Candidate Q&A
Why are you running?
It has been an honor to represent Illinois’ Fifth District in Congress. As your Representative, I have utilized my position on the Appropriations Committee to bring funding home to our community and ensure that our needs are prioritized in government funding. As the highest-ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, I have been deeply focused on improving our public transportation so it works for everyone and repairing infrastructure across the country.
When Democrats take back the House in the 2024 election, I expect to become the Chair of that Subcommittee and be even better positioned to advocate for Chicago’s needs.
How has your district been impacted by the migrant crisis and what do you think should be done?
The Fifth District has felt many of the same impacts as the rest of the Chicagoland region and many other major cities across the country. First and foremost, I know that our city needs more funding to help tackle this crisis. We all want our new arrivals to receive humane and appropriate receptions when they arrive, and that means we need more money to provide services. But this is a big issue that requires big solutions.
Our Senator, Dick Durbin, has been a strong voice on this issue and I have long agreed with his calls for comprehensive immigration reform. Ultimately, we have to address the root causes of migration if we want to truly tackle this issue.
What do you think immigration reform in Congress should look like?
The time for quick fixes to our immigration crisis is long past and it is high time that Congress tackle comprehensive immigration reform. That must include everything from securing our border to reforming our immigration court system to passing the Dream Act. Immigrants who come to our country are seeking a better life and want to work and provide for their families - just like every other American.
We must make that easier by improving court processing times and simplifying the work permit system. Critically, any immigration reform must also include addressing the root causes of migration by providing targeted aid to the nations that migrants are overwhelmingly arriving from.
How important is bipartisanship to you and what issues have you worked on across the aisle or with people who don't uniformly share your beliefs?
Compromise is one of the lost arts of lawmaking in Congress. Too many extremists now see bipartisanship as a bad thing, rather than as the only way to truly get anything done in Washington. I may not agree with my Republican colleagues on everything but I have always been dedicated to finding the areas we can agree to make change. One of my proudest accomplishments in my time in office was passing ACT for ALS, a law that makes it easier for patients with neurodegenerative diseases to access new treatments. That bill passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support and was one of the most bipartisan pieces of legislation to pass Congress that term.
Health care is not the only arena where this kind of bipartisanship is possible. This Congress, I’ve partnered with Republicans to introduce two bipartisan pieces of legislation. First, I worked with my former colleague on the Intelligence Committee, Republican Darin LaHood, on a bill that strengthens consequences for anyone who mishandles classified documents. Additionally, I introduced a bill with Republican Representatives Brain Fitzpatrick and Larry Bucshon titled the REAL ID Eligibility (RIDE) For Ukraine Act. This legislation would grant Ukrainians refugees who meet the necessary requirements with crucial access to driver’s licenses and State IDs, documents that will allow them to maintain stable employment, integrate into their communities, and build economic self-sufficiency here in the U.S.
What action, if any, do you want to see next on abortion access after the Dobbs decision?
It is critical that Congress codify the right to abortion care into federal law. Since the Supreme Court’s wrongful decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, we have seen many states implement dangerous restrictions on reproductive care and many Republican-held legislatures have attempted to pass wide-ranging restrictions. It is clear that the ultimate goal is to outlaw all abortions, restrict access to birth control, and strictly control the rights of women to make their own reproductive care choices. The results of those efforts have already been devastating. There have been horrifying stories of women forced to risk their lives before medical care can be provided and even children who were subject to sexual abuse being forced to carry pregnancies.
We cannot allow this current environment to continue. Abortion care is health care and every American is entitled to safe, accessible care. I’m proud that Illinois has protected this right but the only way to truly protect women’s choices is to pass federal legislation protecting the right to abortion care.
Did Joe Biden legitimately win the 2020 presidential race?
Yes
Should the United States provide Ukraine with money in its fight against Russia?
Yes
Should the United States provide Ukraine with aid in the form of military supplies?
Yes
Should the U.S. provide Israel with money in its fight against Hamas?
Yes
Should the United States provide Israel with aid in the form of military supplies in its fight against Hamas?
Yes
Should there be a law requiring background checks on all gun sales?
Yes
Should Congress pass a federal law banning semi-automatic assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines to help address gun violence?
Yes
