The twin crises of affordability and democratic backsliding are deeply intertwined and among the most pressing issues facing my district and the country. Robust anti-corruption reform, including the overturning of Citizens United, along with commonsense pro-worker economic reform will be key to battling these crises.

Congress must exercise its broad, constitutionally given oversight powers with regard to the executive branch, regardless of who is in charge. I am proud to have conducted serious oversight of the current Administration, including hearings for AG Pam Bondi and former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

Congress plays a critical role in the foreign policy and international relations of the USA. From the power of the purse to all those granted in Article I of the Constitution, Congress must have a serious say in these matters.

Our healthcare system is broken, and Congress has the tools and the powers to fix it. From reinstating ACA subsidies, increasing support for Medicare and Medicaid, and getting private equity out of healthcare, I am committed to working to solve it.

A common problem for the nation and my district is affordability. During the Biden years, inflation was high, economic productivity slowed and wages grew more slowly than wages. Increased economic productivity improves people’s wages and their ability to afford things over time. Increased productivity is a result of capital investment and training in the use of the equipment put in place. Federal and local government typically increase regulation over time, resulting in lower productivity. I support the rapid depreciation schedule for new capital equipment and the review of regulations at the federal level to streamline requirements while maintaining or improving safety. I also support the use of federal education funding for training.

Article 1 of the Constitution enumerated the powers of Congress. There is no explicit mention of an oversight power over the executive branch, but one may be inferred through the responsibility of Congress to raise funds through taxation, and to make rules for the government. Congress has ceded much of its rule making authority to the executive branch. Oversight is necessary to ensure that the Executive activities are in line with the representatives' intent, and that they are faithfully carried out. Oversight of the President may also reasonably be carried out to see that the funds allocated to the activities of the office of the President are not wasted or used to enrich the holder of the office. Congress and the Executive are coequal.

Foreign policy and international relations are primarily the purview of the President. The enumerated roles for Congress are to regulate international trade, to declare war, and to provide for the military defense of the nation. Regulating international trade includes the imposition of tariffs and sanctions. The approval of international treaties is also seen as Congress' role and is carried out by the Senate. Congress' role in setting defense policy is in negotiating and passing the defense budget, not in negotiations to end wars. Congress can limit the war-making power of the President by a) restricting the funds available for combat operations through the budgeting process and b) potentially enforcing the War Powers Act.

The current healthcare system has been dramatically shaped by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA and other government efforts to make healthcare more accessible and affordable have focused more on making health insurance accessible. Health insurance is not healthcare. Health insurance plays an important role in spreading the costs across member populations and acting as a gatekeeper to address egregious practices and expenses. I would support changes that would make healthcare more patient-centric and would reward positive health outcomes more than successful chronic disease maintenance.