Summary
Current Position: US Representative of CA District 47 since 2013
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Positions: State Senator from 2004 – 2012; State Delegate from 1998 – 2004
Quotes:
It has been nine years since the Aurora Movie Theater Shooting. Our nation still needs commonsense gun safety legislation. We cannot continue to have our communities live in fear, we need to create a safe environment for our future generations.
Featured Video:
Congressman Alan Lowenthal (CA-47) responds to civics teacher with personal message to class
Source: Government page
OnAir Post: Alan Lowenthal – CA47
News
Spectrum News, – August 28, 2021
CALIFORNIA — A monster lurks in California’s sewers.
Fed by grease and countless baby wipes, massive rag balls have appeared in sewer systems in the state and across the nation. When these masses block sewer pipes, they can force human sewage out onto the street or even into kitchen sinks.
New legislation crafted by policy wonks in concert with disposable wipe manufacturers aims to educate people on what can be flushed and what shouldn’t be.
Assembly Bill 818 would zero in on the cleaning wipes most often used on babies and others made for home cleaning.
About
Source: Government page
Congressman Alan Lowenthal is serving his fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives representing California’s 47th District, which encompasses portions of eastern Los Angeles County and western Orange County. He was first elected in 2012 and reelected in 2014, 2016, and 2018.
Born March 8, 1941, Congressman Alan Lowenthal was raised in the Queens Borough of New York City. After earning his Bachelor’s Degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and his Ph.D. from Ohio State University, he moved to Long Beach, California in 1969 where he taught Community Psychology at California State University, Long Beach until 1998.
Congressman Lowenthal successfully ran for Long Beach City Council in 1992, where he served for six years. He then continued his leadership in Sacramento, first serving three terms as a State Assembly member, then two terms as a State Senator.
As a city council member, and then as a state legislator, the Congressman fought against the then-commonplace private and public sector belief that environmental protections and economic success at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles were mutually exclusive. His landmark environmental legislative efforts helped lead the two adjacent ports toward becoming the cleanest and greenest ports in the world, while also remaining the busiest and most successful container port complex in the Western Hemisphere. The green business model advocated by the Congressman and instituted by the two ports has become a role model for ports throughout the world.
While a State Assembly member, and as a founding member of the Assembly’s Bipartisan Caucus, he paved the way for creation of California’s first ever independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, which took the power of redistricting out of the hands of politicians and gave it back to the people. In addition, the Congressman led legislative efforts to revamp the state’s K-12 and higher education systems. He championed the College Promise Partnership Act to help K-12 students better transition to college. The passage of his Student Success Act also helped higher education students by introducing significant reforms to the state community college system that focused on increasing graduation and transfer rates.
In Congress, he serves on both the House Natural Resources Committee (HNRC) and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I). He is the Chair of the HNRC’s Energy and Mineral Resources subcommittee. He also serves on the HNRC’s National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands and the Water, Oceans, and Wildlife subcommittees. As a member of the T&I Committee, he serves on the Highways and Transit, the Water Resources and Environment, the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, and the Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials subcommittees.
Representing one of the most ethnically diverse districts in the nation, Congressman Lowenthal has championed human rights in Congress, not just at home, but throughout the world. He has also brought his strong support for LGBT rights to Washington, where he became the first Congress member to permanently fly the Pride flag outside his office. In addition, he has continued his long history of fighting for environmental protections, with a new mission to bring the issue of climate change to the front in Congress as chair of the more than 60-member Safe Climate Caucus.
Committees
My Committees
These are the House committees and subcommittees that I currently serve on. House Members are typically limited to serving on one or two standing committees per session.
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I)
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has jurisdiction over all modes of transportation: aviation, maritime and waterborne transportation, highways, bridges, mass transit, and railroads. The Committee also has jurisdiction over other aspects of our national infrastructure, such as clean water and waste water management, the transport of resources by pipeline, flood damage reduction, the management of federally owned real estate and public buildings, the development of economically depressed rural and urban areas, disaster preparedness and response, and hazardous materials transportation.
