I am seeking to serve so that our kids, and future generations beyond can have a place called Home, right here in Central Kentucky.
Our nation is facing crisis on many sides.
From an assault on our democracy, to climate change, to a housing affordability crisis, from geopolitical tensions around the globe, to the loss of our rights of privacy and medical autonomy at home, we have little to compare to the gravity of this particular moment in history.
Our United States House of Representatives is paralyzed.
At a moment when decisive and unified actions are needed more than ever before, our Republican-led Congress has devolved into a stagnant cesspool of inaction, infighting, and finger-pointing.
When we need leadership, we instead witness fealty to a past leader who has no current role in government.
When we need unity, we instead see a race by Republican lawmakers to any available television camera to blame anyone and everyone but themselves for a lack of progress and a lack of solutions for the people that they have been sent to serve.
Inaction is no longer an option.
Leading up to this November, we must work with the fierce urgency of now to have a chance at preserving our nation, our values, and our Commonwealth for future generations.
Representative Andy Barr has had over a decade, and over two million dollars worth of salary from the people of Central Kentucky to get the job done, including years with unified government under his own Party. And yet, in that time, we are no better off as his constituents than we were before.
It is time for a change of representation in Washington.
Change must begin on Day One of the next Congress.
If I am elected to serve the people of Central Kentucky, I will have legislation in hand on Day One to start charting a new course for the future of our Commonwealth and our nation.
I will introduce or co-sponsor legislation to:
Institute biannual grants from the Department of Education to public school teachers (Pre-K - 12th Grade), tied to the Federal Poverty Level for individuals, to ensure that NO public school teacher has to suffer the indignity of working for a poverty wage, regardless of whether or not their state legislature thinks that is appropriate.
Restore Roe vs. Wade as the law of the land. This will require suspension of the filibuster in the Senate to achieve, but that suspension must be pursued. Our loved ones cannot wait in danger for a moment longer.
Codify the protections of Obergefell vs. Hodges into law. This will ensure that, now and always, all consenting adults will have the right to a civil marriage in the United States, and all of the benefits that accompany such a union, regardless of whom they love. This will ensure certainty and security for all people, throughout all of the stages of their lives.
Expand the Supreme Court to allow one Justice for each federal Circuit Court (13, at present), which will serve to restore balance to an extremist Court in its current composition.
Call for a Constitutional Amendment to Article III, Section I (Length of Judicial Service). Appending sentences to the end of the Section stating that;
"Persons assigned to serve as a Judge on the supreme or inferior courts shall serve on the Court of their assignment one term of fifteen years in duration, or until the death or voluntary resignation of the Judge, or until otherwise removed from their Court under the terms provided by this document. Judges may not be appointed by any body to a Court upon which they have previously served or are currently serving."Modify the federal tax code to dis-incentivize the practice of "flipping" single-family homes or hoarding multiple single-family housing units for use as short-term rental properties. This will allow the normalization of pricing and inventory for our domestic single family housing stock, and a better chance for all to achieve the first step of the American Dream, home ownership.
Open Medicare up as a public option for all Americans, which can be paid for via pre-tax dollars for wage earners.
Fund and establish a free online resource to show real-time pharmaceutical stock levels and pricing information at all commercial pharmacies.
Reform pharmaceutical patent law, and establish a government agency under the Food and Drug Administration to serve as a Pharmaceutical Manufacturer of Last Resort for medications which are in chronic shortage or those which have been abandoned by private industry.
Reintroduce and Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act of 2023 to protect our Republic from future threats of electoral interference.
Provide supplemental funding to the Department of Energy to identify sites, and begin rapid construction of new nuclear power generation facilities across the nation, including at least one site in the historic coal-producing regions of Kentucky. This will serve to decarbonize our baseline power generation capabilities, and enable the powering of next generation technologies, including direct carbon and methane capture, artificial intelligence (AI) supporting data centers, and desalination and enhanced climate control as may be needed in the face of climate change.