PRIORITIES

The economy serves as the backbone of a nation's stability. When Congress prioritizes the economy, it ensures that the country remains competitive, resilient, and capable of addressing challenges at home and abroad. Fixing the economy is paramount, because many of our opportunities - healthcare, affordable housing, workers’ rights, and others - stem from this issue.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on our economy, disrupting industries, altering consumer behavior, and exposing vulnerabilities in supply chains and public health systems. In June of 2022, the U.S. experienced a 41-year record high inflation rate of 9.1%. We are building back from the pandemic, but there is still more work to do.

FOSTERING JOB CREATION

A strong economy drives job growth, empowering individuals with employment opportunities that provide financial security. The ratio of unemployed people to job openings has been increasing steadily since COVID. In October 2024, 12,000 jobs were added, which was the lowest job growth since 2020. Every individual and every family deserves to build their own success through financial security. Democrats have championed measures such as the CARES Act, New Jobs for NJ Act, and I want to continue to make sure everyone has the opportunity for employment. We need to invest in infrastructure, technology and small businesses to stimulate the job market and open more opportunities for people.

ADDRESSING INFLATION AND COST OF LIVING

The current annual inflation rate is at 2.7% and the key contributors to inflation are shelter costs, food prices, and energy prices. Grocery staples that cost more in 2024 include eggs which increased by 85%, beef (11%), and chicken (4%). In a survey done by Bankrate, 3 in 5 workers said their income has not kept up with inflation throughout 2023, and that most Americans spent 33% of their income on housing. The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022 was a good step into addressing inflation. We can continue to fight for improving the IRA by expanding benefits awarded to low-income and disadvantaged communities.

The U.S. as a country spends the most on healthcare per citizen, yet ranks last internationally among high-income countries. Many Americans find it difficult to participate in our healthcare system due to high costs and other access barriers. The inability to schedule a simple check-up shouldn’t result in a life-or-death situation.

According to the Commonwealth Fund, about half of the adults in the U.S. say it is difficult to afford health care costs and have postponed or skipped getting healthcare they needed because of the cost. Those who are covered by health insurance also worry about affording their monthly health insurance premium, and still find it difficult to determine which services are covered. For many U.S. adults, prescription drugs have also become quite difficult to afford. It is particularly hard for adults who take four or more prescription medications and those in households with annual incomes under $40,000.

PUBLIC HEALTH IS A HUMAN RIGHT

Reducing healthcare costs and prescription drug prices significantly are top priorities. Improving Medicaid and Medicare access and coverage could benefit millions of Americans. Addressing the growing concerns of healthcare workforce shortage via measures like the Grants for Resources in Occupational and Workforce Training for Healthcare (GROWTH) Act is another step towards expanding appropriate coverage while also supporting job creation. Analysts predict that the U.S. could see a shortfall of up to 450,000 Registered Nurses available for patient care by 2025 mainly due to burnout and/or insufficient pay. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of having sufficient medical staff so it is just as important to have legislation that protects them.

Housing affordability and availability are nationwide problems that need to be addressed. In New Jersey, homelessness has been climbing and many of those that can afford a roof over their heads can only afford to rent. Everyone in our state should have the right to basic housing, and achieving this will have its own positive impact on things like public safety, health, and the environment.

It has been estimated that the U.S. has 3.8 million fewer homes than the American people need and the demand for homes is much higher than the supply in every corner of the country. 70% of low-income families are extremely burdened by housing costs, paying more than half their income on rent. In New Jersey, homelessness climbed 24% in 2024 and there has been a significant decrease in vacancy rates for rentals statewide.

HOUSING AS A HUMAN RIGHT

Housing impacts several aspects of our lives more than we realize - from physical and mental health to safety, to access to food. It may come as a surprise to many, but housing is currently not considered a basic need, which means constitutionally it is not a human right, and legislation should change this. Considering housing as a human right could position us to have better resources to solve the current affordability crisis. There will be a better pathway to holding entities like landlords or city governments legally responsible for unjustified evictions, and lack of funding to combat homelessness.There should be reassessment of zoning and permits to find solutions for new build or reconstruction of buildings for housing.

To further help low-income communities, there should be expansion of funding for Federal housing programs like the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, housing vouchers, public housing, or COVID-era policies such as the American Rescue plan, which kept 8 million families in their homes nationwide by preventing foreclosures and evictions. To strengthen the future of young or previously underserved Americans, there should be more assistance to first-time homebuyers like down payment assistance and improved lending requirements.

Our nation was founded on and built by the strength of the immigrant population. Part of keeping America strong is continuing to allow for appropriate immigration policies that both support proper immigration for those looking to start a life in our country, and their path to citizenship. I believe that an open immigration policy, when done right, will truly help to build our community and bring it forward.

Immigration in the U.S. reached a record of 47.8 million in 2023, an increase of 1.6 million from the year before and the largest annual increase since 2020. Immigrants today account for roughly 14.35% of the U.S. population. About 77% of immigrants are in the country legally and as of 2022, 49% were naturalized U.S. citizens, 24% were lawful permanent residents, and 23% were unauthorized immigrants. Most immigrants that are eligible for naturalization apply for citizenship, but those that do not say that the main reasons are language barriers, and affordability.