In addition, the Transportation Committee has broad jurisdiction over the Department of Transportation, ,the U.S. Coast Guard, Amtrak, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Economic Development Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and others. The Committee also has jurisdiction over federal buildings, which includes the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
The Subcommittee on Highways and Transit has responsibility for the development of national surface transportation policy, construction and improvement of highway and transit facilities, implementation of highway and transit safety programs and research activities, and regulation of commercial motor vehicle operations. Within this scope of responsibilities, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction over many U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) programs, including the following: Federal-aid Highway Program administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); Federal transit programs administered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Highway safety grants and research programs administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA); Commercial motor vehicle safety programs and regulations administered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA); Surface transportation research administered by FHWA, FTA, FMCSA, NHSTA and coordinated through the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST).
Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
The jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment consists generally of matters relating to water resources development, conservation and management, water pollution control and water infrastructure, and hazardous waste cleanup. Within this scope of authority, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction over all programs within the civil works and regulatory programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the water quality and Clean Water Act-related infrastructure programs of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) (within the U.S. Department of Transportation). The Subcommittee also shares jurisdiction with the Committee on Energy and Commerce over EPA’s hazardous waste cleanup and liability authorities (under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), more commonly known as Superfund) and brownfields revitalization program. In addition, the Subcommittee shares jurisdiction over the joint EPA-U.S. Coast Guard authorities under the Oil Pollution Act with the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. Finally, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction over the small watershed grants and remediation programs under the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (within the U.S. Department of Agriculture), and water quality and water-infrastructure related programs of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) (within the U.S. Department of State).
Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation has jurisdiction over the United States Coast Guard, including its duties, organization, functions, and powers. Within the Committee’s broader maritime transportation jurisdiction, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction over the regulation of vessels and seamen; international conventions related to the safety of life at sea; and the regulation of ocean shipping, domestic cabotage, and the merchant marine, except as it relates to national defense.
House Committee on Natural Resources (HNRC)
The House Committee on Natural Resources responsible for oversight and legislation relating to: Fisheries and wildlife, including research, restoration, refuges, and conservation; forest reserves and national parks created from the public domain; forfeiture of land grants and alien ownership, including alien ownership of mineral lands; Geological Survey; international fishing agreements; interstate compacts relating to apportionment of waters for irrigation purposes; irrigation and reclamation, including water supply for reclamation projects and easements and acquisition of public and private lands for irrigation projects; Native Americans generally, including the care and allotment of Native American lands and general and special measures relating to claims that are paid out of Native American funds; insular possessions of the United States generally (except those affecting the revenue and appropriations); military parks and battlefields, national cemeteries administered by the Secretary of the Interior, parks within the District of Columbia, and the erection of monuments to the memory of individuals; mineral land laws and claims and entries thereunder; mineral resources of public lands; mining interests, schools and experimental stations; marine affairs, including coastal zone management (except for measures relating to oil and other pollution of navigable waters); oceanography; petroleum conservation on public lands and conservation of the radium supply in the United States; preservation of prehistoric ruins and objects of interest on the public domain; public lands generally, including entry, easements, and grazing thereon; relations of the United States with Native Americans and Native American tribes; and, Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline (except ratemaking).
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR)
I serve as Chair of this Subcommittee which oversees American energy production and mining on federal lands – both onshore and offshore – to ensure that they are developed in a safe and equitable manner so that U.S. taxpayers are properly compensated for their use.
Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States
This Subcommittee oversees matters ranging from natural resources and land management, ownership, and leasing to Indian health care, tribal criminal justice, development of reservation economies, enhancement of social welfare and improvement of energy efficiency and renewable energy development initiatives on tribal lands.
Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife (WOW)
This Subcommittee is responsible for issues regarding water supply for the 17 western states, Department of Energy hydropower development, water delivery to tribal nations, drought management, sportsmen issues, commercial and recreational fisheries, the Endangered Species Act, protection of marine environments, and all U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues.
What Is A Congressional Committee?
The House of Representatives divides its work among over twenty permanent committees. Normally, before a piece of legislation is considered by the House it has been reviewed by at least one of the committees and a report is issued by that committee describing the legislation and indicating (on section-by-section basis) how the proposed statute changes existing statutes. Congress divides its work among over two hundred committees and subcommittees, each of which issues regular reports on its activities.
