While the Americans with Disabilities Act was an important step forward in our nation's history, we still have a lot of work left to assure our laws are updated for the challenges that disabled Americans face in the 21st century.
In Congress, I will work every day to make sure no one's voice is excluded from the halls of government--and that includes Americans with disabilities. I will ensure that everyone with a disability--especially seniors, students, and those looking for work--can pursue independent and dignified lives with confidence and without fear of exclusion from their communities.
One of the most important ways we can make this happen is by defending Medicaid against reckless budget cuts. One-third of Americans under 65 who receive Medicaid benefits have a disability, and their livelihoods are the first to suffer should budget cuts become a reality. Unfortunately, that's exactly what Rep. Jeff Denham has voted for. By supporting the Republican health care repeal (after promising he'd vote against it), he risked turning Medicaid into block grants that threatened essential services people with disabilities rely on. If elected I pledge to fight back against these attacks and make sure our laws, our budgets, and our values are rightfully aligned so that no one is left out of pursuing their American dream.