Issue Position: Jobs and the Economy

Issue Position

*When I was young there was a period when my family was on welfare because my father left and did not make the child support payments my mother needed to keep a roof over our heads. She was a proud woman and later worked for many years sewing in a New York garment district factory, and later in life as a hotel maid. She taught me that there is dignity in any kind of work well done, and great satisfaction in providing for your family.

*America's middle class is shrinking. It is harder now to find the solid manufacturing and union jobs that pay living wages. A nation of haves and have-nots is not the kind of nation we Democrats and progressive-minded people should accept. I voted to increase Maryland's minimum wage and I support increasing the Federal minimum wage. I will work to expand opportunities for minority businesses and promote successful training programs that lead to jobs in growing fields in the private and public sectors. I oppose laws that weaken unions and I support our federal workers who work hard every day serving our nation, but often find themselves subject to politically-driven attacks.

*I am a strong supporter of moving the FBI Headquarters to Prince George's County, and will work to bring other federal facilities to our district.

*I want our nation to fund repairing and rebuilding our infrastructure, which is much needed and will create thousands of jobs. Earlier this year a woman driving under a crumbling bridge on I-495 near Andrews Air Force Base narrowly escaped injury when a chunk of concrete fell on her car. Fixing our roads, schools, water and sewer mains and treatment plants, and building the Purple Line light rail from New Carrolton to Bethesda are examples of public infrastructure investments that will repay us many times over the years to come with better and more efficient services. Roughly 80 bridges in Maryland (and approximately 63,000 across America) are structurally deficient and unsafe. Let's get to work.

Source