, not multinational corporations.
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Bring down energy bills for families and small businesses by making utility companies play by the rules.
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Expand and connect local transit authorities for cheaper and cleaner transportation.
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Reform permitting to allow more flexibility for land-based energy projects.
Building Michigan’s Economic Future By Putting Workers First
The next era of American innovation, from renewable energy to advanced manufacturing, must be built by and for working people. Too often, new industries create wealth for executives and shareholders while leaving workers behind. I believe that our future should look different: one where Michigan leads in clean energy and technology, and where every job created is a good, union job with fair wages, benefits, and protections.
Southwest Michigan has the talent, grit and history of hard work to power this transition. What we need is federal investment and leadership that puts labor first–so workers aren’t just on the assembly line, but at the decision-making table.
Policy Priorities:
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Advocate for a Federal Jobs program, so that anyone who wants to work can get a job.
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Tie federal funding for clean-tech and advanced manufacturing projects to strong labor standards, including prevailing wages and the right to organize.
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Pass the PRO Act to expand collective bargaining rights and make it easier for workers in new industries to unionize.
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Invest in apprenticeship and training programs so local workers can step into the high-tech and high-demand jobs of our future.
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Renegotiate trade deals to ensure policies boost U.S. manufacturing and protect American workers from unfair competition and offshoring.
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Fight for worker and consumer protections as Artificial Intelligence expands influence.
Putting the Focus Back on Education
Every child deserves a world-class education, but extremists in Congress are trying to dismantle our schools, ban books, and slash funding. They want classrooms divided by politics instead of united by learning. Educators need more resources. Parents deserve a seat at the table. And students need us to fight for them.
I will fight to ensure that students, families and teachers have the resources they need to thrive. That means fully funding public schools, supporting educators, and protecting kids’ right to learn. It also means tackling the cost of college and trade schools so young people can build a future without being buried in debt.
Policy Priorities:
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Fight for Universal Pre-K and ensure that Head Start is available in every zip code in Michigan.
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Fully fund K-12 public schools; stop partisan book bans.
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Expand access to career and technical education.
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Fight for Universal 2-year Postsecondary Education and fair student debt relief.
Fighting for Our Nation’s Veterans
Those who sacrifice the most for our country deserve the best care when they return home, but too often, they’re met with broken promises and bureaucratic red tape. Their treatment reflects the health of our nation - and right now, it’s sick.
I believe that if we start by taking care of our veterans, then we can build a system that takes care of everyone. That means ensuring high-quality healthcare, including mental health services, during and after service, as well as strong job opportunities and housing support when service members come home. Veterans shouldn’t have to fight with their own government to get the care they deserve–and we should make that the standard for every single American.
Policy Priorities:
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VA Care for All: Invest in VA to expand access to its world-class healthcare to every veteran. Then, with proof-of-concept, use it as the healthcare model for every citizen.
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Stop the privatization and fully fund the VA, and improve access to mental health care.
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Expand job training and placement programs for returning veterans.
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Fund VA navigators so that veterans can access programs they are already qualified for.
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Strengthen housing assistance and provide sustainable wraparound services, so that no veteran is left homeless.
Bringing Down the Cost of Healthcare and Childcare
America is too prosperous a nation to not be able to guarantee healthcare to everyone of its citizens. Not only can America pay for universal health coverage, we could bring down the cost of healthcare and cultivate a healthier America in one fell swoop.
We must reaffirm our commitment to investing in our youngest Americans by providing relief to families with affordable childcare options. By providing early care that families need, we can transform generations by increasing positive health outcomes and eliminating precursors to crime and violence.
Policy Priorities:
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Fight for universal, single-payer healthcare.
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Expand government drug price negotiations.
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Fight for reproductive healthcare for all, increase women’s health research and maternal support resources like doula services.
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Invest in community health workers and mobile health centers to ensure health resources reach the people who need them.
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Provide direct cash payments to grandparents who care for their grandchildren.
Building Housing Solutions for Us
Southwest Michigan is suffering from a housing crisis. Rent is too damn high, with no relief in sight from rising housing costs.
We need to increase housing supply to decrease the burden of housing expenses. To accomplish that, we must bring housing advocates and builders to the table to plan and build what communities need. The government should steward this process, but should not stop progress.
Policy Priorities:
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Empower local builders and landlords to provide creative housing solutions; to build what we need and where we need it.
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Lower the cost of green housing materials and retrofits that bring down home energy costs.
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Fight to ban rent-raising private equity companies from buying single family homes.
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Support repurposing existing infrastructure to meet our dynamic housing needs. Provide incentives to modify homes for seniors and people with disabilities.
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Support Housing First policies that help people reach employment and educational opportunities.
Main Street over Wall Street
Our economy should work for everyone, especially those who do the work–not just the rich who rig the system. It’s past time we redesigned our economy to put our health and well-being first, ensuring everyone can contribute and succeed.
Policy Priorities:
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Power our campaign by small-dollar donors, rejecting corporate PAC dollars and influence. Ban congressional stock trading.
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Ensuring the wealthy pay their fair share by raising taxes on the ultra-rich and mega-corporations, and curtailing executive overcompensation.
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Expand tax incentives and ease regulatory burdens for small businesses.
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Strengthen federal regulators so that our watchdogs can protect consumers from bad actors.
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Pass the Price Gouging Prevention Act.
Make Peace, Not War
America has a special responsibility on the world stage, but we can maintain our place internationally only as long as we demonstrate leadership domestically.
For too long, we’ve been told that more military spending automatically leads to greater security. But real security means freedom from fear and want–not blank checks for defense contractors. Security for Michiganders means full fridges, safe housing, good jobs with fair wages, and affordable healthcare. We can’t keep building more bombs as more babies go hungry. Our determination to maintain military readiness must be matched by our desire to fight the war on poverty.
Additionally, our federal law enforcement agencies are not above the law and we, the people, must develop new mechanisms for accountability.
Policy Priorities:
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Reduce military spending and work to end US involvement in foreign wars.
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Fight for full arms embargo on any nation violating international law, including the State of Israel.
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Recommit to rebuild US trustworthiness with the international community through diplomacy and engagement.
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Join the International Criminal Court (ICC) to hold global despots, like Benjamin Netahanyahu and Vladimir Putin, accountable.
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End federal commandeering of local law enforcement agencies through DHS, ICE agreements.
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Fight over-surveillance and overpursuit of justice by Big Brother federal agencies.