Types of Committees
Standing committees are permanent panels which consider bills and issues and recommend measures for consideration. They also have oversight responsibility to monitor agencies, programs, and activities within their jurisdictions, and in some cases in areas that cut across committee jurisdictions.
Select or special committees are established generally by a separate resolution of the chamber, sometimes to conduct investigations and studies, and, on other occasions, also to consider measures. Often, select committees examine emerging issues that don’t fit clearly within existing standing committee jurisdictions, or which cut across jurisdictional boundaries.
Joint committees are permanent panels that include members from both chambers, which generally conduct studies or perform housekeeping tasks rather than consider measures.
Subcommittees are formed by most committees to share specific tasks within the jurisdiction of the full committee. Subcommittees are responsible to, and work within the guidelines established by, their parent committees.
What do Congressional Committees Do?
After a bill is introduced on the House or Senate floor, it is referred to the committee of jurisdiction (i.e., the committee charged with reviewing measures in the area of law or policy with which the bill is concerned). The committee of referral most often sends the measure to its specialized subcommittee(s) for study, hearings, revisions and approval.
For most bills, the committee or subcommittee fails to take further action on the referred bill, effectively “killing” the measure at this point. (Occasionally, a committee will report a measure “unfavorably,” with explicit recommendations against its passage, or it will report a bill “without recommendation,” which has the same effect as an unfavorable report.)
If the bill passes the subcommittee with a favorable vote, it is sent back to the full committee for further consideration, hearings, amendments and a vote.
Caucuses
Safe Climate Caucus
Co-Chair
The goal of the Safe Climate Caucus is to raise awareness in Congress and with the public about the many ways climate change is affecting the societies and ecosystems we hold dear, and what we can do about it. Congress needs to act to reduce emissions, encourage new innovation for clean energy, and increase the resilience of our communities.
Green Schools Caucus
Chairman
The Green Schools Caucus is works to promote green schools that save money, provide healthy learning environments and encourage local job creation. The goals of the Green Schools Caucus are to raise awareness of the benefits of green schools, lead the policy discussion on this topic in various forums, create legislative opportunities for the collective efforts of caucus members and provide Members of Congress with constituent outreach resources. In addition, the Caucus provides relevant national and local news related to green school activities in specific school districts, as well as materials for constituents who wish to advance green schools at the local level.
House LGBT Equality Caucus
Vice-Chair
The mission of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus is to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality. The bi-partisan LGBT Equality Caucus will be comprised of Members of Congress who are strongly committed to achieving the full enjoyment of human rights for LGBT people in the U.S. and around the world. By serving as a resource for Members of Congress, their staff, and the public on LGBT issues, the Caucus will work toward the extension of equal rights, the repeal of discriminatory laws, the elimination of hate-motivated violence, and the improved health and well-being for all regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.
Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition
Vice-Chair
The Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition (SEEC) was founded in January 2009, at the start of the 111th Congress, to be a focused, active, and effective advocate for policies for clean energy innovation and job creation, environmental protection, and policies that will address global climate change. The SEEC also works to advance polices to help arrest global warming and protect our nation’s clean air, water and natural environment.
STARBASE Caucus
Co-Chair
The caucus seeks to provide Members with current information and address issues regarding the STARBASE Program, a Department of Defense program that provides Science, Technology, Education and Math (STEM) education to American youth in over 413 school districts and 1,267 schools nation-wide.
Ports Caucus
Co-Chair
The Ports Caucus was developed to promote the importance of our nation’s ports with regard to our nation’s economy and the need to secure them by promoting dialogue between Congress, the Administration and relevant federal agencies, as well as important industry officials.
Congressional Caucus on Vietnam
Co-Chair
The Congressional Caucus on Vietnam is dedicated to fighting for civil, political, and religious freedom for the citizens of Vietnam.
Congressional Cambodia Caucus
Co-Chair
A bipartisan caucus to bring together Members of Congress interested in both Cambodia’s difficult political situation and the broader U.S. relationship with the Southeast Asian nation.