IMMIGRATION EMPOWERMENT

In 2022, immigrant households paid nearly one in every six tax dollars collected by federal, state, and local governments. $35.1 billion of the $579.1 billion taxes paid by immigrant households are from undocumented households. These tax dollars have helped fund public schools, food stamp programs, and healthcare. Immigrants have also paid $194.5 billion to Social Security and $53.6 billion to Medicare. Several critical jobs across the U.S. are done by immigrants. Over a quarter of workers in agriculture are immigrants, and 23.1% of all STEM workers in the country are immigrants.

Immigrants are essential workers who clearly make incredible contributions to our economy and should be protected by better immigration laws. Pathway to citizenship should be less complex and affordable. There should be government assistance to those who can’t afford naturalization and who are eligible.

Hardworking families are the backbone of America, and larger corporations should not be able to take advantage of them. Workers deserve a living wage, a break every now and then, and the ability to negotiate for their rights. I will work to secure these rights and continue the work already underway through the Democratic Party.

Strong labor laws will help ensure workers are safe, protected, and have fair wages. The country experienced big labor strikes in 2023 with thousands of workers demanding higher pay and improved working conditions and benefits. The job market has been experiencing decades of stagnant wages for lower and middle-income workers. The past 40 years, the inflation-adjusted annual wages of the top 1% of the workers increased by 145%, while the average annual wages of the bottom 90% only increased by 16%. Very minimal change in federal minimum wage and continuing decline of labor unions have contributed to the wide gap of wage increases.

FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FMLA)

The FMLA is a federal law that guarantees covered employees the right to up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a year. One of the major limitations of FMLA is its restrictive nature - almost half of all U.S. employees, including nearly two-thirds of all low-wage workers, are excluded. In fact, workers in the U.S. are currently not guaranteed a single paid day off by federal law, and many workers are not even entitled to unpaid time off. FMLA currently only applies to employers with at least 50 employees, which already excludes more than 40% nationwide. FMLA should be revised to cover all employers regardless of size. Another limitation is the definition of a “loved one” under FMLA, which only includes the spouse, parent, or child under the age of 18 or incapable of self-care under the legal definition of disability. The introduction of the Caring for All Families Act could expand the current parameters of a “loved one” for FMLA. This would help millions of people, particularly the Black and Hispanic communities, who live in multigenerational households or with extended families.

THE PRO ACT

The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act gives workers the right to freely and fairly form a union and bargain together for changes in the workplace. A recent study shows that more than 60 million people, who are nonunion, would join a union today if given the chance. Even with the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935, employers were still able to deny workers the right to fight for fairness at the workplace. Under the PRO Act, employers who violate NLRA will face legal consequences. The PRO Act will prohibit employers from permanently replacing workers who are on strike, and will ban the use of offensive lockouts.

To me, environmental justice injects equity into the already-important work being done to address our changing environment. Yes, we should hold ourselves and other world leaders accountable to act towards the goals drafted by events such as the Paris Climate Agreement and legislation such as the IRA. But we should also ensure this work addresses all communities negatively impacted by global warming and other extreme temperature changes.

Congress should place importance on environmental justice to ensure protection of environmental rights for all communities, especially the communities who are disproportionately affected by pollution, climate change, and environmental hazards.

PROTECTING VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

Research has shown that residents of low-income communities may experience increased health impacts from air pollution due to many environmental, social, and economic factors. Redlining, a discriminatory practice that involves denying financial services to largely racial and ethnic minority populations, has historically placed these communities in neighborhoods that have high exposure to pollution.These areas that are near sources of air pollution include major roadways, ports, rail yards, and industrial facilities. Not only do we need to be better with providing assistance to these communities to find safer homes, but we also need stricter air pollution laws. Climate action is an urgent issue and we need to recommit to stronger net-zero emission plans. We need to take action against polluters that continue to harm poor communities. We also need to create more government funded programs to assist low-income households that are energy insecure, or are unable to adequately meet basic household energy needs.

ACCESS TO GREEN SPACES

Most studies reveal that the distribution of green spaces disproportionately benefits predominantly rich communities and most cities should start implementing strategies to increase supply of green spaces, especially in poor neighborhoods. The accessibility, availability, and funding of parks are important in creating healthy communities. Increasing access to green spaces can offer more opportunities for communities to bond, be active, and have better social lives. We need to continue to promote safe and accessible parks all over the country.

Civil Rights are unalienable as established with the founding of our country, but these rights take work to continue to uphold as seen throughout our history. Everyone in our community should be treated with and given the same equal opportunities, and should be punished only if they infringe on the rights of others. This sentiment starts with fighting discrimination for all groups but may extend to criminal justice and overhaul of systemic injustices.

