Issues | Figures For Congress

On the issues

ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE

Alabama is one of the few states left to expand Medicaid, leaving hundreds of thousands of Alabamians left without health insurance. At the same time, Alabama has one of the lowest life expectancies in the country and one of the highest rates of maternal mortality – disproportionately impacting Black mothers and infants.

Voters across District 2 can’t afford 30-minute drives to the nearest emergency room or 24-hour urgent care facility. Mothers can’t afford long commutes to a labor and delivery unit. We live in the most powerful nation on earth and, when someone needs to see a doctor, they should be able to.

As your Congressman, I’ll work to:

Build on the legacy of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by working to ensure that every person in Alabama can get a checkup every year and advocating for healthcare policies that prioritize accessibility, affordability, and quality of health care – particularly in rural communities.

Expand healthcare networks, increase funding for community health centers and foster partnerships with reputable companies capable of delivering quality, affordable healthcare to our District so that the care we deserve is available on time, every time.

Address healthcare disparities, like our state’s maternal health crisis that disproportionately impacts Black mothers and infants.

Protect reproductive rights and ensure every patient can make their own healthcare decisions - on their own, for their own futures.

Build out healthcare networks in rural communities through grants that leverage partnerships with our community colleges and existing healthcare providers to reach more people.

INVESTING IN EDUCATION AND OUR EDUCATORS

Throughout this District and across Alabama, disparities in education are pervasive, and our educators – for all they do – are not valued as they should be. Alabama ranks below the national average in 4th-grade reading and 8th-grade math, particularly for Black and Latino kids. In our state, only 28% of kids are reading proficiently and only 1 out of every 5 kids are proficient in math.

Teachers in Alabama are amongst the lowest paid in the country and, while we ask them to take care of everyone else's children, they are afforded no paid parental leave when they decide to have a family of their own.

We must ensure every student in our District— particularly those of color and in rural communities — has access to a high-quality education and that our schools are equipped with the modernized infrastructure and technology needed to help our young people be successful.

As your Congressman, I’ll work to:

Increase pay for Alabama teachers – who are the single-most important professionals to the future of this District – so that we can recruit and retain the best teachers in the country.

Advocate for increased federal funding and resources to modernize our schools so that every student can attend a school with modern technology and achieve the best possible educational outcomes.

Close the achievement gap and ensure students have access to high-quality education, particularly after years of learning loss following the global pandemic.

Increase access to mental health professionals and counselors in our schools.

JOBS, OPPORTUNITY & BUILDING AN ECONOMY FOR THE FUTURE

We have a real opportunity to grow Alabama’s workforce and economy, ensuring that Alabamians have a seat at the table in Congress as we emerge into an economy of the future. I believe that every person and family in this District has the ability to earn a good wage and get ahead, which will rely on us investing in our small businesses, investing in childcare, bringing new jobs to our District, and bridging the digital divide so that innovative and modernized and financial systems can help stimulate economic growth, technological advancement, and expanded access of financial services to District 2.

As your Congressman, I’ll work to:

Raise wages, because families are working harder but struggling to keep up with record cost increases – particularly increasing costs of healthcare, childcare and housing.

Support small businesses through targeted tax incentives, equitable access to capital, and sustainable resources for entrepreneurship.

Grow workforce development programs, specifically through partnerships with colleges and universities, to ensure Alabamians have the competitive skills needed for emerging job opportunities in the District.

Support and protect the right to advocate as a collective when workers choose to organize.

Spearhead policies that promote public-private partnerships and workforce development programs, catalyzing innovation and job-readiness in both rural and suburban areas.

Fight for paid parental leave and expand access to affordable, high-quality childcare so that families can provide and care for their loved ones when they need to and so that we can address the barriers that keep too many women out of the workforce.

Lead recruitment efforts to attract new businesses into the District and encourage expansion opportunities for existing companies.

Expand broadband and internet services in our District so that businesses and schools can compete in a modern economy.

Embrace the new landscape around digital assets, like Cryptocurrency, to stimulate innovation and technological advancement and ensure, as blockchain continues to evolve, its applications benefit our District in areas like supply chain management, healthcare, and identity verification.

Advocate for job creation and economic diversification through fostering a more resilient and inclusive economy for people from all backgrounds.

Develop a framework that responsibly addresses regulatory concerns around cryptocurrency and encourage reasonable regulation to protect consumers, investors and our economy and equip residents with resources that support their comprehensive understanding of digital currency.

COMBATING GUN VIOLENCE AND BUILDING SAFER, STRONGER COMMUNITIES

We need a District – and an Alabama – where every person has the chance for opportunity, where every person has their rights protected, and where every person can feel safe. In an average year, 1,149 people die and 3,065 are wounded by guns in our state. Alabama has the 4th-highest rate of gun violence in the country, and gun violence is the leading cause of death for young people in Alabama.

Across this District, disparities persist – in education, healthcare and income – robbing young people of brighter futures. In order to combat those disparities and provide young people with the opportunities to succeed that they deserve, we must address violence, build safer communities, and protect the constitutional rights of every resident.

As your Congressman, I’ll work to:

Advance a holistic approach to addressing gun violence in our communities and providing a future with better opportunities and outcomes for young people in this District.

Strengthen and propose legislation that protects every person in Alabama from discrimination, so that we all have an equal opportunity to thrive.

Work towards sensible criminal justice and prison reform so that we are allowing formerly incarcerated individuals the ability to successfully rejoin society and gain access to the opportunities needed – jobs and education – that support their success after incarceration.

Improve police and community relations throughout the District to enhance community safety while ensuring our communities are safely policed.

Continue the fight to protect and expand voting rights and ensure every person in this District – a District that was the outcome of years-long advocacy for fair voting – can have their voice heard at the ballot box.