Sponsored Legislation
Offices
Washington, DC Office
Phone: (202) 225-7924
Fax: (202) 225-7926
LA County Office
Phone: (562) 436-3828
Fax: (562) 437-6434
Hours: M-F 9am-5pm Pacific
Orange County Office
Phone: (714) 243-4088
Fax: (562) 437-6434
Hours: M-F 9am-5pm Pacific
Contact
Email:
Web
Government Page, Campaign Site, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Wikipedia
Politics
Source: none
Campaign Finance
Voting Record
Search
Wikipedia Entry
Alan Stuart Lowenthal (/ˈloʊənˌθɔːl/; born March 8, 1941) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for California’s 47th congressional district from 2013 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the California state assemblyman for the 54th district from 1998 to 2004 and California state senator from the 27th district from 2004 to 2012. In both posts, Lowenthal represented the city of Long Beach and its surrounding suburbs. On December 16, 2021, Lowenthal announced that he would not seek reelection to Congress.[1]
Early life, education, and academic career
Lowenthal was born and raised in Queens, New York City. His family is Jewish. He was graduated with a B.A. from Hobart College and earned a Ph.D. from Ohio State University. In 1969, Lowenthal moved to Long Beach and became a professor of community psychology at California State University, Long Beach. He went on leave to become a Long Beach City Councilman in 1992. He remained on leave for several years until retiring in 1998.[2][unreliable source]
California Assembly
Elections
In 1998, Lowenthal decided to run for the 54th district of the California State Assembly. He defeated Republican nominee Julie Alban 50%-47%.[3] In 2000, he was reelected, defeating Republican nominee Rudy Svorinich, a Los Angeles City Council member, 59%-39%.[4] In 2002, he was reelected to a third term, defeating Republican nominee Cesar Castellanos, 60%-40%.[5]
Tenure
In the Assembly, Lowenthal authored gun control legislation that would ban gun selling in people’s homes.[6] He was also a founding member of the Assembly’s Bipartisan Caucus and authored legislation for the creation of California’s first ever Bipartisan Citizens Redistricting Commission.[2]
In 2002, the California Firefighters Association named Lowenthal Legislator of the Year by after he passed a law that limited liability for organizations that donated firefighting equipment. The League of California Cities named him Legislator of the Year in 2001 due to his advocacy on behalf of local governments. He has also received the “Rivie” Award from the Friends of the Los Angeles River due to his efforts to help clean up the river.[citation needed]
California Senate
Elections
In 2004, Lowenthal ran for the California Senate in the 27th Senate district. He won the Democratic primary unopposed. In the general election, he defeated Republican nominee Cesar Navarro Castellanos 63%-37%.[7] In 2008, he was reelected, defeating Allen Wood 67%-33%.[8]
Tenure
The 47th district includes the Los Angeles County communities of Avalon, Long Beach, Signal Hill, Lakewood, Cerritos, Artesia, Bellflower, Downey, South Gate, Lynwood, Paramount, Hawaiian Gardens, Florence-Graham and Willowbrook. It also extends to the western Orange County cities of Garden Grove, Westminster, Stanton, Buena Park, Los Alamitos, and Cypress, and includes Catalina Island.
Legislation that Lowenthal had signed into law include a law to reduce diesel emissions at the ports by limiting idling time for trucks conducting transactions at the ports, a bill that established a grant program to provide financial incentives for purchasing or leasing electric vehicles, and a bill to protect highways.
With Bonnie Lowenthal’s election to the Assembly and Alan Lowenthal’s reelection in 2008, Senator and Assemblywoman Lowenthal were the first divorced husband and wife to serve concurrently in the California State Legislature.
Lowenthal provided significant commentary throughout the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?.
Committee assignments
- Senate Committee Education (chair)
- Select Committee on California Ports and Goods Movement[9]
- Select Committee on High-Speed Rail (chair)[10]
- Senate Environmental Quality Committee[9]
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2012
On November 6, 2012, Lowenthal was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from the newly created 47th district after defeating Republican Gary DeLong.[11] DeLong carried the Orange County portion of the district with 54% of the vote, but Lowenthal swamped him in the Los Angeles County portion by over 38,000 votes, more than the overall margin of 30,100. He took office on January 3, 2013. Lowenthal is the first non-Hispanic Democrat to represent a significant portion of traditionally heavily Republican Orange County in Congress since Jerry M. Patterson, who served from 1975 to 1985. He was reelected in 2014, 2016 and 2018 by similar margins.