Threats to our civil rights continue to grow over the past years. These threats stem from political, social, and systematic challenges, including weakening legal protections, rising discrimination, and socio-economic inequalities. According to the research done by the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, the number of hate crimes reported to police in the country’s 10 largest cities rose by nearly 13% in 2023. However, others have been highlighting the massive underreporting of hate crimes to law enforcement, especially among certain communities. Discrimination and harassment in the workplace are also issues that need to be addressed to close the gender wage gap and end gender discrimination in hiring and promotions.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Overall, women are paid less than men. On average, a woman who typically works full-time would need to work almost a year and a half worth of work to make what a typical man working full-time would earn in a year. This wage inequality is even greater for Black and Hispanic women. There has been little to no progress in narrowing the gender wage gap over the past decades, and this has to change. Despite federal employment laws, a 2023 survey done by Greenhouse has revealed that historically underrepresented groups have reported experiencing discriminatory interview questions, mostly focused on age, gender, or race. Moreover, over 45% of applicants tried to protect themselves against discrimination by changing their names to make them sound “less ethnic” or of the opposite gender. We have to make sure our laws around workplace discrimination are strong enough to protect everyone at all cost.

NO HATE CRIMES

Research has shown that around 66% of hate crimes go unreported to law enforcement which makes the existing hate crime reporting flawed. Currently, reporting hate crime data is voluntary, when it should be mandatory. Better hate crime reporting can help ensure appropriate allocation of resources to combat these crimes. Laws and protection against hate crimes should also expand to include cyber crimes. Cyber hate crimes have also been rapidly growing in the forms of online harassment and doxxing. There should be enough protection to ensure reporters of hate crimes that they are safe and free from any form of retaliation or stigmatization.

New Jersey boasts some of the strongest educational centers in the U.S., ranking at #4 overall in U.S. News. The best way towards a brighter future is equipping our children with the education they need to succeed in their endeavors. This support needs to extend to the families and educators that act as our children’s support network.

The average test scores in the U.S. for 13-year-olds have significantly dropped in both reading and math since 2020. According to the data released by National Assessment of Educational Progress, the math results in particular showed widening gaps based on gender and race, where scores decreased by 11 points for female students compared to a 7-point drop for male students. Most people have attributed the sharp decline in test scores to the pandemic. However, even before the pandemic, the issues around high student-to-teacher ratios due to teacher shortage have been one of the biggest contributors to a declining quality of education. The number of under qualified teaching hires increased by 69% in 2023. Lack of quality teaching and heavy staff shortages are more likely to affect poorer school districts.

EDUCATION EQUITY

Education equity means all students have equal access to high quality education, and a safe learning environment. Higher-income families are able to provide better educational opportunities than disadvantaged families. Their ability to access resources like private tutoring, and extracurricular activities put their children at an advantage. On the other hand, low-income families typically fall behind academically due to increased financial and social barriers. Poorer communities tend to receive inadequate funding, outdated infrastructure, and insufficient teacher support that affect the way the students learn. We should create public programs that provide free tutoring and extracurricular assistance to communities that can’t afford them. We must fight to get better pay and treatment for all educators.

Every citizen should feel safe and protected wherever they live, regardless of their race, wealth, or social background. Public safety outcomes in New Jersey reflect both significant progress and persistent challenges. Middlesex and Monmouth counties are on the right track, but continued vigilance is needed to support safety, build community equity, and minimize corruption.

Although advancements in technology and data-driven policing have enhanced crime prevention, issues such as gun violence, cybercrime, and drug-related offenses continue to be critical concerns.

CRIME PREVENTION

Crime prevention strategies that focus on building trust between law enforcement and the community can be essential components of public safety. Implementing violence interruption initiatives can reduce crime by engaging trained mediators to defuse conflicts before they escalate.Investing more on data-driven systems to track crime trends can also help allocate resources more effectively. Expanding access to mental health crisis teams can provide alternatives to police responses for nonviolent incidents. On the accountability front, mandatory use of body cameras with strict data management policies can increase transparency in law enforcement interactions. This can work both ways, and allow officers to better perform their day-to-day work to help protect communities. Additionally, restorative justice programs in schools can address minor offenses constructively, reducing juvenile arrests and fostering accountability.

Despite advocating for a life free from violence and discrimination, many women across the globe still experience gender inequality. In the U.S., women’s rights are still not secured in the constitution. Women are disproportionately affected by the lack of legal foundation to protect them from exploitation or harmful cultural practices. According to research, women are also more likely to live in poverty and economic insecurity. For many years now, women have been fighting for the amendment of The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) from 1923 to include legal protections and equal rights for everyone, regardless of sex or gender.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare allows women to make informed decisions about their own bodies and reproductive lives. A study done by The Center of American Progress showed that women’s economic contributions often depend on having access to comprehensive reproductive health services. Barriers to comprehensive healthcare continue to persist, especially for women of color and LGBTQ+ individuals. Some women of color may be at a disadvantage from a lack of reliable transportation or insurance coverage, and language barrier for nonnative English speakers. Approximately half of the country, mostly rural counties, do not have access to an OB-GYN. We need to make reproductive health services more affordable. Insurance companies should also not be allowed to charge higher premiums for women. It is also important to recognize the need to protect and empower single mothers who are doing everything they can to raise their children.