Candidate Q&A
Why are you running?
When my father lost his job in the recession of the early 1970s, my family experienced economic hardship and had to rely on public housing and food stamps. Thanks to the generosity of the American people, access to quality public education, and robust economic opportunities in this country, my family persevered and built a thriving, middle-class life in Peoria, Illinois.
In Congress, I have worked to help more Americans achieve and sustain the middle-class life that my family experienced. During my time in Congress, we have accomplished a lot in this regard, including passing the historic Inflation Reduction Act and the law I authored to reform American career and technical education, the “Strengthening CTE Act.” But there is a lot left to do to ensure other Americans have the same opportunities my family had to achieve the American Dream, including equal pay for equal work, paid sick and maternity leave, and raising the federal minimum wage.
How has your district been impacted by the migrant crisis and what do you think should be done?
The arrival of thousands of asylum-seeking immigrants in Chicago and its suburbs has placed a huge burden on our communities while putting those migrants, mostly women and children, at risk. Our immigration system is broken, and Congress needs to undertake comprehensive reform.
In the short term, we need to do more to strengthen enforcement at the border by sending more personnel, better technology, and more immigration judges to process asylum claims. In Congress, I have strongly supported Mayor Brandon Johnson’s request that American municipalities be allocated emergency federal funding to help with the influx of new arrivals. Chicago, for example, needs the ability to provide warm clothing and beds to families arriving with little preparation for Chicago’s winter climate. We also must expedite migrant work authorization permits to allow certain migrants to work legally, so they can pay their own way rather than burdening local taxpayers with the cost of their care.
What do you think immigration reform in Congress should look like?
As an immigrant, brought to this country at the age of three months, I am grateful for the tremendous opportunities that this great nation has afforded me. One thing is clear: we must pass comprehensive immigration reform to address legal and illegal immigration.
First, we must enhance the security of our border.
Second, we must pass key provisions from the Dream Act to protect immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, know no other home, and are now vulnerable to deportation.
Third, we must reform our high-skilled immigration system. Our current law caps the number of employment-based visas available based on workers' country of origin, leaving unused thousands of visas that would otherwise draw in top talent in key sectors, such as healthcare and technology. That is why I co-authored the Eliminating Backlogs Act which will repeal the “per-country cap” to ensure we use every allotted visa to draw skilled workers from across the globe to help strengthen our economy and create jobs.
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?
My constituents often tell me that they are tired of the political partisanship in Washington. That is why I have consistently worked with my colleagues across the aisle to try to pass common-sense legislation.
As the Ranking Member of the Select Committee on China, I work with Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) to develop and pass bipartisan policy measures and lead bipartisan investigations into key issues, including among other things intellectual property theft and fair-trade enforcement. Our committee has been cited as an “oasis” of cooperation in a sea of partisan dysfunction.
I am also the proud sponsor of the bipartisan ETHICS Act with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Rep. Mike Cloud (R-TX) to prohibit Members of Congress from trading individual stocks.
In addition, I am the founder of the bipartisan Solar Caucus with Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), where we developed successful legislation to lower solar soft costs and make it easier to “go solar” across America.
What action, if any, do you want to see next on abortion access after the Dobbs decision?
The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade undermined 50 years of judicial precedent on reproductive rights, the right to bodily autonomy, the right to privacy, and the rights of women more broadly. It is a woman’s fundamental right to make her own healthcare decisions, and those decisions should not be subject to the whims of politicians.
Already, we are seeing bans on abortion even before a woman may know she is pregnant, refusal to allow abortions in cases where the fetus will not survive or the life of the mother is in danger, and efforts to prosecute doctors and other health care providers. Some states are trying to restrict a woman’s right to travel for an abortion and to make it illegal to receive the so-called abortion pill by mail.
I strongly believe that we need to pass federal legislation to codify Roe v Wade into law, thus restoring the fundamental rights of millions of American women who should be trusted to make their own reproductive health decisions.
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