Until the Democrats swept every seat in Orange County at the 2018 elections, Lowenthal was the only elected white Democrat above the county level in much of the Orange County portion of the district. But the Los Angeles County portion has more than double the population of the Orange County portion; the district’s share of Long Beach alone accounts for over half of its population.
Lowenthal is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.[12]
Tenure
Lowenthal is a strong supporter of Israel. He said that the “historical denial about the right of Jewish people to have their own homeland” and the Palestinian “refusal to acknowledge Israel as a Jewish state, that is a critical issue that needs to be addressed.”[13]
Lowenthal has been critical of Brazil‘s president Jair Bolsonaro. In March 2019 he and 29 other Democratic lawmakers wrote Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a letter that read in part, “Since the election of far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro as president, we have been particularly alarmed by the threat Bolsonaro’s agenda poses to the LGBTQ+ community and other minority communities, women, labor activists, and political dissidents in Brazil.”[14][15]
Committee assignments
Caucus memberships
- House Baltic Caucus[16]
- Congressional Arts Caucus[17]
- United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus[18]
- Climate Solutions Caucus[19]
- Congressional Progressive Caucus.[12]
- Medicare for All Caucus
- Blue Collar Caucus
- House Pro-Choice Caucus[20]
Retirement
On December 16, 2021, Lowenthal announced that he would retire from the U.S. House at the end of his term on January 3, 2023.[1]
Political positions
As of 2020, Lowenthal has a 100% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America and an F rating from the Susan B. Anthony List for his abortion-related voting record.[21][22] He opposed the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it “devastating to every American woman who has, with the stroke of a pen, had their rights curtailed and their status as free and equal citizens abridged.”[23] Noted for his work on environmental issues, among other things he has supported banning the use of hydrofluoric acid (HF) at oil refineries.[24]
Personal life
Lowenthal is married to Deborah Malumed. His son, Daniel, is a judge on the Los Angeles County Superior Court. His other son, Josh, ran for State Assembly in 2018 in the 72nd district, which was being vacated by Travis Allen, but lost to Tyler Diep.[25][26][27] Josh has since been elected in the 69th district.
See also
References
- ^ a b “U.S. Rep. Alan Lowenthal of Long Beach announces his retirement”. Los Angeles Times. December 16, 2021.
- ^ a b “Biography”. Congressman Alan Lowenthal. August 13, 2019. Archived from the original on November 23, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
- ^ “Our Campaigns – CA State Assembly 54 Race – Nov 03, 1998”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ “Our Campaigns – CA State Assembly 54 Race – Nov 07, 2000”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ “Our Campaigns – CA State Assembly 54 Race – Nov 05, 2002”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ “NewsLibrary Search Results”. nl.newsbank.com.
- ^ “Our Campaigns – CA State Senate 27 Race – Nov 02, 2004”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ “Our Campaigns – CA State Senate 27 Race – Nov 04, 2008”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ a b “State Sen. Lowenthal Presses Balanced Environment & Economic Agenda | The Planning Report”. www.planningreport.com.
- ^ “Best Tips And References”. www.contracostatimes.com. Archived from the original on January 31, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
- ^ Saltzgaver, Harry. “Lowenthal To Represent Long Beach In Congress”. gazettes.com. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
- ^ a b “Members”. Congressional Progressive Caucus. Archived from the original on October 22, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ^ “Visiting US Reps: ‘We must address Palestinian denial that Israel is a Jewish state’“. The Jerusalem Post. October 18, 2015.
- ^ “Brazil’s far-right president tweeted out a pornographic video to condemn Carnival”. Vox. March 6, 2019.
- ^ “Reps. Susan Wild and Ro Khanna Urge Sec. of State Pompeo to Condemn Human Rights Abuses in Brazil”. www.wild.house.gov. March 6, 2019.
- ^ “Members”. House Baltic Caucus. Archived from the original on June 19, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
- ^ “Membership”. Congressional Arts Caucus. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ “Our Members”. U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
- ^ “90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members”. Citizen´s Climate Lobby. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ “Members”. August 19, 2021.
- ^ “Alan Lowenthal”. NARAL Pro-Choice America. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ “Alan Lowenthal”. SBA Pro-Life America. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ Lowenthal, Alan (June 24, 2022). “Today’s Supreme Court ruling overruling federal abortion rights is personally devastating to me, but even more so, devastating to every American woman who has, with the stroke of a pen, had their rights curtailed and their status as free and equal citizens abridged. 1/3”. Twitter. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ^ Lowenthal, Alan (November 22, 2019). “Letter from Congressman Lowenthal to the South Coast Air Quality Management District” (PDF).
- ^ “Josh Lowenthal”. Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- ^ “About Josh”. Josh Lowenthal for Assembly. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- ^ “JoinCalifornia – Josh Lowenthal”. www.joincalifornia.com. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
External links
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Join California Alan Lowenthal
- Alan Lowenthal at Ballotpedia
| People | |
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Issues
Source: Government page
Campaigns, Voting, and Elections
“Civic participation has been a driving force in my life. Ever since I can remember, I have been involved in trying to improve the current system – making it more transparent, more accountable, more responsive, and more responsible.”
Climate Change
“It’s time to get past the partisan battle lines on climate change. Everyone has something to contribute as we work to slow the damage to our climate caused by the burning of fossil fuels.”
Defense
“I strongly support our servicemen and women who serve as the front line of our national security. We need both a strong and strategic national security strategy that protects the American people from terrorism and other international threats. In order to accomplish this we need to provide our servicemen and women with the resources they need to keep them safe and our nation out of harm’s way.”
Education
“The endless pursuit of knowledge and education is our greatest hope maintaining a healthy democracy, ensuring economic competitiveness, and spurring innovation.”
Environmental Protection and Sustainability
“The many environmental and natural resource issues facing this nation require thoughtful and inclusive policy and leadership in order to leave this planet inhabitable for our children and grandchildren.”
Fiscal Responsibility
“While we must act in a fiscally responsible manner, deep, indiscriminate cuts to services and investments such as education, job training, energy programs, infrastructure projects, and Social Security and Medicare will cost the United States jobs and slow down our economy. Simply put: we cannot cut our way to prosperity.”
Gun Safety
“The only thing more heartbreaking than the damage gun violence has done to families across our nation is the fact that Congress has done so very little to stop it.”
Health Care
“I believe access to healthcare is a right, not a privilege. We cannot progress as a nation without addressing health disparities and assuring that everyone has access to high quality, affordable healthcare. In Congress, I am committed to increasing access to affordable health insurance for the millions of Americans without coverage and making health insurance more affordable for those already covered.”
Housing and Homelessness
“In a nation as rich and compassionate as America, there is no reason that any American should not have a roof over their heads. Taking care of America means taking care of Americans and I believe that we have a responsibility as a nation to ensure access to safe and affordable housing for all Americans.”
Human Rights and Civil Rights
“As Americans, we must protect human rights – the right to live freely with dignity and respect and without the threat of violence or repression – both at home and abroad.”
Immigration
“Hard-working families in pursuit of the American Dream have been shortchanged for far too long with an immigration system that is outdated, inefficient, and systematically flawed. I support a comprehensive approach to immigration reform that keeps our nation safe but at the same time keeps families united.”
Jobs and the Economy
“Restoring economic growth in a fair and equitable way will be the tide that raises all boats.”
LGBT Equality
“I am strongly committed to working with my colleagues to ensure equal rights; the repeal of discriminatory laws; the elimination of hate-motivated violence; and to improve the health and well-being for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Fundamentally, I believe that LGBT rights are human rights.”
Peace and Diplomacy
“Maintaining our global leadership throughout the world is essential to our national interests and our security.”
Seniors
“America’s seniors have spent many years working to raise families and improve the communities in which they live, and they deserve the best resources—resources they have earned—as they enter retirement.”
Transportation and Trade
“Global trade is critical to growing the economy, spurring job creation, and maintaining relationships around the world.”
Veterans and Military Service
“America must not shortchange the brave men and women who have served in our armed forces. I am deeply committed to ensuring that our nation’s veterans and their families are cared for in a way that honors their service to our country. Just as the military pledges to leave no soldier behind on the battlefield, I do not intend to leave any veteran behind when they return home.”
